When people say they like Pinot, it’s unlikely they mean Pinotage, more likely Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio. That’s not to say that Pinotage doesn’t have its followers: this indigenous grape is loved by a loyal set of patriotic South Africans but to the rest of us it remains a crowd divider. For me I’d only found one worth recommending to you to try, until now.
Pinotage is disliked by many for its tar and burnt rubber pong likened to a new road being surfaced. Tough love, maybe, but I’ve found something different, a game changing red that takes Pinotage to another level. Now for the science bit: put aside its almost childish name for a minute and listen to how Chocoholic has been made:
The grapes have been partially dried in an age-old practice best known in Valpolicella in Italy, a process that’s responsible for producing Amarone, Recioto and Ripasso styles of wines. 20% of the cuvee, which represents the most concentrated, richly flavoured juice, is created by twisting the grape stalks to induce a raisening of the fruit whilst it remains on the vine.
Translated this means a backbreaking amount of effort has been taken to bring to life this sometimes questionable grape. And the result is a glass of velvety, lightly spiced, milk chocolate coated black cherry goodness that is hard to put down. Worried about a cliché induced Valentine’s Day of pink champagne, chocolates and red roses? Chocoholic is very almost your three-in-one cliché busting romance in a bottle!
Try it with mild curries, red meat and chocolate based desserts.
RRP £11.00, Harvey Nichols
