1959
Year of the first commercial vintage of pinotage in South Africa. Today, pinotage (a cross of pinot noir and cinsault, created in 1925) is the third most planted variety in that country and considered a local specialty. Well into the 2000s, many pinotages were rustic, over-ripe wines with significant levels of Brettanomyces. Today’s top examples, are fresher and higher in quality overall.