Wine Extra August 2012

WineExtra ISSUE 9 VOL 3 - AUGUST 2012

Cape Winemakers Guild

Taste Team Shaking it up with Shiraz

30 years on

WIN

IWSC 2012

WITH ALLUVIA

INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION

Official S.A. Media Partner

In Search of the Best

Arno Carstens

Still rocking South Africa

CONTENTS 2012

AUGUST

Table Talk Special Report Exclusive Interview Competition Now You’re Cooking

13. Exclusive Interview with Arno Carstens

9. Cape Winemakers Guild Going strong

4 9 13 17 18

Living the Life We’ve Been Drinking Taste Team Get Out Wine Laid Bare

19 23 24 29 35

19. IWSC - Searching for Perfection

24. Taste Team - Shaking it up with Shiraz

ISSUE 9 VOL 3 - AUGUST 2012

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Letter from the Editor Images: Mark Freeborough

This has been one of those 'funny' months for me.

While the vines are 'asleep', the industry seems to go into some sort of hibernation and it's as if everyone is waiting in anticipation for the new season to start – afresh with the usual unknowns, trials and tribulations that are synonymous with the wine industry.

It makes me wonder what this next season will have in store. Will the summer be particularly hot or rather wet, which all affects the final product that is harvested early in 2013? So many factors influence the flavour profiles of the grapes before they even reach the cellars, which could prove rather challenging for the winemakers.

I always liken it to making a beautiful evening dress. If you use sub-standard fabric, you may well still end up with a pretty dress, but in all likeliness, it may rip as you sit down and leave you red-faced. But if you start with quality materials, the dress won't only look beautiful, but it will also drape well and leave you looking like the 'belle of the ball'.

Soon the nurturing process will recommence and little green leaves will start to appear in the vast vineyards across the local winelands with viticulturists pouring their heart and soul into the soil that produces the small berries, which we will later enjoy as wine.

Saluté,

The

Wine Show JO’BURG - PE - DURBAN

www.wineshow.co.za Follow us @WineExtra

TABLE TALK Historic wine made from Robben Island vines Island vines. It was no easy task involving many early morning trips to the island, hard labour, coping with difficult weather, rough seas and ravenous birds that devoured two vintages. After three years of restoring the vineyard vintage 2012 eventually yielded a crop. The historic wine was made and the first bottle presented as a gift to Mr. Mandela for his 94th Birthday.

After more than 350 years of winemaking in South Africa, possibly one of the most remarkable wine stories of this country has not yet been told: A wine is made to tell the story of Robben Island and history is told again like a parable, an allegory; about the discovery of forgotten vines, their struggle and perseverance, a tale of relentless hope, patience, and the resulting fruit, the first wine made from the vines of Robben Island.

About 200 kilometers east of Cape Town, close to the village of Bonnievale, generations of families on Weltevrede Wine Estate have worked together amongst vines since 1912. In 1998 Weltevrede Wine Estate took the lead in the Robertson Valley to initiate an empowerment project, the Weltevrede Aansporingstrust, which resulted in the employees of Weltevrede owning a vineyard of Pinot Noir and sharing the profits thereof. This empowerment of a different generation in a different place is a direct result of the inspirational lives of big-hearted people like Mr. Nelson Mandela and others who spent years on Robben Island in order to create such opportunities.

Weltevrede Wine Estate had the honour of making a very significant wine for the 94th birthday of Mr. Nelson Mandela. Seven years ago the dream was born when seven ancient vines were discovered in the prison garden on Robben Island.

These vines grow where Mr. Mandela buried his handwritten manuscript of Long Walk to Freedom in the prison garden.

T h e We l t e v r e d e A a n s p o r i n g s t r u s t , a n empowerment trust of winegrowers who for generations have worked the vines and made wine on Weltevrede Estate outside Bonnievale, volunteered to be the custodians of the Robben

During 2005 members of the Weltevrede Aansporingstrust visited Robben Island. In the Courtyard of Section B we were told how Mr. Nelson Mandela buried the manuscript of Long Walk to Freedom in the prison garden. “Where those vines are, right there, he buried it,” the prison guide said. We walked over to the corner where the vines were. “Do they ever bear fruit?” we asked.

“The grapes never ripen, because no one looks after them,” was the reply. The vines looked sick and neglected. They were old, historic and precious, but forgotten.

After crossing the sea back to Cape Town and during the two hour drive back to the vineyards of Weltevrede we discussed, “What a pity to see those historic vines like that. Imagine if we could look after them, to prune and care for them and to nurse them back to health. Who knows, continue Page 4 - August 2012

island is a barren landscape, scoured by the ocean winds of the Cape of Storms.

TABLE TALK

For three years (from 2009-2011) the members of the Weltevrede Aansporingstrust journeyed to the island and back on a regular basis to prune the vines, repair the trellising, manage the foliage and protect the resulting grapes. Challenges of bad weather and rough seas had to be overcome and two crops were completely devoured by the island birds. But the history of the place and the metaphor of the vines kept inspiring us to hold on to this dream.

Ernest Mfundisi

Jan Blaauw with first crop

maybe they will recover and then wine could even be made from them - the first wine from Robben Island. What an honour that would be.”

For years the idea remained a dormant dream until Professor Jakes Gerwel, chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and his wife, Mrs. Phoebe Gerwel, visited Weltevrede during 2008. The dream of the Robben Island vines was shared with them and they then spoke to Mr. Ahmed Kathrada.

A subsequent reconnaissance trip to the island led to the discovery of seven old vines.

Robben Island is a geological outcrop of rock covered with limestone and broken shell fragments. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on all sides and ten kilometers from the coastline, this

At last, in the significant year of 2012, we harvested the first crop of Robben Island. 182kg of grapes were carried on board the ferry to be shipped to mainland and then taken to the winery of Weltevrede. Immediately the grapes were counted, documented, analysed and cooled down whereafter the winemaking process started.

Two wines were made at Weltevrede: a sweet dessert wine, called The Parable and a Méthode Cap Classique Brut in magnums, called The Manuscript.

Although the vines of Robben Island may only yield a few bottles of wine these may well serve to tell the world the story of our country's healing through hardship and sacrifice of great figures. The first bottle of 'The Parable' was presented by the Weltevrede Aansporingstrust to Mr. Nelson Mandela for his 94th birthday. The Manuscript is still in the making and will be sold on international charity auctions.

Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher Launch own Wine – The Innings A wonderful concept and dream became reality when two of South Africa's most renowned cricketers partnered with one of the oldest family owned wine estates. Rietvallei Estate, Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis brought “The Innings” to life in May this year. The name not only refers to cricket but also life as a whole and the wonderful friendship that Jacques and Mark have had on and off the field.

While the dream and ideas for The Innings started a long time before production, the real process of developing these wines began on a sunny day in May. A group of eager wine tasters, lead by our cricketing heroes, arrived on the farm where they Page 5 - August 2012

toured the historic Rietvallei family-run Estate.

Kobus Burger introduced the group to the harvesting, wine production and bottling processes. The group of accomplished players and friends learnt about the wine industry and what it takes to make quality wine.

It was then down to the wine tasting. The group tasted wine that had not yet been filtered and was in its most natural form. Seeing and tasting these raw states of the wines, developed a further understanding of the wine making process amongst the group. Everyone added their contributions in terms of tasting the different variants of white and then red wines, making recommendations and acting as the first consumer tasting panel for Kobus, Mark and Jacques.

favourite was the Cabernet Sauvignon. The group unanimously voted the success of the wine as a sophisticated but accessible wine that can be enjoyed at a wine tasting, at home next to the fire or with a meal.

Jacques Kallis is wearing The Innings sticker in support of Mark and their friendship during the first test starting on 19 July at the Kia Oval. Mark was due to carry The Innings sticker to launch their new venture but due to his return to South Africa, was unable to do so during the test. The Innings is about friendship and all that Mark and Jacques have accomplished, both on and off the field. They have had an amazing INNINGS together as cricketers and this is only the start of another great partnership!!

The white wine, a Sauvignon Blanc, represented by Jacques was chosen due to its more intense flavours of grapefruit, passion fruit and a hint of green pepper. With an anticipated asparagus flavour expected to hit the palate as the wine matures, the wine was chosen for its distinctive flavours and reminiscence of summer and a glass during the evenings after a day on the field.

Mark's choice for the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon resulted after numerous tastings ranging from Shiraz, Cabernet Franc to Petit Verdot. At the end of much discussion, the wine that came out as the

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TABLE TALK

Tulip-shaped glass hailed as wine 'revolution' A French glassmaker is hoping to revolutionise the experience of drinking wine with a new design that promises to settle the age-old argument between alcohol and the grape.

The tulip-shaped glass, with a wide flat base and a vertical "chimney", will prevent the alcohol from overpowering the aroma of wine when the glass is swirled, according to Baccarat, a maker of luxury crystal glassware.

The design prevents the usual large-scale swirling movement, which oxidises the wine and burns off the delicate aromas and retains the subtlety in the vintages, the firm said.

"This is revolutionary. This is a design that is geared towards revealing the wine," Baccarat general manager for Greater China Francois Mainetti said. He added that the balance between the alcohol and the aroma in wine is as important as yin and yang in Chinese philosophy.

