New Zealand is the second largest producer in the world of wines made from the Pinotage grape, according to the UK-based Pinotage Club (www.pinotage.org).

The South African grape variety, developed in a Stellenbosch University in 1925, is immensely suited to the wine-growing district around the Cape, although it was not until 1952 that vineyards were planted in commercial quantities.

In the early 1960's the success of the variety in the Southern Hemisphere climate captured the attention of Alex Corban who is noted as producing New Zealand's first Pinotage in 1964. The grape became popular amongst the Auckland growers in particular, for the thick-skins offered resistance against the detrimental effects of humidity.

Unfortunately for Pinotage, its popularity waned as classical varieties from France took hold in the late 1970's.

Nobilo Wines is perhaps the only producer to persist with the variety over the years and their current release Nobilo Huapai Pinotage 1998 ($14.00) is a good example of the characters of the grape. It has a dense red colour, and is chewy and gamey, with black plums and red berry fruit, soft dusky tannins and a touch of vanillin oak.

Kerr Farm has been producing a Pinotage since 1995, but from vines that were established years before. The youthful pinky-red Kerr Farm Kumeu Pinotage 1999 ($16.00) is full and rounded with spicy aromas, plum and raspberry fruit, light tannins, a touch of earthiness and a lingering fruitcake-like richness.

As Pinotage makes a comeback, producers outside of Auckland are experimenting with the grape.

The Spencer Hill Evans Vineyard Moutere Pinotage 1999 is the first to come out of the Nelson region at the top of the South Isalnd and is lighter in colour than its Auckland counterparts. It reminds me at first of a Pinot Noir with its cherry-like fruit, then plums, prunes, spice and a nice depth of earthiness emerge, while a touch of acidity gives the wine a lifted fresh finish.

The Te Awa Farm Longlands Pinotage 1998 ($22) is from Hawkes Bay and made by Jenny Dobson, who spent some years in France. It is a brooding wine with plummy fruit and nutty, earthy, dusty characters, flashes of smoke, tar, sweet leather and olive. Ripe and round with a thick, almost chewy texture, it is a wonderful example of the intrigue of this grape and is, perhaps, the best Pinotage I've ever tasted from New Zealand.