Buying guide: Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir
audited ratings

About the category: Though a notoriously difficult grape to work with on account of how fragile it is, Pinot Noir is capable of making red wines of great refinement and elegance.

It is at its most glorious in Burgundy, France, but there are today impressive examples from Oregon in the USA, New Zealand’s South Island and increasingly South Africa. At the end of 2008, it was the 16th most-planted variety locally making up 0.7% of the total area under vineyard.

Perhaps the only characteristics that the Pinot Noirs of the world could be said to share are a certain sweet fruitiness and, in general, lower levels of tannins and pigments relative to other noble varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Pinot Noir is notoriously difficult to taste on account of how ephemeral it is in the glass, but this is precisely the charm for many. The best examples have a consistency on the palate that manages to be simultaneously full and soft.

Key findings: After assessing a line-up of 40 current-release examples of Pinot Noir (up from 28 last year and 29 in 2008), the WINE magazine panel was all smiles.

The tasting saw Crystallum Cuve Cinma 2008 rated 5 Stars, the first-ever local Pinot Noir to achieve this since WINE magazine was founded in October 1993 (for more on this wine, see p. 36). In addition, there were two other wines rated 4 Stars and two 4 Stars. More generally, a creditable 47.5% of the line-up rated 3 Stars or better.

Clearly the quality improvement in local Pinot Noir that has been noted in recent years continues at pace. South Africa is not generally suited to cool-climate Pinot Noir, but it seems there’s a realisation among those brave enough to tackle this fickle grape that if they are to have even the vaguest hope of success, then site selection must be astute and viticulture and winemaking meticulous.

Nor is it a foregone conclusion as to where the best Pinot sites are: though Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is well represented among the top-performers (Crystallum, Creation, Sumaridge) in line with conventional wisdom, wines made from grapes grown in less predictable areas such as Elim (First Sighting), Franschhoek (Chamonix) and Robertson also fared well.

BEST VALUE – TO P 5 WINES ON PRICE
Wines rated 2 Stars or better and recommended for particularly good value on the basis of their quality/price ratio in the context of the average price per bottle of the
40 wines assessed:
Name of wine Rating Price
1. Robertson 2009 3 Stars R 29.60
2. Two Oceans 2009 ARP 3 Stars R 28
3. First Sighting 2008* (Strandveld) 4 Stars R 115
4. Whalehaven 2008 3 Stars R 102
5. Lord’s 2007 3 Stars R 90

ARE YOU GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR?
Average price per 750ml bottle of the 40 Pinot Noir wines assessed: R142
Average price per 750ml bottle of the 5 wines rated 4 to 5 Stars: R165
Average price per 750ml bottle of the 14 wines rated 3 to 3 Stars: R152
Average price per 750ml bottle of the 15 wines rated 2 to 2 Stars: R130
Average price per 750ml bottle of the 6 wines rated less than 2 Stars:

? ? ? ? ? five stars
Crystallum Cuve Cinma 2008
Approximate Retail Price R220
Alc 13.5% RS 2.1g/l TA 6.18g/l pH 3.45
The nose shows varietal perfume and attractive
oak notes. The palate shows excellent
fruit concentration, very fine, soft tannins
and fresh acidity. Juicy, rich and full but perfectly
balanced. Keep for the next three years.
CE 19 MN 18 CF 18 GdF 18 MW 18

? ? ? ? ? four and a half stars
Crystallum Peter Max 2008
Approximate Retail Price R160
Alc 13.46% RS 1.9g/l TA 6.1g/l pH 3.51
The nose shows red and black fruit as well as
earthy notes. The palate shows succulent dark
cherry fruit and subtle use of oak making for
silky tannins. Good line of acidity lends freshness.
Drink now or over the next three years.
CE 18 MN 16.5 CF 17 GdF 17 MW 16.5

Chamonix Reserve 2008
CELLAR PRICE R185
Alc 13.33% RS 2.6g/l TA 5.8g/l pH 3.68
Complex nose showing dark fruit, smoky oak
and forest floor notes. The palate is intensely
flavoured with excellent fruit expression,
firm but fine tannins and fresh acidity. Keep
for at least the next three years.
CE 18 MN 17 CF 17 GdF 18 MW 16.5

? ? ? ? four stars
First Sighting 2008*
Strandveld Price R115
Alc 13.5% RS 2.8g/l TA 5.5g/l pH 3.55
Red cherry as well as a musky note on the
nose. The palate is medium bodied and
elegant with juicy fruit matched by fresh
acidity and well-judged oak. Long finish.
Drink now or over the next three years.
CE 17 MN 17 CF 17 GdF 17 MW 15.5

Creation 2008
CELLAR PRICE R145
Alc 14% RS 2g/l TA 5.6g/l pH 3.64
Alluring nose showing black cherries, spice
and incense. The palate is rich and full,
possessing a core of dark fruit with fi rm
tannins and bright acidity. Finishes long and
dry. Keep for at least three years.
CE 17 MN 16 CF 16.5 GdF 16.5 MW 17

? ? ? ? THREE AND A HALF STARS
Robertson 2009 R29.60
Whalehaven 2008 R102
Elgin Vintners Second Edition 2008* R107
Muratie 2008 R168
Sumaridge 2008 R180

? ? ? THREE STARS
Two Oceans 2009 ARP R28
Lord’s 2007 R90
Fryer’s Cove Bamboesbay 2008 R130
Paul Cluver Woolworths Reserve 2008 R150
Catherine Marshall 2008 ARP  R162
Paul Cluver 2008* R170
Oak Valley 2008 R190
Radford Dale Freedom 2008* R217
Paul Cluver Seven Flags 2007 ARP R398

? ? ? TWO AND A HALF STARS
Zorgvliet Silver Myn 2008* R 85
Herold 2008 R 93
Hamilton Russel Vineyards 2009 R95
Glen Carlou 2009* R112
Hamilton Russell Vineyards 2008 R275

? ? TWO STARS
Hoopenburg Bush Vine 2007 R83
Zorgvliet Silver Myn 2009* R85
Danie de Wet Nature in Concert 2007 R90
(De Wetshof)
Ernst Gouws & Co 2007 R95
The Winery of Good Hope 2008* R96
Ridgemor Reserve 2006 R110.50
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2008 R150
Creation 2009 R159
Topaz 2008 ARP R195
Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak 2009 R225

? ONE STAR
The Winery of Good Hope R96
Reserve 2009*
Signal Hill 2007 R100
Flagstone Fiona 2008* R125
(Constellation Wines SA)
Mooiplaas 2007 R140
Groote Post Reserve 2008 R275

ALSO TASTED
Barrydale Merchant’s Mask 2005 R66.50
(Southern Cape Vineyards)

PRICES: wines in each quality grouping are listed in order of ascending price – all ex-cellar unless otherwise stipulated

ARP Approximate retail price
* Bottled under screwcap

WINE TASTERS: Christian Eedes (chair) (CE), Wine Judging Academy graduate Mark Norrish of Ultra Liquors (MN), honorary member of the Institute of Cape Wine Masters Colin Frith (CF), Wine Judging Academy graduates Ginette de Fleuriot (GdF) and Meryl Weaver (MW).

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