"It's just like a balance between fire and water, the glass balances the fire that comes from the alcohol and the aroma in the water component," Mainetti said.

The glasses went on sale in France earlier this year and were launched in China and Hong Kong last month. China has seen an explosive growth in wine sales in recent years, linked to the Hong Kong government's decision in 2008 to drop wine import duties.

China displaced Britain to become the fifth largest wine consuming country last year, according to trade show Vinexpo and International Wine and Spirit Research. "There is large consumption in China, so it is a legitimate territory for us to launch the glass," said Mainetti, who was confident Chinese customers would be happy to pay the asking price of HK$900 ($116).

"You always hear about the impressive (auction) prices and investment, but the reality is there is a sincere group of wine lovers and there is a growing passion for wine (in China)."

(Story courtesy of http://www.canberratimes.com.au/executivestyle/)

Handbags put the wine first The Weekender

Totes and clutches hold bottles with room for wallet and keys for perfect girls' night out. The Weekender bag by Swiss designer Claudia Eicke comes through in the clutch - it has a special space for a bottle of wine. The secret is the 'tunnel' portion of the bag, which is made of stiffer fabric to hold the bottle in place.

"Envoyage's leather goods are for confident women who value individuality and live

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Wine Show

The Wine Purse is perfect for casual outings

Wine Carrier & Purse fits wine or champagne

spontaneously" said Eicke. "These women are fashionable and appreciate aesthetics as well as functionality, quality, exclusivity and security in a handbag." The bags are made from French goatskin and come in three chic shades of gold, grey and purple. It retails for around $1,350 and is available online or in the Eickein's showroom in Zurich.

If that bag is out of your budget, there are other ways to tote your vino in style. Dooney & Bourke offers the chic leather ”Wine Bottle Picnic Tote” for $295. The bag, which comes in five colours, including a rosy pink, has a cross-body shoulder strap that lets you carry your wine with comfort.

The Carlotta Clutch Wine Bottle Purse Tote ($40, Brookstone.com) lets you carry your wine in style, with room for keys, money and ID. An elastic strap keeps the bottle secure.

This Wine Carrier & Purse ($39, TheWineBag.com) fits wine or champagne and it comes with a corkscrew. Glitzy gold details and faux crocodile skin makes it look like you're carrying Dom Perignon even when you're not.

The Wine Purse is perfect for casual outings. The fun black and white print masks an insulated lining. It works as a clutch or shoulder bag ($29, TheWineBag.com) This box of wine IS the handbag. Volére ($13) wraps its wine in a box shaped like a purse, complete with strap. Red, white and rose “bags” come filled with the appropriate wine. Just set it down, pop it open and pour.

(Article courtesy of http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/)

Volére wraps its wine in a box shaped like a purse

Dooney & Bourke offers the chic leather Wine Bottle Picnic Tote

The

Wine Show

SPECIAL REPORT

Cape Winemakers Guild Winemaking Excellence Innovation, benchmarking and the sharing of knowledge spanning three decades of winemaking excellence, is the proud accomplishment of the Cape Winemakers Guild, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

The Guild, an association of some of the finest winemakers recognised for their high standards of craftsmanship, has evolved over the past 30 years into a body of 45 members who jointly represent the pinnacle of South African wine achievement.

All experts in their respective fields, Guild members have played a significant role in the development of the South African wine industry. From the introduction of small oak barrels, the making of champion port-style wines, the establishment of MĂŠthode Cap Classique and the creation of Bordeaux-style and above all, Cape blends, to the opening up of new, cooler wine regions, improvements in plant material and the

introduction of sustainable farming and environmentally responsible wines, Guild members have always been at the forefront of innovation.

It all began on 24 August 1982 when eight enthusiastic winemakers with a singular vision got together in the home of the Guild's founding chairman, Billy Hofmeyr, at Welgemeend in Paarl to establish the Cape Independent Winemakers Guild. A ground-breaking association of independent winemakers, the Guild had one objective in mind – to pool their resources and knowledge in order to craft great South African wines that would stand out amongst the best in the world. Five of the founding members, Kevin Arnold, Jan Boland Coetzee, Etienne le Riche, Peter Finlayson and Braam van Velden remain active members of the Guild today, the others being Billy The

Page 9 - August 2012

Wine Show

Louis Strydom

Hofmeyr, Walter Finlayson and Achim von Arnim.

Professor Joel van Wyk, who attended the first meeting as an invited guest, became the Guild's first honorary life member. From the onset, knowledge sharing and benchmarking was the major focus of the Guild and members would taste wines from around the world and compare them to their own wines.

At the time of the Guild's establishment, the wine industry was dominated by the large conglomerates, KWV, Stellenbosch Farmers Winery and Gilbeys and South Africa was immersed in a period of isolation and sanctions. Kevin Arnold, appointed secretary at the Guild's first formal meeting, recalls that during that time, few wines were exported and South African wines did not enjoy international acclaim. Imported wines were also hard to come by and only a select few had the privilege of owning a private wine collection.

The establishment of the Guild gave independent winemakers a collective voice and opportunity to change the status quo. As a result, stringent membership criteria were adopted restricting membership to independent winemakers who were wholly involved in the vineyards, winemaking and bottling as well as marketing their own wines themselves.

Keen to encourage exports and fill their empty containers, Safmarine became the Guild's first sponsor, helping members to ship their wines to the United Kingdom through the London based marketing company, Southern Hemisphere Wines.

Guild wines were even showcased at

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The

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SPECIAL REPORT the London Trade Fair during the early years. At the 1990 International Wine and Spirit Competition, eight Guild wines were awarded gold medals, the highest number attained by any one South African organisation participating in this prestigious competition at the time. In addition, the Guild brought home the Packaging Trophy for its Auction wine label.

The first Guild Auction took place in September 1985 in Rosebank, Johannesburg, in association with Sotheby's with seasoned wine auctioneer David Molyneux-Berry who would preside over the first seven Guild Auctions all held in Johannesburg, tasked with selling the wines. Walter Finlayson, who was manager of the Guild's first six auctions, recalls the nervous anticipation leading up to that first auction and describes the bidding process as “very exciting”. Renowned auctioneer, Stephan Welz teamed up with Sotheby's to host the auction in 1988. Nedbank American Express sponsored the last two Johannesburg auctions in 1990 and 1991.

Back then the preceding auction week created a great sense of excitement, with a “family-like” atmosphere as families played golf and attended the Stephan Welz dinner, drawing great interest from winemakers and local residents. Today still, the preceding auction week creates a hive of activity with the Guild Sports Day where the public can join members for a game of golf or boules or attend dinners with the winemakers at winery restaurants.

In 1992, the Guild Auction moved to Cape Town under the management of Robin Grier, late father of longstanding Guild member, Jeff Grier, with well-known South African wine personality, Dave Hughes, conducting the auction. For the next five years, the Michael James Organisation took

CWG Founder members Page 11 - August 2012

charge of the auction before handing over the gavel to the Guild's current auctioneer, Henré Hablutzel of Hofmeyr Mills in 1998.

1996 saw the start of a 17 year association with Nedbank, which became the official sponsor of the Cape Winemakers Guild and its Auction. It was not until 2000 that the Guild changed its name, under the chairmanship of Carl Schultz, from the Cape Independent Winemakers Guild to Cape Winemakers Guild. This opened the door to prominent winemakers employed by the larger organisations to become members of the Guild.

Carl recalls how the lifting of sanctions in the postdemocracy years brought about a new buoyancy in the market and the word “independent” began to lose its value as trading opened up.

In the 1990's, which heralded major transformation and the end of sanctions against South Africa, international buyers began showing an interest in the Guild Auction and by 1999, 50% of all the auction purchases came from overseas buyers. Today the interest from local buyers exceeds the international contingent with 70% of the total auction sales of over R5-million going to local buyers in 2011.

Despite the huge success of these auctions, Etienne le Riche states that it was not intended for the Guild to have any commercial function and that the auction was incidental, and secondary, to those primary objectives of the Guild, namely to elevate the quality standards of South African winemaking and to gain international recognition.

All wines that go under the hammer at the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction are made exclusively for the auction by members of the Guild. Until 2010 wines were selected meticulously by a tasting panel, but under the Chairmanship of Louis Strydom, new selection criteria were adopted the following year in an effort to boost creativity and achieve greater diversity of wine styles. In terms of the new criteria members themselves can now decide whether or not to submit a wine for the auction provided it is free of any technical defects and the highest standards of wine health measurement are met.

The new millennium also saw the Cape Winemakers Guild evolve into an association with newfound energy, fervour and business acumen to raise the bar in South African winemaking. The name change and new admission criteria heralded a new generation of young winemakers into the Guild bringing new expertise and perspectives into the organisation. During the first decade of the newly constituted Cape Winemakers Guild, the membership grew by an astounding 80%. The Guild Auction also grew in stature from a niche event to the country's definitive public wine action

with annual Showcases launched in Cape Town in 2001 followed by Johannesburg in 2002 to, enable the public to taste the Auction wines. The new Guild logo, the iconic key, gave the Guild wines a unique brand identity and the appointment of a business advisor in 2004 created a solid business platform for the Guild.

While the Guild has defined clear business objectives with its annual Auction, the sharing of knowledge is as important today as it was 30 years ago and monthly technical tastings of local and international wines remain a major priority for the members.

