Price: $8
Maker: Sebeka Wines, Hayward, California
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage blend
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Sebeka Cabernet Sauvignon Pinotage 2006 comes in the same creative packaging as Sebeka Shiraz, a colorful cheetah theme; one has to love the bright yellow spotted artificial cork. The origin of the wine is listed as Western Cape, South Africa. The wine’s nose is leathery, with berry, spice, and vanilla notes. The flavor is bright, juicy cherries that lead into a finish that balances oak, spice, and acidity. In the Shiraz we thought the tannins in the finish were slightly too prominent; that’s not the case with the Cabernet Sauvignon Pinotage, which was fruit and never demanding.
Since our last post, it looks like E. J. Gallo has managed to at least get a holding page in place at the Sebeka Wines website. There’s still not a lot of information, but they promise more soon. They refer to this wine as their “Cape Blend,” due to the inclusion of the Pinotage.
This brand hasn’t received much attention yet, but WorldWineReviews declared it, “Overall, a nice tasting wine.” They found an odd cheese-like note in the nose that was fortunately absent from our bottle. We liked Sebeka Cabernet Sauvignon Pinotage 2006 quite a bit – it’s a very accessible wine that’s fruit forward but maintains complexity. At its very moderate price, it’s a great choice for upcoming summer cookouts.
Pinotage has been very hit or miss with me, nevertheless I tr to keep an open mind on all varietals until I have a chance to taste them bottle by bottle. Great blog!
This is a brand for Gallo made by the large Swartland Cooperative. The Western Cape appellation means the grapes were sourced over most of the Cape.
Pinotage adds a sweet mouthfill to a variety like Cabernet.
I’ve not yet tasted this brand so thanks for your tasting note — be interesting if they release a Pinotage varietal rather than using it as the minor partner in a blend
Thanks for the pinotage knowledge, Peter. “Sweet mouthfill” describes the pinotage contribution to this blend fairly well – it’s definitely juicier and sweeter than a straight cab, though I’m a bit hesitant to use the word “sweeter” lest someone think this is a sweet wine (it’s not).
Serve warm or chilled?
I have never been a fan of pinotage as I have found them lackluster and lacking body. This blend is a clear exception. It exhibits its Rhone pedigree with abundant flavor and richness. Well balanced, both the cab and pinotage combine to produce an excellent wine at this price