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Pinotage is the only major wine grape invented in a laboratory, or near enough. In 1925 a Stellenbosch professor named Abraham Perold crossed Pinot Noir with Cinsault, then called Hermitage in South Africa, planted four seeds in his garden and promptly forgot about them. A colleague rescued the seedlings, and South Africa got its own grape.
It has had a bumpy century. At its worst, Pinotage smells of burnt rubber and banana and nobody is shy about saying so. At its best, from old bush vines and careful hands, it is a smoky, plummy, deeply South African red that goes with a braai like nothing else. If you grew up on the Cape, you already know which side you are on.
Table of Contents
What Does Pinotage Taste Like?
Black plum, mulberry, blackberry and dried fig, with smoke, bacon, dark chocolate, sweet spice and an earthy, savoury undertone. Modern versions are ripe, rich and oak-kissed; lighter “new wave” styles are fresher and more cherry-like, closer to the Pinot Noir parent. It is medium to full in body, with medium-firm tannin and moderate acidity.
| Aspect | Rating out of 5 | Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | 🍷 | Dry, with fruit as ripe as a Cape summer |
| Body | 🍷🍷🍷🍷 | Medium to full, sturdy enough for a braai |
| Tannins | 🍷🍷🍷🍷 | Medium-firm, rounder than its reputation |
| Acidity | 🍷🍷🍷 | Moderate |
| Alcohol by Volume | 🍷🍷🍷🍷 | Typically 13.5–14.5% |
Each wine glass icon is one point on a 5-point scale: one glass is low, five is high, based on the grape’s typical style.
Where It Grows
South Africa, almost entirely, where it is the second most-planted red grape after Cabernet Sauvignon. Stellenbosch, Paarl and the Swartland make the best, especially from old, dry-farmed bush vines. It is also used in “Cape Blends”, where it partners Cabernet and Shiraz. Tiny plantings exist in New Zealand, California, Zimbabwe and Israel.
Australia has a handful of Pinotage vines, mostly in the Barossa, McLaren Vale and the Hunter, planted by curious growers or South African expats who missed home. The wines are rare and usually cellar-door only. For most Australians, and for the many South Africans who now live here, the real thing is an import, and Cape Pinotage is very well priced for the quality.
How to Serve It
Temperature: 16–18°C.
Glass: a medium to large red bowl; see the glasses roundup.
Decanting: half an hour in a decanter blows off any rubbery edge and lets the fruit through.
Ageing: everyday bottles within five years. Old-vine Pinotage from top estates ages for a decade or more.
What to Eat With It
Braai food: boerewors, lamb chops, sosaties, bacon and anything smoky off the grill. It also loves bobotie, pork chops, meatloaf and barbecue sauce. Biltong, naturally. More in the pairing guides.
Celebrated Wine Labels
| Wine Label | Country | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Kanonkop | South Africa | Stellenbosch, the Pinotage benchmark |
| Beyerskloof | South Africa | Pinotage specialists, from everyday to reserve |
| Lanzerac | South Africa | Made the first commercial Pinotage in 1959 |
| Beeslaar | South Africa | Abrie Beeslaar’s own cult label |
| Radford Dale | South Africa | Elegant, lighter new-wave style |
Can’t Find One? Drink This Instead
Honesty corner: our partner shop had no Pinotage in stock when we checked. The closest match on the shelf is a smoky, plummy Barossa Shiraz: the same dark fruit, the same spice, the same love of a lamb chop straight off the grill.
Grant Burge 5th Generation Barossa Shiraz
Not Pinotage, but a smoky Barossa Shiraz is the nearest thing to a Cape braai on an Australian shelf. When a Kanonkop or Beyerskloof lands in stock, it takes this spot.
- Dark plum, smoke and spice, the same job Pinotage does at a braai
- Barossa fruit from a fifth-generation family name
- Boerewors, lamb chops and barbecue all work
- Under twenty dollars
- More peppery and less earthy than Pinotage; no banana, which some will count as a win
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pinotage a cross of?
Pinot Noir and Cinsault, crossed by Professor Abraham Perold at Stellenbosch University in 1925. Cinsault was called Hermitage in South Africa at the time, hence “Pinot-age”. Read our Cinsault guide and Pinot Noir guide for the parents.
Why does Pinotage sometimes smell of burnt rubber?
A compound called isoamyl acetate and some sulphur-based aromas can develop if the grape is picked unripe, fermented too hot or handled carelessly. Modern winemaking has mostly fixed it; good Pinotage smells of plum and smoke, not tyres.
Is Pinotage similar to Shiraz?
In weight and spice, yes. Pinotage is earthier and smokier, Shiraz more peppery. If you like Barossa Shiraz, a good Stellenbosch Pinotage will feel familiar.
Does Australia grow Pinotage?
A few vines in the Barossa, McLaren Vale and the Hunter, mostly sold at cellar doors. Nearly all Pinotage on Australian shelves is imported from South Africa.
What is a Cape Blend?
A South African red blend that must contain a significant share of Pinotage, usually 30 to 70 percent, alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Shiraz. It is South Africa’s answer to the Bordeaux blend.
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