Wine Extra June 2012

WineExtra ISSUE 7 VOL 3 - JUNE 2012

Taste Team

HOME DELIVERY Get Serviced

Top of the Pops

WIN WITH ALLUVIA Hatters Gone Mad, a Showy Cook and Primitiv Delights

Marc Lottering My Favourite Delights: People Watching and Wine

INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION

Official S.A. Media Partner

CONTENTS 2012

J U N E

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

13. Exclusive Interview with Marc Lottering

9. Door to Door Wine

4 9 13 17 18

Living the Life

19

We’ve Been Drinking

23

Taste Team

24

Get Out

29

19. Hatters Gone Mad, a Showy Cook and Primitiv Delights

24. Taste Team Top Of The Pops

ISSUE 7 VOL 3 - JUNE 2012

WineExtra Published by: TWS Media CC 102 Dorp Street, Stellenbosch 7600, Republic of South Africa Tel: +27 21 888 8800 Fax: +27 21 888 8818 Web: wine-extra.co.za , wineshow.co.za Editor: Maryna Strachan / maryna@wine-extra.co.za Design & Production: Rob Taylor Graphic Design / rob@robtaylordesign.co.za

Web Services: Tracey Van Niekerk / tracey@mutsami.co.za Advertising Sales: Vanessa Adendorff / vanessa@wineshow.co.za Advertising Sales Manager: Jolene Diffenthal / jolene@wineshow.co.za Publishing Director: John Woodward / jw@pullthecork.co.za

Letter from the Editor Images: Mark Freeborough

Brrrrrr… Winter has definitely arrived here in the Cape. This past month has been another busy one for me with the normal Wine Extra goodies, but I've just returned from Port Elizabeth for the third annual Wine Show at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium's World of Windows and what an amazing weekend! I always enjoy this show so much as the people of PE really appreciate the wines and really lap up all that The Wine Show has to offer.

I've also moved into my new house and it was great unpacking my wines again. I came across a few gems that have been hidden away and I feel like I'm having a mid-year Christmas. It's a bit like putting on a jacket or coat after the summer season and finding a R100 note hidden away in the pocket or that favourite lipgloss that you thought you'd lost.

Subscribe online at www.wine-extra.co.za Official S.A. Media Partner: INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION The publishers regret they cannot accept liability for errors or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader's particular circumstances. The ownership of all trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts not exceeding 100 words in total from any one issue to be used for the purpose of fair review.

The

Wine Show JO’BURG - PE - DURBAN

www.wineshow.co.za

TWS media cc

This month I had the opportunity to chat to the hilariously funny Marc Lottering who shares with us what he thinks about wine in a way that only a comic of his stature can and the Special Report feature highlights the various ways in which you can buy wine for home delivery.

Sadly we say farewell to our Jo'burg based Taste Team in this issue. In this last review they will be highlighting their favourite wines from the recent Wine Show in Jo'burg as well as their all-time favourites and there are some real cracking wines amongst this selection.

I'd like to say a special word of thanks for the team – Pieter, Ellen, Robyn, Noluthando and Etienne. We've absolutely loved some of your rather interesting, imaginative and often brutally honest descriptions of the wines you've been sent.

Of course, there's so much more in this issue of Wine Extra, so I think I'll leave it at that and let you get on with reading all about it.

Saluté, Follow us @WineExtra

TABLE TALK SEASONS

FRANCE 2012 & 2013

SOUTH AFRICA

France and South Africa celebrate culture, creativity & innovation

A multifaceted bilateral collaboration between France and South Africa, concluded last year by the heads of states of France and South Africa, moves into high gear this winter as the first French Season in South Africa kicks off.

The French Season in South Africa will open formally in July and continue into November. It will be followed by a South African Season in France between May and December 2013.

“We are proud to be the first country in subSaharan Africa to participate in such a wideranging collaboration with France. The reciprocal national Seasons, which will be jointly organised by our countries, concentrate on culture and the arts but they also include sport, trade and novel approaches in the fields of education, the sciences and business,” said South African Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile.

Laurent Clavel, French Commissioner-General for the Seasons, said: “The French Season will offer South Africans a glimpse of the cultural scene in modern day France, which is contemporary and dynamic, and embraces the diversity of our society.

