Freddy R. Troya

8.9

Spier – Signature Collection – Pinotage – 2024
Western Cape – South Africa 🇿🇦

Overview
An entry-level Pinotage that leans into a more rustic and herbaceous expression of the grape. Designed for casual drinking, it highlights the approachable side of South Africa’s signature variety without aiming for depth or refinement.

Aromas & Flavors
Red and dark berries lead the profile, followed by earthy tones, dried herbs, and a subtle smoky edge. There’s a slightly raw, savory character that reflects a less polished style.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with moderate acidity and firm, slightly rough tannins. The structure feels a bit rugged around the edges, reinforcing its rustic personality.

Food Pairings
BBQ, grilled meats, sausages, burgers, or smoky dishes. Works best with food that can complement its earthy and savory profile.

Verdict
A straightforward and casual Pinotage that shows a more traditional, rustic side of the grape. Not the most refined expression, but a solid introduction to the variety’s earthier profile.

Did You Know?
Modern Pinotage styles vary widely: some producers embrace a cleaner, fruit-forward approach, while others lean into a more rustic, smoky, and herbaceous profile—like this one—reflecting traditional winemaking influences in South Africa.

🍷 Personal Pick
A good reference point for understanding the more rustic side of Pinotage, but I personally lean toward more structured and polished expressions of the variety. (see my other pinotage reviews) cheers! — 3 months ago

David White

9.2

Deep ruby colour with lighter crimson rim, nose of red/black fruits with savoury notes.
Smooth and silky tannins and really well integrated at 9 years.
Beautiful on palate with good aftertaste and a lingering finish. — a year ago

barak heller hayun

8.9

Sa chenin.
Feels a bit of a product.

Some tropics, 🍑, 🍏 grapefruit and some vanilla.

Full body.
Medium + acidity.

Long 🎯 with a backbone of bitterness

Really Improved pasta with NYT 'all purpose green sauce' and gauda with truffles cheese grated on top.

All in all nice in the evening.
Not so good the next day. — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.2

The 2019 Pofadder contains 80% whole-cluster Cinsault matured in used foudre. It has an extremely well-defined bouquet of pine cones and mint-infused red fruit. The palate is well balanced with good grip on the entry, a mixture of raspberry and wild strawberry fruit leading to an herbal finish that just needs a little more grip and density. Still, this is an excellent OVS from Sadie, though I would not put it at the top of the pile this year. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2021)
— 5 years ago

S.S. Mandani

8.9

Poker night with the guys. It’s not quite the same as the real thing, but it’s the best we got right now.

The musk of soil. A sort of fresh sea vitality.

Nice medium body, fresh carbonation. Complex notes of lemon rind, grapefruit, mint, and guava. I can’t decide if the rice vinegar kick at the end is good or eh. — 6 years ago

Magdalena Gjefle

9.0

2017 vintage - Nice, slightly oaky Chardonnay. Lemon peel, nice acidity, yellow plum. — 6 years ago

David White

9.4

Starting to hit its straps at 8 years old
Excellent Cab Sauvignon well balanced with integrated tannins and alcohol
Just so positive about the consistency and value of this wine over the last 30 years.
I first “found” this at Morton’s in HK in 1996 and it’s been a favourite ever since, always with a good NY cut or porterhouse! — 4 months ago

David Shaw

8.9

67/33 blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre. Good acid, bone dry, mineral finish — a year ago

Will Stanley

9.4

Johan Reyneke’s Cornerstone blend is a match for many a decent Bordeaux, and in the 2018 vintage is particularly good. Replete with classical aromas of cassis, pencil shavings and cedar, the palate follows with great elegance, structure and a chalky, long finish. If anything, I’d prefer a little more savoury character as this tends towards sweetness (but not over-extraction), but it’s young right now! It’s extraordinary how inexpensive this wine is - it would knock the socks of some Bordeaux Crus Classés in a blind tasting. — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Pale lemon color with stone and citrus fruits, clean with notes of spice. On the palate flavors of peach, pear and citrus lime flavors, lively acidity and light oak. The medium finish is creamy with a nutty character. good mouthfeel ending with mineral tang. — 5 years ago

Scott Petrus

8.9

N. Rhône in style which was a pleasant surprise. Stewed meat and tannins balance with mouth cleansing acid. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I kid you not, Charles Hendricks is likely the most underrated & under known Winemaker in Napa Valley.

