pinotage Archives

Intellego Halagasha 2020

Published 18. February 2022 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Jurgen Gouws and his Intellego label has been focused several times on this blog. You can search yourself, but why not first read about one of his light-touch delicacies here.

This time I want to draw your attention to what he does with the “national” grape pinotage. Instead of going for an “impressive” blockbuster (yes, we know several) if has the lightest touch you can ever imagine. Lammershoek, a notable winery with links to Gouws, has a nice take on this grape (read here). This one is even more delicate.

Jurgen was an assistant to Craig Hawkins of Testalonga at the time if worked at Lammershoek. And besides this he worked more and more on his own Intellego project, with wines from rented vineyards.

This one is from a dry farmed vineyard of bush vines on granite soils near Paardeberg, Swartland. Hand-harvested grapes, whole-bunch pressing with natural yeast fermentation in steel. The wine is matured 5 months in big, old barrels, back to steel for 1 month, and bottled unfiltered and without sulphur.

Halagasha 2020 (Intelligo Wine)

Ruby red. Aroma of red berries (strawberry, currant), an earthy note. Juicy and smooth, with light and delicate tannins, good acidity, long.

Price: Medium

Food: Light meat, salads, pasta

The lamb lies down

Published 3. December 2021 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Lammershoek is located in the picturesque Paardeberg area of Swartland. Here the owners of the winery have found their breathing space, “close to nature with unbeatable views that speak to the soul”, they explain. The grapes are also grown in harmony with the rich animal and bird life of the place.

Lammershoek has been a cornerstone and a leading light in Swartland, and therefore in modern South-African quality wine for generations. Craig Hawkins, himself a mentor for others, was head-winemaker for almost ten years before he decided to put all his effort into his own project Testalonga in 2016. (Search these pages for several of his wines, and also Intellego and Mother Rock.)

Today Lammershoek is owned by Andreas Abold, originally from Germany, and Fedor Radmann, a business-man and friend from Switzerland. Footballer Franz Beckenbauer was also co-owner, but left the pitch a couple of years ago. Their famous wine Libero No 5 is attributed to him.

Lammershoek means “lambs’ corner” in the Afrikaans language. Local legend says that the sheep sought shelter for their babies in the nearby forest, from the black eagle and other birds of prey.

The Innocent is some kind of an entry-level range. Mostly from old dry-farmed bush-vines, the wines have always lots of character and a high quality. The pinotage is somehow taken back to its roots. This ruby red wine made in a subtle, youthful Beaujolais style, is different from what people have come to expect from a pinotage nowadays. The bushes are between 21 and 50 years old, all dry-farmed. Partial whole-bunch fermentation.

The Innocent Pinotage 2018 (Lammershoek)

Ruby red, a bit blueish youthfulness. Aroma of red berries (cherries), plums, over a hint of herbs and licorice. Subtle, youthful, luscious taste with with careful tannins, low alcohol (12%) and an energetic whole-bunch acidity, – and yet a sweet sensation that I often associate with pinotage lingers in the long aftertaste.

Price: Low

Good Hope on a Good Friday

Published 2. April 2021 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

The Winery of Good Hope is found in Stellenbosch, in South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. They claim to avoid “the flashy stuff” of industry and make quality wine with a conscience. They are located on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, and make wines using traditional, natural viticultural and winemaking methods. They are alto certificated for environmental, ethical, and social-conscious practices.

For the Full Berry Fermentation Pinotage they work with two vineyards, one in Northern Stellenbosch and the other in southeastern Swartland. The former is sandy with decomposed quartz and granite soils, and contributes to a certain texture. The latter sits on weathered, granite derived soils, that is mostly responsible for the fruitiness.

Some keywords: Handpicked grapes, whole berries in vat, spontaneous fermentation in steel, unfiltered.

Full Berry Fermentation Pinotage 2019 (The Winery of Good Hope)

Dark cherry. Fruity, with blueberry and red berries cherry, plum), herbs, some licorice. Young and juicy, a charming wine at a very good price.

Price: Low

Tag: pinotage

Intellego Halagasha 2020

The lamb lies down

Good Hope on a Good Friday