2017 Kanonkop, Black Label Pinotage, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Critics reviews
The 2017 Pinotage Black Label is very perfumed and more floral on the nose compared to the 2016, very pure with black plum, wild mint, fennel and a hint of liquorice. There is just a touch of Earl Grey that emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine grip, beautiful arching structure with a judicious dash of pepperiness coming through on the finish. Superb.
Drink 2025 - 2050
Neal Martin, Vinous.com (August 2022)
Single plot of 65-year-old, dry-farmed bush vines, on decomposed granite and Hutton soils, harvested at 2.8 t/ha. Fermentation in open concrete fermenters at 28 °C, with manual punch-downs every two hours. Juice drawn off skins after three and a half days. 18 months in new, 225-litre French Nevers oak, mainly from Vicard. TA 5.4 g/l, pH 3.62, RS 2.6 g/l, VA 0.82 g/l, total SO2 85 mg/l, free SO2 41 mg/l.
Deep black-ruby. Cooked raspberry, fresh earth, vanilla and clove spice. Compact, dense fruit on the entry, with powerful, but fine-grained tannins. Lots of density and weight. Needs time, but this has the core of quality to potentially equal the 2015.
Drink 2026 - 2040
Tim Jackson MW, JancisRobinson.com (January 2023)
Immediately impressive upfront, the nose of the 2017 Black Label Pinotage is open and expressive. The opaque core has deep purple edges, and the fruit is concentrated with the oak. The dense and chewy fruit expresses the full array of blue, black and dark red tones—dark plum, blackberry, and black cherry with hints of blueberry filling the nose of the glass. On the palate, the fruit has a depth and breadth that is complex and gives pleasure.
This is an impressive Pinotage bottling. The mid-palate is rich, full-bodied and highly complex, while the finish is still youthful and has a firm tannic grip that will ensure this wine lasts for decades. Wow! This full-bodied wine ends with a long and highly complex finish with notes of dark chocolate. It is an impressive wine that will captivate your attention.
Drink 2020 - 2045
Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate (October 2019)
Gorgeously perfumed, leaping out of the glass in demonstrative style: red plums, brambles, floral lift, cinnamon and bonfire toffee. The complexity continues on the intense, full-bodied palate, which is decadent and opulent in its blackforest-gateau-like richness but kept from heaviness by brisk acidity. Super grip from the firm, chewy tannins and a long, perfumed finish. Should age impressively.
Drink 2024 - 2039
Tina Gellie, Decanter.com (May 20220)
About this WINE
Kanonkop
Kanonkop was part of the Uitkyk farm and the inheritance of the former South African Prime Minister Paul Sauer. Today the estate is owned by his grandsons and is synonymous with Pinotage. The grape, which is a crossing between Cinsault and Pinot Noir, was planted for the very first time in this farm.
Kanokop winemaker Beyers Truter is South Africa`s Pinotage king. Beyers has been known to state that, were he not married to his wife Esme, he'd be married to Pinotage. He uses fruit from mature bush vines and exposes the wine to high amounts of new oak in maturation. Beyers Truter produces wine that rival the very best in the world. For the quality, they are ridiculously good value for money.
Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch is South Africa’s best-known wine region, producing a wide variety of wines from leading estates, even though it accounts for less than 20 per cent of the country’s total production. Designated wards within the wine region are Jonkershoek Valley, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, Bottelary, Devon Valley and Papegaaiberg.
At 17,500 hectares, Stellenbosch remains the Cape's most famous and important fine wine district, thanks to its proximity to Cape Town, to the cooling influences of False Bay, its mountainous (ie Helderberg, Simonsberg), granitic topography and its centres of learning such as Elsenburg Agricultural College.
It's notable for the refinement of its Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, especially from the likes of Glenelly Estate, Keermont Vineyards Oldenburg Vineyards, Raats Family and Anwilka
Pinotage
Created by Professor Perold in 1925 by crossing Cinsault and Pinot Noir, Pinotage is South Africa's trademark black grape. It took a long time for quality orientated producers to latch on to the grape`s potential - in the 1970s it was still being grubbed up in favour of more fashionable grapes. However it is now much in demand, partly due to South Africa`s export boom of the mid 1990s, and because of the Pinotage Producers Association which as well as vigorously promoting the grape, conducted vital research into clones, vine disease and vinification methods.
There is light, soft, easy drinking Pinotage that can be excessively jammy and is made for drinking young. However the more serious examples such as those from Kanonkop are produced from 50- year old unirrigated bush vines and are increasingly matured in new French and American barriques. These are full-bodied, rich, concentrated wines that are packed with ripe, spicy, black fruits and have the ability to age with grace.
Buying options
Add to wishlist
Description
Single plot of 65-year-old, dry-farmed bush vines, on decomposed granite and Hutton soils, harvested at 2.8 t/ha. Fermentation in open concrete fermenters at 28 °C, with manual punch-downs every two hours. Juice drawn off skins after three and a half days. 18 months in new, 225-litre French Nevers oak, mainly from Vicard. TA 5.4 g/l, pH 3.62, RS 2.6 g/l, VA 0.82 g/l, total SO2 85 mg/l, free SO2 41 mg/l.
Deep black-ruby. Cooked raspberry, fresh earth, vanilla and clove spice. Compact, dense fruit on the entry, with powerful, but fine-grained tannins. Lots of density and weight. Needs time, but this has the core of quality to potentially equal the 2015.
Drink 2026 - 2040
Tim Jackson MW, JancisRobinson.com (January 2023)
wine at a glance
Delivery and quality guarantee