In the areas of science, education and trade we will focus on areas of mutual interest and once again bring some of our most innovative work to the fore.”

Saving the Whino Please help Chicks4Change and Painted Wolf Wines contribute towards their goal of raising R350,000 for rhino conservation.

Five generous wine making friends have collaborated with Painted Wolf Wines to help raise money for Project Rhino by donating a portion of their margin from sales of a wonderful and eclectic selection of wines. These are all absolutely top quality wines and are very hard to find. They

Mr Clavel said that similar Seasons with other countries, including India, Brazil, China, Russia, Japan and many others, had increased understanding between France and these nations.

Bongani Tembe, South African CommissionerGeneral for the Seasons, said that more than 70 projects, exhibitions, concerts, performances, colloquiums and interactive sessions were being planned across South Africa during the six- month French Season.

“France and South Africa sit in different hemispheres, yet they have much in common: cultural diversity, innovative economies, excellent universities, strong sporting traditions, scientific and technological expertise. The French Season in South Africa 2012 will explore these common interests in a variety of different ways, and in doing so, and will strengthen ties between our two countries.”

In other instances, the French Season will enable South Africans to experience French exhibitions and performances that might never have made their way to South Africa otherwise. The first meeting of the France - South Africa Bilateral Committee on Innovation will also form part of the French Season.

represent a spread of wine styles and cultivars.

There are wines from a number of wine producing areas including Elim, Walker Bay, Paarl, Stellenbosch and the Swartland. A number of the wines are the boutique projects of some of South Africa’s top wine makers. The selection of 12 bottles would normally cost R1,235, but is being sold for R980 plus shipping.

Each box includes wines from Trizanne Signature wines, Adam Mason's Private Wine Project, Anthony de Jager (Fairview), Hughes Family Wines (Nativo), Gavin Patterson (Sumaridge) and, of course, Jeremy Borg's Painted Wolf wines.

Painted Wolf Wines will make a donation of R175 per case sold towards Project

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TABLE TALK Rhino. There are 200 cases available. If we sell them all they will contribute R35,000- 10% of the goal set out by Chicks4Change. This a delicious way to make a contribution towards helping save South Africa's Rhino population.

To Purchase a Variety Whino box please contact Shane Hodges of Chicks4Change on info@chicks4change.co.za or 079 316 7338 or Jeremy Borg of Painted Wolf Wines on 021-863 2492.

SA's Oupa of Red Wines is 80 The wine believed to be South Africa's oldest red th blend celebrates its 80 birthday this year. Chateau Libertas was launched in 1932, by an American medical doctor, adventurer and former Texas Ranger, who had gone into winemaking when he moved to Stellenbosch. Not a year has gone by since in which the wine has not been made.

Chateau, as it is affectionately called, occupies such an entrenched position in the history of so many South African wine lovers that it has assumed an almost iconic status.

The origins of Chateau Libertas are as straightforward as the wine itself. Dr William Charles Winshaw wanted a wine to enjoy with food. It was considered good for the digestion and part of a healthy lifestyle. The problem was there wasn't much choice on the local market in the years between the two World Wars and most of what was available was sweet and fortified. That prompted him to create for South Africans a tasty, lightly wooded dry red blend.

Whether it aided his own digestion or impacted on his health is hard to say, but he worked till the age of 92 and died when he was 96.

Born in 1871, Winshaw was a runaway from Kentucky, USA, who left home at 12 and at 22 became a Texas Ranger. That was before he went on to study medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans. When he graduated, he settled in New Mexico and met a man buying mules on behalf of Page 5 - June 2012

the British fighting in the Anglo Boer War and took the job of accompanying the 4,000 animals on their journey to Cape Town.

He loved South Africa and made the country his home. After practising medicine for some years, he turned his hand to winemaking, experimenting in his kitchen. He started a new business, buying the Stellenbosch farm Oude Libertas and establishing Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery (SFW) in 1925. This venture proved highly enduring and was the birthplace of many South African wines that are still household names to countless South Africans today.

Originally conceived as an elegant Cabernet Sauvignon-based, wood-matured blend, Chateau Libertas is still made with the same objectives. However, these days it has more of a ripe berry fruit profile to suit contemporary tastes.

