It typically produces deep red varietal wines with smoky, bramble and earthy flavours, sometimes with notes of bananas and tropical fruit, but has been criticised for sometimes smelling of acetone.

Pinotage is a grape variety that was created in South Africa in 1924 by Abraham Izak Perold, the first Professor of Viticulture at Stellenbosch University.

Perold was attempting to combine the best qualities of the robust Hermitage with Pinot noir, a grape that makes great wine but can be difficult to grow.

Perold planted the four seeds from his cross in the garden of his official residence at Welgevallen Experimental Farm and then apparently forgot about them.

[6] The Bellevue wine would become the first to mention Pinotage on its label in 1961, when Stellenbosch Farmer's Winery (SFW) marketed it under their Lanzerac brand.

[8] A group of British Masters of Wine visiting in 1976 were unimpressed by Pinotage, calling the nose "hot and horrible" and comparing the taste to "rusty nails".

[7] Throughout its history, the grape has seen its plantings rise and fall due to the current fashion of the South African wine industry.

[9] While not a critique itself, outside of small plantings most notably in New Zealand and the United States, Pinotage has yet to develop a significant presence in any other wine region.

[16] In addition to South Africa, Pinotage is also grown in Brazil, Canada, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United States and Zimbabwe.

[9] The majority of the world's plantings of Pinotage is found in South Africa, where it makes up just 6% of the vineyard area but is considered a symbol of the country's distinctive winemaking traditions.

A white Pinotage wine is now being produced by a small number of winemakers in South Africa, an example being from Oude Compagnies Post in the Tulbagh valley.

The grape is very dependent on the skill and style of winemaking, with well made examples having the potential to produce deep colored, fruity wines that can be accessible early as well as age.

[9] Since the 1990s, more winemakers have used long and cool fermentation periods to minimise the volatile esters as well as exposure to French and American oak.