Cape Ardor Wines

Interview with Warwick Winemaker

Kara — Mon, 13 May 2013 23:50:51 +0000

Wine Makers Name

Nic van Aarde

Winery

Warwick Wine Estate

How many years have you been making wine and how long have you been at Warwick?

I have been making wine for 10 years and have been with Warwick Estate for 2 years now.

Tell us about your early days in the vineyards, your education and how you started your career.

I fell in love with wine while studying Business and Commerce at university. I joined the University’s wine club and got the chance to taste a lot of wine and meet many winemakers. Being a winemaker looked so more inspiring than sitting behind a desk and crunching numbers. So after completing my Business degree I enrolled for a B.SC in Viticulture and Oenology.

Describe your philosophy / approach to making wine.

Winemaking is 70% science and 30% art. To make good and health wine you need a good chemistry background. Without good quality grapes you can’t make good quality wine.

How involved in the viticultural aspect of wine production are you? Is there a particular vineyard site that constantly produces top fruit year after year?

Our viticulturist and I work in synergy together. Together we make decisions on what to plant and when to harvest. We have 2 Cabernet Sauvignon blocks that produce beautiful high extract wines and form the foundation of our flagship blend Trilogy.

What would be your ideal wine to make?

A world class Bordeaux blend or Chardonnay.

What is your favorite cultivar to play with?

We been having loads of fun with Sauvignon blanc here at Warwick. Reductive handling and a new state of the art press that designed for making aromatic style Sauvignon blanc.

How has your palate evolved over the years? How do you think it has influenced your wines?

I have become more tolerant to tannin in red wine. I prefer big and bold wine with lots of backbone. Our wines are made for ageing but are also assessable just after release. It’s a fine line but we seem to be getting it right.

What foods do you like to pair with your wines?

Trilogy our Bordeaux blend with a fillet steak with a Madagascan pepper sauce
Three Cape Ladies our Cape Blend (Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon) with a traditional South African lamb stew made in a cast iron pot on an open fire
Professor Black Sauvignon blanc with fresh oysters
Chardonnay with black mussels steamed in wine with a cream and garlic sauce
First Lady Unoaked Chardonnay with fresh line fish with a chili, garlic and ginger basting sauce.
First Lady Cabernet Sauvignon with homemade ostrich burgers smothered in a blue cheese sauce
Old Bush vine Pinotage with a slow roasted Springbok/venison shoulder marinated in red wine and 5 spice.

What do you like to drink after a long day of winemaking or any other time you want to kick back and relax?

When I get home after a long day of work I normally crack open a beer to clean my pallet. After that I will have an ice cold glass of Sauvignon blanc on a hot summers night. In winter it will be a good glass of red wine in front of the fireplace with my dogs at my feet.

Do you collect wine personally and if so what do you have at home?

I have a wine fridge that takes about 120 bottles. I keep all my wines that I have collected with my travels around the world in there. I also have a few examples of the best South Africa has to offer.

What other regions outside of South Africa influence your wine making style? Who inspired you the most?

I have worked in California, Australia, New Zealand and France. All of them have left a piece of knowledge with me. I also consulted for 2 years in India. Here I learned patience and persistence and managed to make some very drinkable wines in some testing situations.

What standouts releases should we be looking for this year? Describe:

We are bringing out a 2010 Warwick Blue Lady Cabernet Sauvignon. This will be a selection of a few of the best barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon we have in our cellar.

Wine + Design – La Vierge

Kara — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:53:22 +0000

Hemel en Aarde Valley – the rising star of wine regions in the Western Cape is home to a few institutions; Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Bouchard Finlayson, Creation and Hermanuspietersfontein. The valley’s proximity to the ocean is a mere few kilometers and the soils are absolute perfection for growing Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc and the ‘best in show’ Pinot Noirs.

A small boutique winery swooping up the awards for their Pinots can be found somewhere in the middle of the lower and upper Valley. Not only are their wines fantastic, their facilities are top notch; featuring a champagne veranda (with Bocce court), a high end restaurant and a magnificent tasting room with bohemian flair. La Vierge (the Virgin) is inspired by the artist Sir Michael Adams, (who designed their labels) and the Interior Design by Suzie van Niekerk (my talented mother!). Some of these gorgeous wines from La Vierge will be Cape Ardor’s store in time for Spring.. watch this space!

photo – bluechipjournal.com

photo – hermanusbackbackers.com

photo – Noleen Kutash

photo – wineandonly.com

photo: southboundbride.com

Muratie Wine Estate’s iconic wines lauded locally and internationally.

Kara — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:49:37 +0000

Passing down through many skilled and attentive owners over the years, Muratie Winery still holds today the elegant charm that it held in its romantic beginnings. With sprawling lands, and an elegant guest house, Muratie welcomes travelers from all over the world, to relax and tour the farm that made history as part of South Africa’s wine culture.

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Muratie Wine Estate’s iconic wines lauded locally and internationally.

19 November 2012 by Muratie Wine Estate

The array of prestigious local and international awards won this year by Muratie, including Platter’s 2013 Superquaffer of the Year Award for the Melck’s Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, underlines the significance of Muratie’s recent rejuvenation.

This rejuvenation included improved viticultural practices and the refashioning of the cellar, both to enhance the quality of their wines, yet at the same time adhering to the Melck family’s deep respect for the Estate’s rich heritage. As Publisher, Andrew McDowall, elaborated on the theme of Platter’s SA Wines 2013, “Today much attention is focused on the nuts and bolts of wine, but rather less on the mystery, excitement and allure. With our emphasis this edition on ‘backstories’, Platter’s is looking to showcase the passion, dreams, challenges and successes which not only form the backdrop to the wines featured in the guide, but also make South Africa one of the most fascinating and dynamic areas in the world of wine. ”Nothing could be more appropriate of Muratie, with its myriad ‘backstories’ reaching as far back as the 17th century, as one of the oldest wineries in the Cape Winelands. The Melck family recently honoured the Estate’s fascinating history by naming Muratie’s Iconic Wines after iconic characters from Muratie’s colourful past, each with its own enchanting story described on the back label, thus ‘every wine tells a story’. The Prestigious Awards Won This Year By Muratie Wine Estate Include:Muratie Ansela van de Caab 2009: Gold Medal at the 2012 International Wine & Spirit Competition
This Bordeaux-style blend honours Ansela van de Caab, whose remarkable story is written into South African folklore as an icon of the struggle against the horrors of slavery at the Cape in the late 17th century.
Tasting notes: Rated 4½ stars by the Platter’s 2013 Wine Guide, it is described as “a handsome figure: opulent fruitcake perfume jumps out of the glass, gutsy and vibrant and packed with flavour. Well oaked but no hard edges.” It retails nationally for approximately R175.

