In Defense of Pinotage

Pinotage is South Africa's signature red grape — a 1925 crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, created at Stellenbosch University. It's also the most unfairly maligned grape in wine, dogged by memories of rubbery, acrid bottles. But in the right hands, especially from old bush vines, it makes a smoky, dark-fruited, structured red — blackberry, plum, mocha, and woodsmoke — that deserves a serious second look.

Most underdog grapes are overlooked. Pinotage is something rarer: actively disliked. It has a reputation problem — a whisper of "rubber" and "acetone" that has followed it for decades, and a cheesy "coffee Pinotage" fad that didn't help. But a grape doesn't become a country's flagship by accident, and the best examples are good enough to embarrass the doubters. This is a defense.

A grape invented on purpose

Pinotage was born in 1925, when South African scientist Abraham Perold crossed Pinot Noir with Cinsaut (then called "Hermitage" locally — hence the portmanteau, Pino-tage). It was meant to combine Pinot's class with Cinsaut's heat-hardy reliability. The early decades produced plenty of rough, over-cropped, badly made wine, and that's where the bad reputation was earned. But the grape was never the problem — the farming and winemaking were.

Why the bad rap is outdated

Modern South Africa has rewritten the story. Old, dry-farmed bush vines, lower yields, gentler extraction, and better oak have turned Pinotage into something serious: deep, smoky, and structured. The flagship is Kanonkop, so consistently great it's spoken of as a "first growth" of South Africa. Taste one of those and the old jokes stop being funny. There's also a brighter, lighter style — "Cape Blends" and even chilled, juicy versions — proving the grape has range it was never given credit for.

What it tastes like

At its best, Pinotage is dark and savory: blackberry, black plum, and bramble, with woodsmoke, cured meat, mocha, and a hint of sweet spice, over firm but ripe tannins. The dubious versions show that telltale acetone or burnt-rubber note — a sign of poor winemaking, not the grape's true character. Buy thoughtfully and it's one of the most distinctive reds in the world.

Where to buy

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The bottle that wins arguments is the benchmark: Kanonkop Pinotage →, often called South Africa's "first growth." Or browse every Pinotage on Wine.com.

Common questions about Pinotage

What is Pinotage? South Africa's signature red grape, a 1925 crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut created at Stellenbosch University.

Why does Pinotage have a bad reputation? Decades of over-cropped, poorly made wine produced rubbery, acrid flavors. The fault was farming and winemaking, not the grape — modern bush-vine examples are excellent.

What does good Pinotage taste like? Blackberry, plum, and bramble with woodsmoke, mocha, and savory spice over firm tannins.

How do you pronounce Pinotage? Roughly PEE-no-tahzh.

More overlooked reds worth a second look: Mencía and Baga. New here? Start with the Underdog Starter List.

— Chris Berry