Buying guide: Pinot Noir
Guests at this year's Michael Fridjhon WINE Experience will be tasting all the Billecart-Salmon ChampagnesPinot likes to be made in a garage." Flagstone's Bruce Jack, a garagiste in spirit, if not in practice, is referring to the approach and scale that most suits what he calls "The Heartbreak Grape". Little garage cellars - almost the norm in Burgundy - are "equipped" with small, often uncooled open fermenters, basket presses, and very little else.
"Making Pinot in a big, well-kitted winery is almost counter-productive," he notes. Cape-to-Côte d'Or migrant Clive Torr agrees - because that's how he does it. "This grape's so full of intrigue with so many spectrums of flavour; it's brittle and fragile; it ripens unevenly - sorting tables for the fruit are a must…"
Ask Allan Mullins, Woolworths wine buyer, for a commercial slant, and he'll tell you that it's popular at the top end of their range, sought out by those looking for food-friendly, "different" wines. And this is a worldwide trend.
Our Pinot Noir line-up included a few more wines than last year (30 compared with 27), as well as half-a-dozen foreign "ringers", some a bit aged, like a rather pongy, past-it '93 Mondavi (Napa), and a couple of Joseph Drouhin Burgundies, which scraped 2 Star ratings. The best interloper was not even from Burgundy - the Domaine Les Pallieres from Gigondas in central France (3 Stars).
The number of Cape cellars taking on the grape has been growing slowly: and they come from all over the place, from up the West Coast to Stellenbosch and all the way into the Klein Karoo. Wherever winemakers discover little pockets of interesting land, in goes the Pinot Noir, so it seems.
What defines a good area for the grape? Bruce Jack, as scientific as he's poetic, can be relied on for a sensible answer. "A site with cool summers and warm winters", he ventures. "That means a coastal site. Alternatively, locations at altitude. Limey soils are not a pre-requisite - just good drainage. But let's not get too hung up on 'cool climate'. Other things count too."
So how did the wines perform? There were only half as many 4 Star examples as last year, but overall, the panel noted steady improvement, with nearly half of the wines comfortably reaching 3 Star ("good") level, and above. Walker Bay winemakers showed again that they have a way with the grape: Sumaridge and Hamilton Russell were the top two wines, cracking 4 Stars each, while 3 Stars went to neighbours Newton Johnson and a pair of Bouchard Finlaysons.
We all agreed that the steady improvement in style and quality was due as much to the "new" clones available as to more sharing of knowledge among the passionate band of Pinot Noir winemakers now spread all over our winelands. Oak is generally sensibly handled, fruit is riper, colours deeper and flavours more complex and silky. There is still a debate around the issue of brettanomyces character (caused by a yeast, and giving "animal", forest floor aromas), but the winemaker jury is itself out on this one: the more technically correct like Jack have lower tolerance levels than the more artisanal types like Torr. And in many Burgundian cellars, it's almost the norm, much to the chagrin of squeaky-clean New World vignerons.
Though only a woefully tiny percentage of Cape cellars offer Pinot Noir - especially when compared with Australia, New Zealand (where it has become their red Sauvignon Blanc) and the US West Coast, we continue to make steady progress: the top players offer consistent quality, with some serious new challengers coming on stream.
Sumaridge 2002
CELLAR PRICE: R58
Deep ruby, pale brick rim. Strawberry jam and toast aromas, hint of forest floor, farmyard and spice. Silky fruit on a full Burgundian palate. Harmonious and elegant with good tannin structure and a long finish. Could benefit from more time to integrate - up to 4 years.
Hamilton Russell 2002
CELLAR PRICE: R200
Ruby plum. Whiffs of ripe cherry, vanilla, strawberry and rhubarb. Concentrated redcurrant and dark fruits on the palate. Delicious and classy - full and rich with decadently soft tannins. Savour now or within 5 years.
Thandi 2001
PAUL CLUVER PRICE: R70
Deep ruby. Resinous oaky, soapy nose. Sweet entry on to a juicy palate with loads of appealing fruit. Elegant with good wood integration and long, velvety finish. Good now or cellar for up to 2 years.
Chamonix 2002
CELLAR PRICE: R78,50
Translucent ruby. Spicy nose of cloves,
cinnamon and potpourri. Subtle earthy farmyard and slightly gamey whiffs. Elegant and charming on the palate. Lovely now. Even
better in 2 years. 
Tradouw 2002 (Barrydale Cellar) R40,50
Flagstone Strata The Heartbreak Grape 2001 R75,00
Stark 2001 R80,00
Paul Cluver 2002 R86,18
Muratie 2002 R89,00
BWC 2002 R91,20
Newton Johnson 2003 R103,00
De Trafford 2002 R110,00
Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak 2002 R180,00
Dom. Les Pallieres Gigondas '00 (France) ARP R289,47
Dom. Henri Gouges Nuits-St-Georges '00 (France) ARP R357,00
Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Tête de Cuvée '01 R400,00
Groote Post 2001 R60,00
Klein Constantia 2002 R65,00
WhaleHaven 1999 R84,00
Topaz 2002 R85,00
Goedvertrouw 2003 R100,00
Vriesenhof 2001 R185,00
Flagstone BK5 2001 R64,00
Glen Carlou 2002 R75,00
Robert Mondavi 1993 (Napa Valley, USA) ARP R184,21
Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny
Premier Cru 1994 (France) ARP R254,39
Joseph Drouhin Côte de Beaune 2000 (France) ARP R291,00
Blaauwklippen 2002 R35,00
Hoopenburg 2001 R52,63
Klein Optenhorst 2002 R85,00
Haute Cabrière 2001 R98,00
Meerlust Reserve 1999 R160,00
Flagstone Bacchus Speaks 2001 R178,00
Also tasted:
Montpellier de Tulbagh 2002 R38,00
Lemberg La Féminité Unfiltered 2002 R65,00
PRICES: Wines in each star category are listed in order of ascending price - all ex-cellar unless stated otherwise.
ARP Approximate retail price
WINE TASTERS: Cape Wine Masters Tony Mossop (chairman), Allan Mullins and Clive Torr with Flagstone winemaker Bruce Jack and Eikendal winemaker Lizelle Gerber.
