Wine Extra October 2015

WineExtraFOR WINE LOVERS, NOT WINE SNOBS

OCTOBER 2015

OFFICIALSA MEDIA PARTNERTASTE TEAM

GLORIOUS GRENACHE

CHEF ANNEMARIE STEENKAMP - WINE BY THE GLASS - SNOW AND WINE

LIVIN’ THE LIFETHE HIDDEN GEMS OF

FRANSCHHOEK

GUY McDONALD

IWSC SOUTH AFRICAN RESULTS

Not for Sale to Persons under the Age of 18

Life is BEAUTIFUL

Website: www.beaubelle.co.zaTel : 0218813808Find us on Facebook: Chateau Beau BelleE-mail: [email protected]

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Contents

OCTOBER 2015 WINE EXTRA 3

Editor’s letter 5

Table Talk 8

South Australian SME Sued For

“Cooking” A Customer’s $312,000

Wine Collection - Snow: The

Secret Finnish Ingredient To

Winemaking - Robots Are Stealing

Our Jobs: Next To Go Is The Fine

Wine Industry - Vinebox Offers

Wine By The Glass As A Monthly

Subscription

Taste Team 18Glorious Grenache

Special report 26The International Wine & Spirit

Competition Releases South

African Results

Interview 29Guy Mc Donald

Now You’re Cooking 34Chef Annemarie Steenkamp -

Lemon Butter Poached Crayfish

with Kale, Parsnip Puree and

Preserved Lemon

Livin' the Life 36The Hidden Gems of Franschhoek

OCTOBER 2015

We’ve Been Drinking 41Val de Vie 1783 (2009)

12 Questions 42Vicky Gent: Owner/Winemaker

Packwood Wines

Into the Spirit 44The Botanist Gin

Get out 45Our pick of the very best

viticultural-based events.

Not for Sale to Persons under the Age of 18

Life is BEAUTIFUL

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Editor’s letter


W hat a month it has been! We had wine buyers from across the world making their way to our shores in order to attend the recent Cape Wine trade show which was hosted by Wines of South Africa at the CTICC to much fanfare.

I had only attended one other Cape Wine event three years ago (they only take place every three years) and I must say, I noticed a marked improvement as a whole. Not only were the exhibiting producers all smiles because they’d been afforded the opportunity to meet with some quality buyers and wine media from all corners of the globe, but even from my perspective was it significantly better on a range of levels including the added Amorim Speakers Corner to just the general flow of things.

The events during and around that week were plentiful and I must say I’d be glad to not have to see another canapé for a while with most producers taking the opportunity to do their lunches and launches while the focus was avail-able. Some of the events I managed to attend around that time included the Nederburg Auction, a celebration of Chenin Blanc, the Amorim MCC Awards, the launch of the brand new Amorim Helix screwable cork and also the divine Wine Made Art event at Tokara, to name but a few.

For me it was a time of intense networking, but also of reflection as I realised just how lucky and privileged I am to work in an industry of people who are so deeply passionate about what they do. You can often ask yourself what the value is in the job that you do. I’m not a doctor and don’t save people’s lives, nor am I a policeman who upholds law and order, but I am very lucky to be in the position to share this wonderful product that we call wine with the rest of the world.

So, as I raise a glass to all those who worked together to showcase the wonderful wines of South Africa, I can only smile with great pride and look forward to many more.

Cheers!

MARYNA [email protected]

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8 WINE EXTRA OCTOBER 2015

Table TalkThis month: South Australian SME Sued For “Cooking” A Customer’s $312,000 Wine Collection Snow: The Secret Finnish Ingredient To Winemaking Robots Are Stealing Our Jobs: Next To Go Is The Fine Wine Industry Vinebox Offers Wine By The Glass As A Monthly Subscription

South Australian SME Sued For “Cooking” A

Customer’s $312,000 Wine Collection

A South Australian-based air conditioning firm has been taken to

court by one of its high-profile customers, who claims the

actions of one of the company’s employees “cooked” his expensive wine collection.

Watson Fitzgerald and Associates is being sued for negligence

and a breach of contract and its statutory duty by Spero Raptis, a retired vascular surgeon.Raptis lodged a claim against the company in the Supreme Court of South Australia in January,

Table Talk

according to The Australian, with the case to return to court in October.

Raptis claims his 1,253-bottle wine collection, which included 86 bottles of Penfolds Grange Hermitage, and was previously valued at $430,000, has been reduced in value by at least $312,000 as the result of a “significant heat event”.

According to Raptis, the heat event was caused by an employee of Watson Fitzgerald who was called to his home to service an air-conditioning unit and humidifier in September 2014. Raptis claims he contacted the company after the temperature in his wine cellar had been “slightly increasing”.

The claim filed by Raptis says a compressor on the air conditioning unit was found to be faulty and needed replacing. The worker allegedly

turned off the power to isolate the faulty unit, which was dismantled and removed before a new unit could be installed the following day.

However, Raptis claims the humidifier on the unit continued to work despite the cellar fan not operating. He says this caused large amounts of condensation, which could be seen in the corridor outside the cellar the following morning, and raised the temperature in the cellar to the point Raptis was unable to enter the room.

The wine in the cellar was subjected to a “high temperature”, causing it damage and the collection has “dramatically lost value”, according to Raptis’s claim.

Raptis is seeking court orders for damages, the replacement of the damaged wine with “identical bottles”,


Table Talkcosts and interest from Watson Fitzgerald.However, Watson Fitzgerald has denied Raptis’ claims and in July filed a motion for the court to dismiss the claims.

The company said Raptis was advised the humidifier needed replacing and said the wine was not exposed to lengthy periods of high temperatures or adverse conditions. “If the wine, or any portion of it, is damaged (which is denied), such damage was caused by factors unrelated to matters alleged against (the company),” Watson Fitzgerald said.

Catherine Logan, principal at Legal Vision, stated that as the recipient of services from Watson Fitzgerald, it is likely Raptis is covered under the consumer guarantees contained in the

Australian Consumer Law. “He is entitled under the consumer guarantees for compensation where there is major failure in the quality of the services that have been provided and the supplier of services could have reasonably foreseen the loss or damage that has occurred as a result of that failure,” she says.

However, Logan says it may be difficult to prove in this case that all the bottles of wine that were reportedly affected were in good condition before the alleged heat damage occurred. “A key strategy in risk minimisation for small businesses in this area is to have good public liability insurance cover in place,” Logan added.

Table Talk

Snow: The Secret Finnish Ingredient

to Winemaking

Thanks to an insulating layer of snow, winter temperatures as low as -36 degrees Celsius have not

managed to freeze the Riesling, Merlot and Chardonnay vines of Finnish wine pioneer Kaarlo Nelimarkka, 74.

On the contrary, Nelimarkka is more concerned about the sun’s rays than the winter frost piercing his Sundom winery in the town of Vaasa, just 400 kilometres (250 miles) south of the Arctic Circle. “The winter is not a problem. The biggest problems are too short summers and the strong spring sun which can make the vine

shoot out sprouts even when the soil is still frozen,” the retired Vaasa town administrator told AFP.

He can make up to 400 bottles of whites, reds and rosés in a good year, combining the hardier grape varieties Madeleine Angevine, Gewurztraminer and Solaris to make his speciality, Sundom White.

He describes it as “luminous”, and Finnish wine enthusiast Hannu Hokka, a former expert at Finland’s state-owned alcohol monopoly Alko, said he was impressed by it. “The taste was fine and well-balanced, to go with


Table Talksalads or crayfish. Without knowing better, I could have never guessed it was from a minor Finnish producer,” said Hokka.

There are less than a handful of winegrowers in the country, none of whom earn a living from it. At one point, Nelimarkka had hoped to make a career of it — but European Union bureaucracy reared its head. No matter how meticulously Nelimarkka makes his wine he is not allowed to call it ‘wine’ as Finland is not listed by Brussels as one of the official wine producing regions of the EU.

Because he can’t sell his product, Nelimarkka instead hosts groups who pay to visit his vineyard and who can enjoy wine tastings courtesy of the house.

Nelimarkka first began experimenting with Arctic winegrowing 40 years ago.“My wife ordered some tulip bulbs from the Netherlands back in 1975 and they also advertised vines. I ordered just one and it turned out to be Pinot Noir, which is one of the most difficult varieties to cultivate, so I had to learn,” he says.

He was bemused when the mailman delivered a bare stick — which he then found out was a cutting. “For the first 20 years I read all the instruction books and did everything accordingly but I always failed,” the self-educated wine enthusiast recalls.

After decades of trial and error, Nelimarkka has devised his own methods to protect his vines from the cold. He quickly abandoned the idea of growing medium-height trunks common in traditional wine producing regions, and began cutting his vines down to under 30 centimetres for the winter. He also piles heat-retaining stones under the vines to protect them from the humidity and cold, and covers them partly with white plastic tarpaulin for the winter.

In summer, the midnight sun comes to the rescue, offering up to 20 hours of daylight per day at Sundom’s latitude. Nelimarkka calculated that between March and September, there are an average of 30 days more daylight at his vineyard than what winegrowers around the Sicilian city of Palermo

in southern Italy enjoy. But this summer, Mother Nature has offered up another challenge for the resourceful viticulturist to overcome: an excess of rain.

While much of southern Europe had to contend with sweltering heat waves, Finnish meteorologists recorded June and July as the coldest summer months in 50 years, with rainfall almost every day. If an unusually warm end of the season was to save the harvest, he could be picking his grapes (he picks all the grapes himself ) in early October, a few weeks later than usual.

He then ferments his wine in big glass jugs, forgoing traditional oak casks because he found that process too difficult. When Nelimarkka first took up winemaking four decades ago, wine was a foreign oddity for many in Finland, where beer and vodka were the drinks of choice and where the state still holds a monopoly on retail alcohol sales.

