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Palate Press Wine of the Week- Lions Drift Pinotage

Palate Press
Wine Reviews

2008 Lions Drift Pinotage – Breedekloof, South Africa

Selected as the Palate Press Wine of the Week, May 30 – June 6, 2010, by the readers of Palate Press: the online wine magazine.

Clear, bright ruby red with purple. Clean nose with fresh strawberry, blueberry, black cherry, and licorice. Dry, medium tannin, medium-full body, medium alcohol and acidity; cooked raspberries and blueberries, cherry, strawberry. A long finish that’s like blueberry pie with cinnamon. This is honestly one of the better South African wines I’ve had—I love trying new ones, though many of them come across lacking something. This totally makes me happy that I’ve kept trying. I would definitely drink this again! Highly recommended. RR

WHO: Lions Drift
WHAT: Pinotage
WHERE: Breedekloof, South Africa
WHEN: 2008
HOW MUCH: $15 (Media Sample)

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9 Responses

  3. Simply the best Pinotage I have tasted during my four trips to South Africa, or here at home. And I love the name!

  4. This wine worked its way down to me via network to Texas. I loved it. It’s difficult to determine what the grape it (tasting it blind I would never expect it to be pinotage), if you don’t know, but who cares: Enjoy it!

  5. First, I’m biased as I’m a partner in the Silkbush vineyard that produced the grapes for this marvelous wine. But that aside, this property produces exceptional grapes every year. A block up the hill a bit further is the sole source for the Flagstone 2007 Writers Block Pinotage that last year was selected as one of the Top Ten Pinotages in South Africa in the highly regarded ABSA competition.

    Secondly, one of my partners has disliked Pinotage for years, and when he tasted this one, he changed his mind completely about the cultivar. Pinotage produces wines that range widely in quality, and in our opinion, we are at the top of the range.

    Lastly, in the last few months we drank four different Pinotages from my cellar that were 10 years old. Each one was good, proving that this varietal can age quite well, at least in our opinion.

  6. I am typing this from Stellenbosch, South Africa, the epicenter of fine wine in South Africa. Over the last three years, I’ve been fortunate to taste a LOT of wine from RSA, particularly the pinotage as it has been (love it or hate it) what South Africa has hung their hat on. I am personally of the opinion that there is not enough reliably delicious pinotage coming out of South Africa (though there is tons within), but as this wine begins to make its way across the States, it will become the clear benchmark for price and quality. I’m eager to share it with friends in and outside of the industry who have taken such great pride in maligning the varietal!

  7. My wife and I had never heard of Pinotage until we recently had the pleasure of tasting the 2008 Lions Drift. We very much enjoyed the wine and have added it to our cellar.

  8. Had the pleasure of meeting Lion’s Drift Pinotage wine maker a few years back. Bennie was producing some of the best Pinotage coming out of South Africa then, and obviously has stepped it up a notch with Lion’s Drift…love it!!

  9. I want it!! But here, in Quebec,Canada, we can’t find it!:( I hope one day to next….

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