Muratie Ronnie Melck Shiraz 2009: Gold Medal at the 2012 Michelangelo International Wine Awards
This wine, previously called Muratie Shiraz, was renamed to honour family patriarch and legendary winemaker, Ronnie Melck, who loved Shiraz.
Tasting notes: Rich floral and berry notes with hints of green peppercorns and gamey nuances are supported by a sweet spiciness and a vanilla, crème brûlée aftertaste. It retails nationally for approximately R100.

Muratie Alberta Annemarie Merlot 2008: Double Gold Medal at the 2012 Veritas Awards
Previously called Muratie Merlot, this wine pays tribute to a remarkable woman who, as owner of Muratie, was one of the first female wine farm owners in the country, and who, like fine wine, only improved with age.
Tasting notes: Aromas of cherry and cranberry with a hint of chocolate are followed by blackcurrants and dark chocolate on the palate. A full bodied wine, yet subtle with well integrated oak giving it a lasting finish. It retails nationally for approximately R95.

Melck’s Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2011: Awarded the Platter’s 2013 Superquaffer of the Year Award
“In an ongoing focus on value for money, Platters identifies a number of entry-level wines which are exceptionally drinkable and well priced. The best of these, like the 5 star candidates, go into a second round of “blind” tasting to select the Superquaffer of the Year. For the first time since 2007, the ultra-easy sipper of the year is a red wine – Melck’s Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 by Muratie Wine Estate.” (Extract from the media release launching the Platter’s SA Wines 2013)
Tasting notes: This wine is noted in the guide as “a model of lively drinkability. Juicy black plums with a spice infusion, partial oaking well managed, leaving a curvaceous smoothness”.

An Interview with Dornier’s Winemaker

Kara — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 21:11:53 +0000

Jeanine Faure - Dornier Wine Estate

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How many years have you been making wine and how long have you been at Dornier?

I have been in the winemaking profession for 7 years. I have worked for Dornier since March 2012.

Tell us about your early days in the vineyards, your education and how you started your career.

I grew up on a vineyard farm, and my father is a viticulturist. I loved the harvest time, and I knew that I wanted to be a winemaker from a young age. I decided to study at Stellenbosch University and finished my Oenology and Viticulture degree in 2004. I realized that I needed a lot of practical experience before I could settle in to a winemaking position, and travelled overseas to gain experience. I learnt a lot of different winemaking techniques and saw how each individual winery adapted the process based on what their fruit was like. I also had the opportunity to taste a wide range of interesting wines, which was a great privilege.

Describe your philosophy / approach to making wine.

I think wine is made in the vineyard, and I aim to pick the grapes accordingly and make the wine with minimal intervention. Flavors and balance should come from grapes, and not from the addition of oak, acid, etc. Oak should be used to enhance flavours and structure, not dominate them.

How involved in the viticultural aspect of wine production are you? Is there a particular vineyard site that constantly produces top fruit year after year?

We have a few fantastic blocks of fruit, like our Semillon which goes into Donatus White and the Cabernet Sauvignon that goes into Donatus Red. Every year we seem to get more concentrated mature fruit, and the yields are balanced with smaller berries.

What would be your ideal wine to make?

I love working with Chenin blanc and am really looking forward to making the Dornier Donatus White, which is a blend of Chenin blanc and Semillon.

What is your favorite cultivar to play with?

Chenin is a truly fantastic variety. It is so versatile and you can make so many different styles of wine with it.

How has your palate evolved over the years? How do you think it has influenced your wines?

I have found I prefer wines that are naturally balanced and elegant, over wines which are showy and big (which I may have been impressed by in the past).

What foods do you like to pair with your wines?

I like to pair our Donatus White blend with salmon dishes.

Our Pinotage goes wonderfully with Ostrich.

Donatus Red is a match made in heaven with a rare fillet.

Our Dornier Chenin blanc is an excellent pairing with a mushroom risotto, and our Cocoa Hill range is great with alfresco meals!

What do you like to drink after a long day of winemaking or any other time you want to kick back and relax?

Beer! I love the craft beers that our popping up on the scene in South Africa.

Do you collect wine personally and if so what do you have at home?

I do. I have a few Aussie Grenaches, some Rhone (St Joseph) Syrahs, and a few Californian Cabs.

What other regions outside of South Africa influence your wine making style? Who inspired you the most?

I was the most inspired by Bruwer Raats from Raats Family Wines. He taught me how important it is to pick grapes at exactly the right time, and how important the quality of your fruit is. I like wines from the Rhone Valley in France; as they achieve fruit concentration and balance without having to add too much to the wines.

Every Wine Label Has a Story

Kara — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 18:48:07 +0000

This wonderful article about Iona was featured in the local South African newspaper recently. Every wine label does indeed have a story, and this may be one of the most heartwarming stories yet.

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Every Wine Label Tells a story

By TISH MCGEE – Winederous,

A few weeks ago, with the promise of spring on our doorstep, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the unique wine-growing valley of Elgin, where I joined Andrew and Rozy Gunn at Iona Vineyards for the launch of their wine label – the One Man Band.

Okay, okay. I know what you’re thinking: “Please, not another new label in the sea of endlessness.” But, hang on. Take a sister wine lover’s word: this one is truly worth a gander.

So, what makes this one special then? That is, besides the obvious reason that it tastes exceptional and the fact that is has been nominated for a five-star John Platter rating – for those who care about that sort of thing.

For us to truly appreciate what the One Man Band is all about and what it stands for, we must first go back in history a little bit. After all, Iona is a 10-year overnight success story.

After studying art at UCT, Rozy became an arts lecturer at Wits University. She and her then husband Derek Bauer, a political cartoonist, moved back to the Western Cape in 2001, where they purchased a piece of land in the Elgin Valley, now named Brocha Vineyards.

A cruel twist of fate led Rozy to lose her husband in a car accident, leaving her with two young children – one two years old, and the other still a tiny baby.

But what does this all have to do with wine? Well I believe, and so do many at Iona, that a wine is more than just fermented grapes. It is a narrative, an autobiography, a memoir. It holds within its very make-up a story of trials and tribulations, of sadness and regret, of love and companionship, and of family. So please bear with me …

Rozy soon sought the aid of local wine enthusiast and neighbouring landowner Andrew Gunn from Iona, as she was suddenly left with a huge piece of land, no support structure and little to no knowledge of wine farming.

A damsel in distress and a knight in shining armour? No. Just two people who found refuge in one another. And as their love for each other grew, so did their passion for winemaking.

