1998 Paul Sauer

The 1998 Paul Sauer has a mellow bouquet with dark plum, warm brick and melted tar aromas that are well-defined and harmonious. The palate is very classic on the entry with tobacco-infused black fruit that lend it a Left Bank Bordeaux-like personality. It is well-balanced, a little foursquare on the finish but drinking beautifully now. Drink now-2017. At a time when a lot of the so-called old guard are rapidly being outpaced, outflanked by the new generation of winemakers who have travelled overseas and introduced a more thoughtful approach to their craft, Kanonkop are a testament to fact that some of the country’s stalwarts can remain at the top of their game. Many producers merely pay lip service to the notion of finesse, but at Kanonkop that is evident where it matters – in the glass. So kudos to owners Johann and Paul Krige and especially to winemaker Abrie Beeslaar, installed at Kanonkop since 2002, for all their hard work. What I found interesting was Abrie’s conviction that Kanonkop has remained true to what it does, ignoring fads and fashions, merely fine-tuning its style. I have to say that over the last ten years their wines have attained a greater degree of refinement and purity, therefore something must have changed! What distinguishes Kanonkop is both the enviable age of some of its vine stock, especially its Pinotage, and the corollary of longevity. These are wines that are probably drunk way too early by consumers, although I can understand why. Chuck two or three bottles in your cellar and leave them for 20 years – you will be amazed at what you will find. Now for a vertical of Kanonkop’s Pinotage, which were all shown at a tasting in London in the presence of the owners and winemaker of Kanonkop. As I have already mentioned, Pinotage has an under-appreciated propensity to age, hence my reason for publishing these notes. Kanonkop boasts some of South Africa’s oldest Pinotage plantings from 1953. The fruit is fermented in open-top fermenters with punching down every two hours and then raised for 18 months in oak, usually around 80% new. Abrie stressed that in his opinion, new oak is essential to make a truly great Pinotage. That is not a view that I would necessarily agree with, though on the other hand there is no question that Kanonkop’s Pinotage soaks up that new wood with style and it is completely subsumed with age. Importer: Cape Classics, New York, NY; tel. (212) 686-1300 and through Raisin Social in the UK.