Doran Vineyards Pinotage 2024 Voor Paardeberg, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa 75cl

Set in the Voor Paardeberg near Paarl, Doran Vineyards is a family estate with an Irish founder and a deeply South African heart. Edwin Doran started it in 2010 with help from wine industry figure André Badenhorst, and the farm still runs as a mixed working property, vines sharing space with livestock and swathes of wild fynbos.

Pinotage is the Cape’s signature grape, a home-grown cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault. Doran treats it gently, fermenting with wild yeasts and ageing in used oak so the fruit stays front and centre. The result is a fresher, more supple style than the bold, coffee-toned Pinotages many people know, and it makes a fine everyday introduction to the variety.

The 2024 season handed the Cape a smaller crop after a cold, wet winter and a warm, dry summer. Conditions were kind to red grapes in the Paardeberg, with well-judged late rain and no punishing heat. The reds came in ripe yet fresh, and Pinotage in particular kept its bright fruit and natural juiciness.

In the glass it shows ripe cherry, red berry and sweet strawberry, with a warm note of fruitcake spice. The palate is generous but balanced, tannins soft and juicy, ending on a gentle, pleasing dryness. Serve it with barbecue, grilled meats, sausages or a mild curry, or enjoy it on its own. It drinks beautifully now and over the next three years.

Jamie Goode of Wineanorak scored the 2024 a strong 90 points, singling out its supple, sweet-fruited charm. This is Pinotage as an easy pleasure rather than a statement, ideal if you have been put off heavier examples in the past. Pour it at a casual supper or a weekend braai and it will win people over without any fuss.