The Wine Curmudgeon’s relationship with South African wine has always been lukewarm. Many people I respect keep insisting that it is the world’s next great wine region, but save for a couple of sauvignon blancs and an occasional chenin blanc, I have not been impressed. Equally as important, most of the cheap wine that I have had from South Africa has been ordinary at best.
Which is why I’m happy to report that the Goats du Roam rose ($10, purchased) is a knockout -- $10 Hall of Fame quality wine. What more does one need from a $10 wine? It has a screw top, it’s dry with a bit of strawberry fruit, and there is not a flaw to be found. In this, it may be the best use of pinotage, the native South African grape, that I have ever tasted. Serve it chilled on its own, or with shellfish, roast chicken or gooey grilled cheese sandwiches.
Editorial note: The Federal Trade Commission has issued new rules for bloggers and product reviews. It’s mostly aimed at sites that take money to review items, which I don’t. As noted in my annual honesty policy, no one pays me to review their wine. I accept samples from wineries, but I also buy wine myself for review. In addition, the ads on the site come from a third party and aren’t related to what I write. Still, because I believe in transparency, I’ll go the FTC one better. Starting today, each review will note whether the wine is a sample or purchased.
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