This is where the wine lover in me goes: Yay! Because winemaking is bland and technical without passion. What I adore about these partners in wine is that Rozy is this petite little person with so much fire in her belly. And on the other side there is Andrew – a gentle giant with a handshake that swallows you up, and a man who enjoys tackling wine head-on in a practical, goal-orientated way.

The artist and the engineer. They complement each other, just as wine needs all the elements to be perfectly balanced and lingering. Too little acid, and a wine become flimsy. Too much acid, and a wine becomes metallic and undrinkable. The physics is simple: cut off one leg of a table and it all comes tumbling down. To me, the One Man Band is that perfect balance.

When the two were married in 2003, they kept both properties. His high up on the hill, overlooking the ocean, and hers more inland. They cleverly took Rozy’s Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Viognier, as well as a little Petit verdot, all of which thrive in the slightly warmer, sheltered valley terroir of her farm, while Andrew took his Cabernet sauvignon and Merlot, which benefit from the cooler sea breeze – again, an absolute balance.

Their talented young winemaker, Werner Muller, then took all of these exceptional components and combined them to create the One Man Band. Which, by the way, is named after one of the sculptures of Rozy’s UCT lecturer and favourite sculptor, Bruce Arnott. It encompasses exactly what Iona Vineyards is all about – harmony and unison.

The team at Iona value each member, and therefore move as one entity, one person if you will. Rozy said it best when she said: “We need to keep moving, because once we stop moving, the music will stop. And we don’t want it to ever stop.”

Not once in the entire afternoon I spent with the group did Rozy or Andrew claim the glory of this wine as their own. It was conveyed as being a group effort, a collective accomplishment, where everyone gets to share in its success.

So you see, the One Man Band is not just simply a red blend made up of 60% Shiraz, with the remainder consisting of cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, Petit verdot, and Mourvèdre (I know some of you were dying for that bit of info).

It’s so much more than that. Those are only the little facts, and hopefully, from now on, when you see a new wine label you will recognise it as being similar to the book cover of a charming story, rather than just another label.

Let’s enjoy it for its personality, its history and all it is worth.

South African Vineyard Wins IWC Fairtrade Award in UK

Kara — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:55:38 +0000

With a history like South Africa’s, we are proud to see them as pioneers for Fairtrade in the Wine Industry.

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Article from Bizzcomunity.com

The Bosman Family Vineyards has won the Fairtrade Award at the recent International Wine Challenge (IWC) in the UK. It was also the only South African winery to win one of the prestigious trophies at this year’s show. The award is for wine-producing regions that are officially recognised as being part of the Fairtrade Association. Wines are judged on their individual merits and the award is presented to the highest quality wine at the IWC with Fairtrade certification. This year, 338 judges from 25 countries tasted 21609 different wines from over 50 countries.

The winning wine was the 2011 Wild Valley Chenin Blanc from the premium Fairtrade range of Sainsbury’s, ‘Taste The Difference’ and is made from the Chenin Blanc vineyards from the Wellington Wine region. The judges described the wine as floral with white fruit aromas, fresh acidity, appealing grapefruit honey flowers and a rich creamy, bready texture.

Su Birch, CEO of WOSA, was thrilled with the result, “South Africa is the leader in sustainable and ethical wine production in the world and we are excited that a South African wine is recognised in this way and that such outstanding quality can actually be produced in an ethical and environmentally responsible way.”

Bosman Family Vineyards MD, Petrus Bosman, commented, “Farming with sustainable principles is something that has been carried over from one generation to the next in our family and our experience has been that the quality of your product increases over time, when you consistently invest in people and nature.”

According to Francois Theron, social anthropologist at the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University and social development consultant to the vineyard, “This award gives meaning to its efforts to establish social planning partnerships through which all farm stakeholders, owners and staff are capacitated and empowered to engage in sustainable social farming. Its approach acts as a benchmark for the industry.”

ABSA Top 10 Pinotage Winners Announced

Kara — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 18:41:00 +0000

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03 September 2012 by Pinotage Association

Rijks Private Cellar in Tulbagh this year became one of the top performers in the history of the Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition by winning a coveted Top 10 Trophy for the seventh time.

The Tulbagh producer, currently under the stewardship of cellar-master Pierre Wahl, collected Absa Top 10 trophies in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2011 before reaching the magic number seven at this year’s Top 10 awards. This year’s winning wine was its Private Cellar Pinotage 2008, while its Reserve Pinotage 2008 was also one of the 20 top finalists. The 2012 Absa Top 10 Pinotage Awards were announced in Stellenbosch on 31 August. Stellenbosch Estate Simonsig also proved its consistency as a Pinotage producer of excellence by clinching its fifth Top 10 award for the Red Hill Pinotage, this year from the 2010 vintage.While Rijk’s and Simonsig further established their mastery of South Africa’s most famous indigenous grape variety, Durbanville was the most successful wine region at this year’s Absa Top 10. Altydgedacht and Diemersdal Estates each took a Top 10 Trophy with their Pinotages from the 2011 vintage along with their neighbour Durbanville Hills, whose Rhinofields Pinotage 2011 got the judges’ nod. The other wines in the Top 10 list were Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2010, Swartland Bush Vines Pinotage 2010, Wellington Wines La Cave Pinotage 2010, Windmeul Cellar Reserve Pinotage 2011 and newcomer Painted Wolf’s Guillermo Pinotage 2009. The Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition, which began in 1997 to increase the awareness of Pinotage and to encourage wine-making excellence in this South African variety, attracted 132 entries for this year’s Competition. This is 14 more entries than were received for last year’s event.“Today we are able to say that the birth of the Absa Top 10 Competition in 1997 was a key moment in the history of Pinotage,” says Beyers Truter, Chairman of the Pinotage Association. “The competition’s inclusive nature, where 10 wines are each awarded with a trophy for excellence, has been welcomed by the Pinotage brotherhood. On the commercial front, the Absa Top 10 has contributed to great awareness – not only of Pinotage as a uniquely beautiful wine, but of the commitment to quality displayed by producers in terms of wine-making and viticulture practices. “And for the producers whose wines are included in the Top 10 winners, the competition definitely gives their respective brands a marketing push.”

Bobby Malabie, Chief Executive: Absa Retail and Business Bank, notes that the Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition has become an integral part of the company’s ethos since it chose to sponsor the event in 1997.

“We value what our customers and clients value,” he says adding that “the Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition symbolises the importance and esteem that we place on supporting the interests and passions within the South African wine industry.

“Furthermore, as a proudly South African Bank, Absa realises the significance of contributing towards developing and showcasing the best that this country has to offer and through our association with the Pinotage Association, we are able to do just that.”