Today, the 45 top winemakers who make up the Cape Winemakers Guild continue to raise wine standards higher than ever before, singlemindedly striving to extract the full potential from the unique South African terroir and to set new world-class benchmarks for South African winemaking. Membership of the Guild is by invitation only and is extended to winemakers who have been responsible for the production of outstanding wines for a minimum of five years.

Over the past three decades some of the original stalwarts have reached a stage in their careers, where they are no longer at the coalface in the wineries but continue to make a crucial contribution as respected authorities to the industry as a whole. To ensure that this valuable expertise and knowledge is safeguarded within the Guild, provision was made at the end of 2011 for an additional membership category of Technical Member. This enables members who no longer fulfil the requirements of the Producing Membership category to remain active members of the Guild even though they will no longer submit wines to the annual Guild Auction.

Acknowledgement of trailblazers is enshrined in the very fabric of the Guild, whose list of Honorary Members includes Francois Naude, Norma Ratcliffe, Johann Krige, Walter Finlayson and Lynne Sherriff.

In 1999 in association with Nedbank, the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust was established to support social development through education in wineland communities. Over the years the Development Trust has supported numerous learners at schools such as the Landbouskool Boland and Jan Kriel School amongst others.

In 2006 under the chairmanship of Philip Costandius, the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme, a first for the wine industry, was launched with the goal of bringing about transformation by cultivating, nurturing and empowering promising individuals to become winemakers of excellence. The mentorship programme gives Viticulture and Oenology graduates the opportunity to work alongside and learn from Guild members. To date eight Protégés have participated in the programme, including Howard Booysen and Praisy Dlamini who have both graduated from the programme. The Guild currently has six protégés completing the three year internship programme.

In addition to the internships, the Protégé Programme also offers bursaries to final year Viticulture and Oenology students at Stellenbosch University and Elsenburg Agricultural College.

The 28th annual Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction takes place on Saturday, 6 October 2012 at 09:00 at Spier Conference Centre in the Stellenbosch Winelands.

2012 CWG protégé’s

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Arno Carstens Still Rocking South Africa Images: Mark Freeborough

Springbok Nude Girls frontman, Arno Carstens shares a glass (no, bottle) of Remhoogte Merlot with us to tell us all about life as one of South Africa's favourite rockers.

Where did you get the name “The Springbok Nude Girls” from?

Well, it came from the old Springbok Hit Parade.

Those days on Springbok Radio there was Die Skim. Those were the golden days of radio.

'The Nudies', they've been around for a while.

How's that going?

Well, to be honest, I don't think The Springbok Nude Girls (SNG) will be around for much longer.

We're all living in different parts of the world and it's just too difficult. To write a good album, you've got to spend at least 3 months together, getting together throughout the week. We might still play together now and again, but for now we don't have anything planned. [Nooooooooo! – Ed]

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You've opened for bands such as U2, The Rolling Stones, REM, INXS and The Police. Tell me more about that?

Some of those were in my solo capacity, which was amazing. I remember walking out on stage to open for The Rolling Stones and I just hit a wobble, thinking “WOW!”. That was the first time I'd ever hit a wobble, but I quickly got over it and it was business as usual. INXS was pretty cool, because it was the first time that SNG played internationally.

Michael Hutchence was the closest thing to Jim Morrison ever and he was simply sex on legs. That guy could really sing. We would drink until 6 o'clock in the morning, then by 11am he'd be singing like a champion when all we'd want to do is crawl into a corner and die, because we'd be feeling so rough. It was absolutely incredible and then sadly a month later, he took his life. Then Michael Stipe from REM was just such an insanely nice guy. Those were definitely the stand-out ones for me. Of course U2 was amazing, but I definitely feel the Jo'burg show was the better of the two.

You're releasing your 4th solo album next month, tell me more about it?

I've signed with a new record company (Gallo Records/Avusa Music), so this is my first album with them. I really just wanted to do my own thing for a change rather than be dictated to. I think this album pretty much hits the 'sweet spot' between the Nude Girls and my previous solo stuff. It's a little more upbeat, a little more alternative.

Any specific tracks that you'd recommend we listen out for?

Definitely Battlescars Galactica, I Breathe, Two Dogs… We're in the process of mixing now and often during this time there's something that really comes to the forefront, so let's see. I think I might have about 4 or 5 really good singles.

Have you ever had any groupies?

Yes, there was this girl who always used to pop up at our gigs and we used to refer to her as 'Shadow'.

You'd always see her amongst all of the people as she really stood out. South Africa as a culture doesn't really have a groupie thing going, except for the teenagers and pop groups like Locnville.

That's why international celebs like coming here, because they don't get hassled by the locals. Then there's the rock-freaks who often know you much better than you know yourself and are constantly criticizing you and telling you what you're doing wrong and what you need to do to make yourself better – because they've achieved so much…

They're the worst.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW What do you think about the young, up-andcoming music talent in South Africa?

South African music as a whole is actually pretty young. Yes, we had Johnny Clegg in those years, but there haven't really been any outstanding rock bands. There's Voelvry and Koos Kombuis, but overall there's no real blueprint. I like seeing how they come and go and how the local music scene is evolving. In the 90's things weren't exactly 'easy', but there was quite a lot of foreign investment, so it was a good time for us. Those years it was us, Just Jinjer and Battery 9 that dominated the scene.

More recently we've seen the likes of Fokofpolisiekar, Arctic Monkeys and the Parlotones, but there's a new bunch coming up now that are pretty amazing like Zebra & Giraffe and Shadow Club.

You're affiliated with the MAD Foundation, tell us more about that?

It's ex-Springbok rugby player, Francois Pienaar's baby. Basically the foundation raises money to educate less fortunate children by sending them to schools and tertiary education. The one kid has just graduated from Harvard University in the USA, which is pretty cool actually. Last year I attended a function where one of the kids did a speech. I was completely blown away by the way he spoke and to think that he would've probably ended up on the streets without an education or a future. There are so many kids out there that have so much potential, but simply aren't given the opportunity to find their worth and realize their dreams.

Let's go over to the WINE side of things. Tell me what you like.

I'll make it easy for you. If it's up to me, Meerlust Rubicon is the business.

So you obviously prefer red. Do you ever visit wine estates?

Not really, to be fair. I did however grow up on wine farms, being a Worcester boy. I think the Nuy valley is pretty awesome too. Boy-oh-boy the guys in that valley can DRINK! It's such a culture there.

Have you ever done something really embarrassing whilst wined-up?

I remember the time in high school when I was the head conductor of the inter-schools sports competitions and I went drinking with the 1st team rugby guys at one of our friends' dad's wine farm.

By the time we arrived at the athletics meet, I was totally wasted and it was quite a crazy affair. At school we used to make these horrible mixtures of wine, brandy, whisky and whatever else you could find, in an army water-bottle and used to drink this rubbish, thinking it was so cool! It was all pretty innocent though, but we got quite smashed. I'm the youngest of 4 boys and we were all pretty naughty though, getting up to a lot of mischief. Those were fun times.

If you were to quickly grab a bottle of wine from a local supermarket, what would you choose?

I'm really not very knowledgeable when it comes to wine, so I'd always ask someone at the shop to recommend something good. [Good tip – Ed]

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Where is your favourite place to enjoy a glass of wine?

In winter times it's red wine at a nice restaurant. I particularly enjoy a leisurely lunch with friends at Mario's in Greenpoint. They make all kinds of alternative food like sheep's brains, etc. Good food with good wine and great company is always a winner.

Lothario

You're a father and you're about to launch your 10th album. What's next for you?

This year I've done my first art exhibition, which was pretty cool. I've always loved art. I didn't really think that anyone would actually buy any of it, so I really pushed the price up, but I've actually sold a few pieces and I'm really chuffed. I didn't realize that the art dealers took such a huge percentage of the sale price, so I'm pleased I did bump up the price tag. It's really cool as the music industry is taking some serious strain at the moment, so good to have an additional form of income.

What are your thoughts on the Remhoogte Merlot 2009?

This wine is really amazing, such a good choice, I'll definitely buy this next time.

Remhoogte Merlot 2009 RRP – R190 Stockists: Frogitt & Vonkel Private Wine Merchants 021-888 8800 (for nationwide delivery)

WIN WITH Alluvia Estate & Alluvia Spa

ANSWER THE TWO EASY QUESTIONS AND STAND A CHANCE TO

WIN A 2 NIGHT STAY AT ALLUVIA WORTH R 5500!

Specialist Winery and Private Residence Club Set on a working wine estate in the heart of the Stellenbosch Winelands, on Glen Arum Road, Banhoek Valley, Helshoogte Pass, lays a unique cult wine producer called Alluvia Specialist Winery.

Alluvia's award winning wine estate and its luxury accommodation provides a match made in heaven…which we simply describe as “the vineyard lifestyle” Alluvia encapsulates the complete spirit of wine, our land blessed with tiny fertile alluvial deposits of Table Mountain Sandstone and Granite which gives us a perfect platform to produce world class wines of integrity.

Entries must be made on The Wine Extra facebook page.

ANSWER THESE SIMPLE QUESTIONS:

WineExtra

1.Name one of the founding members of the Cape Winemakers Guild.

2.Where did the South African judging of the IWSC competition take place recently?