If you have not had his wines, you are missing out on great wines & relative real value for Napa. He makes his own private higher end label-Hendricks, Hope & Grace and midway through the 14 vintage for; James Cole, Regusci & T-Vine.

There are few Winemakers that can make wines that drink well young & some that will age two decades plus stored correctly.

This Santa Lucia Doctor’s Vineyard is really good but, his private label Hendricks Pinot from Santa Lucia is off the charts. His 2008 Hendricks Pinot Noir is the highest rating I have ever given a Ca Pinot Noir, 98.

The 13 Doctor’s Vineyard is better than his 12 & is still a little early right now. It will improve over the next 5 years & hold there a couple of years before its gentle decline.

The nose reveals, ripe, well extracted & slightly baked; blackberries, stewed, deep, dark, black plum, black cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, dry pomegranate & cranberries with shades of blueberries. Dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, touch of savory meats, anise to black licorice, black tea, wet clay, steeped black tea, touch of herbs dominated with Rosemary, rich, black, earth, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, fresh tobacco, leather notes, volcanic minerals, limestone with bright, fresh & withering florals that are; dark, red, purple, blue mixed in violets and lavender.

The body is full, rich, lush and gorgeous. The structure, tension, length and balance are just hitting their good phase. It is simply a beautiful & complex Pinot Noir. Nicely extracted & slightly baked; blackberries, stewed, deep, dark, black plum, black cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, dry pomegranate & cranberries with more blueberries than the nose. Dark spices that bring palate heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanilla, touch of savory meats, peppery notes, anise to black licorice, black tea, wet clay, steeped black tea, touch of herbs dominated with Rosemary, rich, black, earth, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, fresh tobacco, leather notes, volcanic minerals, limestone with bright, fresh & withering florals that are; dark, red, purple, blue mixed in violets and lavender. The acidity is very good & excellent at containing the slightly higher ABV. The long, complex finish is, well balanced fruit & earth, polished and will persist until dawn.

Photos of; Their Doctor’s Vineyard, one of my favorite paintings that used to hang behind the bar in their tasting room & now hangs in Charles’ house (it reminds me of a Jackson Pollock), Winemaker-Charles Hendricks and the front of their tasting room in downtown Yountville.
— 6 years ago

John Hagood

8.9

Chez Brower — 4 months ago

Peter Coulthard

9.0

Really good wine but remembered it better. Maybe I aerated it too well but lacked some of its usual smooth punch. — 5 months ago

Lisa McKinnon

9.1

Light tannins, somewhat fruit forward, reminded me of a Meritage. Good with filet. — 10 months ago

David White

9.3

See earlier notes and at 7 years old it’s integrating nicely and I’ve several I should consume next four years
Nose of berries cedar box and chassis
Smooth tannins and silky texture with Cabernet Franc to the fore
Plenty to like with a good long finish. — a year ago

Ray Vanderhoff

8.9

Nice garnet color. Aromas of plum, blackberry earth and spices. Dark fruit flavors with accents of coffee, dark chocolate and herbs. Smokey finish. Very “Beaujolais-like.” (Carbonic Maceration?) Fresh and juicy. Acidity also present. Thank You Ron B! — 4 years ago

Jody Scharf

9.2

Again great value. Tastes like a better Pinot. — 6 years ago

Owen Sparrow

9.0

Fresh, fruity and still rather young with good body and high alcohol, with little loss of purplish edge yet. Could last another 5+ years, with the supportive soft tannin and acidity underpinning the forward fruit. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Finally a night or weekend we weren’t working on our rental, rushing to get some Christmas shopping done or getting ready to entertain holiday guests. It’s a night for us to chill out. That’s a good thing. It is also our final night to enjoy all our Christmas candlelights before we pack up tomorrow. 😔

We didn’t even enjoy any of one our very favorite N/V Rosé Champagnes over the holidays.

Tastes really good tonight. Showing shades of carbonated Dreamsicle or Creamsicle. However, you remember them growing up. Rich, ripe, candied & lean; black cherries, strawberries, cherries and summertime leaner watermelon. Baguette, grey volcanics, sea spray and finely powdered, razor sharp chalkiness with candied, pink rose pedals. Perfect, crisp, lively acidity and long, rich, well polished & balanced finish with persistence.

Hope you all have had a great start to 2020! — 6 years ago