While beer consumption has slightly declined, nearly 50 percent of all alcohol drunk in Finland is still beer. Meanwhile, the share of wine has risen from only 11 percent in 1995 to 19 percent in 2014.

Article courtesy of AFP

Table Talk

Robots are stealing our jobs: Next to

go is the fine wine industry


Table Talk

Wine buffs who pride themselves on understanding the value of the posh plonk are about to be trumped

by robots, after scientists at UCL developed an artificial intelligence system capable of predicting the fluctuating prices of fine wines better than any human connoisseur on the planet.

Called Invinio, it uses a system of “machine learning”, which is based on algorithms that automatically learn from new data without needing any human intervention. The intelligent software can draw conclusions from this data and use it to predict values with unprecedented accuracy.

During a trial of the system, the results of which are published in the Journal of Wine Economics, the machine routinely outperformed traditional prediction techniques not involving AI. On average, there was a 15% improvement in predictive accuracy.

“Since we first started working on machine learning at UCL, our methods have been used

in a wide variety of industries, particularly medical and financial, but this is the first time we have entered the world of fine wine,” said co-author John Shawne-Taylor For those who have an interest in investing in booze, it's great news. For the merchant who earns a living by providing investment advice, it can only mean one thing – machines could soon steal their jobs. And why stop there? There's every chance that, one day soon, the same value monitoring and prediction technique could be used on other investable items such as classic cars. Michelle Yeo, one of the lead researchers, said, “Other areas of finance already use automated processes for identifying meaningful trends but these haven't been tested on the fine wine market until now. We're pleased we were able to develop models applicable to fine wines and we hope our findings give the industry confidence to start adopting machine learning methods as a tool for investment decisions.”

Table Talk

Vinebox Offers Wine By The Glass

As A Monthly Subscription


Table Talk

There are plenty of subscription services out there that will hit you with a box of various wine bottles, but none offer subscription tastings by the glass. Until

Vinebox.

The new startup has just launched to offer subscription wine by the glass for $35/month, with each box containing three separate tasting vials of wine that are measured to the standard 100ml cup. These wines come from highly curated and world-

Table Talkrenowned vineyards across France, Spain, and Italy.

The idea here is that the high-end wine offered through Vinebox would usually cost the consumer a fortune and could only be purchased by the bottle. So, if the customer didn’t like it, they’d have already spent quite a bit on an entire bottle. With Vinebox, users can still sample some of the best wines to learn what they like while being generally cost-effective.

Beyond that, Vinebox gives extra attention to detail when it comes to

its tasting vials, which are made with hand-drawn glass and maintain the same graphic design label you’d see on each vineyard’s bottle. Wine can last up to three years in the Vinebox vials.

Vinebox ensures that the tech it uses to rebottle wine from its original bottle over to the vial will maintain the exact same taste and quality as if the user were pouring directly from a freshly un-corked bottle. You can check out Vinebox at www.getvinebox.com.

TasteTeam


Marianne Wine EstateValley Road, Off The R44, Stellenbosch021 875 5040 | [email protected] | www.mariannewinefarm.co.za

South African Terrior. French Savoir Faire.

Call us on +27 21 875 5040 or email [email protected]

AN INVITATION TO TasteSituated on the foothills of the majestic simonsberg mountain instellenbosch, marianne wine estate is a working farm and boutiquecellar that produces some of the finest red wines in the country. The modern and spacious tasting room and the panoramic tastingdeck provide the perfect setting in which to sample marianne’saward-winning wines. The newly created pétanque arena, situatedin a citrus orchard, makes for an unusual and unique tastingexperience.

Book our famous Wine & Biltong Tasting:

Marianne Ad_TWS_Taste_210x297.indd 1 2014/10/07 12:43 PM

Grenache (or Garnacha if you’re in Spain) can be considered one of the unsung heros when it comes to grape varietals. This might come across to some as a strange statement, especially considering the fact that it is the most widely planted varietal in the world. It is commonly found in Rhône-style blends alongside Shiraz, Mourvédre and Carignan, however it makes up over 80% of the blend in the world-famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is traditionally lighter in style with standout characters of berries and spice and a lighter colour than most other reds as it has a rather thin skin. Whilst there aren’t many South African producers who make a straight Grenache Noir wine, it is fairly commonly used in blends, but for those who have dared to be so bold, the results have been nothing short of sublime.

Glorious Grenache

From left to right: Diemersdal Estate Grenache 2013, by Diemersdal, RRP: R110. Neil Ellis Grenache 2011, by Neil Ellis, RRP: R294. Spice Route Grenache 2014, by Spice Route Wines, RRP: R110. Painted Wolf Lycaon 2013, by Painted Wolf, RRP:

R140. Tokara Grenache 2012, by Tokara , RRP: R270. Vriesenhof Grenache 2012, by Vriesenhof, RRP: R190

Marianne Wine EstateValley Road, Off The R44, Stellenbosch021 875 5040 | [email protected] | www.mariannewinefarm.co.za

South African Terrior. French Savoir Faire.

Call us on +27 21 875 5040 or email [email protected]

AN INVITATION TO TasteSituated on the foothills of the majestic simonsberg mountain instellenbosch, marianne wine estate is a working farm and boutiquecellar that produces some of the finest red wines in the country. The modern and spacious tasting room and the panoramic tastingdeck provide the perfect setting in which to sample marianne’saward-winning wines. The newly created pétanque arena, situatedin a citrus orchard, makes for an unusual and unique tastingexperience.

Book our famous Wine & Biltong Tasting:

Marianne Ad_TWS_Taste_210x297.indd 1 2014/10/07 12:43 PM


& sour with a long aftertaste. It started out as very oaky, turning to drinkable with an edge of spice. I was stumped on cultivar (because I’m stupid, nothing wrong with the wine). It was hard to pinpoint the exact character, but really good to drink.

Ilze says: This wine seems a little shy at first, but then opens up after a while – feels like I do at times. Smells like earth, liquorice, cranberry-apple, light herbs and peppery nuts. It tastes like a balmy autumn day at the market on the grass with fresh red cherries and apples. I could imagine a lazy long afternoon sipping this wine with some yummy cheeses and good company.

Neil Ellis Grenache 2011RRP: R294; Stockists: Cellar door or online for deliverywww.neilellis.co.za

on the couch before you make it to the end (of the episode - no one leaves wine unfinished),

Charlotte says: The light, cheerful pinkish red hue gives a good indication of the soft, light-hearted character to come. A very gentle nose, with shy aromas of Turkish delight, juicy black currants and subtle cinnamon and star anise flavours. The light, fruity nature continues onto the palate and ends with a slight green herbal kick. It reminds me of a pot of black cherry yoghurt, with its tart, yet sweet combination of flavours, but without the associated creaminess. Feminine, yet not frivolous, I would serve this slightly chilled alongside an al fresco style lunch in the garden and probably drink far too much of it along the way. Eduard says: This was the first wine in a really difficult blind tasting. The cultivar eluded me and I had to string a list of aromas and tastes together to stay in the game. My first sentence spelled out the colour as light red, near pinkish with a brown tinge on the edge. On the nose it was earthy with soft cherries and maybe nuts and lots of oak. The taste didn’t help a lot with identifying the cultivar ranging from soft tannins and a feeling of sweet

“I would serve this slightly chilled alongside an al fresco style lunch in the garden and probably drink far too much of it along the way.”

Diemersdal Estate Grenache 2013RRP: R110; Stockists: Cellar door or online for deliverywww.diemersdal.co.za

Daisy says: This wine is translucent to look at with aromas of cherries and fern leaves. There is a sweet-sour component when it first flows across your tongue. A menthol freshness takes over your mouth along with a twang of red fruit as it makes its way down your throat, with raspberries and cranberries leading the way here. When you smell it again after some time in the glass, notes of book pages, chocolate, dried beetroot and dark berries come at you. This is not a wine that many of us are familiar with and as such, it warrants buying a bottle and some experimentation with friends and food. Similar to episode one of a series you’re not sure about, stick with it. It may well pleasantly surprise you. Either that or you’ll be passed out

Daisy Knowles Daisy hails from the North-West Province, having grown up in Mafikeng. She spent five years in the UK, or (y)UK as she terms it, before returning to SA in 2001. She now lives and works in the fairest Cape. A most personable Personal Assistant by day, she dabbles with wine courses on the sideline to keep the brain in check and enjoys practicing the art of wine drinking at any and every chance she gets.

Taste Team


Eduard says: A fruity, flowery first impression rounded off with canned fruit plums and cinnamon – letting me think of the first blooms of spring. A wine for the change of the seasons when the sun starts to warm up the earth but you are just not sure if it is there yet. The taste is bold and flows down to a slightly bitter aftertaste with softish tannins to keep it alive for just a little bit longer. No need to wait around for spring, if you want to open the bottle, it is ready to drink and awaiting your attention.

lze says: Wow, what a surprise explosion in my mouth! It smells of vanilla, cloves, thyme and cherries. Filled with the taste of apple, raspberries and bursting with warm sweet red globe grapes. There is however not much grip on the front but more on the back palate. It is like a feisty woman with a swift tongue and a very sincere apology accompanied with freshly baked biscuits. Very nice!

Daisy says: There is a fawn-coloured edge to it that leads me to think we’re in for something interesting, tasting a slightly older vintage. I smelled mushrooms and Coke when I first nosed the glass (please refer to Sentence 1). There were notes of blackcurrants and pink peppercorns along with sweet spice and earth. Initially I thought it to be neither here nor there, and then I thought it to be like the new kid on the playground on the first day of school: uncertain and confused; was it going to stand up and show us what it’s made of? And then…YES. I returned to this scene after giving it some time to stew in the glass - and boy did it come into its own. These savoury-sweet flavours merge and mingle to become something so utterly delicious that you find yourself taking sip, after sip, after sip. I think you’ll love it or you’ll hate it. Or you may even hate to love it.