Competition closes on 31 August 2012 The winner will be announced on the Facebook group before the September issue of Wine Extra gets published.

Please read the competition rules on the facebook group before you enter.

Chris Erasmus

NOW YOU’RE COOKING

Chef Chris Erasmus has a fascinating and varied background, starting with cooking at home for his family when growing up in the Karoo. Being one of four children raised by a single Mom, Chris pitched in to prepare meals and it was here that his love for food and organic produce began. After graduation from the Elsa van der Nest academy, Chris worked at the Cape Grace hotel before requesting to be placed at the busy Five Flies restaurant for his inservice training. From here Chris chose to leave South Africa for the United Kingdom where he met his mentor, Shane Osborn.

When it was time to return home, Chris came back to South Africa and joined renowned chef Margot Janse at Le Quartier Francaise as Executive sous chef. After eight months he helped open The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francaise which he ran as Executive Chef for 4½ years.

The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francaise has been listed in the St Pelligrino's Top 50 Restaurants in the World ever since its opening. Chris then joined esteemed Cape Town restaurant, Ginja, as executive chef, a position he exchanged in 2010, for the culinary journey that started at La Motte. Here he brings a top-quality food offering to the internationally acclaimed wine estate. Brimming with new ideas and with a passion for regional cooking, Chris has since ensured that La Motte's restaurant, Pierneef à La Motte, lives up to the brand message of a 'culture of excellence'.

Mushroom open lasagna with poached egg and hollandaise Ingredients: (Serves 6) 300g Cake flour 9 Large eggs Pinch saffron 3 tsp olive oil 3 Cups mixed wild mushrooms 2 tbs Red onion, minced finely 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar 1 tbs Honey Pinch picked thyme 2 tbs Cream

Salt to taste 2 tbs White wine vinegar 2 Egg yolks 1 tsp White wine vinegar Pinch salt Squeeze lemon juice 125ml Clarified butter (melted and scum scooped from the surface and clear butter poured off.)

Method: Lasagne sheets: Place the flour in a bowl and make a well in the center.

Place 3 eggs, olive oil and saffron in a bowl and whisk to incorporate. Pour the wet mix onto the flour and work into a ball. Knead well for 5 minutes, wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Roll onto the last setting of the pasta machine, cut into 15cm x 10cm strips and blanch in boiling water for 20 seconds, refresh in ice water. Flatten the strips on an oiled surface and cut into circles with a large cookie cutter. Toss the pasta in olive oil and reserve until needed.

Ragout: Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a pan and sauté the mushrooms until just tender. Add the onion, balsamic vinegar and honey and cook to a syrupy glaze. Add the thyme and cream and cook until the cream just coats the ragout. Season to taste and keep warm.

Poached egg: Bring a tall saucepan of water to the boil and add 2 tbs vinegar. Place the eggs in the water one by one and poach until the egg white is just firm enough to hold – do this just before serving.

Hollandaise: Place egg yolks, 1 tsp white wine vinegar, salt and lemon juice in a bowl on top of a pot of boiling water, make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water, and whisk until the mixture turns fluffy and light. Slowly trickle in the clarified butter whilst whisking until the mixture is the consistency of mayonnaise. Season to taste and keep warm.

Assembly: Quickly reheat the pasta rounds in a pot of boiling water, scoop out and drain. Place 2 tbs of the hot mushroom ragout in the center of a warm plate and top with a pasta sheet – repeat this and place a warm poached egg on the last sheet. Spoon a generous amount of Serve this dish with the La Motte Chardonnay 2010 – RRP R98. hollandaise over the egg and serve with a crusty ciabatta.

Page 18 - August 2012

LIVIN’ THE LIFE!

IWSC 2012 In Search of The Best

By MARYNA STRACHAN

To us wine lovers, drinking a glass of our favourite juice happens on a weekly basis (ok, perhaps daily for some of us). The more we drink, the more we learn about what we like, the subtle nuances that occur in the individual varietals and indeed, as with most things, the more you sample, the more you learn to discern which wines are in fact 'good' as opposed to those that are 'great'.

But then there're wine competitions - and there are a whole bunch of them. An array of local competitions take place annually and we see the pretty gold, silver and bronze stickers adorning them as they sit on the shelves luring us with this bling.

Then we move onto the Olympics of wine competitions, the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC), of which Wine Extra is proud South African Media Partner. Each year this competition sees thousands of entries from across the world including countries you'd never even imagine could produce wine.

More recently, the IWSC recognized that South African producers were struggling to enter their wines in the competition due to high shipping costs and negative exchange rate, so they decided to bring the competition to us. For the last two years, local judging panels were put together from some of our foremost wine The

Page 19 - August 2012

Wine Show

connoisseurs and headed up by none other than Dave Hughes. The only other country that has their very own judging panel is the USA. So it was with great excitement that I got to attend one of the days of judging that took place recently at the beautifully set Grande Roche hotel in Paarl and it was quite an experience.

A total of 22 judges meticulously swirled, sniffed, sipped and spat their way through over 700 entered wines. They were divided into 3 separate rooms and presented with flights of wines to sample. The wines were collated and poured in the kitchens so that judges couldn't even see the shape of the bottles and thus not be influenced at

all. This is 'blind' tasting in every sense of the word.

Each glass gets a numbered sticker on it, which coincides with the numbers on the Judges' score sheets. The actual score sheets indicate the type of wine, i.e. RosĂŠ made from Pinotage, wine of origin Stellenbosch in vintages 2012 and 2011.

That's it.

While waiters and waitresses frantically run back and forth in the background, the judges calmly make their way through the long line of wines on their tables, meticulously dissecting the wine for its colour, aroma, mouth-feel and flavour to finally give it a score out of 100.

Dave Hughes scores the flight

Tel: 021 869 8712 - Mobile: 082 920 4788 - www.dereuckwines.co.za The

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Page 20 - August 2012

LIVIN’ THE LIFE! At the end of each flight, each judge announces his/her scores for the wines, which are then collated and averaged out to give a final score. I was in Room 1 with the judges of this room being Andy Roediger, Karl Lambour, Francois NaudÊ, Kristine Beuthner, Melanie van der Merwe and Fiona MacDonald with legend Dave Hughes chairing the judging in this room.

Most noticeable for me was just how smoothly the whole process was run. If a wine was corked or faulty, a new bottle would be opened and glasses brought through. Each judge was left to make up their own mind and when the scores were collated, it was obvious that there was a general consensus with the exception only here and there.

Unlike the judges, I had the privilege to check out the cellar that was stacked with all of the wines entered into this year's competition. Oh boy, I could get seriously stuck in there and imagined

that in my home... (Hey, a girl can dream!) Some fabulous wines from all of our regions and districts were patiently lying in wait for their turn to be criticized and dissected. What an amazing lineup!

In line with the full IWSC judging process, products market as 'Outstanding' in each category are shipped to the UK for technical analysis. Wine analysis will cover: free and total sulphur dioxide, iron, copper, total acidity, volatile acidity (acetic acid), pH, ascorbic acid, s u g a r, a l c o h o l , s u g a r f r e e e x t r a c t a n d microbiology. In addition, certain wines will be screened by gas chromatography for methanol, sorbitol and other potential contaminants.

In some instances the results of this analysis may lead to marks being deducted or even outright rejection. For example, a white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, which has only recently been bottled with free sulphur dioxide of 5 mg/l may be

The Page 21 - August 2012

Wine Show

organoleptically attractive now, but within three months this wine will begin to oxidise.

A red wine with high volatile acid and some residual sugar could taste quite attractive (a sweet and sour effect). Over the months this level of volatile acid would rise, creating an overly sour and unattractive wine. Deduction of marks following technical analysis could affect the level of an award.

So now we wait for the final analysis to be done and the awards to be announced. In November a fabulous Gala event is to be held in London at which the Trophy winners are announced and if last year's 6 trophies to South African products is something to go by, I'm excited to see what we'll be bringing home this year. And next time you visit the supermarket, be sure to look for the blinking bling of the IWSC competition to know you're drinking world-class wine.

Judges enjoy lunch on the Grande Roche terrace

The

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Page 22 - June 2012

WE’VE BEEN DRINKING...

Annandale CVP 2004 A port with a difference, enticing even non-port drinkers, this Cape Vintage Port is a true hand crafted product made from Shiraz grapes, matured in old barrels and known as C.V.P. It started as a single barrel tucked away in the back of the cellar in 1982.

Today, Annandale's Cape Vintage Port is still made the same way. Made from 100% Shiraz, which gives velvety fruit flavours, soft ripe tannins and rich flavours. Dark ruby in colour and with a garnet edge, the deep stewed fruit aromas combine with aromas of ripe plums and blackberries.

Raisins and dark cherries layered under tones of smoky, peppery characteristics finish with a delicate, lingering brandy mouthful. Smooth aftertaste shows neither too much heat, nor sticky sweetness, but a velvety fruit finish.

Hempies has made wine from 1976, though he actually made his first wine with his dad at the

What: Where: Cost: Web:

tender age of 5. He bought Annandale Wines in 1996 and made his first Annandale vintage in the same year. The reds of Annandale spend 6-8 years in French barrels - a rarity in modern winemaking. Wines like this represent value especially for those wanting secondary features on a wine.

