In his review of 25 pinotages tasted at Wosa's London Megatasting, Richard Hemming, who writes for Jancis Robinson's website, gave his highest praise and his highest score to Diemersfontein. The article and tasting notes (in the restricted part of Jancisrobinson.com) are reproduced below, with permission. Incidentally, I wrote to the JR reader's forum arguing against Richard's judgement, and I'll also attach that, after the article. There's now been quite a bit of comment on the issue. Jancis Robinson has kindly given permission for Grape to reproduce other articles arisng out of the Wosa tasting, so we will do that over the next week or so.  - Tim James

Pinotage - misunderstood?

Richard Hemming kicks off a week that will see quite a number of tasting notes on some of South Africa's most exciting wines. To find out more about the Cape's own red wine grape, see the Pinotage Association.

Most New World countries have one. Those countries that don't have one, want one, something to differentiate their country, something unique, something identifiable: California Zinfandel, Chilean Carmenère, Argentine Malbec ... or South African Pinotage. As the old adage runs, be careful what you wish for.

I'm trying not to Pinotage-bash unduly here, even though it is the go-to punchbag of wine criticism. Many opinions are resolved that it is a total write-off, incapable of producing serious or worthy wines. Having tasted 25 at the recent South Africa Mega Tasting, I disagree - there may not have been wines to compete with the best in the world, but there was plenty of well-made, interesting, complex, balanced and tasty stuff on show.

Unfortunately, there was just as much ropey, average, disappointing plonk, but that's not the principal problem - after all, every variety makes examples of it which are below par. The bigger issue was something of an identity crisis. On the evidence I tasted, there are at least three quite different incarnations of Pinotage: those that imitate the elegant, aromatic style of Pinot Noir, those that honour the traditional smoke and rubber traits of the variety, and the most recent trend which emphasises an arrestingly vivid coffee character (attributable to particular oak treatment.)

The most exemplary instances in each case were by Meerendal, Zonnenbloem and Diemersfontein. The Pinot Noir style, whilst often tasty, didn't seem to contribute anything new or unique, and will never reach the pure excellence of its progenitor. The tyre-fire style was interesting but extreme - usually too peculiarly acrid to be enjoyed in volume. So for my money, the pioneering Diemersfontein coffee style is the way ahead, because it is simultaneously excellent quality and completely unlike any other wine style I have tried, and that lends it most value to the diversity of the wine world, as well as giving South African wine a quite unique flagship.

Notes are presented alphabetically by producer (sur)name. Price brackets are guidelines for UK retail per bottle, as provided by the producers.

Bellevue, Morkel Pinotage 2008 Stellenbosch 16.5 Drink 2009-12
6.13 g/l TA, 1.78 g/l RS, 3.42 pH. Ultra-ripe red fruit upfront, coffee, smoke, violets. Grippy tannins, dry and savoury finish with a lingering aromatic aftertaste. 13.5% (RH)
£n/a

Bellingham, The Bernard Series Pinotage 2008 Stellenbosch 16 Drink 2009-11
Raspberry, redcurrant, vanilla, sweet spice and fresh aromatic flowers. 14.5% (RH)
£7-10

Beyerskloof, Diesel Pinotage 2007 Stellenbosch 16 Drink 2009-11
6.1 g/l TA, 3.2 g/l RS, 3.64 pH. Sweet redcurrant jelly on the nose with a vibrant palate of red fruit, smoke, coffee and round yet fibrous tannins. Lengthy and smooth. 14.5% (RH)
£n/a

Diemersfontein Pinotage 2009 Wellington 17 Drink 2009-11
Feral, rubber, coffee, smoke. Redcurrants and raspberries, then loads of milky coffee qualities on the finish - quite remarkable definition - goodness gracious, what a persistent mocha coffee finish. Done with admirable gusto. 14% (RH)
£n/a

Drostdy-Hof Pinotage 2008 Western Cape 15.5 Drink 2009-10
Rubber, banana, smoke, black fruit, ripe and simple flavour profile. 13.5% (RH)
£3-5

Flagstone, Writer's Block Pinotage 2008 Worcester 15.5 Drink 2009-11
Hmm, I can't think of what to say about this one. Ho ho ho. Soft red fruit, ripe, primary and rubbery tannins without much complexity or development. 15% (RH)
£n/a

Ken Forrester, Petit Pinotage 2009 Stellenbosch 15.5 Drink 2009-11
5.4 g/l TA, 5 g/l RS, 3.66 pH. Pure and ripe red fruit, simple but straightforward and well-made (the little lick of sweetness is no bad thing) with a little aromatic lift on the finish. 14.5% (RH)
£3-5

Kaapzicht Pinotage 2006 Stellenbosch 16 Drink 2009-10
6.8 g/l TA, 2.4 g/l RS, 3.41 pH. Floral, soft, ripe red fruit and mellow spices. With the light smoky tones and primary red fruit this could be any number of things - generic then, but very drinkable. 14% (RH)
£n/a

Kaapzicht, Steytler Pinotage 2006 Stellenbosch 16.5 Drink 2009-12
6.8 g/l TA, 2.5 g/l RS, 3.44 pH. Charming blackberry fruit on the nose, chocolate, black cherry and burnt coffee bean. Smooth tannins, ripe mouthfeel, juicy yet savoury with a leather-bound finish. 14% (RH)
£10-20

Klein Zalze, Cellar Selection Pinotage 2008 Coastal Region 15 Drink 2009-11
Smoked, rubbery, banana skin, aggressively tannic, overripe red fruit. A bit unbalanced. 14% (RH)
£3-5