Malabie says: “It is important for Absa to align itself with events such as these, because we realise the value of combining lifestyle activities while establishing meaningful relationships with the communities in which we operate, our support of these awards is an excellent platform to engage with our key stakeholders.

Duimpie Bayly, convenor of the judging panel for this year’s Absa Top 10 says the final line-up represents a range of wines which can hold their own among any of the world’s great reds.

“Before judging commenced I made it clear to the other judges that we were not going to limit ourselves by looking for any particular style of Pinotage,” he says.

“The goal was to look for red wines that could be described as great in any language due to their elegance, balance and pure presence. During the judging process, consensus was reached that the makers of Pinotage are reaching levels never attained before and the winning 10 wines show that this grape variety can take its place alongside the great reds of any country, anywhere in the world.”

The List of Top 10 winners for 2012
•   Altydgedacht Estate 2011 (Durbanville)
•   Diemersdal Estate 2011 (Durbanville)
•   Durbanville Hills Rhinofields Pinotage 2011 (Durbanville)
•   Painted Wolf Guillermo Pinotage 2009 (Swartland)
•   Rijks Private Cellar Pinotage 2008 (Tulbagh)
•   Simonsig Estate Redhill Pinotage 2010 (Stellenbosch)
•   Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2010 (Stellenbosch)
•   Swartland Bush Vines Pinotage 2010 (Swartland)
•   Wellington Wines La Cave Pinotage 2010 (Wellington)
•   Windmeul Reserve Pinotage 2011 (Paarl)

Other wines that made the list of 20 from which the Absa Top 10 winners were chosen:
•   Beaumont Pinotage 2010 (Bot River)
•   Delheim Pinotage 2011 (Stellenbosch
•   Fairview Pinotage 2011 (Costal Region)
•   KWV Cathedral Cellar Pinotage 2009 (Western Cape)
•   Mount Vernon Three Peaks Pinotage 2011 (Paarl Simonsberg)
•   Painted Wolf The Den Pinotage 2010 (Coastal Region)
•   Riebeek Cellars Reserve Pinotage 2011 (Swartland)
•   Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage 2008 (Tulbagh)
•   Springfontein Jonathan’s Ridge Pinotage 2009 (Walker Bay)
•   Tukulu Pinotage 2009 (Darling)

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A Harvest Letter from Winemaker – Mark Dendy Young

Kara — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:17:58 +0000

We recently received the Harvest update from Mark Dendy Young, winemaker of boutique winery – La Petite Ferme, Franschhoek.

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Dear all,

The 2012 vintage promises to be one of the best we have had the honor of being involved in. The winter was extremely cold which gave the vines sufficient time to replenish the nutrients lost in the previous summer. We then experienced 10 to15 day’s earlier budding than usual, this being as a result of a slightly warmer august. This was followed by ideal growth during spring through to January.

Less wind than usual in December resulted in less damage to the vines and a much denser canopy for better results when it was essential, especially, in retaining the sauvignon blanc varietal character. Due to a very hot January the canopy helped protect the delicate pyrazeens that are found in this varietal.the ripening period in February and march was further characterized by ideal, cool weather conditions for slow ripening, with even-acids and phenolic ripeness on our red cultivars. The smaller berry size which gives rise to concentrated flavors and intense color will give better fruit and structure.dry weather with almost no precipitation resulted in very healthy grapes with no disease or rot.

In particular sauvignon blanc was outstanding with more tropical- guava and pear notes with some delicate minerality on the palate. The other performer of the whites was the chardonnay, very high vineyards offer slightly hostile soils with some clay subsoil that produce some of the valleys most intense flavours.the local baboon population doesn’t do us any favours when they plunder what precious little that we have as it is! The 2012 is now resting in french oak barrels until June 2013.

A spicy intensity on our viognier, with hints of mango and frangipani is beautifully balanced with a 15% barrel component that has some nutty complexity on the palate. This vineyard is planted on very fine gravel soils with some clay composition. This wine has seen a remarkable increase in popularity and is well paired with Asian foods.

As usual the reds all seem to do really well on the farm with the merlot yield slightly up on previous years. The smaller bunches with tiny berries where once again given maximum time on the skins with pre and post maceration taking place. A co -inoculant was used to enhance softer tannins and more mouth feel. Gently pressed after fermentation and selected for time in barrel. Plum and black cherries are the dominant characteristic here. This still proves to be a wine for the shows and always wows the judges.

Our cabernet sauvignon was slightly lower in yield and on dry soils such as these easily achieves phenolic ripeness and a wonderful black inky color.delicious mint and eucalyptus flavors are evident due to the rootstock and clonal selection.

The cabernet franc has enjoyed the benefit of a gentle slope that faces the hot North West setting sun. We found that if handled gently we can eliminate any harsh bitterness and evoke lovely chocolate and coffee notes, the black cherry flavours on the palate are well received at luncheons with our famous slow roast lamb.

Due to some severe pruning during the winter months our highly sought after Shiraz produced lower yields with intense flavors, we finally blend 7% Viognier for classic Rhone flavor, and cardamom and coriander seed on the nose with a cured meaty palate.

Our wines bear testament to our hard work in the cellar. Patience and passion with a little luck…lets hope Mother Nature continues to bless us!

Mark and John Dendy Young (winemaker and viticulturist)

Winemaker Interview with Yvonne from Rupert & Rothschild

Kara — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 19:25:03 +0000

Yvonne Lester – Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons Wine Estate

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How many years have you been making wine and how long have you been at Rupert & Rothschild?

I have been making wine for 12 years and I have been working at Rupert & Rothschild for 11 years.

Tell us about your early days in the vineyards, your education and how you started your career.

I studied Bsc Viticulture and Oenology at the University of Stellenbosch. (1997-2000). During this time I did my a practical at Springfield Estate and at De Wetshof Estate, both in Robertson. In 2001 I went to Chile and worked for 5 months at Chateau Los Boldos. In September of 2001, I started working at Rupert & Rothschild. I worked the Harvest at Chateaux Clarke, France in September 2003, and the harvest at Staffelterhof, Mosel, Germany in September 2004. In 2005 I traveled and tasted California; Napa & Sonoma Valley and in 2007 I Traveled and tasted New Zealand; South Island.

Describe your philosophy / approach to making wine.

Wine is made in the vineyard. I try to keep the winemaking process as natural as possible, with the least amount of interference.

How involved in the viticultural aspect of wine production are you? Is there a particular vineyard site that constantly produces top fruit year after year?

We have a viticulture consultant, and I work closely with her. Our vineyards in Stellenbosch and Darling both produce top fruit year after year.

What would be your ideal wine to make?

A wine that people love to drink!

