"Pinotage" news and stories

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.