Wine has been made at Annandale for over 300 years, during which time the vineyards have been allowed to keep their original closeness to nature and the cellar its tradition of simplicity.

Hempies (Gerhard) du Toit previously enjoyed success as a w o r l d c l a s s r u g b y p l a y e r, earning 5 caps as a front row strongman on South Africa's Springbok national rugby team.

Hempies' wines have received numerous Gold Medals at international wine competitions and his Cabernet Sauvignon won the Grand Prix d'Honneur at Vinexpo.

Annandale CVP 2004 Available from the cellar 021-881 3560 Price: R150 www.annandale.co.za

The Page 23 - August 2012

Wine Show

Shaking it up with Shiraz

T

his month, the Taste Team were presented with a sizzling selection of Shiraz's and they weren't disappointed. The reviews are pretty mixed which is exactly what the Taste Team is all about – it specifically highlights just how different wines appeal to different palates and that there's no right or wrong when it comes to the enjoyment

TASTE TEAM

of wine. Our guest taster this month is the lovely Lela Stubbs. After growing up in a somewhat nomadic family, Lela has now settled in Stellenbosch and has firmly ensconced herself in the wine industry. An enthusiast for the finer things in life, she also takes great pleasure in a quiet night on the couch.

Click on each tasters image to read more about them

Abby

Daisy

Nathan

Charlotte

Randall

Guest taster Lela

The

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Page 24 - August 2012

TASTE TEAM

Shaking it up with Shiraz

READ THESE COMPARATIVE REVIEWS ON OUR SELECTED WINES

Beau Belle Reserve Shiraz 2010

Daisy says...

Charlotte says...

Randall says...

Eagles Nest Shiraz 2009

Fairview 'The Beacon' Shiraz 2008

RRP: R225

RRP: R97 Stockists: Direct from the cellar and Prestons Quote: Lela – “A certain celebration!”

RRP: R175 Stockists: Bootleggers, Makro and Ultra Liquors Quote: Lela – “You are bound to satisfy even the most discerning guest.

HINT: The in laws…”

Stockists: Carolines Fine Wines, Norman Goodfellows and Prestons Quote: Abby – “The sinful palate is a delicious mix of chocolate, chai spice and pecan nuts that show off…”

www.beaubelle.co.za

www.eaglesnestwines.com

www.fairview.co.za

My second name is Isabella, and 'Beau Belle' is a nickname which stuck after holidaying in Rome, so I immediately had a fond affiliation with this wine. Again, darker fruits came through on the nose and, if you left it in the glass for a while, it was interesting how it opened up to reveal a slightly floral undertone. A good deep colour, but I found the alcohol on this one a little prominent, too much so for me to enjoy it on it's own, but perhaps if paired with food – nothing fancy – even just a good pizza, it may be more engaging.

This was a plain and simple 'yum' wine. Deeper and darker in colour, to my eye, than the previous three and plump in fruit and spiciness. On the nose you caught a slight floral hint, almost like Forget-me-nots, as well as the traditional white pepper component, which is customary on Shiraz. I could pick up a whiff of leather too. It had good balance with soft tannins and I think this will be even more beautiful in five, maybe even more, years. I thought this would go down a treat with my Mum's scrummy Coq au Vin.

This wine had a multi-layered nose to me, initially the smell of blood (don't be put off, this is common in reds - think steak) and swirling it in the glass pushed that second layer through: jam and winter fruit – dark plum and blackberries. You could almost see the swirls of spice that laced its way through the fruit. This was a dark, luscious wine, with a brief cameo appearance of vanilla sitting in your mouth after swallowing. It is a fairly serious vino with decent tannin structure, though I felt it needed just a tad more wood love from the barrel.

I instantly notice the more intense, darker colour and it certainly looks rather enticing and sophisticated. In the glass, it opens up to reveal deep, dark berry fruits with a perfume of fresh rose petals and soft, chewable tannins on the palate. This has a lovely mouth feel and is just simply a good all rounder – this is the man that you would be happy to introduce to your mother.

This big, bold wine is full of sweet vanilla, bright berries and a gentle spiciness. It is elegant in its restraint and has a lovely balance. Would suggest a good ageing potential, considering the good grip of tannin, but I would love to show it off to its best potential alongside my famous lamb shank. This is perfect date wine for that allusive guy you just can't seem to get to commit – impressive enough to entice, but not too forward to scare off before dessert.

Talk about oomph! Luscious, rich stewed strawberry compote flavour studded with aromatic cloves and pink peppercorns. The age comes across in the mouth with a slight malva pudding richness with an unctuous spiced butter sauce nature. This is a bold, assertive, unapologetically seductive older man, with a naughty twinkle in his eye, that I could certainly not resist after more than one glass.

Delicious!

What comes to mind is the phrase 'very berry'. A decadent fusion of berries makes for a deliciously sweet scent, which lingers beautifully. I pick up a lot of wood, but it's not overpowering and quite easy to drink. I like the fruity tinge that is left behind.

A very polite and enjoyable berry and vanilla fusion. The pleasant vanilla leaves a slight after-taste that lingers beautifully, swirling my glass a couple more times reveals another taste sensation that gives the wine some presence (I'm told that aerating often helps). My favorite wine out of the selection for the night and blissfully easy to drink.

Very floral and aggressively so, not really what I enjoy emanating from my glass, but that's just me. Sharp at first sip and very dry with a floral scent now accompanied by an equally aggressive after taste. Taking into account that this was a favorite amongst the more cultured wine drinkers (myself being the complete novice) I must add that this review brings light to my maturity in wine.

READ THESE COMPARATIVE REVIEWS ON OUR SELECTED WINES

Beau Belle Reserve Shiraz 2010

Stockists: Direct from the cellar and Prestons Quote: Lela – “A certain celebration!”

RRP: R175 Stockists: Bootleggers, Makro and Ultra Liquors Quote: Lela – “You are bound to satisfy even the most discerning guest.

HINT: The in laws…”

Stockists: Carolines Fine Wines, Norman Goodfellows and Prestons Quote: Abby – “The sinful palate is a delicious mix of chocolate, chai spice and pecan nuts that show off…”

www.eaglesnestwines.com

www.fairview.co.za

Not necessarily as the farms name suggests, but certainly gentle and easy going like the girl next door…

Nice cinnamon-style spice picked up on the nose with a deep, dark berry undertone on the palate. It's an uncomplicated everyday drinker.

Having thought that this wine would in fact be the Eagle amongst the pigeons, I was left rather bewildered. Although structurally sound…there was no “oomph” of any kind. Relatively timid on the nose, it followed through to a ripe fruity-ish palate yet somewhat bodiless. Though I do believe it is still relatively young and should open up brilliantly with age. Obviously still just a fledgling in a nest of fantastic wines the farm has to offer.

Far better than just “Fair”, this Shiraz finally reminded me why I am here at this tasting. With a wonderful, deep and full-bodied berry nose, it leads onto an enveloping mouth feel. Almost honey-like in texture, it coats your palate in a fantastic array of berry and spice leaving that ever pleasant linger for minutes to come. Provided you can wait that long for your next “sip”…

This warming winter wine is rather a late bloomer; it definitely needs time to breathe before it reveals its true self. At first, the nose is incredibly unappealing with soggy notes dominating. After time it opens up quite nicely - deep berries laced with delicate perfumey notes dance on one's palate although it is rather dry, the tannins are barely noticeable.

Give this slow starter the time it needs for it to reach that desirable oomph (decant an hour in advance) and then can it be truly appreciated.

This playful Shiraz has a simple, sweet, sugary smell to it similar to freshly baked cookies. On the palate, the vanilla note remains strong but wonderful red berry notes balance the flavour. Light and soft with no deep tannins it is a lovely wine and one can easily enjoy a bottle of it. Definitely the 'sweeter' side to Shiraz.

This sexy Shiraz smolders a deep, dark, almost blood-like red colour with a powerful nose that is slightly woody, but with predominant notes of blackberries and pink peppers.

The sinful palate is a delicious mix of chocolate, chai spice and pecan nuts that show off whilst the delicate tannins present this as a “grown-up” wine. I particularly liked the wine's complexity and would happily indulge in an appreciative glass or two.

With the Beau Belle, my imagination runs wild. Clinking glasses with an Argentine Polo player after watching an exciting final chukka, firmly ensconced on the sidelines. A certain celebration! With the sun setting and the intoxicating smell of roses that matches the floral aromas from the wine, drifting in the air.

An easy sipper, this wine fits into an elegant, yet simultaneously casual environment with ease.

Entertaining a special guest? Eagles Nest Shiraz is a must have centrepiece on your dining room table (and of course a few extra bottles stashed to replace what will be a continually depleted container). This wine will impress the novice drinker, the 'know it all' drinker and everyone in between. With super integration, it's a cook's dream as it will pair and stand up to many dishes. You are bound to satisfy even the most discerning guest. HINT: The in laws…

Men in tuxedos, women in floorlength gowns. You guessed it, the “Gala Dinner” wine. The Beacon knocked my socks off (not that I would be wearing any with my black silk Prada), but this is my kind of wine. Supreme elegance, powerful flavours, intoxicating aromas, pure oomph! A sexy little number, that while ideal for that red carpet function, once I've gone home, taken my make-up off, and have my slippers on, I'll still have another glass.

