Man Vintners, Coastal Region (South Africa) Pinotage 2011

For American wine drinkers Pinotage can be a bit of an acquired taste.  Some call Pinotage’s slightly foreign flavor “funky,” others describe it as “earthy,” and a few tasters go so far as to say they detect a faint rubbery quality.  Ideally, as in this example from Man Vintners, Pinotage exhibits unique and savory flavors and aromas with suggestions of earth and spice balanced by red fruits.  This is a nicely structured and all things considered a friendly wine to drink with pizza, spaghetti Bolognese or other simple tomato-influenced dishes.  (“Bosstok”, according to the information on the back label, refers to the Pinotage vineyards that grow close to the ground and produce lower grape yields).