Pinotage

Styles

Cool climate:

Moderate climate:

Warm climate:

Secondary flavors:

Tertiary flavors:

Difficult to ripen

Black cherry, black berry, plum with medium acidity and high tannins

Smoke, vanilla, burnt toast from oak ageing

Can develop jammy flavors from ageing

Features

Cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault

Ripens easily in warm climates leading to high sugar levels and excess alcohol

Can develop acetate during fermentation leaving rubbery paint like aromas

Tannins can ‘green’ and wines lacking fruit if picked too early

Best wines come from old vines with good concentration of fruit flavor

Sometimes heavily extracted with intense oak ageing

Modern wines tend to use fully ripe grapes but extract less color and tannins during fermentation and use more subtle oak ageing

Limited ageing ability