What is your favorite cultivar to play with?

Chardonnay

How has your palate evolved over the years? How do you think it has influenced your wines?

My palate has become more refined and more sensitive to the finer details, therefore my wines are now more elegant and balanced.

What foods do you like to pair with your wines?

Chardonnay – fresh oysters or sushi

Baron Edmond (bordeaux blend) – Kudu/Beef fillet

Classique (bordeaux blend) – mushroom risotto or duck.

What do you like to drink after a long day of winemaking or any other time you want to kick back and relax?

In summer I enjoy white wine, beer or a Gin and Tonic! In winter, red wine.

Do you collect wine personally and if so what do you have at home?

I collect wines from all over the world. At the moment I have German Rieslings, French Champagne, French Bordeaux blends and New Zealand Pinot noir at home.

What other regions outside of South Africa influence your wine making style? Who inspired you the most?

Bordeaux and Burgundy in France influence my wine making style.

My German grandfather and my South African grandfather, both who were/are involved in the local wine industry influence me!

What standouts releases should we be looking for this year?

Baron 2010 (Cabernet Sauvigon, Merlot, Cabernet franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot) – It’s a more feminine wine with fresh fruit nuances on the nose. The palate is elegant with soft tannins. This wine will mature beautifully.

Winemaker Interview – Muratie

Kara — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:12:36 +0000

Francois Conradie – Muratie Wine Estate

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How many years have you been making wine and how long have you been at Muratie?

Since 2001 thus 11 years of which the last 7 have been at Muratie winery.

Tell us about your early days in the vineyards, your education and how you started your career.

I Grew up on a farm in Robertson and finished high school in 1995. I then enrolled in a four year B.Sc Agriculture degree in Viticulture & Oenology which I finished in 1999. I Went to London for two years and then joined Boschendal winery in 2001.

Describe your philosophy / approach to making wine.

I am lucky enough to be in charge of the vineyards as well and that gives me the chance to do most of the work there. When the grapes enter the cellar it is usually a matter of changing solids to liquids. Keeping it simple and using oak in a way to enhance the flavors and not overpower them.

How involved in the viticultural aspect of wine production are you? Is there a particular vineyard site that constantly produces top fruit year after year?

Yes we have two vineyards that perform consistently and therefore always make up the core of our Estate blend.

What would be your ideal wine to make?

A wine that is enjoyed by everyone! (Touche!)

What is your favorite cultivar to play with?

Shiraz and Chenin Blanc.

How has your palate evolved over the years? How do you think it has influenced your wines?

I am quite critical on my own wines and getting a better understanding of how the vineyards mature every year makes the decision making a bit easier. I am constantly striving to create wines that are classical in nature with a prominent fruit core and that screams of the place it originates from.

What foods do you like to pair with your wines?

Fresh Oysters with the MCC. (a Sparkling wine, MMC stands for Method Cap Classique, like method champenoise)

Rich and creamy pasta dishes or parma ham with the Muratie Isabella Chardonnay

Spicy Thai styled dishes with the Laurens Campher

From a salad to a soft meat like a fillet with the Muratie Pinot Noir

Succulent piece of rump with the Ronnie Melck Shiraz

Hearty meat dishes and stews like oxtail and lambshanks with the Ansela van de Caab (Bordeaux blend)

Cheese plate or even a creme brule with our Ben Prins Cape Vintage and Amber forever

What do you like to drink after a long day of winemaking or any other time you want to kick back and relax?

Usually a nice glass of Shiraz. If it was a tough day nothing calms the nerves like a nice brandy.

Do you collect wine personally and if so what do you have at home?

Unfortunately being in the wine industry wine never collects dust in my house and we always tend to find an occasion to open a special bottle!

What other regions outside of South Africa influence your wine making style? Who inspired you the most?

Bordeaux defintely inspired me after a trip there in 2003. André van Rensburg (Famously forthright and talented Vergelegen winemaker) inspired me.

What standouts releases should we be looking for this year?

The new 2012 Laurens Campher, 2010 Ronnie Melck Shiraz and the 2010 Ansela van de Caab.

Winemaker Francois and his family

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To read more on Muratie visit their cellardoor!

Allee Bleue in Franschhoek is perfecting more than just wine

Kara — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 21:53:15 +0000

Allee Bleue does not leave one wanting for anything. Award-winning wines, a picture perfect setting, mountains, orchards, vineyards, lavender, herbs, olive oil, authentic cuisine, picnics, weddings and even a legendary resident ghost. If ever on the road to Franschhoek, do stop in for whatever your heart desires.

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WineMag, article by Ineke Coetzee

There are so many wine farms in South Africa, getting the chance to visit them all isn’t always possible. So when you do get the chance to visit a wine farm a certain element of child-like excitement bubbles up inside. This child-like excitement overflows if it is a first time visit, which it was for me.

The day was picture perfect. Not just did the blue-skied, sunny day welcome us to the beautiful Franschhoek Valley, but Allée Bleue ‒owned by Friedrich-Wilhelm and Elke Dauphin‒ welcomed us further with its blue banners, blue doors and blue gum trees- truly an avenue of blue.

At the entrance (literally) of the estate you will find the wine tasting facility as well as the Allée Bleue Bistro where Chef Glenn Ferus is in charge. Admittedly, it would have been more effective if the wine tasting facility and the Bistro were built at the end of The Blue Gum avenue so that visitors could drive down the avenue of blue and experience the beauty of this farms’ trademark feature. That being said, the various features that the estate offers were enough to make my head spin and completely forget about the previous (whining) point.

Meeting with Allée Bleue winemaker Van Zyl du Toit, previously at Simonsig Wine Estate, was a sure sign that we wouldn’t be leaving any time soon. We had the pleasure of enjoying a private cellar tour, where we sampled the delicious wines. Some wines were almost ready to be bottled and some wines were still in the maturation process, but all showing tremendous potential. Allée Bleue not only produces its own wines, but also makes wines for small, third party wineries (farms provide their own grapes).

A noteworthy aspect of this farm is that they offer everything. No, really, they offer everything you need. Allée Bleue offers award-winning wines at affordable prices and a Bistro serving delicious cuisine with products sourced from the farm or from the surrounding winelands. The farm also serves as a large supplier of fine herbs including Sweet Basil; Dill; and Rocket, fresh fruit including Nectarine; Pears; and Plums, and olives and olive oil. They also offer facilities for everything from weddings to picnics to functions and its hospitality and friendliness should be a feature on its own, too.

After the cellar tour we were treated to a mouth-watering three-course lunch prepared by Chef Glenn.

