Dragons, the keepers of secrets, long regarded as symbols of power, wisdom and shrewdness, are also said to be the beasts that brought the rains crucial for winemaking. We at Woodward Wines know there's far more to the craft than myths and legends. Our family have poured passion and knowledge into the Catchpole & Co brand of wines.
Soil, or what the French call “terroir; when you get the soil right and the climate right, magic happens. This is exactly what has happened to our Pinotage and our Woodward Ridge grapes in Stellenbosch, South Africa, with a little help from our fantastic vigneron (wine maker).
Pinotage is soft, round, smooth - not too heavy, not too light - and with a spicy finish. It's a great wine for a person to find something a little different. It's not French, it's not Italian, it's not Rioja, it's something a little bit different but it's beautiful in the mouth, great with a huge variety of foods - you can enjoy it almost any time because it's just so easy to drink, or just on its own with some good conversation!!
A good Pinotage is ruby red, the wine will shine at you, it glitters at you. It should be clear, not cloudy or frosted. When you swish the wine around the glass, it should make a little rim, then break and fall down the side of the glass - those are called the 'legs' or the 'tears' of the wine. That shows you it has good velocity, good texture, and is not watery.
Then of course it needs to smell nice. You'll find all sorts of nuances, from plums to chocolate in our “cepage”, Pinotage, but you'll get fine, pleasing aromas, so you don't even have to taste the wine to know if it's sound. You just look at it, smell it, and then you confirm what you think with a good taste in your mouth.
Woodward Wines' Catchpole & Co range is available exclusively online, with private wine merchants on hand to offer advice about your selection; if not on hand immediately, please leave your number and we will call back. The ordering process is straight forward and simple, 24/7.
Wines are sold directly by the case (of 12 bottles), and customers can mix two varieties - for example six bottles of Pinotage and six Chardonnay. All our wines are priced per unit sale of 12 bottles, and start at £13.99. Our delivery and returns information can be found here.
For all other queries, telephone 01375 470554, contact us through the website, or e-mail david.woodward3@btconnect.com. Enjoy!