Charlotte says: : Deep, dark blood-red in colour, yet still quite young and fresh on the nose. On first impression this wine gives off lots of sweet aromas, like candied rose petals and dried strawberries, but then the richer, secondary flavours emerge and add more meatier biltong spice and heartwarming Christmas cake to the mix. Despite its softer approach it still has quite a bit of grip and again there is a streak of bitter green on the finish, like biting into a fresh cherry stem. Much like my understanding of abstract art, the intelligent part of me wants to delve deep, sniff, swirl and swallow in deep contemplation on a path of enlightenment, whilst the rest of me just thinks its a bit weird, but would enjoy it on face value for a good go-to glass.

“It is like a feisty woman with a swift tongue and a very sincere apology accompanied with freshly baked biscuits.”

Spice Route Grenache 2014RRP: R110 ; Stockists: Cellar door or online for delivery.www.spiceroutewines.co.za

Daisy says: Berries, berries and more berries… All embedded in soft, damp earth that you’re rolling between your fingers - this is the smell that first comes at you on this wine. Cinnamon spice also fills your nose and a hint of aromatic camphor make for a green tartness on the palate. Plums and violets do a sexy little tango number across your tongue with a burst of redcurrants exploding through the mouth in a triumphant grand finale. I have not had the privilege of tasting an older vintage of this varietal (older than Wine No.2, that is), so it may prove a neat experiment. I’d love to see what this wine would be like in, say, 2020.

Charlotte Spicer Charlotte is known amongst her friends and exasperated family as a professional “Intoxicologist”. She has worked in the wine and spirits industry for a number of years now. Apart from enjoying the odd glass or two of wine, she is partial to a wee dram of whisky and also likes to think she puts Nigella to shame in the kitchen – but doubts that she could lick her spoon that seductively…

Taste Team


outdoor scene any better would be to have a spit roast of your favourite meat turning slowly above the coals. With John Snow tearing pieces off and putting them in your mouth. OK, I’m done.

Charlotte says: I have recently rediscovered my love for Egyptian Dukkah, a wonderful mix of sugar, salt, spices and nuts that I pretty much now sprinkle on everything. The nose of this wine smells just like this exotic mix, and instantly I get excited to take my first sip, but alas, the wine is quite stocky and dry and leaves me wondering where all that wonderful aromatic flavour disappeared to. Whilst I can't fault it as it still is quite tasty, it left me sitting on the fence in terms of if I would add a bottle to the collection or not.

Eduard says: The colour was much darker than the rest of the wines we tasted on the evening with the slightest tinge of brown on the edge. Soft, fruity nose with a dash of pepper and a helping from grandma’s canned peaches. The tannins are right up there on first taste with the acidity grabbing your attention before mellowing down to a pleasurable sweetness. Oak on the nose as well as in the taste is right there to round everything up to a nicely balanced wine. A keeper for the collection with good

Charlotte says:There is certainly a common theme to be found in this unique varietal, with its sweet, ripe juicy fruit on the nose and then a good dash of astringent grip on the finish and this wine certainly follows this trend. The nose is like a candy bar, one that Willy Wonka would even be proud of, with its rich, sweet dark chocolate notes and lashes of sweet strawberry mousse making my mouth water. Then comes that bitter green streak down the middle of the tongue, to bring you back down to earth and away from your imaginary Oompa Loompa friends. I would celebrate my inner Italian grandmother with a glass of this and serve it alongside big steaming bowls of pasta smothered in a fiery arrabiata sauce and lots of love.

Eduard says: To write poetry is difficult. You need a theme, words that rhyme, a rhythm to keep it going and at least one catchy phrase. This wine is like a classical poem. Unfortunately it was just out of my reach to get all the elements perfectly together. From the roses are red to the sweetness of jasmine, blueberries and Cream Soda on the nose with fast tannins and a slightly salty taste on the tongue. Don’t get me wrong, the wine is good and I believe the poem is in the bottle. Just because I couldn’t bring it together on the evening doesn’t mean you can’t give it a go. Drink this wine and string together the masterpiece!

Ilze says: This wine has such a lovely light mulberry colour. With tastes of watermelon, cranberries, plums and red fruit and infused with fynbos and a

woody undertone. It is like cherries laced with vodka and jasmine baked into a muffin and laced with caramel. I would gladly replace this with my afternoon tea. Delightfully scrummy yummy.

Painted Wolf Lycaon 2013 RRP: R140 ; Stockists: TOPS at SPAR or online for delivery.www.paintedwolfwines.com

Daisy says: Tell me you aren’t transported to some forest with the Dire Wolves from Game of Thrones running around and Rob Stark charging towards you on his horse - bottle of this wine in hand. All but(t) naked barring his furs. No? Just me? Choose your favourite person to be in such a setting with then, a blanket spread amongst the thickets with all the smells a forest brings. Add to this the aroma of mulberries, mint leaves, berry fruit tea and plums and you have an idea of what you’ll be supping on this wine. The only way to make this

“This wine is like a classical poem…”

Eugene van der Walt Born and raised in Johannesburg, Eugene's studies eventually lead him to Stellenbosch. He is now fortunate enough to live and work in the beautiful Western Cape. He has a passion for literature, food, wine, friends and anything to do with the ocean..

Taste Team

“This is a wine with a smile, not on the bottle, but definitely on my face after tasting its beauty.”


with a pair of tweezers. What I’m trying to go for is covering your tongue in the flavours of smoke and toasted caramel. Like the others, this wine is light to look at, even thin, and this automatically has your brain thinking there isn’t going to be much to it. WRONG. I’m going to assume you’re all familiar with one of life’s lovely, fluffy food-pleasures called crumpets. Should you not be, please don’t read a word further until you have darted off to the shops to buy a packet. I wanted to pour this wine into a beautiful glass, pop a crumpet in the toaster, lather it with butter and red fruit jam and indulge in the moment. I may even serve this up as dessert at my next dinner party. #justwatchme

Charlotte says: We all have those wine snob friends, who despite having the palates of a wet rock will still quote back label descriptions as bible and proudly tell anyone who will listen that they have fifty year old wines in their cellar, despite them being 3 liter bottles of Crackling Autumn Harvest. If you, like me, take gleeful pleasure in knocking them off their high horse from time to time, then please give them a glass of this and watch them squirm. It has a wonderfully weird and wacky combination of flavours, from plum sauce to wet soil and canned tomato soup, that will keep them guessing (and you secretly sniggering) for hours.

Eduard says: When catching a trout in a small mountain stream you need to sit back and observe all that is going on before even attempting to wet the line. You need to experience and observe the surrounds, focussing in on the one aspect of catching that skittish fish. Try the same with this wine. Open, pour, look, smell and taste – light in

ageing potential. This is a wine with a smile, not on the bottle, but definitely on my face after tasting its beauty.

Ilze says: It has a jammy and truffle smell, with sweet and spicy Himalayan salt. It tastes so much of red skinned apples and plums, both yellow and red followed by pears. It has a slightly astringent aftertaste and stays on the tip of the tongue, although not a very long finish. I would pair this with your favourite series, popcorn with butter and a warm blanket. You can always put on the Game of Thrones reruns.

Tokara Grenache 2012RRP: R140; Stockists: Cellar door or online for delivery.www.tokara.co.za

Daisy says: If I say this is like licking the inside of a barrel, you’re going to cringe and imagine splinters in your tongue, awkwardly trying to pluck them out

Taste Team

colour, sweet on the nose, strong on the tannins with great balance where the aroma and taste meet. Then, sit back and remember, experience the warm aftertaste, wait for it to roll around in your mouth. You will find that this wine comes back to you in a soft whisper: “Drink and enjoy because I am really that good.”

Ilze says: This ruby red wine smells of star anise and overripe red strawberries. The tannins are rather sturdy and dry and support the taste of red plums, cranberry and peaches. And then… it opens up into this smooth, but complex creation, leaving you wanting more.Should be so lovely with a hearty creamy Italian meal and Maria Callas singing ‘O mio babbino caro..’ in the background.

Eduard Rosenstrauch works as a media liaison for SuperSport. He loves all sports and spending time with his family. He likes the smaller wine farms, not the impersonal tasting rooms of the big guys. Whilst he doesn't have a favourite cultivar or wine, he rather focuses on the characteristics of each wine, not caring whether it's red, white, pink or bubbly.

“I wanted to pour this wine into a beautiful glass, pop a crumpet in the toaster, lather it with butter and red fruit jam and indulge in the moment.”


Ilze van den Berg is an avid fan of all things aesthetically pleasing and gastronomically satisfying, Ilze describes herself as a self-proclaimed nerd, book worm and quintessentially quirky.Taste Team

Vriesenhof Grenache 2012RRP: R190; Stockists: Makro, Wine Concepts and Norman Goodfellowswww.vriesenhof.co.za

Daisy says: I’d like to get you to picture a dish of purple-bloom potpourri. Sprinkle over this some gasoline (because, yes, that is one of the aromas), set it alight and toast some marshmallows over the flames watching the sticky, glutinous innards drizzle out over the dried petals. This encapsulates the delicious smoky, toasty, floral, sticky-sweet profile the wine has. This wine has a browner hue to the outlines of her figure and when you come back to it after some time in the glass, the flavours are akin to what I imagined redcurrants sitting in the heart of a piece of charcoal might smell like, on top of a naked flame. I want to pair this one with berry pavlova. And eat it off Matthew McConaughey’s stomach. For no apparent reason what.so.ever.

Charlotte says: A slight brown rim shows a tinge of age and the sweet, yet dusty nose quickly follows suit, reminding me of fresh sawdust at the bottom of a hamster’s cage. The intriguing blend of flavours continues with cumin and marshmallow aromas, and a soft warm leather note on the finish. This is friendly and feminine, yet with a manly undertone, much like Caitlyn Jenner. It certainly makes you wonder...