Trout and crayfish with a guacamole pastry was served as the starter and paired perfectly with Isabeau 2010, Sauvignon Blanc 2011 and Chenin Blanc 2011. Fillet medallions and creamy potatoes with a Pinotage reduction went wonderfully with the Starlette Pinotage 2011, Shiraz 2008 and the Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend 2010. For dessert, Glenn served us a caramel pudding with a crunchy caramel topping, a velvety chocolate pudding and a granadilla sorbet that paired beautifully with the Cape Ruby Port 2011.

Wine sales and marketing manager Ansgar Flaatten and winemaker Van Zyl du Toit offered great company and more jokes than there was wine on the estate.
We ended off the day with some of Allée Bleue’s own Grappa (only sold in the tasting room at R185 per bottle) and speculated about the ghost of Isabeau who supposedly still resides in the Manor House. I still don’t know if it was the Grappa or the supposed ghost that took my breath away. Of course this meant we had to go investigate the legend for ourselves. Van Zyl decided not to join us, but brave Tiaan ‒our driver/tour guide for the day‒ showed us around. What we found was a beautifully decorated interior with a modern touch to an old Manor House. We cannot blame the ghost for her preferred home of choice, she obviously knows a good thing when she sees it.
The day proved to be a great success and as we left, the child-like excitement bubbled inside again. Whether it was the wine, the food, the estate or the hospitality, one thing is for certain, the farm will transform any blue day to an Allée Bleue day.

Wines to try

Sauvignon Blanc 2012, has delicious sweet tropical notes with a typical Sauvignon Blanc herbaceousness on the palette.
Chenin Blanc 2011, had the privilege of tasting this beautiful (out of stock) wine with intense flavours of passion fruit, lime and hints of vanilla and toasted nuts. The wine will be back in stock in September.

Starlette Pinotage 2011, a fragrant dark red coloured wine with flavours of ripe cherries and strawberries. There are some floral notes and aromas of chocolate and cinnamon that lingers in the glass.

South African white wines – the best of summer sippers

Kara — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 19:44:43 +0000

This article posted this morning, and we have to agree that South Africa truly does represent the best of the white wine category. As the author notes in her article, South Africa is the world’s seventh largest wine-producing country, and we, South African wine Ambassadors, have our work cut out for us – we’re eductating wine lovers on SA’s favorite varietal – chenin blanc.

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Examiner.com / article by Leslie Cramer

Steen. What, you’ve never heard of it? Let’s clarify- this is South Africa’s name for the Chenin Blanc grape here, and is the country’s largest-producing wine-grape varietal. Generally producing inexpensive wine (the Steen), South Africa is the world’s seventh largest wine-producing country. But as South Africa emerges as a major player, that picture is changing, forever.

For centuries, South Africa has made good dessert and fortified wines. But dry wines of true quality have only come into the forefront in the last fifteen or so years. Today, South Africa’s white wines can rival most any other country’s in regards to quality, with the possible exception of France’s white Burgundies.

Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnays are the best white wines hailing from South Africa, and in that order. But there isn’t the discrepancy between these two grapes as great as in New Zealand, where Sauvignon Blanc is the undisputed king.

South Africa also happens to be one of the few spots on the planet where you may find a Sauvignon-Chardonnay (or vice-versa) from a blend of these two grapes, not often seen as a desirable blend (though, certainly worth a try).

The wine-style of South African whites is unique to the country, be it the Chardonnay or the Sauvignon Blanc. On one hand, South African whites have some of the complexity, leanness, and subtlety of European white wines–particularly French one’s–but they have marked differences. On the other hand, they don’t exhibit the fruit, oak, body, and ripeness of New World whites from, say, California or Australia.

Winding it up, South African white wines combine features of both innovative New World techniques, along with traditional European. Their wines, in a manner of speaking, are somewhere between both worlds.

South African, Brazilian wines to be served at Olympics

Kara — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 20:42:03 +0000

A very first! The organizers of the London Olympics games, have chosen fairtrade wines from South Africa and Brazil to be sold to the general public! Now that’s a fantastic way of spreading the wine word!

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Daily News Alerts

LONDON, June 27 — Parched attendees of the Olympic Games will be quenching their thirst with a trio of wines that come from South Africa and Brazil next month.

The bottles of red, white and rosé wines, supplied by London wine merchant Bibendum, will be sold to the general public at food and beverage outlets and cost about £5 ($7.70) for a single-serve, reports industry trade publication Decanter.com.

It is a first for the Olympic Games to have an “official” wine list, which includes a South African Chenin Blanc and a rosé made from Pinotage, Shiraz and Merlot grapes, both from Stellenrust winery and both Fairtrade.

In a nod to the next summer Olympic host, Bibendum also chose a red wine from Brazil’s Seival Estate, a Shiraz Tempranillo blend with a small amount of Gamay Nouveau, reports Decanter. The Brazilian wine is not Fairtrade.

Bottles are made from PET and are recyclable.

Photo: Jonas_k

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Wine + Design – Graham Becks Gorgeous Bubbly Bar

Kara — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 23:30:41 +0000

Gorgeous! Graham Beck’s bubbly bar in Constantia (near Cape Town) is the very first of its kind. Its the only brand-exclusive sparkling wine bar in South Africa and is set to rival the best.

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The Bubbly Bar

Its name is derived from the late Mr Graham Beck as he favored the expression as a term of endearment, and it is certainly the best way to describe the uber elegant bubbly bar.

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Graham Beck Sparkling Lounge + Oysters

The interior design is hot. Vivienne Westwood wallpaper adorns the walls while Tom Dixon copper lighting suspends above the champagne-filled elegant ice-buckets. Guests can linger in the comfortable lounge area or gather around the Carrara marble-topped bar.

The full selections of award-winning sparkling are paired with sumptuous canapés prepared exclusively for Gorgeous by Executive Chef Garth Almazan – The menu includes fresh oysters, poached prawns, risotto and sumptuous desserts.

Gorgeous is the latest addition to the world-class Steenberg estate, recently voted among the Top 100 Experiences in the World by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler in the USA.

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The Gorgeous Team

Mushroom Vol au Vent, Cream Sherry, Shaved Truffle and Parsley

Kara — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:27:15 +0000

While hunting for some South African recipes, I came across Cook Eat Live Vegetarian, an outstanding food blog featuring seasonal vegetarian recipes. Not only are all the dishes very detailed, but creator and writer, Natalie Ward, also features food inspired by her travels to Cape Town and the surrounding areas. We paired some of our favorite South African wines with her Mushroom Vol au Vent, an interpretation of a main course she had at Overture in Stellenbosch, and viola! A dish to die for.

