2014 ESTATE PINOTAGE, Kanonkop. Stellenbosch, South Africa (5 Litre Bottle)

Kanonkop are the acknowledged masters of Pinotage. Their history is summarised on their website:
“Kanonkop is a 4th generation family-owned wine estate, which has been handed down from generation to generation and is now in the hands of brothers Paul and Johann Krige.
The name Kanonkop is derived from a hillock (kop) on the Simonsberg mountain above the wine estate from where, during the 17th and 18th centuries, a cannon (kanon) was fired to announce the arrival of sailing ships entering Table Bay.
The roar of the cannon would be the signal to local farmers, who were waiting to make the 50-kilometer journey to the harbour, to load up their wagons with fresh fruit and vegetables to barter their produce.
The first wines bearing the Kanonkop label were produced in 1973.
To wine lovers familiar with the centuries old châteaux and domaines of Bordeaux and Burgundy respectively, the winemaking history of our estate may seem surprisingly young.
For 1973 was the year in which Kanonkop’s contention for a place in the annals of South African wine greatness began, just three years before the death of the man to whom the wine estate owes everything it has achieved and all the recognition it has attained: Paul Sauer.”

Approachable now, but this will be beautiful (from such a huge bottle) at about 15 years of age.

“Strong intensity of both colour and aromas. Intensely smoky with brambles and hints of dark chocolate. Elegant reined in palate with great flavour concentration. Savoury edged tannins with firm acidity make a wine that will reward some cellaring. Long understated finish.” The IWSC competition.
“There’s a lifted, vibrant impression to the nose of this impressive, well-crafted wine. It’s a pleasant surprise, as it lends levity and definition to the notes of black cherry, crushed purple flowers, licorice root and earth. The mouthfeel is plush and mouthfilling, yet not oppressively so, with ample acidity and structured but velvety tannins. The rich, ripe and robust palate leads into a long finish. It promises a long life of beautiful evolution ahead, maturing to reveal greater nuance and elegance, so cellar through 2030.” Lauren Buzzeo, The Wine Enthusiast