Nathan says...

Lela says...

Fairview 'The Beacon' Shiraz 2008

RRP: R225

RRP: R97

www.beaubelle.co.za

Abby says...

Eagles Nest Shiraz 2009

READ THESE COMPARATIVE REVIEWS ON OUR SELECTED WINES

TASTE TEAM

Shaking it up with Shiraz

Black Pearl Shiraz 2009

Eagles Nest Shiraz 2009

Perdeberg Shiraz 2010

RRP: R85

RRP: R225

RRP: R35

Stockists: Vino Pronto and Liquor City

Stockists: Bootleggers, Makro and Ultra Liquors

Stockists: Pick 'n Pay, Checkers and TOPS at Spar

Quote: Charlotte – “This is the Johnny Depp of Shiraz – a sexy, yet smooth pirate…”

Quote: Lela – “You are bound to satisfy even the most discerning guest.

HINT: The in laws…”

Quote: Abby – “…one sip conjures up images of holiday cheer…”

www.blackpearlwines.com

Daisy says...

Charlotte says...

Randall says...

www.eaglesnestwines.com

www.perdeberg.co.za

With the wine farm based in Paarl, the name Black Rock hails from Paarl Rock which is said to look like a black pearl once it has rained. This wine had an almost bluey, inky colour to it and I found it hinted at a very slight 'porty' taste on the palate, though not unpleasantly so. It was smooth and fruity and I really like the Mourvédre element to this wine. You will see 'Oro' scattered across the label – legend has it that the God Oro, King of the Firmament (Sky), gave the black pearl as a gift to the ocean.

My favourite of the evening!

Traditionally a fruit farm, this wine smelled meaty on the nose followed by a beautiful delivery of fruitiness and soft spice on the palate. This wasn't a multi-layered, complicated wine - I found it simple yet beautiful like Marilyn Monroe was in my glass.

There was a whisper of sweetness to it that I feel a lot of people would enjoy. This would pair unequivocally well with a hearty stew, and I have no doubt it would even stand up to the heat of a curry. 'Thank you' for introducing me to another number to add to the list of 'Daisy's Reds'!

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Wine Extra jury, let it be known that red wines are not my forté. We get on OK - I suppose a bit like with in-laws. On this Paarl Shiraz, I picked up dark fruit on the nose that, for me, didn't follow through - there simply appeared no depth to it. I enjoyed the soft spice on it that you could smell. Cinnamon and cloves came through strongest and it evoked memories of cold Christmases in England.

The almost inky, purple black colour instantly grabs my attention and tempts me to have a slurp. A strong blueberry nose, with juicy plum flavours and good layers of spice. On the palate it is definitely cheeky with bright juicy berry flavours and a bit of a kick, with an overall voluptuous finish. This is the Johnny Depp of Shiraz – a sexy, yet smooth pirate, that doesn't take itself too seriously and can actually pull off guy-liner.

The ripe blackberry, mulberry fruit flavours jump out at me straight away on this one, along with almost a spiced soil character – quite earthy in nature which is strangely appealing. The palate has great length, with a dry spice on the mid palate and a sour cherry finish. The tannin structure gives it a bit of a bite, so I would rather enjoy it with food rather than quaff it on it's own.

This is the exotic cubana boy of Shiraz, good for a holiday fling!

I love Shiraz and with its strong, bold flavours it is the ultimate masculine wine - hence I tend to compare it to men. This lovely example is bright, juicy and jolly – full of bright cherries, cranberries and a sprinkling of aromatic cinnamon, all interlaced with sweet vanilla and soft tannins. This is a dangerously easy drinking wine and reminds me of your favourite uncle at Christmas – a gentle man with a cheerful red face, a mischievous laugh and a huggable girth.

A blend of flowers and fresh berries, I can almost visualize the prettiness that I pick up on first sniff. This Shiraz is rather enjoyable and I get the 'elegance' people keep referring to.

For my rather uneducated palate I'd say it keeps you blissfully content with what it’s offering.

I cant really describe the scent here, but if I had to be called on it I would say that it's remnant of Merlot, which is where my expertise in wine "peaks" and could mean pretty much anything on this green earth. I can however say that the wine is very fruity and I found it pretty easy to drink, a bit dry and somewhat aggressive on contact.

Literally translated by my nose as a wooden crate of red grapes, Very strong raisin (grape) and a hint of some fresh wood. Not too aggressive at first taste, doesn't leave any after taste which makes the second sip very welcoming. This wine was really easy and enjoyable to drink.

The

Wine Show

READ THESE COMPARATIVE REVIEWS ON OUR SELECTED WINES

Black Pearl Shiraz 2009

Eagles Nest Shiraz 2009

Perdeberg Shiraz 2010

RRP: R85

RRP: R225

RRP: R35

Stockists: Vino Pronto and Liquor City

Stockists: Bootleggers, Makro and Ultra Liquors

Stockists: Pick 'n Pay, Checkers and TOPS at Spar

Quote: Charlotte – “This is the Johnny Depp of Shiraz – a sexy, yet smooth pirate…”

Quote: Lela – “You are bound to satisfy even the most discerning guest.

HINT: The in laws…”

Quote: Abby – “…one sip conjures up images of holiday cheer…”

www.blackpearlwines.com

Nathan says...

Abby says...

Lela says...

www.eaglesnestwines.com

www.perdeberg.co.za

An interesting and intriguing blend that leaves you somewhat bemused as to what you expected and what you got… Kinda like the story of its namesake (for those who are Jack Sparrow fanatics). Deep, dark, jammy, Christmas pudding like. Yes, this is wine I'm talking about - with a touch of cinnamon on the palate. All I can say is bring on the barrel.

Not your usual, everyday Shiraz.

Almost left me wondering if I knew what Shiraz was. Immensely fruity almost stewed fruit like with a Christmas cake nose, though it left me somewhat less enthralled than a kid with his face in one.

Let's just say that if there were actually a horse like this on the estate, it sure isn't the one on the label. Unglamorous, it does the job. It takes you on a nice journey and then it's over. Fruity nose with a subtle white pepper undertone, this is a very affordable quaffer and a good entry into the world of Shiraz.

This brooding Shiraz blend has an excellent aubergine hue to it, with amazing blueberries overwhelming the nose and a divine plum compote-like flavour. I adored how balanced and complex the flavours were with a slight spice that in no way is overpowering but is intense enough to appreciate, as one does when spicy notes present themselves in a Shiraz. A definite sweet and sultry combination. The stylish bottle was also very appealing and suited the sensuality of this Shiraz.

One has to double check the bottle to see if this really is a Shiraz as on the nose it masquerades as a Merlot.

I also get whiffs of soil alongside bland with faint fruit notes. It actually smells better than it tastes but once allowed to breathe, the flavour appears to dance between a jamlike taste and burnt caramel. With its heavy tannins it once again fronts as a merlot, I can imagine this wine would be excellent to pair with a good rich meal, but on its own the flavours are simply too big for me.

This easy-to-drink Shiraz has a shy nose, but one sip conjures up images of holiday cheer with flavours such as fruitcake and cranberry making bold appearances. The berry-licious notes hold ones palate captive and this Shiraz is was it is, nothing more, nothing less. Overall, an enjoyable wine.

With the reflection of flames crackling from a cozy fire place, in a tall dark “someone's” sensuous eyes, I find myself filled with excitement and promise at what the evening hold in store. The Black Pearl encompasses exactly what its name hints toward. A mystery waiting to be unlocked. A balance of sultry spices, and full voluptuous fruit waiting to envelop all the senses…

What I found to be a very unusual wine, I would take immense pleasure in drinking with a group of friends that think out of the box. Very spice driven, maybe an evening spent cooking, using various exotic Eastern aids to enhance these characteristics would benefit the Koelfontein. An essential Shiraz contribution to an evening of delicious food, exceptional company and hopefully scandalous stories.

I tend to have an over-active imagination and, as a result, think in pictures. When sipping on the Perdeberg I am instantaneously transported to a comfy seat next to a braai, with jovial company and not a care or concern in the world. With silky berry fruits on the palate, this makes for a highly quaffable wine, perfect to sip… or gulp all evening.

The

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Page 28 - August 2012

GET OUT

Cape Town Laborie Lazy Days Market Celebrates Women's Day

Women's Day Breakfast at SolmsDelta On Thursday 9 August, take the women in your life – your wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, best friend or colleague – to a special breakfast talk at Solms-Delta wine estate. Professor Mark Solms, world-renowned neuropsychoanalyst will give a fascinating talk entitled “The emotions of the brain” – a topic which is sure to resonate with most women!

How many emotions are there? What are they for? Why for example do we feel scared, sad or angry? In this talk, Mark Solms will explain the biological origins of human emotions and tell us what brain science is now teaching us about their origins and functions. It turns out that, in this respect at least, we humans are not that different from other animals. Upon arrival at 9am you will be treated to coffee and tea, with muffins and scones served with cheese, cream and preserves. The talk will be followed by a full English breakfast. Cost R195 pp. Booking is essential on 021-874 3937 ext 115 or email restaurant@solms-delta.co.za.

