When I first visited South Africa in 2004 I spent 4 weeks there and started a love affair with a grape I’d never heard of before that trip. A few days spent cruising round various Stellenbosch and Paarl sites, interspersed with multiple vineyards, left me with many happy memories and a Pinotage fixation. I’ve had all NW has to offer and this is properly up there. I decanted and left for half an hour, more due to waiting for dinner to cook than anything else. This was open from the start. A beautiful rich nose, and great legs... almost a shame to drink it... Almost! Smooth with a hint of spice. Deliciously full-bodied, and rich with succulent red berries and the only thing I can say is I wish I’d half a dozen or more squirrelled away. I don’t give 5❤️ out easily, 5 in 10 years, but I simply couldn’t fault this. That’ll be the 6th maximum then....
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Winemakers Mark is Archangel to
Marica Bonomo
Italy
Levan Chichinadze and Teona Omarashvili
Georgia
Urban and Eva Kaufmann
Germany
Cerina van Niekerk
South Africa
Christophe and Sébastien Laffitte
France
Arco Laarman
South Africa
Francoise & Baptiste Gazeau
France
Francois Haasbroek
South Africa
Marta Ramas & Miguel Fisac
Spain
Bernhard Ernst
Austria
Rodolfo Valiente
Spain
Benjamin Meï
France