Pinotage

Pronounced pee noh Tahj. A grape varietal, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, created in South Africa in 1925 by Abraham Perold. The Cinsault variety is known as Hermitage in South Africa, thus the name Pinotage. Abraham Perold was an academic at the University of Stellenbosch. In 1924 he successfully cross-pollinated Pinot Noir with Hermitage, now known as Cinsault. Pinotage is best known in South Africa, although there are scattered, small plantings elsewhere including California and New Zealand. Characteristics: Medium bodied and subtly flavored, Pinotage wines are thought to be better than Cinsault while falling short to Pinot Noir.