Those who have been involved in making the blend will attest that there has never been a fixed recipe. The overriding criterion has always been to remain loyal to the original intention of the wine: to please with an approachable, wellbalanced and layered combination of fruit and wood and the structure to age. The current blend still features Cabernet Sauvignon but also Shiraz, Merlot, Ruby Cabernet and even Petit Verdot.

Says Jackie Olivier, marketing spokesperson for the brand: “Everybody loves its open-hearted burst of juicy ripe fruit backed by a touch of wood.

Smooth and delicious, it makes a great match with so many foods.�

The wine is sold nationally and retails for around R34 a bottle.

TABLE TALK

1774 French Wine Sells for R406k A bottle of French wine dating back to 1774 fetched 46,000 Swiss francs (R405,340.59) at auction in Geneva recently.

An anonymous internet buyer purchased the “Vin Jaune” which hails from Arbois in the eastern Jura region. Sellers Christie's said the wine had been stored for generations in a vaulted underground cellar by the Vercel family.

The purchase price, which included the buyer's premium, met the estimated price tag of between 40,000 and 50,000 Swiss francs.

Christie's said a bottle from the same batch was tasted by wine experts in 1994 who deemed the vintage, with notes of cinnamon, curry and vanilla, “excellent.”

“Nicknamed 'the wine of kings and the king of wines,' this extraordinary bottle is probably the oldest unfortified example of what is to be still an astonishing wine and another true rarity for wine lovers and connoisseurs,” said the auction house ahead of the sale.

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SPECIAL REPORT

Door to Door Wine W

ine clubs have been around for many years, so are by no means a new concept, however more recently there have been a handful of variations on the theme in which companies and wine estates alike have

taken the original concept and adapted it to suit the ever-changing demands of the modern day wine consumer. In this article we highlight a handful of these different options that are available today.

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The private wine merchant: The most 'personal' of all of the options, wine merchants have personalized databases with clients assigned to individual sales people. They'll have records of the wines you were previously sent, follow up on which ones you enjoyed and recommend new wines according to your likes and thus also avoid the type of wines you definitely don't enjoy.

Effectively you get sold wine over the phone and you will know exactly which wines are sent to you and can choose the overall cost of the wines as well, depending on what you order. There is no monthly fee involved and no obligation to purchase, however they will phone you with a pretty strong pitch every month. Lisa Harris, Sales Manager from Frogitt & Vonkel private wine merchants says, “Our sales team receives indepth training on all of the wines on our books and can tap into each customer's personal preferences by asking a few basic questions about their wine likes and dislikes.�

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

SPECIAL REPORT The lucky packet wine club: These wine clubs can be a lot of fun. For a set amount you get sent a selection of wines each month. Although you have no actual control over which wines you get sent, many members of such clubs enjoy the fact that they often get sent wines that they wouldn't usually have bought and find the odd gems along the way that they really enjoy. “Sometimes I'll get a bottle that I really don't enjoy, but I suppose everyone's taste is different and you can't always please everyone”, says wine club member Johnathan du Toit.

Two examples of these clubs are the Wine Club and Wine of the Month club. “Club selection wines are all chosen in blind tastings by an independent panel of wine judges, and have to meet very strict quality standards. We are committed to help wine-lovers grow their wine knowledge and increase their enjoyment of wine by finding the right wine to suit their tastes” says Gis Collard from Wine of the Month Club.

Buying wine online As with most things these days, wine can also be purchased online. There are several portals where you can browse through a selection of wines and pick and choose which wines you'd like to buy and have delivered. In most cases, you will need to buy a case of a particular wine at a time, thus meaning that wines can't be split up to make a mixed selection, so unless you're sure that you'll like that particular wine, you might be stuck with a case of wine that's not to your taste. On the flipside, you can probably give the wines away to friends as gifts…

Leslie Maliepaard from WineWeb highlights that this option ensures “hassle free shopping from the comfort of your home” and adds “With a few clicks of the computer mouse, fast home-delivery... and voila, your wine arrives at its final resting place - your home cellar.” This option is truly on the grow as buyers are increasingly turning their attention to epurchasing.