Eduard says: A tinge of old greets your eye in the glass with a soft aroma of peaches in jelly and a hint of plums on the side awaiting your nose. The tannins are medium to soft with an acidity to complement the herbal aftertaste, something like oregano and cinnamon competing for your attention.This wine is like walking to the beautiful girl across the room for the last dance of the evening – a special occasion to enjoy and remember. You don’t talk about this wine, it talks to you. It is a complex, well balanced wine that will go great with a dish of seared tuna steak.

Ilze says: An elegant wine with superb aromatics of sweet black cherries, roses and brambly pines. It tastes like vacations in the Drakensberg. We used to swim in the icy rock pools after or during a hike, play tennis and bowls. The notes of marzipan, ginger, orange dark chocolate (the ones my dad likes) and

“This wine is like walking to the beautiful girl across the room for the last dance of the evening…”

raspberries are combined with sundried pears and white pepper – heartwarming sentimental wine that has a part of each of my family members blended in there. Pair this with hearty stews that are sure to be a hit on cold winter days.

Wine Extra would like to apologise to Yardstick wines for not including their Pinot Noir in the Taste Team section of the September issue:

Yardstick Pinot Noir 2013RRP: R180 ; Stockists: Wine Concepts, Norman Goodfellows and cellar doorwww.yardstickwines.com

Daisy says: My eyes enjoyed the light purple hue and delicate pink heart on this wine, like a new regal princess about to step forward and show herself to the world. A refreshing red-fruit burst of cherries, raspberries and plum bound


Taste Team

together with a moreish taste of Lindt’s cranberry dark chocolate. A soft wine with a delicate, subtle sweetness – this wine will appeal to many. After a little time in the glass, an aroma of pine creeps out and the forest element holds firm with that of wet leaves after the rain. Flavours of meat and lavender come through and, although soft and rounded, these sadly fade a little too quickly.

Charlotte says: If I had to smell a Disney princess, I have a sneaky suspicion she would smell like this. How do you describe something that smells "pink"? Roses, cherries, berry jam and that sweet my little pony smell - which you only know if you had a childhood much like mine. Feminine, soft and light I would chill this down and quaff it greedily alongside a bitter chocolate torte, or whilst singing to my animated birds from my castle whilst waiting for my Prince Charming to turn up. Eduard says: Lively colour changing the whole time on the edge from light red to slightly wooded, a bit of rust in the heart. The nose started out as a “fruit bomb” exploding with canned fruit flavours and blue berries, so I just had to give it a few minutes to settle and smooth out. A great balance between earthy and fruity then crept out of the glass with truffles and “forest floor” whispering sweet nothings to each other. The taste was a bit salty and bitter at first, smoothing out like a day at the beach. I think this wine still needs some time to age, but I can just hear the winemaker saying that it was made to be naughty.

Abraham says: This has a lovely plum colour with quite a full nose for a Pinot Noir. Aromas of berries and spice fills the nose to give you a full experience, even

before you taste the actual wine. On the nose, there are velvety undertones of coffee and chocolate with a very fruity finish. This is a great wine, from a superb area and very enjoyable as a whole! This is definitely the leading lady in this Pinot extravaganza and I can strongly recommend this to even someone who does not favour a Pinot Noir normally.

Ilze says: This wine smells of the ocean, sea shells and fynbos. The flavour of cranberry compote combined with herbs such as dill and lemongrass creates a truly unique wine. With its minerality and salty taste I would pair it with a big bowl of mussels with shallots in a creamy white wine infusion.

Guest taster Kobus says: This Pinot Noir has a dark red, almost brown colour that looks really beautiful to me. The smell of the sea was my immediate thought when I brought this glass of wine to my nose. It has an interesting earthy, acidic taste. Unfortunately I felt that the taste disappeared fairly quickly. Not my favorite wine tonight, but I might just give it another chance when it ages a little.

“If I had to smell a Disney princess, I have a sneaky suspicion she would smell like this.”


The International Wine & Spirit

Competition Releases South African Results

Special Report


Special Report

On the 15th of September, the highly anticipated results of this year’s International Wine & Spirit Competition’s (IWSC) South Africa wine results were released. This

year brings notable results for South African farms, with a 50% increase in the coveted Gold medals. The competition has also announced the South African Producer of the Year shortlist, with the winner to be announced in November at the annual awards banquet at the Guildhall in London.

Results have been released in conjunction with the opening of Cape Wine, the flagship trade showcase of the South African wine industry. Hosted by Wines of South Africa, the three-day exhibition brought the international wine community together to give an insight into the depth and range of current South African winemaking. As the largest show of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, the show provided the perfect platform to announce the IWSC winners. IWSC judge, Dr Winifred Bowman, hosted an IWSC Gold medal winners’ tasting on the first day of the show, (15th September) where attendees found out what makes a gold medal winning wine and were some of the first to taste the judges’ favourites.

Ewan Lacey, general manager of the IWSC commented on the announcement, “The South African wine results this year have been exceptional. Our judges were really impressed with the quality of wines presented at judging, awarding a record number of both Gold and Gold Outstanding medals. We’ve seen first time entrants storm the medal table as well as established competitors perform very well with brand new products.”

Many single varietal wines performed very well; KWV won gold with their The Mentors Petit Verdot 2012. Other highlights were a Gold medal for Benguela Cove Shiraz 2014 and a Gold Outstanding medal for Cederberg Driehoek Shiraz 2012.

Stand out winners from the announcement include Stellenbosch based StellenRust who scooped two Gold Outstanding medals, one for StellenRust 50 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2014 and another for StellenRust Old Bush Vine Chenin

Blanc 2013; part of a 10 medal strong haul from the vineyard. Kanonkop Wine Estate also bagged two Gold Outstanding medals, as well as three Gold medals, amongst a total of 14 medals. As a region, Stellenbosch dominated the Gold and Gold Outstanding medal table.

Sparkling wines once again tasted very well in this years’ Competition, reaffirming South Africa’s position as a top producer in the category. Both Graham Beck and Kleine Zalze picked up Gold medals for their Graham Beck Rhona Blanc de Blancs, and Vintage Brut Methode Cap Classique 2009 respectively. These were amongst 25 medals for Cap Classique, 23 of which were Silver and above demonstrating the quality of sparkling wines on show at the competition.

IWSC Chair Judge Dave Hughes said, “Entries were well up on previous years and a real encouraging factor was the amount of first time entrants for 2015. Judging at the Grande Roche in Paarl always gives all entrants a ‘Gold Outstanding’ experience with well-versed staff and judges (both local and international) on hand to deliver an unrivalled judging programme. The local judging certainly encourages a wide range of quality entries and we look forward to more in 2016.”

International trophies including The Chenin Blanc Trophy and The Pinotage Trophy will be presented in November at the Annual Awards Banquet held in London, along with the announcement of the coveted South African Wine Producer of the Year.

2015 SOUTH AFRICAN WINE PRODUCER SHORTLIST• Jordan Wines • Kanonkop Wine Estate • Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards• StellenRust Wines • Glen Carlou Vineyards (Pty) Ltd• KWV SA• Nederburg Wines

Established in 1969, The International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) was the first competition of its kind, set up to seek out, reward and promote


Special Report

the world’s best wines, spirits and liqueurs. Now in its 46th year, The IWSC’s relentless pursuit of excellence underpins every aspect of the competition today.What sets the IWSC apart is the formidable reputation of its judging process. Our panels of carefully selected industry experts comprise Masters of Wine, buyers, sommeliers; WSET qualified educators and respected wine journalists. Every single wine is assessed on its own merits within the context of its class.Currently receiving entries from around 90

countries, the IWSC is truly international in its reach and recognition. South African wine judging takes place locally in Paarl at the Grande Roche hotel.IWSC partners, such as Wine Extra Magazine, around the world work throughout the year to drive awareness and promote winners to both trade and consumer audiences. With 46 years heritage, an IWSC Award is recognised internationally as a badge of quality. For the full list of South African winners or more information, visit www.iwsc.net.

OCTOBER 2015 WINE EXTRA 29 29 WINE EXTRA SEPTEMBER 2015 APRIL 2014 WINE EXTRA 29

Guy McDonald

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Shot on location at Vrede & Lust Wine Estate Radio DJ, MC, comedian and voice artist, this Durbanite is taking the airwaves by storm as he promotes the brand new AM radio station called Magic 828.


Where do you hail from?

I was born in Durban and raised in Pietermaritzburg in KZN.

Where did your career in the entertainment industry begin?

My grandmother was the first person to encourage performance art in me and I remember sitting on the lounge carpet as a 5-year old, with an old tape recorder and hosting my own radio shows. Donald Duck used to make regular appearances and I remember doing traffic reports as Donald. Those were really my first experiences when it comes to presenting radio shows.

At school I never studied drama, but my parents used to take me to see plays and orchestral performances in the Durban City Hall, so I was exposed from a very young age. It was in Matric when I got to perform in a play called Boo to the Moon by Paul Slabolepszy, which was a fundamental turning point in my belief and faith in myself to perform to an audience.

I’d been toying with the idea of doing a one-man

political satire and even discussed it with the likes of Pieter-Dirk Uys. He mentored me in script writing and assisted me a lot. Basically whenever he visited Pietermaritzburg to perform, I’d get to him and we would go through it all. Subsequently he invited me to perform at his theater in 2000.

When did you make the big move to the Mother City?

Having done a week’s worth of shows with Pieter-Dirk Uys, I ended up getting an agent and that pretty much is what sealed the deal for me. Interestingly enough, when I moved to Cape Town, I decided that I wanted to persue doing voice-overs. I let the theater fall to the side.

How did your radio career start?

