A remarkable Five Decades of Pinotage tasting was held at the Vermont holiday home of Beyers Truter yesterday.

As Emile Joubert, dressed as a Hawston perlemoen negoçiant, reminded us at the five generations of Pinotage tasting yesterday, “if you can remember the sixties, you weren’t there.” So what was South Africa drinking during the summer of love while Janis Joplin was bemoaning her lack of a Mercedes Benz and Jimi Hendrix was burning guitars at Woodstock? The answer: 1963 Lanzerac Pinotage in camp pink skittle bottles. Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery would “hold back reds for 3-4 years” according to Distell director Dumpie Bayly who was involved in making the stuff as opposed to today when reds appear as soon as they are made.

“Red was the favourite colour of SFW marketing director Jan Martens and our delivery trucks were painted nipple pink. The whole Lanzerac range was packaged in skittle-shaped bottles although the first vintage, the 1959 released in 1961, was in a Burgundy bottle. Skittles are so shaped so that when you knock one down, they all fall down and we had lots of fun and games on the bottling line.”

Both the 1963 and 1969 were still in fine fettle. The 63 had a touch of rancio on the nose and umami was the overwhelming taste sensation. Reasonable acids and flavours of dried fruits, the finish was long and malty.

The 69 was almost cedary on the nose even though this wine would have been matured in large wooden vats with little oak character. On the palate, pure Burgundy with prunes and forest fruits.

Emile and Duimpie

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