December 14, 2006

Southern Right Pinotage (2002) Review

Southern Right
Varietal: Pinotage
Year: 2002
Origination: South Africa
ABV: 14%
We Paid: $15.99

We did a little piece on the appeal of Pinotage wines from South Africa, and it has left us mildly obsessed. We like the big flavors associated with the Pinotages we've tried, and they're usually a great match for spicy foods with equally big flavors, which we love. While we have read people using terms like "old band aids" or "rusty nails" to describe some Pinotages, we haven't encountered those (thankfully) and we wanted to let you know about the one we've tried most recently, Southern Right.

They Say: A wonderfully ripe, voluptuous wine with concentrated dark berry fruit, beautifully balanced wood spice and fine-grained tannins. By fully ripening our Pinotage at low yields in clay-rich soil, we have avoided simple, estery fruit and rustic tannins, while filling out the middle palate and ensuring length and complexity. (from wine.co.za)

We Say: This is another big, full-flavored Pinotage, full of berries and plums and spices. One taster called it "Chipotle Wine" because she found it to be so smokey. We thought it was a bit leathery too, which didn't detract from our enjoyment. Drink this one if you need a big, burly flavor to go along with spicy foods and red sauces.

Interesting Note: Southern Right is named after a rare type of whale that visits Walker Bay in South Africa every year, and the Southern Right winery donates a contribution to their conservation for every bottle sold. You know how much of a sucker we are for good wines going to good causes - we're thinking of Big Tattoo Red right now.

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