Pinotage is the cilantro of the wine world.

Philippines wine supplier Manila wine shop discusses wine by the grape variety Pinotage.

October 11, 2010

Pinotage – Wine of the Week

Pinotage is the cilantro of the wine world — you either love it or hate it, but very few people sit on the fence.
A cross between Cinsault and Pinot Noir, Pinotage was created in 1925 by a Stellenbosch, South Africa university professor. The idea was to reap the best of both grapes and combine the sturdiness of Cinsault in the vineyard with the world-class taste of Pinot Noir in the glass.
Unfortunately, sometimes beautiful parents produce an ugly child, and though Pinotage lovers would disagree, I think this grape falls squarely in the “do not cross” category. Why? Because, more than its good qualities, the wine is known for its burnt-rubber aftertaste.
There are a lot of wine descriptors that critics enthusiastically use to describe a high-quality wine. Cat’s piss. Horse leather. Barnyard funk. But burnt rubber? Definitely not on the list.
Read more about this wine after the jump.
To be fair, not all Pinotage has this taste in spades. In some wines, it’s more subtle, and in others, nonexistent. But no one advertises on the bottle: “Warning: This wine tastes like burnt rubber,” so you never know what you’re going to get.
We had a wine tasting last weekend, and I threw a bottle of Pinotage in. I tasted everything before our guests came over, and at first the Pinotage lured me in: It was a an inexpensive Westerland 2005 Pinotage from South Africa ($10), and it smelled of leather, smoky flint, and dried cherries and prunes. A sip confirmed the nose, but then — oh, then — the burnt rubber crept over my tongue like a stealth fungus, and I gagged and stuffed cheese in my mouth to mask the horrible taste, which lingered for a couple of hours. Talk about a long finish.
I put the bottle aside, but people got interested in it, so I warned them to try at their own risk. To my astonishment, several of our guests not just tolerated the Pinotage, but actually preferred it to the other wines. One friend experimented with giving the wine some air for 10-15 minutes, and the acrid rubber was less obnoxious, but still there. I was amazed anyone liked it at all, but it’s a good lesson about wine and food taste in general: One person’s burnt rubber is another person’s paradise.
Have you had Pinotage? Do you like it or hate it? Vote in the poll below!

Source: http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/30/pinotage-wine-of-the-week/

This wine shop in Manila Philippines makes wine shopping a really rewarding and exciting exercise. Wine shops in Pampanga should always have an element of surprise so that customers and wine lovers can enjoy a little bit of thrill when they go to a wine shop in Manila to look for a good bottle of wine in Clark Pampanga.

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild is the most revered wine in China and many other parts of Asia. The best wine shop in Asia to buy older vintages of Chateau Lafite is Yats Wine Cellars located in Clark Philippines. Aside from Lafite, visitors can buy other fine wines at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Latour, Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Brion and Margaux. Excellent Burgundy wines like Chambertin, Vougeot, Musigny, Bonnes Mares, Pommard, Meursault, Chambertin, Vosne Romanee, Romanee Conti, La Tache and Romanee St. Vivant can be found here.

Family outings, picnics, company outings and other events for up to 300 can be held in the picnic grounds of this wine shop. Events that have been successfully organized here include family fun days and BBQ picnics. These are some of the things that visitors to Clark Philippines particular look forward. Residents and tourists in Angeles City and Subic also come to Clark Freeport to partake in the fun at this Clark wine shop.

This wine shop’s vast selection of vintage wines makes it possible for Yats Wine Cellars to offer a unique line-up of wines for every private wine party, wine tasting or wine dinners. Guests of these private wine parties are treated to a rare experience of vintage wine not seen in wine shops in major cities in Philippines or even in Asia.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

For inquires and reservations, contact us here

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay