Given my ambivalence towards the grape variety, the 2006 Pinotage won over this sceptic! Hand-harvested with 15.2% alcohol, this wine needs time to open up in the glass and against all expectations, the palate is quite attractive. Well-balanced, it has none of those vegetal characteristics, with some nice chewy cranberry and strawberry fruit. Good weight and acidity. With time, that nose gains intensity and you cannot help developing a soft spot for this Pinotage! Muddy Water is one of Canterbury’s most respected wine producers, established by Michael and Jane East in 1993, debuting with their 1997 vintage. Given that the difficulty of the growing season forced Muddy Water to source 31% of the Chardonnay fruit from Nelson and 55% from Marlborough, the 2005 Chardonnay is a great success.Importer: Via Pacifica, Sebastopol, CA; tel. (800) 823-5545; fax (707) 823-3393