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Mushroom Vol au Vent Recipe

(Makes 3, vegetarian. Adapted from Bertus Basson)

Prep time: 30 mins (not including defrosting)

Cooking time: 20-25 mins

Ingredients:

1 roll/block puff pastry (defrosted in the fridge overnight)
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp sugar
100 ml milk
500 gr mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp thyme
a big splosh or 2 of sweet sherry or brandy
3 sml pots (375 ml) Greek yoghurt
salt & black pepper
3 tbsp cream cheese
a big handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped plus leaves for garnish
milk to thin sauce if necessary
a couple of thin slices of black truffle, finely julienned (optional)

Whisk together, the egg, sugar and milk with a fork for the glaze and set aside. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured board to a 12 x 12 inch square about 2-3 mm thick. With a sharp knife cut into 9 equal squares 4 x 4 inches each. Three rows of three (see picture above).

Stack three squares on top of each other, brushing with glaze in between each layer. Repeat so you have three stacks of three. Put these in the fridge for about 15 minutes to chill. Preheat oven to 180 C and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Remove from the fridge and trim the edges with a sharp knife. Brush the top with the glaze (if you haven’t already) and use a round cutter or glass to cut a circle in the centre of each square about half way through the pastry. Place on the lined baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

Leave to cool then remove the circle from the top of each one. “I kept mine to top each one off, like a little hat.” Now hollow them out by removing as much of the pastry as possible from inside.

For the filling: Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over a medium high heat and cook the onion and a pinch of salt for about 4 minutes until softened and starting to brown, then add the garlic & thyme and cook for a further minute. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until nicely browned.

Add a couple of sploshes of sherry and cook out for a minute then add the yoghurt, stirring to combine. Season well with salt & black pepper and cook to reduce the sauce slightly and intensify the flavour. Turn off the heat and stir through the cream cheese and chopped parsley. Taste for seasoning.

“I wanted my filling quite thick and creamy, if you would like it more like a sauce, just add some milk at the end until you are happy with the consistency.”

To serve: Heat the vol au vent for a few minutes in a warm oven, place on your serving plate, fill with the mushrooms, top with the pastry circle and garnish with the slivered truffle and parsley leaves. “I served this with a simple green salad dressed with olive oil & lemon juice.” Roasted Brussel sprouts and celeriac are lovely too if they are in season where you are.

Wines to Pair:

Haute Cabriere Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2010 $16.99

A unique elegance and balance: the Chardonnay contributing elegance, and the Pinot Noir fruit and flavour intensity. This vintage is refined, with a firm acidity and an abundance of ripe fruit on the bouquet and palate.

Cederberg Buttektraube 2010 $18.99

A well-balanced wine with an exotic yet delicate character, laced with a crisp acidity. Expressive floral aromas, hints of dried mango, apricots and honey.

Bataleur Chardonnay 2007 $49.99

(91 Points Wine Enthusiast, 90 Points Wine Spectator) The Estate’s flagship wine. Specific barrel selection to produce a fine wine with both finesse and elegant complexity.

Muratie – Harvest report 2012

Kara — Thu, 24 May 2012 18:54:00 +0000

The Muratie Cellar

We recently received a full harvest report from Francois Conradie, winemaker of Muratie wines in Stellenbsoch. Overall the quality of the harvest for 2012 looks to be very promising!

“The harvest was looking about two weeks later than normal but with a heatwave in middle January it actually started the same time as 2011, which was end of January with the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay destined for bubbly. The whites were scattered over February together with the Pinot Noir. The bulk of the reds were harvested in March with the fortifieds coming in beginning of March. Overall it was an extremely long harvest with only the Pinot Noir having felt the effect of the early heatwave. Quantity wise the whites were down about 10 – 15% on 2011 and the reds were on par and in some instances about 5 – 10% more.

The rest of Stellenbosch had a 10 – 15% lower yield than 2011 so we were grateful that the practices done in the vineyards throughout the growing season paid off. There was rain to the latter part of March which made it difficult to get the later cultivars like Cabernet Sauvignon full ripe without waiting too long.

We were lucky that we picked our last grapes before the heavy rains came. For most people around Stellenbosch the rain kept them waiting for about two weeks longer, however, we welcomed the rain because it was very dry and we were getting ready to plant our cover crops.

Looking at the general quality of the 2012 harvest we are very happy and think it will turn out to be a cracker!”

Muratie is a serious and respected player in the Bordeaux blend, Shiraz, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir stakes. Historically, Muratie has been known for being the first producer of Pinot Noir as well as fine ports.

To see the Muratie range of wines, go to our store

Muratie Wine Team – Rijk Melck (MD), Franscois Conradie (winemaker) and Simon Zeeman (assistant winemaker)

South African Travel Obsession

Kara — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:38:54 +0000

For those of you that have had the privilege of traveling to South Africa, know of its beauty. For those of you who have not, I thought it might be fun to post a variety of images of the sights one may experience while being there. This is a collection of photographs from people who have traveled there. The country of South Africa is so diverse, the land is so unique maybe one day you will get to explore the Nation of Ayoba!

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A Stellenbosch Cottage – South Africa

(credit: slack12)

View from Chapmans Peak – Hout bay Harbor, Cape Town

(credit: Ben Crouch)

Lavender Fields – Franschhoek, South Africa

(credit: slack12)

Mural by Faith47, graffiti artist – Cape Town

(credit: guillaume inconito)

King Protea

(credit: Kate’s photo Diary)

Kogel Bay, South Africa

(credit: slack12)

An African Phone station

(credit: Esther Dyson)

African Penguins, Bolder Beach – South Africa

(Credit: Matthew)

Giraffe, Hluhluwe Game Reserve, Kwa-Zulu Natal

(credit: bass_nroll)

African Sunset, Camp Figtree – South Africa

(credit: slack12)

Ethical Seal for South Africa

Kara — Thu, 10 May 2012 01:26:48 +0000

The South African Wine region moved mountains this week and have finally launched an ‘Ethical seal’ – a program to represent the people living and working on the wineries. The seal confirms that these workers have the right to freedom of association, a living wage and to be protected from unfair discrimination. Jancis Robinson, who recently commented on the Human Rights scathing report, posted about the exciting news this week.

Ethical seal devised for Cape wines

4 May 2012 by Jancis Robinson

Many congratulations to whomever it was who pushed through the hugely significant plans announced yesterday in South Africa to accelerate the implementation of fair labour practices on wine farms and in cellars. It cannot have been that easy to convince a well-established industry that inspections and the creation of this special seal to distinguish all bottles of wine produced to agreed ethical criteria was worth the effort.But this, surely, really is a breakthrough in human terms.

