Lisa Marie

9.0

Very nice wine at this price point! Had at Tinto VB. Very balanced wine with decent structure. Fruit from South Africa. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Despite some poor reviews of earlier vintages I encourage you to give the 2016 a try. Great QPR! — 7 days ago

with Fred

Goose

10

I love this wine.
14% ALC
Smooth flavor that has a sweet linger effect.
Medium body
and only $14 — a day ago

Celia Fitch

9.6

A little sweet but delicious with the perfect amount of spice — 3 days ago

Halina Yarr Alexejun

9.5

Unexplainably wonderful! Dark berry notes. — a day ago

Ellen Clifford

9.0

Sweet creamy and endlessly entertaining like all Valentines activities should be — 5 days ago

Adam Gäfvert

9.1

Ännu ett av Marelise van Rensburgs viner, som jag plockade upp nere i Sydafrika. Gamla stockar, vinifierat till 25% med hela klasar. Doftar nyponbuske, järn, gurkskal, söt frukt och söt tobak. Smakmässigt är den bärig och lätt. Ljusa bär som mogna jordgubbar och friska lingon i samspel med lakrits och viol. Finkornig tannin och farligt klunkvänlig. — 3 days ago

Delectable Wine

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9.0

The 2015 Pinot Noir from Iona has a delightful red cherry, cranberry and bergamot scented bouquet that seems inspired by Pommard. The palate is fresh and full of tension, clearly sculpted by Elgin’s cool climate, with lovely balance of fruit concentration and weightlessness. $25.00 (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2019) — 14 hours ago

Craig Haarmeyer

9.0

Honey comb, bees wax, minerality and good acidity — 6 days ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

We have been working on our South Africa and Egypt trip for months. Diligently doing research and taking about it daily.

One of our stops will be a week on the Western Cape or as many define it, Stellenbosch. It has always been on my wine region bucket list for its wines and beauty. One of my goals was to find some excellent producers of Pinotage.

This Beeslaar is the private label of the Winemaker at Kanonkop, Abrie Beeslaar. Abrie makes a black label Kanonkop that sells retail at $200. That’s right, $200! It must be deliriously good if they can get $200 for it.

I found this 2016 Beeslaar at K&L for just under $37. It’s the 1st Pinotage that has my eyes wide open as to what can’t be done with this difficult varietal in the right hands. If his private label is this good, I hope to visit Kanonkop and taste their black label.

The nose reveals; dark chocolate raisins, dark eastern spices, plum and black cherry, blueberries, baked strawberries, blackberries, black raspberries, black raisin currants, smokiness and grilled meats, black pepper and a touch of white, some green vegetal notes, cinnamon, dark chocolate mocha bar, dark fruit steeped tea, gravely schist, touch of coffee grounds, dark fruit roll-ups, leather, tobacco with ash with fresh, dark red & blue florals.

The body is full, thick and rich. There is a dark, tarry, dusty tannin structure. This will benefit from 3-5 years plus in bottle but, it is crazy good. Sound, firm; structure, big tension, long length and very good balance. Dark chocolate raisins, smokiness and grilled meats, dark eastern spices that brings pronounced heat to the palate, black plum, plum and black cherry, blueberries, baked strawberries, blackberries, black raspberries, raspberries, black raisin currants, dark berry bubblegum, black pepper and a touch of white, tree bark with a touch of sap, some green vegetal notes, cinnamon, dark chocolate mocha bar, dark fruit steeped tea, gravely schist, dry stones, touch of coffee grounds, dark fruit roll-ups, new un-smoothed leather, tobacco with ash with fresh, dark red & blue florals. The acidity is round and splendid. The elegant, rich finish runs ripe fruits to dry tannins with dusty earth and shows an even tug of war with its fruits and earthiness.

It drinks like a combination of; Grand Cru Gamay, Shiraz and Northern Rhône.

I will be getting more of this and forgetting about it for 5 more years. Can’t wait for that moment and noting the changes.

This wine raises my excitement level for our trip with each sip.

Pinotage is a grape variety made from a cross of Pinot Noir & Cinsaut that was created in South Africa in 1925 by Abraham Izak Perold, the first Professor of Viticulture at Stellenbosch University...making it one of the youngest grape varietals.

Photos of; a shot of just how beautiful Cape vineyards can be, Winemaker-Abrie Beeslaar, Pinotage fruit near harvest and field-hands harvesting their very tall vines. Beeslaar has no Cellar Door currently.
— 2 days ago

Kyle Wallis

9.0

Sauv-like and textural without quite straying into the territory of full blown Sauvignon. A bit more weight and texture without the capsicum and a bit less tropical fruit. — a day ago

with Laura