I’d been making demos to send to radio stations since matric and I’d been trying to get into stations, but when I moved to Cape Town, I had a friend who studied at Maties and he handed in my demo CD to Maties FM. From the age of 21 I worked there for 6 years and then started to look into options for commercial and retail radio. I somehow got a heads-up on Ackermans radio looking for a new DJ. I went

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW


in to drop off my CV and ended up having a full-on interview there and then. I got the job. This was my first paying radio job. I worked there for 6 years and my boss at the time had a connection at KFM and he pulled a couple of strings to help me out to start with them.

I then did Ackermans breakfast radio and KFM from 6-9pm. I was truly living the dream. In 2008 they released me from my contract and I subsequently got a job at Goodhope FM and won a few awards as part of the drive-time team.

When did you first realise that you had a bit of a ‘thing’ for wine?

I think it was when I was in Std. 8 (Grade 10). I had a work-experience week and I managed to convince my school that my week was going to be in Cape Town. So, while other boys went to panelbeating workshops and sat at till points in Pick ‘n Pay, my dad and I made our way to Stellenbosch where

I’d set up an itinerary of wine farms I wanted to visit and also met with a number of people in wine marketing. I initially wanted to study to become either a winemaker or wine master, but the school I went to had a terrible science teacher, so that really put me off. I did consider going into wine marketing at a stage and studied marketing with the aim of getting into the industry. Now I just drink it.

Do you visit many wine farms?

I try to get out to as many as possible over weekends. At the moment I rely mostly on invitation to visit wine farms as I am just so busy that it’s no longer just an impromptu ride into the winelands for the day.

Any favourites?

Neethlingshof, purely for that amazing driveway. I love smaller wineries like Glen Carlou and Clos Malverne. I haven’t had a lot of experience in

GUY MC DONALD


Franschhoek yet and am more familiar with Paarl and Wellington as well as Hemel & Aarde. I always try to incorporate a wine farm visit on a weekend away if there is one in close proximity. I had a great visit to Namaqua wines and Fryer’s Cove in Doringbaai, so even up the West Coast there are options.

Do you prefer red or white?

I’m very much about the seasons, so the typical white in summer and red in winter, but to break it down even further, I’d say a wooded Chardonnay or Chenin in summer and a Pinotage or Merlot in winter. I love the story of Pinotage and that it’s proudly South African.

Do you have a cellar or wine collection?

I have a nice little collection of wine in a rather large wine rack. It’s a large piece of furniture in Rhodesian Teak and I keep wine inside the cupboards of that. I used to store my wine in a subterranean garage.

Have you done anything totally outrageous after too many glasses of wine?

Umm… I learnt something from another guy, called Guy, in Swaziland many moons ago in 1999. We went to Wine on the River and a group of us decided to go skinny-dipping in the Breede. We all got to the Breede and the guys all stripped off and the girls were all a bit lame about it, but that’s what happened… to my memory…

But, a friend of mine’s wife loves to remind me that on that very occasion I’d taken great pride in showcasing my ‘racing pigeon’, accompanied by the appropriate pigeon sounds…

If you were to have a wine made in your honour, what would it be and what would it be called?

It would have to be a red and it’s going to be called ‘The Racing Pigeon’ and people will always ask about the label, because the picture on the label won’t be an actual racing pigeon and that’s where

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW


GUY MC DONALD

the story is told. Red, because I’m actually a very deep and serious person, but with a bit of fruitiness. Hopefully people will be ‘racing’ out to buy it and it will ‘fly’ off the shelves.

If you were out and about and had to pick up a bottle of your favourite go-to wine that never lets you down, which would you choose from a local supermarket?

I often take either the Lievland Lievlander or their Sauvignon Blanc and it always sparks conversation, simply because it’s not a very well-known brand, but if I were to have a selective offering, then I’d opt for something from the Robertson area.

What do you consider to be the best place to enjoy a good wine?

ISharing wine with my partner or a close friend. As an only child with only-child parents, I’m usually disappointed with the wines I take to a gathering or party for two reasons, because they either put the nice wine I brought away and serve the plonk or they don’t appreciate the good wine I brought. I don’t enjoy drinking wine by myself, but if I’m with someone special it wouldn’t matter where we are, whether it be sundowners on the beach or in front of a roaring fire or over a fabulous lunch.

If you were with a special lady and you wanted to seduce her with a special bottle of wine, what would that bottle be?

It would have to be an older vintage of Allesverloren’s Tinta Barocca or Jordan’s Chardonnay if it was a hot summer’s day. A good bottle of Graham Beck Cuvée Clive would also be high on that list.

Guy’s thoughts on the Vrede & Lust Semillon 2013?

“I really like the nuances of honey that I get on the nose, followed by beautiful summer fruit as well as the smooth, buttery feel on the palate as a result of the wood. A beautiful wine.”


Annemarie first joined business partners Neil Grant and Barry Engelbrecht when

they opened Burrata, at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock. Barely a year later, with Annemarie as Head Chef, Burrata scooped the coveted 2013 Eat Out Italian Restaurant of the Year. In 2014, Annemarie was once again the driving force in the kitchen when sister restaurant Bocca opened on trendy Bree Street.

At Open Door, the cuisine moves away from Italian, shifting up a couple of gears to what can be described as ‘modern contemporary cuisine’. Here Annemarie has carte blanche and has designed a creative menu that offers stylish and sophisticated fare to suit the elegant winelands venue.

Her passion for food was ignited at a young age, and after growing up in Klerksdorp, it led her to working in a kitchen at the Low Wood Hotel in Windermere (England) for two years, before she returned to South Africa to complete a 2-year diploma at the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch. She then spent five years at Le Quartier Français, finally as Sous Chef honing her skills under Margot Janse in both the The Common Room and the acclaimed Tasting Room restaurant before her appointment as Head Chef at Burrata in 2012.

Annemarie Steenkamp has added an exciting new challenge to her portfolio as Head Chef of Burrata and Bocca, having taken charge of the kitchen at Open Door, the revamped new restaurant at Constantia Uitsig’s River Café premises.


RESTLESS RIVER CHARDONNAY 2012Retail price: R270 per bottlewww.restlessriver.com

Pair it with

LEMON BUTTER POACHED CRAYFISH WITH KALE, PARSNIP PUREE AND PRESERVED LEMON

INGREDIENTS:LEMON BUTTER• 100ml Lemon juice • 100ml Water • 200ml Cream • 50g Unsalted butter

METHOD: Add the lemon juice and water into a pot and reduce by half, then add the cream and butter and reduce by half again, season with salt and leave to the side until ready to poach the crayfish.

CRAYFISH TAILS:4 Crayfish tails with the shells. Remove shells and keep, rinse the crayfish meat and leave until later use.

INGREDIENTS: BISQUE• 20g Unsalted butter • 4 Crayfish shells• ½ Onion – roughly chopped • 250g Cherry tomatoes • 50g Brandy • 100g White wine • 1.5l Water • 100ml Cream

METHOD: Heat a medium pot and add the butter and shells, cook until slightly toasted then add the cherry tomatoes cook for about 5 min. Now add the brandy and flambé, add the white wine and reduce, pour the water in and bring to the boil, then reduce by half. Now blend everything together including the shells and pass through a fine sieve. Pour the blended liquid back into a pot and reduce by half. Add the cream and then season with salt.

INGREDIENTS:CHILLI AND PRESERVED LEMON DRESSING• 1 Red chilli (deseeded) • 20g Diced preserved lemon • 10g Caramel sugar • 2g Salt • 50g Olive oil

METHOD: Finely dice the chilli, then mix everything together in a bowl.

INGREDIENTS:KALE• 4 Kale leaves.

METHOD: Rinse the leaves and remove the stem. Chiffonade the kale and place into a bowl for later use.

INGREDIENTS:PARSNIP PUREE• 200g Parsnips – peeled and

chopped • 50g Unsalted butter • 300ml Vegetable stock • 100g Cream • 10g Salt

METHOD: In a pot melt the butter and the chopped parsnips, and brown for 5 to 10 mins, then add the vegetable stock. Reduce the heat and cook until the parsnips are soft. Now add the cream and salt and cook for another 5 min. Transfer to a blender and blend until fine then pass through a fine sieve. Let it cool down and leave to the side.

TO SERVE: Pour the lemon butter into a pot and bring to a simmer. Dress the kale with the chilli and preserved lemon dressing. Poach the crayfish for 3 minutes in the lemon butter, then remove from the liquid and slice in half. In a plate, spoon some of the parsnip puree, then place the kale salad on top of the puree, and the sliced crayfish atop this. Spoon over some of the bisque and enjoy.


Livin’thelifeby Maryna Strachan

The Hidden Gems of

Franschhoek It was on a sunny, yet fresh spring day that a handful of media descended on the picturesque Franschhoek valley to experience and explore some of the smaller and lesser-known boutique wineries that form part of this hugely popular wine route.

W I N E S O F M A L G A Ss i j n n

Off the Beaten Track an Incredible Pioneering

Vineyard and Winery

www.sijnn.co.za | SijnnWinesSijnn Wines |

The view from the balcony at La Bri

OCTOBER 2015 WINE EXTRA 37 SEPTEMBER 2015 WINE EXTRA 37

We hit the road early and knew we’d be in for a treat. The first of which started at the

wonderful Terbodore coffee roastery. I hadn’t actually heard of them until fairly recently when I came across their English Toffee version in my local supermarket and was blown away. I wouldn’t say I am an absolute coffee fanatic as I only have my one cup a day, but that one cup had better be good, so upon experiencing Terbodore that first time, I was hooked. That day, I had 2 cups!

With some warm coffee and freshly baked croissants to start off the day, we were set to hit the boutiques. The first stop was at Lynx where we were met by owner/cellarmaster Dieter Sellmeyer who swapped his life of engineering in Gauteng for ‘le good life’ in Franschhoek after his wife visited friends and set up meetings with local estate agents. The rest, as they say, is history.

