Middelvlei Pinotage

South African Pinotage has a reputation for being a grape variety that is difficult to love. Middelvlei Pinotage (1999) from Stellenbosch demonstrates why it is worth trying. The label says: "It rewards with complex flavours of raspberries, mulberries and elegant oak. Fruity and delicately sweet on the middle palate, it has a long dry finish." It also has that characteristic aftertaste which reminds me of blue cheeses, such as Italian Dolcelatte. This, I hasten to add, is much less displeasing than it sounds. It is a big wine to go with big food - venison with prunes is suggested.

Mondovino - the world of wine

This blog was started after seeing the Documentary Mondovino. This documentary by Jonathan Nossiter, which is not as biting as (for example) Farenheit 9/11, highlights the differences between small, traditional producers and larger operations aiming for a global market. The larger producers make wines to appeal to a mass market taste - which is OK if you need something to serve to less adventurous guests. On the other hand, some of the smaller wineries make idiosyncratic wines, whose taste is determined more by tradition than by what will appeal to consumers worldwide.

I hope to promote the enjoyment of traditional wines (without turning them into popular rarities and pushing the price out of my reach).