Painted Wolf Cape Blend South Africa 2007

Tonight's wine is the 2007 Painted Wolf Red Cape Blend from South Africa. This is my first ever experience with South African wine, and I must admit, Painted Wolves are really ugly creatures! Fortunately the wine is nowhere near ugly like it's namesake! The 2007 red blend is an interesting blend of Shiraz and Pinotage along with some Merlot and Mourvedre to make this a compelling red blend to battle the summer doldrums. For those unfamiliar, the Pinotage is South Africa’s signature grape variety that is a cross between two of the most famous grapes of the Burgundy region in France, Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, that typically has a very smoky, earthy flavor. Combining a grape that is a cross of two historic burgundy grapes with Mourvedre, a grape that produces very high tannin, high alcohol wines in the Rhone Valley of France and Merlot, a primary grape used in many Bordeaux could make this a very interesting wine. The wine exhibits a strong nose of cedar, leather, earth and spice. The wine is velvety on the tongue, with an interesting taste that at first seems quite dry and then bursts with blackberry and smoky pepper flavors, with solid tannins that lead to a long, smooth finish. This wine would pair well with a variety of meat dishes, or for me tonight, a complete vegetarian selection! In my patio herb garden I've been blessed with an abundance of fresh basil, so tonight I am making some fresh pesto to toss with some al dente farfalle and topped with some freshly grated pecorino romano and served aside some wonderful grilled peppers, red onions, green beans and zucchini. My mouth is watering so I must cut this short! Oh right, almost forgot, this was a wineshopper.com selection that I would rate a solid 3.5, particularly given the price of just $8! So get a taste of South Africa and enjoy the experience!