Reviews & Ratings

2008 Kanonkop Pinotage "Estate Wine"

Winery: Kanonkop

Vintage: 2008

Wine Name/Vineyard: "Estate Wine"

Wine Category: Pinotage

Grape blend: 100% Pinotage

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Simonsberg/Stellenbosch

State or country: South Africa

Price: $35

Cases produced: 7,500

KWG Score: 91 (based on 3 reviews)

Ken's Wine Rating: Very Good+ (90)

Review date: March 14, 2011

Wine Review: Kanonkop is consistently one of the top Pinotage offerings each year. While the 2007 vintage might be tough to follow, the 2008 does an honorable job as a follow-up. It is slightly opaque and dark purple colored. It opens with a very smoky wood fire bouquet. I also detected a hint of black raspberry in the background. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, and fruit forward. The flavor profile is a tasty black raspberry and black cherry blend with nicely integrated oak. The finish is dry and its oak tannins build up quite a bit and stick around for a long time. Pair this wine with a well marbled ribeye. Enjoy - Ken

Winemaker Notes: Crafted from the fruit of some of South Africa's oldest Pinotage vines, this benchmark bottling is a true Cape classic! Alluringly complex and distinctive, it boasts juicy layers of dark berries, cassis and plum intertwined with hints of banana and mocha with a smoky, minerally undercurrent.

Buy it: Use 1000 Corks to find stores that sell Kanonkop 2008 Pinotage.