Wine estate clubs Many estates have launched their very own wine clubs. Some send you a case of wine each month and others do it quarterly. For a set fee you get sent a selection of wines that are exclusively from that particular estate.

There are a few estates who are doing this very well and for the estateloyal wine drinkers amongst us, this is a perfect solution to ensuring you have your favourite wines delivered to your door each month without running out. That is great if you're a particularly brand-loyal person or have the kind of budget that allows you to buy other wines in addition to this each month, but otherwise, the only times you'll be getting something 'different' is when there's a new vintage release.

For Corlea Fourie from Bosman Family Wines it's about giving their wine club members VIP treatment and priority access to their estate, which is otherwise only open to visitors by appointment, adding “The wines are conveniently delivered and it also gives members access to wines which are not available in trade. I have had a few calls from members planning special meals wanting food and wine pairing advice and a club like ours is intimate enough for that! Our wine club has become a cherished part of our business and the members are indeed our greatest brand ambassadors.”

For the consumer it's all about options, what works best for you, no matter what your budget, your tastes and your preferences. What's best about this is that the options are out there compared to not so long ago and the choice is indeed yours.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Marc Lottering Loves funny people…

Images: Mark Freeborough

C

apetonian through-and-through, comedian Marc Lottering loves funny people… and wine… “Life would be very boring without funny people, but the funniest ones are those who don't know just how funny they are.”

People-watching while sitting outside a café and enjoying a bottle of wine is one of his favourite pastimes. He gets a lot of inspiration from seeing people interact with each other, the way they walk, the way they talk and even watching couples having arguments.

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What, in your opinion, makes someone funny?

Usually I find people funny who are totally unaware of the fact that they're funny. I'm always fascinated by the fact that we're not supposed to laugh when someone falls in the middle of the street, but I love seeing this and it makes me laugh, especially when they get up, turn around and look at the ground behind them as if to say “where did you just come from?” or in a restaurant when someone breaks a glass, then everyone is holier than though and stares at this person who dared to disturb the peace. Little moments like that, which colour my life on a daily basis.

What are you working on now?

My next standup show starts at the Monte Casino in Jo'burg soon, entitled “I don't work on Sundays” and soon thereafter I'll be taking the show on tour throughout the country.

What would your first choice be when offered a glass of wine?

My first choice is always white, because I tend to find that it makes other people really interesting after a few sips. I tolerate a lot and you can tell when I've had a bit when I start to smile a lot and play with my hair. For me, white wine makes the world look good and I'd also enjoy red wine if I'm with certain people or to enjoy with food.

When did your interest in wine begin? th

I think it was on my 10 birthday – I remember that year very well! Only joking. Actually, I was a late bloomer for many things. My parents were very religious and my father was a pastor, so we didn't really have alcohol in the house. [En wat van nagmaalwyn? – Ed] Even nagmaalwyn was grape juice for us, but at least now I know why yóu went to church! The truth is that I must have had my first drink around the age of 27, which is when I moved into central Cape Town. I'd started hanging out with journalists and worldly people who taught me how to have opinions and that pretty much always happened around alcohol and wine in particular.

Following on from that, I only ever did my first show when I was 30 – post wine. We learn to live.

[Laughter…] Then of course comes the learning of lessons and particularly that drinking and working don't go together and that I certainly learnt the hard way, but it's a process everyone has to go through. Now, at the age of 44, I'm at a place where I set aside time when I'm going to enjoy wine, but I enjoy making even the simplest occasion a little more festive with a bottle of white wine or bubbly.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW If you were invited to an impromptu gettogether and had to quickly stop at the supermarket to buy a bottle of wine, what would you pick from the shelves?

To be safe, I always quickly grab a red wine. I usually trust a good Shiraz, but what I always tend to do is to ask the people attending to the wine section and ask them which wine they'd recommend that will make me look good to my hosts. So, when you arrive with your bottle of expensive wine, you flash it in front of all the poor people and impress your hosts. I actually did this just the other day. My rule is that if you're going to other people and are invited as a guest to their party, get advice when you go into the store if you don't know what to pick. In effect, it's your gift to the hosts and in most cases, the wine probably won't be opened while you're there, but perhaps a week after the party, to have them open a bottle of crappy cheap wine and realize that you were the one to give it to them will leave a rather unsavoury taste in their mouth too. [Great advice – Ed]. It's never “just a braai” and it's never “just a wedding”, coz people skinner (gossip) for months later!

