Pinotage Anyone?

I was perusing through a local wine store this past weekend with no intent on buying anything.  I just wanted to see what their selection was since I had never been to this particular merchant.  Now, in my very small history with wine, I've actually tasted quite a few varietals, but pinotage had been passed over every time.  Most wine stores here have one, maybe two, pinotage labels on their racks.  This store had exactly two labels, one of which was an organic variety.  I asked the sales person which one she would buy (both were $11.99, and she liked them both), and she replied, 'Well, this one is organic...'.  Hippie.  I went with her selection.  I mean it would have been rude of me to not take her selection.

Pinotage was created in 1925 when the Pinot noir grape had sex with the Cinsaut grape way down in South Africa.  I was hoping this cross would take some of the 'sweatiness' away from most Pinot noir wines I've had before.  I know it sounds gross, but most of the time when I smell Pinot, I smell my old high school gym locker room after football practice.  I don't mind that smell, but it isn't the most pleasant either.  

I sat down on Tuesday night hoping to watch a Vandy win over our hated rivals, the UT Volunteers.  I figured that I could taste a grape I've never had, and if things in the game went poorly, well, I'd have an open bottle of wine.  Boy am I glad I had an open bottle.  

AP Photo.  This happened quite a bit as we could NOT stop them.  I hope I never have to post a photo like this again.

Avondale 2007 Pinotage 

I opened this bottle two hours before tasting to let it breathe a little.  On the nose, I perceived a large raspberry component.  This initial aroma disappeared and a hint of dirt and dust opened up.  Tasting this wine, the very first impression was that of dirt, which I enjoy.  This faded and the typical Pinot flavors came through: raspberry, earth, sweat.  The finish displayed a dusty, leathery flavor, which I verified by taking a leather-bound book I had laying around and licked it.  Yep, same flavor.  

Since the game was going south, I enjoyed most of the bottle (with a little help).  After getting some O2, the wine displayed a more jammy, sour cherry flavor.  I did NOT like this aspect.  Too tart for my taste.  I don't recommend letting this bottle breathe for more than 30 minutes.  Not my style.  

This bottle was...eh.  It was a nice little change from the traditional Pinot, and if you aren't into the mouthfeel or viscosity of Pinot, you should give this a try.  Not bad for $11.99, but I wish I had had the other bottle.

Knee update:  Foam roller seems to be working!  No pain yet this week!