Dieter started small and slowly worked out what worked for him, given his terroir and quickly honed his self-taught winemaking skills to produce some fabulous wines. He grew up in Spain although his heritage is German, but the Spanish varietals are where his heart lies. It’s quite a good combination actually with Spanish flair and intensity complemented by German precision and clean

lines throughout the wide selection of wines. They really are all superb. A special treat saw Dieter demonstrating his skills at drinking from the Porron. I was duly impressed.

Next up was a visit to Glenwood where their ethos encapsulates simplicity, natural winemaking processes and, above all, quality. We were treated to a very special barrel tasting of a work-in-progress nobel late harvest wine which truly blew my socks off. I can’t wait for that to be released. We then sat down for a light lunch that

Livin’thelife

“With some warm coffee and freshly baked croissants to start off the day, we were set to hit the boutiques. ”

W I N E S O F M A L G A Ss i j n n

Off the Beaten Track an Incredible Pioneering

Vineyard and Winery

www.sijnn.co.za | SijnnWinesSijnn Wines |


was specially prepared for us as their kitchen was closed for renovations and this was accompanied by more of Glenwood’s award-winning wines. For me, the standout wine was the Grand Duc Syrah 2012. A truly decadent and rich wine which you may not want to share.

I was very excited to visit the next farm as I’d heard so much about it and was keen to see if all the

“It’s quite a good combination actually with Spanish flair and intensity complemented by German precision and clean lines throughout the wide selection of wines. ”

Livin’thelife

reports were indeed true. I was not disappointed one bit. In fact, I was blown away by the levels of ‘cool’ that we experienced in the tasting room of Black Elephant Vintners. The ‘terrific trio’ of Kevin Swart, Raymond Ndlovu and Jacques Wentzel have conjured up something truly unique. I absolutely adored their pairing suggestion. No, not wine with food or cheese or chocolate. Wine paired with music. Everything from AC/DC to Beethoven.

Even more food followed as we tasted our way through their eclectic range of wines. No 2 labels

look the same, which from a branding perspective might seem ludicriss, however somehow it works for them. The wines themselves were all excellent, from the Two Dogs, a Peacock and a Horse Sauvignon Blanc right through to their The Back Roads Petite Syrah and Grenache Noir. Even the décor in the tasting

room was funky and quirky. I’ve visited so many tasting rooms, but this has to be one of the standout ones in terms of an alternative experience.

Back on the bus, we made our 5th stop of the day. This time at the delightful La Bri Estate with its state-of-the-art cellar and ever so delightful floral labels that represent the Cape floral kingdom. Not only are the labelts beautiful, but I feel that they represent the wine therein to a T. The enigmatic Irene Waller is the Cellarmaster at La Bri. A tour de force, she has made great strides with the wines and whilst ensuring that they are duly recognised, there is most definitely a feminine touch, which doesn’t go amiss.

After all the eating we’d done up to that point, we were treated to something a little sweeter and lighter in the form of a Turkish delight pairing. This was something I hadn’t done before and I can highly recommend it. The jellies were home made, each to be a perfect match for the wines in the lineup, some with ginger and other with nuts, it was a true revelation. The views from the back balcony

Terbodore coffee

The hugely popular Lynx Blanc de Noir


Livin’thelifeare also something to behold. Its with scenes such as those that you realise just how ‘small’ you are in this great and wonderful world of ours.

Our last stop of the day was to the larger-than-life gentle giant himself, Rob Armstrong for a stunning vertical tasting of a few of their wines, and, of course, a tasting of his famous buchu brandy. I particularly loved the setup they have for visitors with the tasting room virtually inside the cellar. From comfortable couches to a nice big table from where you can see all of the goings on.

The wines were sublime and my favourite of the reds was by far the Gentle Giant 2009. It was totally out of this world with rich fruit flavours and a deep complexity that lingered for ages.

It was late and after a loooong day of tasting, eating, tasting and eating a little bit more, we headed home. My senses were sated after the day and I was again excited and fulfilled to learn more about what our wonderful wine producers in South Africa are up to. Whilst I had tasted many of the wines before, it was a totally different experience to visit the farms and chat to the winemakers who are the ones who put their all into producing the juice of the gods in order for us to savour. Hopefully these Franschhoek gems won’t stay hidden for too much longer.


Black Elephant Vintners music and wine pairing tasting sheet

The Glenwood cellar and tasting room

Dieter Sellmeyer demonstrates the art of the perron

V al de Vie is surrounded by world heritage sites and dates back to the 18th century when the original

land was granted to Huguenot descendant Abraham Andries le Roux back in 1783. This was a time when the Paarl-Franschhoek Valley produced the highest volume of wine in South Africa. Not strange, as the French Huguenots who settled there during the second half of the seventeenth century brought with them their skills and passion for winemaking. W i t h c o o l s o u t h e a s t e r s whipping the vineyards, cooling them during hot summers, and the moody north-westerly gales that brought rain in winter – was akin to that of their fatherland.

In 2006 Val de Vie Estate broke new ground with the production and bottling of contemporary Rhône-style wines and soon experienced the delight of receiving a number of sought-after accolades.

E l e v e n o f t h e t w e n t y- t w o va r i e t a l s t h a t b ro u g h t t h e Rhône Chateau Neuf-du-Pape area wines world-wide fame, have now also been planted on Val de Vie, turning the estate into a unique South African model of this southern region of France. All vineyard material was carefully selected within a 200km radius from the estate and promises the most extensive range of Rhône-style wines from South Africa’s own soil.

The flagship Val de Vie 1783 boasts 40% Mourvédre, 30%

Val de Vie 1783 (2009)

We’ve Been DrinkingShiraz, 12% Carignan, 12% Cinsaut and 6% Grenache, truly living up to Rhône-style varietals in winemaking.

The wine was de-stemmed and crushed, with ripe stems added back to skins and juice. It was then cold soaked, predominantly in 500-700L French oak barrels. Punch down was done three times daily. Barrels were then removed from the cold room as soon as natural

fermentation was init iated, and moved in and out of cold room to regulate fermentation temperature. Punch downs were done after natural malo-lactic fermentation takes place in barrel, after which wine is racked from lees and put back into barrel on fine lees. Wine is finally placed into French oak barrels for about 18-22 months.

Expect aromas of dark fruit and spice bursting from the bottle on pouring. Notes of plum, cherry and cassis come through most prominently in flavor, whilst coriander, cloves and cinnamon combine beautifully with the toast of the wood, to present a well-balanced and elegant wine. Soft and integrated tannins make for smooth drinking. This wine is best enjoyed with roast lamb, steaks, stews and venison. An excellent accompaniment to cheese, preserves and bread.

Cellar door price: R150 per bottleAvailable from: TOPS at SPAR, Makro and Liquor Citywww.valdevie.co.za



127. What is the best way to educate new wine drinkers about the product? Make sure that you have fun whilst learning.

8. Our farm workers. Fair treatment or ticking time-bomb? There will always be employers that abuse the opportunity of cheap labour, so long as it is available. Every farmer has a responsibility to invest in their staff. This will have a positive effect in transforming South Africa – when everyone is on the same page.

9. What will a ban on alcohol advertising, in all its proposed forms, mean to the wine industry?It will affect the bulk wineries, but I am not sure the smaller wineries or brands will be affected.

10. You get to run WoSA for 12 months and nobody can argue or complain about your decisions. What are you going to do?Make it easier and less expensive to export South African wine to the rest of the world. Offer cheaper export tarriffs to overseas visitors in order to incentivise them to send more wine back home and introduce a paperless administration.

11. You get to change one thing about the SA wine industry by just clicking your fingers. What are you going to change? Reduce the availability of low-cost bulk wine to the low-income earners in the country.

12. What will the SA wine industry look like in 20 years time? I hope that we will see more high-quality brands, new growing regions and less bulk wine.

1.Selling wine to China and the

Far East. Are you engaging? Not at this stage as we are too small,

but if the right opportunity

presented itself, we would certainly

consider it.

2. Local & International wine competitions. Worthwhile or waste of marketing budget? Not a waste at all! If it means you stand the chance to have an award for your wine, which to share with the buyers and help marketing, it has to be a bonus. Choosing the right competition is vital though.

3. What would happen if SA wine received meaningful support from government? Any support from the government would be welcome, particularly through incentives and subsidies.

4. What’s the next BIG wine trend? Definitely the Plettenberg Bay Wine Route!

5. Global warming and local wine production. What’s going to happen? One can already see movement in some areas in SA and overseas, were once there were cool climate cultivars, there has been a shift to plant warmer climate vines. This opens new and exciting growing opportunities, particularly for SA, which is so diverse.

6. Bulk exports. Sustainable or insanity? Quite simply, insane.

Questions Each month Wine Extra asks some rather pertinent wine industry related questions to some of the key players. Here’s what they have to say…

Vicky Gent, Owner/Winemaker Packwood Wines

1.Selling



GULLIVERS’ TRAVELS- DEVELOPED BY GARETH WAINWRIGHT FROM THE LANDMARK

• 60ml Botanist Gin• 15ml Cinzano Dry vermouth• 15ml Cape Point cordial• 3 Dashes Fernet Branca• 3 Drops Wild sage infused olive oil:Place

a sprig of wild sage into a small saucepan with extra virgin olive oil. The pan must be cold before placing the ingredients together. Set the hob to a medium heat and remove once frying begins.

Add all ingredients except the wild sage olive oil to a mixing glass filled with very hard ice. Stir until chilled and diluted. Drop the wild sage olive oil into a chilled champagne coupette. Strain the cocktail into the glass. Fold the zests of 1 lemon over the top.

