Pinotage: Behind the Legends of South Africa's Own Wine

1925. In South Africa Professor Perold is crossing grape varieties, striving for the perfect wine. Did he succeed? The quest to unravel the truth of Pinotage's parentage spans decades and continents, with myths and legends appearing at every turn.

 Wine explorer Peter F May is a modern day Indiana Jones, tracking down long-lost journals, turning dusty pages of long-forgotten books and analysing high technology DNA results to unravel this mystery.

Travel with Peter from the silent wine cellars of South Africa to the noise of London's Tube, from ancient French vineyards to modern wineries in Texas to unearth the ancestors of this award-winning wine. Along the way you’ll see whale pods kiss the coastline, savour the swirl of wine on an African savannah, infiltrate the musty depths of a restricted library, and take part in solving one of the most fascinating mysteries to ever tantalise the wine world.

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Pinotage is South Africa’s very own wine, but there has never been a book written about it until now.  

2009 is the 50th anniversary of the world’s first Pinotage wine and in PINOTAGE: Behind the Legends of South Africa’s Own Wine author Peter F May tells the story of this uniquely South African grape variety and of its creator, Professor Abraham Perold. 

During researches in South Africa Peter F May uncovered information that differed from the standard definition of Pinotage in text books. Turning detective, May investigated various legends about Pinotage's parentage and origins.

“I felt like Sherlock Holmes,” he says, “as winemakers told me things in confidence that contradicted everything I'd read about Pinotage.”

May travelled to and interviewed winemakers and winery owners in four continents for the book which details how Pinotage is grown, made and marketed. As well as covering growing making and marketing Pinotage in South Africa, he provides a comprehensive review of Pinotage in other countries.

 PINOTAGE: Behind the Legends of South Africa’s Own Wine tells of Peter F May's infatuation with the Pinotage variety and follows his investigations into its origins. He identifies when it was  created and first planted and he discovers the oldest living Pinotage vineyard.

There's a history of winemaking in South Africa and a  biography of Pinotage's creator, Professor Abraham Perold.

In the second part of the book May discusses growing, making and marketing Pinotage wines with case studies of classic South African vineyards.

Various styles of Pinotage are discussed, the Cape Blend controversy is covered and criticisms of the variety are analysed.

In the third section of the book, May takes a look at Pinotage in other countries. His travels take him from South Africa to California and Virginia, Canada, Israel and New Zealand.

This is a book for anyone interested in wine and wine making, and those who wants to know the truth about South Africa's wine gift to the world.

PINOTAGE: Behind the Legends of South Africa’s Own Wine

by Peter F May 

248 pages, 25 illustrations comprehensive references and an index

ISBN: 978-0-9561523-0-5

Publisher: Inform and Enlighten

BUY a signed copy of PINOTAGE: Behind the Legends of South Africa’s Own Wine NOW at £14.99 including postage to UK addresses, $31.25 to addresses in USA (cheaper than Amazon.com)

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If you wish to pay with a UK bank cheque or buy multiple copies or have any special requests please contact Peter F May at peter@pinotage.org