PINOTAGE FOR THE AGES

From four little seeds to award-winning bottles, this varietal continues to stand the test of time.

- SJAAN VAN DER PLOEG

FROM THE ROOT

Deep plum and whisps of smokiness dance through the notes of this South African wine. Born out of an experiment in the 1920s, two flowers, the Pinot Noir and Cinsault (Hermitage) bud were crossed, creating exactly four seeds. Abraham Perold, a chemist and viticulturist at Stellenbosch University, excitedly planted them in his back garden. The seeds turned to sprouts, which grew into roots and eventually became vines.

Ten years went by, Abraham had moved on to a new job in Paarl, and the forgotten and now overgrown vines were spotted by a colleague riding past. The vines were carefully replanted in the university nursery, where they were first used for winemaking in 1935. In 1941, the first Pinotage bottles were produced and named Kanonkop.