Pinotage is a red grape variety that was created in South Africa in the 60s and is a cross between pinot noir and cinsault. It is grown mostly in South Africa, but also in smaller quantities in countries like the United States, France, Italy, and Switzerland. Pinotage is most commonly used in ruby-red wines but has a character that makes it especially well-suited for rosé style wines.
International Pinotage Day is celebrated every second Saturday of October – a perfect excuse to crack open a bottle of true local wine.
Pinotage is widely known as “ Africa ’s Cabernet” because of its rich and bold character. It has a natural resistance to many of the common grape diseases that plague vineyards throughout the world and is widely acknowledged as a wine with an interesting combination of aromas and flavours, especially when served slightly chilled.
According to winemakers, pinotage grapes are low maintenance and therefore produce great colour and degree of intensity if left on the vine to ripen.
Cooking with pinotage
In light of pinotage’s South African heritage, it would only be appropriate to use it as an ingredient in a South African oxtail stew. Oxtail is a nutritious and succulent cut of meat, and when cooked low and slow it becomes meltingly tender. The long braising time required to make the oxtail soft and tender, also allows the meat to absorb the flavours of the wine, garlic, and herbs.
As we move to warmer and sunnier days, what’s a better way to keep chilled and refreshed than enjoying a scoop of pinotage ice cream? You get the best of both worlds with this great combination of flavour complexity and creamy texture!
This pinotage pasta is tossed with a red wine reduction, which gives it a deep, rich flavour and a gorgeous colour. The rocket is added at the very end, just before serving so that it stays fresh and crunchy.