Kanonkop Wine Estate!
What is so special about South African wine or what is different in South African wine compared to the rest of the world? Have you ever heard of a varietal known as Pinotage?
Pinotage was created in 1925 when a South African scientist (Abraham Perold) was attempting to develop a new varietal similar to Pinot Noir that would be able to survive the harsh climate in South Africa. Pinotage is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut.
If you want to try Pinotage then you need to try the wines from Kanonkop Wine Estate. Kanonkop is 100% one of the "Godfather's" of the Pinotage varietal. Kanonkop comes from the Afrikaans word 'kopje' which means hilltop, from which a cannon was fired in the 17th Century to alert farmers of new trade ships docking in the Cape.
If you can read the quote above the door frame below it states "Pinotage is the juice extracted from women's tongues and lions' hearts. After having a sufficient quantity one can talk forever and fight the devil."
That being said the winemaker, Abrie Beeslaar, is making some fantastic Pinotages out of this beautiful estate situated on the lower slopes of Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. But he is making more than just Pinotage wines. His Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux Blend are absolutely killer wines that if you can find them are more than worth the price point!
Enough about that, here are the wines we were able to taste at the estate!
Wines Tasted:
2015 Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage Rose: 85 points
2013 Kanonkop Kadette Cape Blend: 87 points
2014 Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage: 88 points
2013 Kanonkop Pinotage: 92+ points
2006 Kanonkop Pinotage: 93 points
2011 Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon: 92 points
2012 Kanonkop Paul Sauer: 93+ points
Kanonkop is a must visit estate in Stellenbosch. Let us know if you have any questions or where to try and find these wines! Till the next post!