Traditionally Women's Day is celebrated as a reminder of the contribution made by women to society, the achievements that have been made for women's rights, and to acknowledge the difficulties and prejudices many women still face. In honour of this day and as a tribute to women of all walks of life, the Laborie Lazy Days' Market, will be hosting a very special market on Saturday, 11 August from 9am until 2pm. Chef Matthew Gordon will be treating food enthusiasts to a complimentary cooking demonstration on the day. Master the art of preparing a chicken liver and roasted black mushroom risotto with pancetta and tomato confit. A tasty grilled calamari, rocket and crisp chorizo salad with peppadews, chorizo oil and coriander yoghurt dressing also forms part of this not-to-missed master class. A special fresh flower arranging demo will be on offer in the historic Manor House. Don't miss out on the opportunity to master the art of creating that perfect look! An entry fee of R50 per person will be charged and booking is essential as space is limited. Fitness fanatics can partake in a fun filled Adventure Boot Camp with Juli Geldenhuys on the sprawling lawns of the Manor House. The perfect way to work up an appetite for that freshly brewed cup coffee and warm croissant available at the market. Booking is essential as the session, which starts at 8:45, is limited to 30 people. As an added extra all women attending the market on this day will receive a complimentary glass of bubbly to enjoy. For more information contact 021-807 3390, visit our website www.laboriewines.co.za or email info@laboriewines.co.za.

The Page 29 - August 2012

Wine Show

Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase

Robertson Slow Robertson Slow is one of the most anticipated and intimate festivals of the year and the Robertson Wine Valley is looking to attract visitors yearning to experience the charm of country life in intimate settings characterised by each farm's unique personal touch. While enjoying time-honoured activities, visitors will be afforded the opportunity to interact with wine-makers and wine-farmers, in an informal ambience, getting to know them and their respective families. · Indulge in traditional cuisine, using local ingredients from the Valley; · Experience wine-tastings and dinners in the homes of the local wine making families, savouring family recipes; · Revel in the beauty of biodiversity with fynbos drives; · Be daring and complete the 4x4 challenge; · Master the art of blending your own wine; · Try your hand at making pasta or gnocchi; · Enjoy Italian cuisine; · Treat yourself to an organic meal on an organic wine farm; · Enjoy a story-telling evening by pioneers of the Robertson Wine Valley; · Browse and shop at leisure, on Sunday 12 August, at the Robertson Valley Regional Food Market, and choose from a colourful array of delectable fresh produce.

Robertson Slow may be focusing on the 'slow' way of life, but don't be 'slow' to book your place at some of the events which best represent your interpretation of the essence of country living. To avoid disappointment, events must be booked before Wednesday 8 August.

For more information on Robertson Slow, and a full programme of events, as well as booking details: visit www.robertsonslow.com or contact the Robertson Wine Valley on: telephone 023626 3167 or e-mail manager@robertsonwinevalley.com.

Experience exceptional wines with a creative edge and great diversity of styles at the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase in Cape Town on Thursday, 23 August when members of the Guild present the wines that will go under the hammer at this year's auction. You will also have the opportunity to bid on rare signed bottles from previous Guild Auctions during the Silent Auction in aid of the Nedbank CWG Development Trust. Founded in 1999, the Development Trust assists with education, training and empowerment of young people from wine farming communities and includes the Guild's Protégé Programme, a mentorship scheme for young, upcoming winemakers. The event takes place at the CTICC from 18:0021:00 and tickets cost R170pp from www.webtickets.co.za.

GET OUT

Seductive Sauvignon Festival th

Bottelary Hills Wine Route Winemakers Lunch Like the sound of a lazy Sunday lunch in the Winelands, with great food, fine wine and warm company at Hartenberg Estate on 26 August? The first languid Bottelary Hills Winemakers Lunch offers a bistro-style winter wine and dine affair, infused with wooded white wines and bold reds, so it is only fitting that Hartenberg Estate, widely regarded as one of South Africa's finest Shiraz producers, plays host on this indulgent day. After a relaxed wine tasting, seasoned chef Christophe Dehosse of Joostenberg Bistro will whet appetites with a four-course feast in Hartenberg's underground cellar. Each of his dishes will be paired with a matching wine from the area. The inaugural Bottelary Hills Winemakers Lunch at Hartenberg starts at 11:00 and costs R250pp for a wine tasting and four-course meal inclusive of a glass of wine per course. Pre bookings are essential as seating is limited. To book your seats contact 021- 886 8275 or send an email to marketing@wineroute.co.za.

Taste Wines from Around the World Satisfy your inquisitive palate as you taste your way around the world at Durbanville Hills Wines on 30 August and discover how Sauvignon Blancs and Merlots from some of the finest wine-producing regions differ in style.

Led by red-wine maker Wilhelm Coetzee, the wines of Durbanville Hills will be included amongst the selection of Sauvignon Blancs from Chile, France and New Zealand, and Merlots from California, Australia and France.

The difference in production methods, style and taste profile between these wines will be discussed, offering insight into the factors that determine the character of wines made from the same cultivar in different parts of the world.

The tasting will be followed by dinner consisting of a lamb and apricot tagine served with spiced couscous and stir-fry vegetables. The evening ends with coffee or tea served with biscotti. The event starts at 18:30 and the cost is R210pp, which includes the dinner. Booking is essential as space is limited. For reservations contact Simone Brown on 021-558 1300 or by sending an email to sibrown@durbanvillehills.co.za.

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Wine Concepts will host their 10 exclusive Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon Festival at The Vineyard Hotel and Spa on 31 August from 17:00 to 21:00. Treat your taste buds to a tantalising selection of just two varieties! This popular annual festival gives wine lovers the opportunity to taste recently released Sauvignon Blancs and current Cabernet Sauvignons. For those who prefer to savour older vintages, there will be a range of these bewitching wines on offer as well. Delicious hot and cold finger food will be served with the wine throughout the evening. All the showcased wines on the evening will be available for purchase at special prices from Wine Concepts on the evening. Tickets cost R130pp and includes tasting of all wines on show, souvenir wine glass and light snacks. Tickets can be purchased at www.webtickets.co.za or at any of the Wine Concepts branches, telephone Newlands at 021671 9030 or Kloof Street at 021-426 4401 to book. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.

For more information contact corlien@wineconcepts.co.za or visit www.wineconcepts.co.za.

Franschhoek Uncorked Say goodbye to the grey moods of winter and celebrate the start of spring by heading off to the picturesque Franschhoek Wine Valley over the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of September for the annual Franschhoek Uncorked festival. Be sure not to miss some of the live entertainment on offer as you plan your voyage of discovery of the region's superb wines and delectable culinary treats. With most of the Franschhoek wineries participating in this fun festival, there promises to be something for everyone, which includes cellar and vineyard tours, barrel tastings, food and wine pairings, art exhibitions as well as a fresh food market, to name but a few. Music fans can expect to be kept entertained with a variety of live shows, whilst car enthusiasts will be thrilled with a rare exhibition of 端ber-luxury cars, which include the ultimate marques of Aston Martin, Porsche, Maserati and Ferrari. To assure you of an unforgettable experience, visitors to the festival will be issued with an Uncorked Armband, at a cost of R100 per person. Available from 1 August, directly from participating wineries, or through the Franschhoek Wine Valley offices, the armband includes a tasting glass and free wine tasting at these wineries for the duration of the weekend. For more information contact the Franschhoek Wine Valley office on 021-876 2861 or visit www.franschhoekuncorked.co.za.

2012 Big Bottle Festival More than thirty five of South Africa's most prestigious wine producers will be digging deep into their cellars to source their biggest bottles for the second annual Big Bottle Festival at the Cellars- Hohenort Hotel on Friday 24th and th Saturday 25 August 2012. Large format bottlings are usually only done in very small numbers (if ever) for special occasions or vinotheques. The Big Bottle Festival will celebrate larger wine bottles, the excitement and ceremony of opening them and the wonder at the ageability of wines bottled in these different, glamorous and often very rare formats. From Magnums to Methuselah and Salmanazars to Nebuchadnezzars, the large bottles range from 1.5 litre up to a 15 litre bottle and guests can sample a generous amount of some of the best wines internationally and locally. Friday's Big Bottle Festival will feature comparative Champagne tasting of large format Blanc de Blanc vs. Blanc de Noir some legendary vintages and from smaller most exclusive houses. The second event, a five course fine dining evening

by Peter Tempelhoff of The Greenhouse, will see thirteen internationally sought after and collectible wines, all in the larger format, paired

with the five most suited dishes. Saturday's afternoon walk-around tasting will host guests through a maze of tasting rooms set up in both the Cellars and Hohenort Hotel buildings. Here top Chefs Luke Dale-Roberts (Test Kitchen), Roland Gorgosilich (Bosman's), Peter Tempelhoff (The Collection McGrath), Rudi Liebenberg (The Mount Nelson), Scot Kirton (La Colombe) and Reuben Riffel (Reuben's) will create delectable dishes for guests to savour as they move through these themed rooms tasting the wines of the various producers from large formats. In addition to generous pourings, an auction for rare collectible wines will be held on both the Friday and on Saturday during the walk around tasting by the Pebbles project, a charity organisation which enriches the lives of children from disadvantaged backgrounds with special educational needs, especially those whose lives are affected by alcohol. Limited tickets to this year's event can be purchased directly from www.webtickets.co.za. Ticket prices vary for the different events and start at R400pp. For further media queries, information or images; go to www.bigbottle.co.za or contact Claire Lockey from Fine Wine Events on info@finewineevents.co.za

GET OUT Fine Wines Celebration

Fyndraai's winter Sunday buffet

Wine aficionados will have the opportunity to sip and savour these and other premium awardwinning wines at the inaugural Fine Wines Celebration at The Lanzerac Hotel and Spa, Stellenbosch, over the weekend of 15th and 16th September from 12:00 to 17:00. An ultra modern marquee will be the focal point of the festival as visitors have the opportunity to browse the wines on display at leisure. Mingle with the winemakers from the area, who will be on hand to answer your questions and share their knowledge of winemaking. Participating wineries include Rust en Vrede, Warwick Wine Estate, Tokara and Neil Ellis, to name but a few. Two formal themed tutored tastings will be presented each day, ideally suited to the more serious wine enthusiasts. Seating for the tastings is limited to 20 people per tasting, and cost R50 per person.

