Kanonkop Black Label Pinotage 2015

The 2015 vintage of Black Label Pinotage from Kanonkop is the best yet. From a vineyard planted in 1953, it is a wine that astonishes in terms of both stature and detail.

On the nose, black cherry, plum and banana (the latter a mere nuance) plus vanilla and spice while a floral note insures the whole thing doesn’t become too macho.

The palate meanwhile possesses excellent concentration, bright acidity and tannins which are smooth in the best sense. Sweet upfront but savoury on the finish. Plenty of oak in evidence but this doesn’t sit apart and you feel that it is necessary to temper all that fruit. It’s full but beautifully balanced and should provide drinking pleasure for decades.

#WinemagRating: 96/100.