Spice Route Pinotage, Charles Back, Swartland 2021

Spice Route Pinotage is an absolute steal, and (we think!) will change your mind about Pinotage. South Africa's flagship grape is capable of creating wines that are full-bodied, ripe and spicy with a smoky edge - and this is no exception. A great match with meat or billtong!

Charles Back was a pioneer in the Swartland when he started Spice Route in '98. “Without [Charles]…the Swartland would still be regarded as a rural backwater” wrote Tim Atkin. Today, the region is the source of many of South Africa’s outstanding wines, yet Spice Route remains one of the best and most credible producers in the region, due largely to the fact that they own their own vineyards. Spice Route’s 100 hectares of vineyards are situated in Malmesbury and Darling. The former, all bush trained on Malmesbury shale and red clay subsoils (the clay ensures the vineyards are dry grown), give the Grenache and Mourvèdre the intensity of fruit that makes this region so exciting. Winemaker Charl du Plessis has been with Charles for 15 years, and knows the region intimately. The winemaking is ‘hands off’, as Charl is keen to capture the flavours and structure of the outstanding fruit he has grown.