KWV Pinotage 2008 Western Cape 16 Drink 2009-10
5.97 g/l TA, 2.3 g/l RS, 3.58 pH. Mellow fruity nose, simple but clean palate with fresh blackberry fruit in the middle and a soft, round mouthfeel. Aromatic violet scent gives some complexity, good balance, very drinkable and good value. 14% (RH)
£3-5

Meerendal, Heritage Block Pinotage 2006 Durbanville 16.5 Drink 2009-14
6.5 g/l TA, 3 g/l RS, 3.5 pH. Elegant, aromatic and fragrant nose, ripe red fruits and floral characters with a smoked finish. Tannins are dry and dusty but balanced and the mouthwatering finish gives freshness. 13.5% (RH)
£20+

Morgenhof, Fantail Pinotage 2007 Stellenbosch 15.5 Drink 2009-11
Known in the UK as Morgenhof Vineyards Pinotage. Light, bright red fruits, inoffensive. Some vegetal hints. 14% (RH)
£10

Simonsig Pinotage 2006 Stellenbosch 15 Drink 2009-10
5.5 g/l TA, 2.15 g/l RS, 3.3 pH. Overripe raspberries, horse manure, red cherry. Acrid rubber and smoke scent on the palate and finish. Cooked bananas. 14% (RH)
£7-10

Simonsig, Red Hill Pinotage 2007 Stellenbosch 16.5 Drink 2009-12
5.3 g/l TA, 2.1 g/l RS, 3.6 pH. Charred wood, floral scent, meat, rosemary and herbs, aromatic and ripe with balance and silky smoothness. 14.5% (RH)
£10-20

Southern Right Pinotage 2007 Walker Bay 15.5 Drink 2009-13
6.4 g/l TA, 2 g/l RS. Ripe black fruit, banana, coffee, smoke, rubber and ripe cheese. Very distinct but off-putting rotten fruit quality on the palate, with smoke lingering on the finish. 14% (RH)
£10-20

Spier Pinotage 2008 Western Cape 16 Drink 2009-11
5.4 g/l TA, 2.9 g/l RS, 3.6 pH. Raspberry jam, pure and well defined, burnt rubber - but not too aggressive. Rather amenable fruit wins the day, in fact. Moderate length, good balance with a pleasant tannic feel. 14% (RH)
£5-7

Spier, Private Reserve 2006 Pinotage Stellenbosch 16.5+ Drink 2009-14
6.1 g/l TA, 3.6 g/l RS, 3.6 pH. Floral, aromatic violets, opulent red fruits, soft tannins, bitter tinge manifesting itself as hints of dark chocolate and espresso. 14.5% (RH)
£10-20

Stellar Organics Pinotage 2009 Western Cape 15 Drink 2009-10
Sweet red fruit, rubber and smoke with firm tannins and acrid finish. 14% (RH)
£5-7

Vinimarc, Reyneke Pinotage 2008 Stellenbosch 15.5 Drink 2009-12
4.9 g/l TA, 1.4 g/l RS, 3.9 pH. Rubber, red fruit, smoke and violets with a chewy tannic texture. Some aromatic elements. 13% (RH)
£10-20

Warwick Pinotage 2007 Stellenbosch 16.5 Drink 2009-12
5.51 g/l TA, 2.61 g/l RS, 3.66 pH. Super-ripe red fruit, redcurrant, strawberry and red cherry. Smooth, light tobacco smokiness on the finish, rubber and cocoa. 14.5% (RH)
£n/a

Waterkloof, False Bay Pinotage 2009 Western Cape 15.5 Drink 2009-11
Raspberry and strawberry, leafy herbaceous tint with a smokehouse finish. 14.5% (RH)
£5-7

Weldebacht Pinotage 2007 Wellington 15.5 Drink 2009-11
Quite timid nose, with only a bit of red fruit. More expressive on the palate, ripe red fruit and a chocolatey hint with a pinch of bitterness at the close. 14% (RH)
£7-10

Zevenwacht Pinotage 2008 Stellenbosch 14.5 Drink 2009-10
Rubbery, acrid, intense and smoky. A gross-out of extreme, rubber, smoke and flavours with a powerfully aromatic tar and singed hair sort of flavour on the finish. 14% (RH)
£7-10

Zonnebloem Pinotage 2007 Stellenbosch 16 Drink 2009-11
Ripe red fruit, a hint of fresh green stalk and capsicum. Firm tannins, rubbery texture. 13.5% (RH)
£5-7

Tim James's comment to the Jancis Robinson Forum:

It's a bit depressing to see Richard Hemming's enthusiasm for "coffee pinotage" (in his article on South African pinotages). Richard says the Diemersfontein he tasted and rated 17 is "simultaneously excellent quality and completely unlike any other wine style I have tried". I'd agree it's well made and different - but is that any reason to applaud a style that is 95% dependent on manipulation in the cellar? In this case the cleverness is primarily in choosing the right sort of high-toast oak staves on which to ferment the pinotage and then managing that fermentation. Somewhat to the despair of those who think that pinotage can make decent and quite serious stuff, there are now quite a few examples of this sort of wine in South Africa (and it's doing well internationally too: KWV's Café Culture is the biggest brand, but watch out for Barista - you'll note that the coffee element is played up even in the names, there's also a Cappupino!). Generally the target market is newcomers to wine rather than the Hemmings of the world. They're not all the same: some are more skillfully managed than others, some have a little less residual sugar than others, but all of them are characterised by the added flavourant - wood. I myself am more of an agnostic than a True Believer when it comes to pinotage, though there are certainly some interesting and good examples, but I think for the normally admirable Richard to taste 25 pinotages and give his highest praise and highest rating to the most cynically made among them is a problem, and hardly encouragement for those who are actually working pretty hard in Cape vineyards and cellars to improve the pinotage breed