Wine with dinner - Diemersfontein Pinotage

Another occasion and another great bottle of wine!

 The wine was actually one of my birthday presents, a gift box containing one Pinotage and one Carpe Diem Pinotage Reserve.  Seeing as we were eating a gourmet meal of KFC, we opted for the Pinotage and decided to save the Reserve for something a little more sophisticated.  (We ate first and then enjoyed the wine, so as to not tarnish any flavours - obviously!).


Diemersfontein is well known for being one of the first  (if not THE first) coffee / chocolate Pinotages.
Just to check how "coffee" the coffee hints are, we compared the smells of the wine to a bag of ground beans from our local roastery (Bean in Love, Main Street, Paarl).  While you can smell the coffee, the nose of the wine is softened by the berry aromas and is definitely not as harsh or bitter as the ground coffee.

We also tested the difference an aerator (an awesome, very smart gift from my sister) made on the taste of the wine.  My other half tasted both glasses without knowing which had been poured through the aerator and commented that one (the aerated one) tasted significantly better, less heavy, like it had breathed.  Interesting, so breathing does make a difference to your wines.
 

A most delicious wine, thoroughly enjoyed!

Our wine notes...

WINE:  Diemersfontein Pinotage
VINTAGE: 2012
PRODUCER:  Diemersfontein 
REGION & COUNTRY: Wellington, Western Cape
GRAPE VARIETY:  PinotageBOUGHT: At the farm
PLACE TASTED: A birthday present paired with an anniversary celebration.  Enjoyed at home with a gourmet meal of KFC and some homemade bread (Nigella style).


APPEARANCE: A dark red, almost purple colour.
NOSE:  Earthy and fruity.  Coffee beans.
TASTE:  It has the smoothness of a blend, it is fruity with an edge and not too earthy.  It has a subtle coffee flavour when you are drinking it, but none of the bitterness.
FINISH: A slight dark chocolate, like 85% Lindt dark chocolate finish.  A smooth and soft finish. 
OVERALL IMPRESSION:  Excellent! It is actually quite reasonably priced considering the quality.  There is a reason this wine is so well known, it is definitely the best Pinotage we have had, in a league of its own. (And it won't break the bank).  A well rounded delicious wine!
OVERALL VALUE: 4 out of 5




Bottle Quote:
"The original coffee chocolate Pinotage in its 12th Vintage - It befriends, it converts, it seduces!"


Diemersfontein Wine Estate
The farm is along the R301 between Paarl and Wellington, on the right hand side.
WGS84: S 33 39 33.7 E 19 00 15.8Tel: +27 21 864 5050