PINOTAGE
Subtitle: Behind the Legends of South Africa's Own Wine
Publisher: Inform & Enlighten Ltd
Published: 6 April 2009
Place of publication: England UK
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 248
ISBN-13: 9780956152305
First sentence: Fifty years ago, in the optimistic post-war days of 1959 South Africa, an independently minded farmer with a penchant for doing his own thing ignored the advice of friends and submitted a Pinotage to the annual South African National Wine Show. 

In a sea of Cabernet, Cinsaut and Chenin Pieter K Morkel was hand crafting a variety almost unknown to the world, an inky-red grape which only a handful of winemakers had ever worked with. Like launching a message in a bottle onto a storm-tossed ocean, Morkel trusted his flavour-layered creation to speak for itself and he travelled to Italy to continue research into new wine techniques.  

He was within sight of Rome’s coliseum when the judges’ astonished results reached him. His dark horse entry had not only done well but had won the Champion Wine Trophy by beating out every other entry in the field. Pinotage had vaulted into the spotlight
Description: Pinotage is South Africa’s very own wine, but there has never been a book written about it until now.  

2009 is the 50th anniversary of the world’s first Pinotage wine and in PINOTAGE: Behind the Legends of South Africa’s Own Wine author Peter F May tells the story of this uniquely South African grape variety and of its creator, Professor Abraham Perold. 

During researches in South Africa Peter F May uncovered information that differed from the standard definition of Pinotage in text books. Turning detective, May investigated various legends about Pinotage's parentage and origins. 

“I felt like Sherlock Holmes,” he says, “as winemakers told me things in confidence that contradicted everything I'd read about Pinotage.”

May travelled to and interviewed winemakers and winery owners in four continents for the book which details how Pinotage is grown, made and marketed. As well as covering growing making and marketing Pinotage in South Africa, he provides a comprehensive review of Pinotage in other countries.

PINOTAGE: Behind the Legends of South Africa’s Own Wine tells of Peter F May's infatuation with the Pinotage variety and follows his investigations into its origins. He identifies when it was  created and first planted and he discovers the oldest living Pinotage vineyard.

There's a history of winemaking in South Africa and a  biography of Pinotage's creator, Professor Abraham Perold.

In the second part of the book May discusses growing, making and marketing Pinotage wines with case studies of classic South African vineyards.

Various styles of Pinotage are discussed, the Cape Blend controversy is covered and criticisms of the variety are analysed.

In the third section of the book, May takes a look at Pinotage in other countries. His travels take him from South Africa to California and Virginia, Canada, Israel and New Zealand.

This is a book for anyone interested in wine and wine making, and those who wants to know the truth about South Africa's wine gift to the world.
Table of contents: title: Acknowledgments; title: Index