But presumably the concerns of foreign customers such as the Swedish liquor monopoly and the most important retailers of South African wine in the UK must have spurred them on, not least in the light of the contentious Human Rights Watch report on which I commented last October in Cleaning up the Cape.

The not-for-profit Wine and Agricultural Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA), established a decade ago and recently beefed up, will monitor compliance. The fair labour initiative is supported not just by foreign retailers but also by all the key players in South African wine: the Food & Allied Workers’ Union (FAWU), Sikhula Sonke, Women on Farms, SA Liquor Brandowners’ Association (SALBA), Wine Cellars SA and the producer organisation VinPro.

Only those producers who, after inspection, are seen to have met WIETA’s criteria of reasonable working conditions will be entitled to use the seal on their wines – this is the grand plan and it is expected that currently compliant producers will start to use the seals later this year. The WIETA code of good practice ‘precludes the use of child labour, asserts that employment should be freely chosen and that all employees should have the right to a healthy and safe working environment. Amongst the conditions it sets are that workers should have the right to freedom of association, a living wage and to be protected from unfair discrimination. Worker housing and tenure security rights should also be respected.’

Head of WIETA Linda Lipparoni explained that ‘the fast-tracking ethical programme would be implemented in three phases, starting with the simultaneous training of workers, owners and management in labour law and the WIETA code of fair trading principles. All training manuals would be supplied free of charge by WIETA.

‘After the initial training phase, all producers would be required to complete assessment forms to determine their level of compliance and would be given further support from WIETA in taking the necessary steps to address gaps. In the final stage of the process, producers would be required to pass a full WIETA audit, involving on-site inspections.’

The weakness, as I see it, is in this little get-out for brand owners, who will have to ‘enter an annually renewable, legally binding agreement with WIETA. To ensure total traceability brand owners would have to identify all their suppliers. At least 60% of these suppliers would also have to be WIETA-accredited, while the other 40% would have to demonstrate that they were preparing themselves for accreditation.’ Anyone can show they are ‘preparing themselves’ for something, can’t they? I would suggest that those famous ‘rotten apples’ (see wine writer Tim James’s thoughtful reaction to this latest news at grape.co.za) will rattle comfortably around in this 40% let-out clause for quite a while. And I’m a bit saddened by the conditional tense.

But that is my only cavil. I am really thrilled and impressed by this initiative and can only marvel at the mountain-moving that must have gone on behind the scenes.

WIETA will be working with Wines of South Africa (WOSA), who will promote the new ethical seal, along with Fairtrade and Fair for Life, to trade and consumers. For more information visit www.wieta.org.za.

Su Birch of WOSA comments:

I am not too concerned about the 40% showing progress. They will have to have made real tangible progress within a year or the right to use the seal will not be renewed. We have discussed this with the unions and labour organisations at the WIETA exco.

I don’t see a soft version of accreditation getting through, while we have organisations like Women and Farms and Sikula Sonke on the board and whose credibility is on the line.

I think the challenge will be getting thousands of small producers through the system in time to meet the demand that the global trade will put on South Africa.

Tim James adds:

At the recent Franschhoek Wine Valley board meeting and at its preceeding Vignerons Owners Forum, it was decided that full WIETA accreditation and certification will become a requirement for membership.

That means all of the members of the Vignerons de Franschhoek will have to comply and undergo audit. Farms supplying grapes to Vignerons will also be required to fully comply.

‘As a wine route, we challenge the other wine routes to match this commitment,’ say Franschhoek’s Vignerons.

The South African Frikkadel

Kara — Fri, 04 May 2012 03:31:11 +0000

Frikkadels are the South African version of meatballs – only better! My grandmother used to make the best frikkadels, we used to dip them in Mrs Balls Chutney (yes, I know, the name is well, err, interesting). We borrowed this recipe from our friends at WOSA (Wines of South Africa), as we begin introducing more of the SA culinary side of life. Eat these guys warm or cold, they make the best snack ANY time of the day.

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Ingredients

2.2 pounds lean ground lamb
½ cup soft fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup finely chopped onions
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup beef stock, fresh or canned
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon cold water

Method

Patties
1. Combine the meat, breadcrumbs, onions, eggs, nutmeg, coriander, salt and a few grindings of pepper in a bowl. Knead vigorously with both hands, then beat with a spoon until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
2. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and shape each one into a round, flattened patty about 3cm thick and 5cm in diameter.
3. In a heavy 25-30cm skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Brown the patties in the hot oil, 5 or 6 at a time, turning them with a slotted spatula and regulating the heat so that they color richly and evenly on both sides without burning. As they brown, transfer the patties to a plate.
4. Pour off the fat remaining in the skillet and in its place add the stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
5. Return the patties to the skillet.
6. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer for 30 minutes and remove the frikkadels from the pan.

Sauce
1. Make a smooth paste of the flour and water and whisk it into the remaining liquid in the pan.
2. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens lightly.
3. Pour the sauce over the frikkadels or serve separately.

Wines to Pair

Cederberg – Chenin Blanc 2010

Dornier – Cocoa Hill Red 2009

La Petite Ferme – Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Credit: www.wosa.us

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De Trafford adds a ‘Modern Edge’ to South African Wine

Kara — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:47:33 +0000

The Beauty of De Trafford

When you think of the region of Stellenbosch you automatically think of South African wine, wine that is crafted with skill and care on the sunny, mountainous slopes to the east of Cape Town at wineries respected across the world. The Trafford family have owned Mont Fleur Farm in Stellenbosch since 1976 and during their time there have created a strong variety of wines from their Chenin Blanc to their Merlot. All their brands are sourced from the very best fruit and vines from sites across the optimal areas of the mountains and formed with precise, traditional methods.

What makes this South African wine maker stand out from the host of other wineries and producers in this renowned region is their focus on development, experimentation and the contemporary. This was apparent from the very beginning when the Mont Fleur farm suffered the initial setback of not being able to work commercially until 1994. Instead of viewing this as a problem, the Trafford family used the time to perfect their craft by experimenting with their own personal collections. Once they could finally go into business they had the knowledge and confidence to create a strong range and perfect the unusual Straw Wine – where grapes dry on straw for extra flavour to form a dessert wine rarely seen anywhere else in South Africa. Today they continue their progression and contemporary edge with the new Sijnn range and the use of Rita Trafford’s painting on the de Trafford Chenin Blanc labels.

Ultimately, this attitude and modern edge to South African wine does not detract in any way from the overall quality of the product and the attention to detail. The team may be small but they are dedicated and have used their expertise and creativity to great effect – especially with the master Hendry Hess overseeing production – to create a diverse range other Stellenbosch wineries would envy.

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Shop these Wines

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