The tastings will take place at 10:30 daily.

An entrance fee of R250 per person allows you access to the marquee and includes a booklet of tasting coupons. Tickets for both the marquee and formal tastings can be booked directly through www.webtickets.co.za, but hurry as tickets are limited.

The wonderful ,windless, crisp, sunny days that we have so often during our mid-year quiet time, is the perfect opportunity to head out into the Winelands and enjoy some of the winter specials on offer. Throughout winter on Sundays, Fyndraai restaurant at Solms-Delta offers a wonderful 'real Cape family buffet' – a lavish spread of traditional Cape cuisine. Choose from a large, mouthwatering selection, such as Wild herb marinated vegetable and goat's cheese wraps and Cape Malay saucy meatballs with rotis, sesame seeds, sambals and assortment of dips.

Or a Rich Malaysian chicken curry served with toasted garlic basmati and fennel flavours and Lamb shank tomato bredie. Round off the meal with a selection of traditional desserts. And of course all this pairs perfectly with the celebrated Solms-Delta's wines, so head out into the country and make the most of our 'secret season'. Price R185pp Children under 12yrs: R75 Bookings: restaurant@solms-delta.co.za or 021-874 3937 Ext 115.

Spring has sprung at the Laborie Lazy Days Market Bid the grey gloomy days of winter farewell and celebrate the start of spring by heading off to the Laborie Lazy Days' Market, for their fun filled spring-inspired market on Saturday, 1 September (9am to 2pm). Celebrating the start of spring as well as National Arbour Week visitors to the market will have the opportunity to plant a tree or two at Laborie, and in doing so help sustain the environment. Members of the local Lions Club will be at the market to assist with the tree planting and support this worthy initiative. As an added attraction, visitors will be the first to taste the Laborie Lazy Days wine range which will be launched at this market. The range consists of a Rosé, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, and will be released just in time to enjoy during our picture perfect summer days. Chef Matthew Gordon, resident chef at Harvest, the restaurant at Laborie, will be treating food enthusiasts to a complimentary cooking demonstration on the day, as he shows you how to cook with flowers. A truly unique experience! For more information contact 021807 3390, visit our website www.laboriewines.co.za or email info@laboriewines.co.za.

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A Gorgeous glimpse into Graham Beck's bubblies Pore over premium bubblies and contemplate sumptuous canapés at educational complimentary winter tasting events at Gorgeous

by Graham Beck, the über-chic bubbly bar located on Steenberg estate. Graham Beck Robertson Cellar Master Pieter 'Bubbles' Ferreira will present the tastings on alternate Wednesdays using themes that demonstrate the craft involved in creating the perfect bubble. Executive Chef Garth Almazan of Catharina's restaurant will showcase the points that Pieter makes with special canapés that complement the featured sparkling wines: all offered gratis for those who drop by Gorgeous between 6pm and 8.30pm on the following dates: Wednesday 8 August - From Zero to Hero A sneak peek at the sublime and savoury sansdosage Brut Zero Wednesday 22 August - Redefining the bubble A pre-release glimpse at the flagship Méthode Cap Classique, Graham Beck Cuvée Clive.

Wednesday 5 September - Size does matter!

The effect of magnum, standard and half-bottle packaging on a sparkling wine.

The events are offered strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. For further information email info@gorgeousbygrahambeck.com.

The

Wine Show

Jo’burg The Johannesburg MCC & Champagne Celebration Now in its third year, the annual Johannesburg Cap Classique & Champagne Celebration, once again promises to be the highlight on the social calendar of bubbly lovers in Gauteng. Be sure not to miss this sparkling event, which will take place over the weekend of 18 and 19 August (12:00 to 17:00 daily) at the Country Club Johannesburg in Auckland Park. Boasting some of the country's top Cap Classiques from wineries such as Backsberg, Colmant, Graham Beck Wines, Krone, La Motte, Môreson, Pierre Jourdan, Simonsig, Steenberg, Topiary Wines and Villiera, patrons will have the opportunity to sip and sample the finest of bubblies withough having to venture into the Winelands.

World renowned Champagnes will be represented by brands such as Billecart Salmon, Tribaut and Veuve Clicquot. Adding to this premiere experience, visitors will be able to buy wines at exceptional prices, affording visitors the perfect opportunity to stock up for the festive season. A R250pp entrance fee allows you access to the event. You'll also receive a complimentary tasting glass and booklet of tasting coupons. Additional tasting coupons will be available for purchase. Tickets can be purchased through www.webtickets.co.za, but hurry as tickets are limited.

Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase Experience exceptional wines with a creative edge and great diversity of styles at the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase in Sandton on Thursday, 30 August when members of the Guild present the wines that will go under the hammer at this year's auction. You will also have the opportunity to bid on rare signed bottles from previous Guild Auctions during the Silent Auction in aid of the Nedbank CWG Development Trust. Founded in 1999, the Development Trust assists with education, training and empowerment of young people from wine farming communities and includes the Guild's Protégé Programme, a mentorship scheme for young, upcoming winemakers. The event takes place at The Atrium, Nedbank, 135 Rivonia Road from 18:00-21:00 and tickets cost R170pp from www.webtickets.co.za.

Cellar Rats Spring Wine Festival More than 110 wine producers will present in excess of 600 wines for your enjoyment.

Situated on the banks of the picturesque Magalies River, the Old Mill is just 30 minutes from Jo'burg's Northern suburbs. This promises to be a great outdoor festival with refreshments and food on sale, supervised children's entertainment, music by Dusty Moon and so much more. Advance tickets are available from Computicket for R99 or R110 at the door and designated drivers get free entry.

For more information visit www.winefestival.co.za email festival@cellarrats.co.za or call 082 571 2753.

Seductive Sauvignon Festival Wine Concepts will host their exclusive Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon Festival at The Protea Fire & Ice in Melrose Arch on 13 September from 17:00 to 21:00.

Treat your taste buds to a tantalising selection of just two varieties! This popular annual festival gives wine lovers the opportunity to taste recently released Sauvignon Blancs and current Cabernet Sauvignons. For those who prefer to savour older vintages, there will be a range of these bewitching wines on offer as well. Delicious hot and cold finger food will be served with the wine throughout the evening.

All the showcased wines on the evening will be available for purchase at special prices from Wine Concepts on the evening. Tickets cost R130pp and includes tasting of all wines on show, souvenir wine glass and light snacks.

Tickets can be purchased at www.webtickets.co.za. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. For more information contact corlien@wineconcepts.co.za or visit www.wineconcepts.co.za.

TO ANNOUNCE YOUR WINE RELATED EVENTS HERE, PLEASE CONTACT US WITH THE DETAILS AT: info@wine-extra.co.za

WINE LAID BARE

Nice rack!

Capetonians Jason Elphick and Letitia De Jongh got into the swing of the Wine Laid Bare competition this year by shooting what most of us at Wine Extra HQ think looks like the world's biggest wine rack!

Whilst at a quick glance the image appears to have 5 ladies posing, the composite image actually only features model Letitia. Photographer Jason cleverly posed her in different pipes, holding wine bottles differently in each pipe. We think the result is a “wine rack” any connoisseur would be proud of.

Jason says “I've been taking photos as a novice for years, but only recently discovered the art of photography” adding “I had the concept in my mind for ages, all it took was the right model, weather and time”. So no pressure then! He adds “I have always tried to push boundaries with my shoots. Rules are for people who follow”.

Model Letitia was very much at ease shooting for Wine Laid Bare. “I've done a number of nude

shoots before, I'm very experienced. I'd done a nude shoot with Jason previously, and both times I felt very relaxed and comfortable”. Reflecting on the concept of the shoot she added “When he approached me to enter with him I immediately said yes. I knew it was something different and unique compared to the other entries.”

We're glad they made the effort.

Wine Laid Bare is an annual photographic contest organised by The Wine Show and Wine Extra magazine. It is held to raise money for breast cancer charities via entry fees and sales of the resultant “Wine Laid Bare Calendar”. A full gallery of all the 2012 entries can be viewed at: h t t p : / / w w w . w i n e extra.co.za/htm/wlb_2012_entries.html .

To support this worthy cause by purchasing a calendar (covering 2013) email Samantha@wineshow.co.za . Calendars cost R100 each, and this includes postage and packaging. All proceeds are donated via Cansa.

The

Page 35 - August 2012

Wine Show

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