Pinotage is dark – darkly colored, darkly scented, and darkly flavoured. Its fruit notes lean way over towards blackberry, plum, and black currant with earthy bramble in there. Its most distinctive note is the unmistakable smokiness that presents itself both on the nose and on the palate. Other notes commonly found in Pinotage are soy sauce, bacon, tar, anise, and pipe tobacco. The name Pinotage comes from blending the local names of the two grapes – ‘Pino’ is fairly obvious, but ‘tage’ comes from Cinsault’s name in South Africa. Hermitage. Pinotage is South Africa's most widely planted grape variety. Fermented on skins for 7-12 days, then matured in French oak for 3-4 months Ripe plum, berry and coffee flavours.