Into the SpiritThe Botanist Gin

The Botanist is trickle distilled in the world’s last surviving Lomond spirit still. Although it was originally designed to operate at significantly lower pressure than mainstream commercial stills, Jim McEwan then instigated a further series of radical modifications aimed at slowing down the distillation process even further. The aim was to maximise reflux of the heavy vapours while gently coaxing the essential oils from the foraged island botanicals. The distillation process is slow, almost painfully so, but: “the result,” claims McEwan, “is a highly seductive, satin-smooth gin with exploding floral aromas and a rich, mellow taste.

Retail price per 750ml bottle: From R459Available from liquor retailers nationwide.www.thebotanist.com

Conceived distilled and hand crafted by distilling legend Jim McEwan, The Botanist is a super premium artisanal gin distilled at the Bruichladdich Distillery on the wild Hebridean island of Islay..

Get OutCaption head: How did winning the Miss Universe pageant in 1992 shape you into the person you are today?


Get Out

October 2015This month: Nobu Conjures up a Magical Feast with Bottega Distillery+ Sample the Sommeliers Selection at The Taj + Put the Spring Back in Your Step + 31st Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction + National Pinotage Day + 12th October 2015: The Sunflower Fund National Bandana Day + Cool Climate Showcase at Elim Wine Festival + Much More.....


Nobu Conjures up a Magical Feast with Bottega Distillery : Raising the standards for exquisite food and wine events, Nobu Cape Town has conjured up a magical feast for the

senses with the announcement of its programme of elegant dining events for 2015. Each month the restaurant will host some of South Africa and the world’s finest wines and bubblies, paired with passion, taste and flair to Head Chef Dil Tamang’s and Head Sushi Chef Keisuke “Keke” Itoh’s delightful contemporary Asian cuisine. Assisting in the pairing and service of events will be Nobu’s highly regarded wine steward, Mercy Mwai. Heading

back to international waters on 1st October, Nobu Cape Town welcomes Italy’s finest Prosecco producers, Bottega Distillery to their shores. From their home in the Veneto, the

Bottega family produces a range of outstanding sparkling wines and delicious grappas and liqueurs, which will be enjoyed in a series of innovative and exciting pairings. The handpicked four-

course wine evenings are priced at R895pp. The Nobu Cape Town Wine & Dine Calendar is strictly limited as to numbers and bookings are advised as soon as possible.) To reserve your table at Nobu Cape Town, call 021-431 4511 or mail to [email protected].

Sample the Sommeliers Selection at The Taj : Don’t miss out on sampling the listed wines of this year’s funkiest and most innovative wine competition yet. The Sommeliers Selection is young, fun, plugged-in, and targets the everyday wine drinker through new and inventive ways. In a nutshell the competition is fresh, new and different, yet still serious about wine, guaranteeing the highest standard of wines selected. After an intensive judging process (and tasting) by the panel of esteemed South African Sommeliers the wines were selected for this ‘one of a kind’ wine list, and they can’t wait to share their favorites with you. The Reserve at The Taj Hotel in Cape Town, in conjunction with First Thursdays – a global trend fast growing in popularity, whereby likeminded people explore art galleries and cultural events on the first Thursday of every month - will play host to the Sommeliers Selection Listed Wines on Thursday, 1 October. Join fellow wine enthusiasts as you sip, sample and savour a selection of the listed wines. Doors open at 17:00 and tickets cost R150pp, which includes entry and tastings of the wines on show. A tutored tasting, which is limited to 40 people adds to the experience of the evening. For more info and to book your place visit www.webtickets.co.za.

Put the Spring Back in Your Step : Put the Spring Back in Your Step - With the Cape Town winter fast becoming a distant memory and summer on the way, Pepperclub Hotel & Spa will be launching the annual complimentary spring wine tasting series in October. Join us on Thursday, 1 October 2015, at the hotel’s chic Paparazzi Bar & Lounge to put the spring back in your step after a long, cold winter.The intimate and informal wine evenings take place every Thursday from 17:30 to 19:00 in the hotel’s Paparazzi Bar & Lounge during the series, and serves as a midweek indulgence and opportunity to not only sample the local wines being showcased, but also the bar’s newly launched tapas menu. Pepperclub has lined up some of the Cape’s favourite wine farms for the 2015 Spring wine tasting series, including Groot Constantia and Bridge Wines, with Goose Wines hosting the first event of the series. The launch of the Pepperclub Spring wine tasting series will also coincide with First Thursdays, which sees the hotel host short films at Cinema Club in its plush and intimate in-house Odeon cinema. The short films are screened every hour, on the hour from 18:00 until 21:00, and guests are required to book their free seat on the day at the hotel’s concierge desk as tickets are on a first come, first served basis. Attending guests will also have the opportunity to enter the wine tasting series competition, which will see one lucky winner receive a complimentary night’s accommodation at the hotel at the end of the series. No bookings are required and the wine tasting is complimentary. For further information on the upcoming wine series and participating wine estates, please visit the hotel’s Facebook page or follow the fun on our Twitter page.

Get Out CAPE TOWN


CAPE TOWN

National Pinotage Day : A National Day to celebrate and raise awareness of South Africa’s own grape variety Clos Malverne Wine Estate, Restaurant and Spa, joins the Pinotage Association in celebrating our country’s wine heritage with National Pinotage Day on the 10th of October 2015. On the day, the Restaurant @Clos Malverne will be offering a once-off, set menu where all the dishes are matched with vintage Pinotage & Cape Blend wines as a unique twist of the establishment’s popular Food & Wine Pairing. The wines were carefully selected and paired with the food by a panel of experts; enthusiasts and employees. Clos Malverne was also the first wine estate to offer the unique taste sensation of ice cream & wine pairing. This has become a signature offering at the Estate and for this special occasion the hand-made delicacies will be matched exclusively with Pinotage & Cape Blend wines. All of the above mentioned is done in co-operation with the Pinotage Association and its other members to promote; celebrate and market our own indigenous grape variety on a national level. For more information regarding the day & event, feel free to contact Erich on 021-865 2022 or [email protected]

Pinotage On Tap : Eager Pinotage quaffers are once again gearing up for the annual Diemersfontein Pinotage on Tap (POT) festival. There’s little wonder why the POT festival has grown in size and popularity since its inception eleven years ago, nor that it was recently named the ‘World’s Best Wine Event’ by Drinks International Magazine. The proudly South African cultivar, with unique, enticing flavours of ‘The Original Coffee Chocolate Pinotage’, will literally be on-tap at the POT festival. Festival-goers will be treated to a generous goodie-bag on arrival, followed by a delectable lunch, featuring a sumptuous selection of mouth-watering, Pinotage-paired bowl foods and desserts. The festival will be complemented by great live music with CrashCarBurn as the headlining act, as well as live performances from local artists such as Grassy Spark. The Pinotage on Tap festival is an unparalleled and memorable experience which offers guests a day of shameless VIP treatment combined with hedonistic bliss in the company of laid-back, likeminded folk who all share a passion for ‘The Peoples Pinotage’.The festival, as always, will be held at Diemersfontein Wine Estate in Wellington, Cape Town on October 10th on International Pinotage Day. POT newbies, be warned: Space is limited and tickets sell out fast – so purchase tickets soonest to avoid missing out on the fun! Tickets can be purchased via Computicket for R410 For more information on the Pinotage on Tap festival visit the Diemersfontein website

31st Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction : The 31st Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction, the South African wine industry showcase of rare, collector’s wines with creative flair and great diversity, will take place at the Spier Conference Centre 09:00 on Saturday, 3 October 2015. This year’s auction marks the 20th anniversary of Nedbank’s association with the Cape Winemakers Guild. This annual event features small volumes of masterly crafted, individual wines all made exclusively for the auction by members of the Cape Winemakers Guild. Featuring a line-up of 55 singular wines, this landmark event will be conducted by Henré Hablutzel of Hofmeyr Mills Auctioneers for the 18th consecutive year. Prospective buyers need to register by Friday, 25 September. In addition to the auction line-up, a unique blend of top 2013 vintage wines in a one-of-a-kind 18-litre bottle will go under the hammer as the charity item this year. Skillfully blended by Guild Cellarmaster Gottfried Mocke, this remarkable wine reflects the passion and camaraderie of all 46 members of the Cape Winemakers Guild. This commemorative charity wine will be auctioned off in aid of the Oenology and Viticulture Protégé Programmes for the development of young aspiring winemakers and viticulturists under the auspices of the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust. Funds are also raised in aid of the Protégé Programme through a Silent Auction of past auction wines and cellar gems from Guild members, as well as an intriguing collection of wines crafted by the protégés graduating from the programme this year. For further details visit www.capewinemakersguild.com or contact the Guild Office on Tel: 021 852 0408 or [email protected].

Get Out

Cool Climate Showcase at Elim Wine Festival : Experience a day of outdoor fun for the whole family and taste outstanding wines from nine inspiring Cape South Coast wineries at the 4th Elim Wine Festival on Saturday, 10 October. Visitors at this year’s hosting farm, Strandveld Vineyards, can savour exceptional wines from Elim and surrounds and tuck into hearty country fare while enjoying music from popular local artist Valiant Swart. Wine lovers will be spoilt for choice with this rare opportunity of tasting the wide range of exciting wines from this dynamic wine growing region, known for producing cool climate wines of great elegance and finesse. The participating wineries, Black Oystercatcher, Dâbar, The Giant Periwinkle, Ghost Corner, Jean Daneel Wines, Lomond, Sijnn, Strandveld Vineyards and The Berrio, represent some of Africa’s southernmost wineries. Beer lovers will also have the opportunity to sample artisanal ale from Africa’s most southerly brewery, Fraser’s Folly. For the first time, the festival will be hosting themed one-on-one tutored tastings presented by winemakers from participating farms in slots during the day. The entrance fee for the Elim Wine Festival on Saturday, 10 October is R75 per person, including a branded wine glass and wine tastings. Entrance for under 18’s is free. Tickets are available at www.webtickets.co.za and will be available at the event. Pre-bookings for the tutored tastings need to be done in advance by calling 028-482 1902 or email [email protected]. For more information on the event, schedule and pricing of the Winemaker one-on-one sessions and accommodation options in the area, visit www.elimwines.co.za.

