The world's first commercially produced pinotage wine was called Lanzerac Pinotage and it was released in 1961 by Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery (SFW). The wine was made from grapes grown on the Bellevue estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Pinotage is a unique South African grape variety that is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. It is known for its bold flavors of red cherry, plum, and spice, as well as its characteristic smokiness.

The stage was set for a reappraisal of Pinotage's qualities. This started to happen in forum after forum. Another delegation of British Wine Masters visited the country in the early 90s. This time they sang Pinotage's praises. No more 'hot and horrible', or 'rusty nails'. This time they used phrases like 'excellent wine and grape variety with tremendous potential', and the 'future of South Africa', and 'Pinotage should be taken seriously'.

More Info: wine.co.za