Monday Wine Tastings at The Vineyard Hotel : Celebrate the return of balmy evenings and longer days with the famous Monday wine tastings at the Vineyard Hotel this September. 5th October: Signal Hill Wines12th October: Stony Brook Wines19th October: Gabrielskloof Wines26th October: Waterkloof Wines A representative from each of the respective estates will host the hour-long tastings from 18:00. Tastings take place on Mondays only and are free of charge. For more information, please call 021-657 4500 or alternatively visit www.vineyard.co.za.

Sparkling Nougat Tasting at J.C. Le Roux : Wrap your taste buds around a sparkling new bouquet of flavours for the ever popular J.C. Le Roux nougat and Méthode Cap Classique tasting experience on your next visit to Stellenbosch. With handmade nougat perfectly matched to the flavour profile of each Cap Classique, visitors to The House of J.C. Le Roux can look forward to a new take on a firm favourite. Booking at R90 per person is essential. Call 021-865 8200. Le Venue restaurant is open Monday to Friday from 09:00 till 16:00, Saturday from 09:00 to 15:00 and Sunday 09:00 to 15:00. Please note that the Le Venue kitchen closes half an hour prior to closing time.

Robertson Wine on the River : During the weekend of 16 to 18 October 2015, the banks of the Breede River will come alive with the annual and ever-popular Robertson Wine on the River – this year celebrating its 10th anniversary. The festival will once again take place on the picturesque riverside farm, Goudmyn, situated on the R317 between Robertson and Bonnievale. Taste in excess of 300 wines from more than 40 wineries, enjoy a plethora of gastronomic delights and soak up the sultry sounds of live jazz and blues melodies. Browse and shop at our Robertson Farmers’ market, meander through the arts and crafts, take a leisurely cruise down the river and enjoy tutored tastings for which visitors are advised to pre-book in order to avoid disappointment. Robertson Wine on the River offers a wide variety of children’s activities, making it a truly fabulous family festival. Pensioner prices are available, with children under 18 years of age entering free of charge, and children’s activities working on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ system. With wines being sold on site at cellar door prices, Robertson Wine on the River provides the perfect opportunity to stock up on your favourite Robertson wines. An exciting new addition to the festival is the first annual Duck Derby hosted by Sanlam Alternative Investments in conjunction with Karin’s on Main bed and breakfast in Bonnievale. The proceeds from this initiative will go towards the Bonnie-People Project in Bonnievale. This idyllic, open-air spring festival is not to be missed. So bring your friends and family along for an extravaganza of fine wine, delectable treats, great music and complete relaxation amidst a rural ambience of spectacular scenery and warm sunshine. Please refer to www.wineonriver.co.za for detailed offerings and more information on the festival. For full details on the prices please refer to www.webtickets.co.za

CAPE TOWN


CAPE TOWN

Waterkloof Circle of Life Biodynamic Walks : For a different kind of walk on the wild side, Waterkloof Estate invites nature lovers and eco enthusiasts to lace up for its new, monthly Circle of Life Biodynamic Walks and learn about its green philosophy, every step of the way. More than just a typical ‘organic vine to organic wine’ experience, these hour long, guided walks unearths this biodynamic bastion’s way of life on the crest of the Schapenberg, where it works in harmony with nature to produce its pure, untamed wines of vitality. The enlightening walks are ideal for permaculture passionistas and gardening clubs wanting to learn some green tips; wine enthusiasts who actually want to know where the bottle on the shelf comes from, or for families and friends in search of unadulterated, bucolic bliss. The Waterkloof Circle of Life Biodynamic Walks will be on offer until the end of April 2016 and cost R100 per person. Pre-bookings are essential and a maximum of 12 guests per walk is allowed. It starts at 10:00 and remember the sunscreen, hat and comfortable walking shoes! Or why not extend your Winelands walking experience and treat yourself to a relaxed wine tasting and Waterkloof Platter after a morning spent amidst fynbos and vines at R250 per person. TFor more information on these walks or pre-bookings contact Waterkloof Estate at 021-858 1292, email [email protected] or visit www.waterkloofwines.co.za.

Season of Sauvignon : The Season of Sauvignon Festival is back in the Durbanville Wine Valley from 24 to 25 October 2015. A mere 20 minutes drive from Cape Town, this wine route is fast becoming Cape Town’s destination of choice with its scenic vineyards, award-winning wines and friendly atmosphere. The festival will once again include the participation of 12 prestigious wine farms, offering a wide variety of festivities. Altydgedacht, Bloemendal, D’Aria, Diemersdal, De Grendel, Durbanville Hills, Hillcrest, Klein Roosboom, Meerendal, Nitida, Groot Phizantekraal and Signal Gun will each be celebrating the start of white wine season in their own individual style. Each winery has its own charm with superb entertainment for adults and children alike. This truly unique and festive experience has led to the Season of Sauvignon festival once again being nominated for a Klink award in the ‘Crowd Pleaser’ category for best wine route event. The Durbanville Valley tasting which features all of the Valley’s excellent 2015 Sauvignon Blanc’s will be available at each of the participating wineries. On offer this year is the opportunity to be amongst the first to taste and purchase the Durbanville Twelve Sauvignon Blanc 2015. This wine, produced by the Durbanville Wine Valley from a ton of grapes from each of the 12 farms, will be available during the Season of Sauvignon and afterwards for sale from each of the participating wineries. A detailed festival program and information on ticket sales will be available on www.durbanvillewine.co.za from 1 August. For more info, contact Angela Fourie [email protected] or 083 310 1228.

Restaurant Week : The international culinary event, Restaurant Week, has just released its dates for South Africa. From 22 October until 1 November 2015 South African Foodies will again have a full week to indulge in the special offering of SA’s best restaurants at a great price. Preparations are in full swing and kitchens are buzzing. Top chefs throughout the country are busy preparing a special menu, so they can show what they’ve got. It gives diners the opportunity to try out SA’s best restaurants at a great price: only R95 for a 2-course lunch menu and R175 for a 3-course dinner menu. But for those who are keen to go out and explore what’s on offer, it’s preparation time too. As participating restaurants will only make a limited number of seats available per day, one will need to book their seats online, and most importantly: in time. For the 2015 edition, booking starts on Thursday 1 October at 10 AM sharp, on www.restaurantweek.co.za. Enthusiasts can register as a VIP on www.restaurantweek.co.za to ensure timely notifications about promotions and extra’s, like priority access to the booking system. Restaurants can still sign on for participation. For more information, visit www.restaurantweek.co.za.



Restaurant Week : The international culinary event, Restaurant Week, has just released its dates for South Africa. From 22 October until 1 November 2015 South African Foodies will again have a full week to indulge in the special offering of SA’s best restaurants at a great price. Preparations are in full swing and kitchens are buzzing. Top chefs throughout the country are busy pre¬paring a special menu, so they can show what they’ve got. It gives diners the opportunity to try out SA’s best restaurants at a great price: only R95 for a 2-course lunch menu and R175 for a 3-course dinner menu. But for those who are keen to go out and explore what’s on offer, it’s preparation time too. As participating restaurants will only make a limited number of seats available per day, one will need to book their seats online, and most importantly: in time. For the 2015 edition, booking starts on Thursday 1 October at 10 AM sharp, on www.restaurantweek.co.za. Enthusiasts can register as a VIP on www.restaurantweek.co.za to ensure timely notifications about promotions and extra’s, like priority access to the booking system. Restaurants can still sign on for participation. For more information, visit www.restaurantweek.co.za.

Celeb Chefs for Good Food & Wine Show : One of the UK’s most popular celebrity chefs Rick Stein will be joining MasterChef Australia winner Brent Owens and South Africa’s own Jenny Morris at the Durban Good Food & Wine Show, which takes place at the Durban Exhibition Centre from Friday, October 30, to Sunday, November 1. The GF&WS is a not-to-be-missed showcase of global trends, interactive workshops, foodie entertainment for the kids and a shopping and taste-experience you’ll never forget. Don’t miss your favourite chefs preparing their signature dishes in the Celebrity Chefs Theatre. Loads of laughs; fantastic fun! Tickets are available through www.computicket.com or at the door. For more information, visit www.goodfoodandwineshow.co.za

The Sasfin Plett Wine & Bubbly Festival : More than ten local wine producers will be showcasing their award winning wines at the second Sasfin Plett Wine & Bubbly Festival, which takes place in Plettenberg Bay on 9 and 10 October. In addition, Plett Tourism manager Cindy Wilson-Trollip said premium international Piper-Heidsieck; one of France’s oldest champagne houses and the official champagne of the award-winning Oscars, will be available too. The festival draws visitors from Gauteng, Cape Town and near neighbours in the Garden Route and Eastern Cape’s Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown and East London. Leading up to the weekend event extravaganza, you will find an entire week of wine farm and sporting events linked to the festival. Participating vineyards include Andersons Wine, Bramon Wine Estate, Lodestone Wine & Olives, Luka Wines, Newstead Lund Family Vineyards, Packwood, Plettenvale Wine Estate, Rare Earth Vineyards and Redford Lane Wines. Friday and Saturday’s grand tasting at the main event will showcase the wines with artisan cheeses, breads, canapé platters and of course – beautiful, succulent coastal oysters. Tickets are available online; www.pletttourism.com, at the Plett Tourism offices and at participating wine farms.

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SEPTEMBER 2015 WINE EXTRA 52

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Wine Extra October 2015