Do you ever visit the winelands?

I actually don't. The first time I did, I was studying at UCT and someone organized a trip. At the time I was quite uneducated about the whole thing and nobody told me that you had to spit out, so I actually remember very little about the wine tour.

However, growing up in Cape Town, for some reason it always takes a visitor who is not from here to highlight just how beautiful the winelands are. I certainly want to make more of an effort to visit more farms.

Which farms that you have visited, do you particularly enjoy?

Simonsig is always a favourite and for some reason we always end up at Spier too.

Have you ever done anything REALLY silly and stupid after having too much wine?

If my friends read this question, they're just going to crack up laughing, because they know what the answer is going to be! The hard lesson was that the one night I had to park my car in front of my house after perhaps having a bit too much wine… In the process, however, I wrote off three of my neighbors' cars, because they actually left too small a gap for me! I actually wrote a show the next month called “Crash”. I paid the price for that and learnt my lesson dearly as I was suspended from driving for a year and nowadays I have a driver. Luckily for me, nobody was hurt or killed, but a lesson learned.

Actually, when the cops arrived, I was so grateful as I thought they were coming to sort out the parking problem, however, it turned out that I was the parking problem.

The other really stupid things that I still do to this

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day, is to keep my phone on when I've had a few too many. Somehow I never learn, but when I look at the numbers that I dialed the day after the night before, I spend the next week waiting anxiously to find out what I'd actually said to all the people I'd called at the time. To some I'd have been a bit overly honest, telling them exactly what I think of them or in other instances I'd sms the exact person I'm skinnering about. Just switch the phone off!

Have you got a wine collection?

Apparently I do, however it's more of a stash I keep behind the Yellow Pages. People have tried to get me to start, but I don't feel I have the right apartment for it at this stage. I think a wine collection should look sexy and have a special area.

Have you got any favourite wines?

I love Shiraz and Merlot, but I recently fell madly in love with the Iona Sauvignon Blanc and I think it's the kind of wine that makes you feel cool while you're drinking it without making you feel common the next day.

If a winemaker were to approach you to make a wine named after you, what will this wine be made of?

It would be a bubbly. Bubbly is always just so festive and makes everyone happy. I like the superficial things around bubbly as well and love the whole kiss-kiss, hug-hug thing and the smalltalk surrounding meeting people and that is what bubbly is all about for me. Otherwise it would have to be a white wine. Definitely unwooded.

Something that would make the drinker feel like the bee's knees after just two sips, because I think the world can do with a whole lot more people walking around with a great self-esteem.

Marc and Maryna were drinking the Fairview La Capra Sauvignon Blanc and his thoughts on the wine was: “It's absolutely festive. Delicious and the ideal wine for sharing with good friends at good times.�

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 hats featured on the labels of the Bovlei Mad Hatters' range.

2.Which is your preferred method of purchasing wine, I.e. At the shop, online, private wine merchant, wine club?

Competition closes on 30 June 2012 The winner will be announced on the Facebook group before the July issue of Wine Extra gets published.

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

Richard Carstens

NOW YOU’RE COOKING

Even though his cooking career started as a Commis chef at The President Hotel in Sea Point, it was mentor Ralph van Pletzen who truly ignited his passion for food. After a few more positions as Executive Chef at restaurants in Franschhoek and Kwazulu-Natal, Richard returned to the Cape, finally joining his current cooking 'home' at Tokara Restaurant in October 2010, but not before scooping a whole host of Eat Out Awards along the way.

Baked Alaska of Rainbow Trout Ingredients: 4 x 80g Rainbow trout fillets 1 Peeled orange 1 Peeled grapefruit ¼ Peeled, grated cucumber 4tbs Soya sauce 4tsp Mirin 1tsp Pickled ginger Sugar (to taste) 2tbs Oil 40g Egg whites 70g Castor sugar 3 Egg yolks 50g Smoked salmon 200ml Cream 20g Glucose 2g Leaf gelatin

Method: Remove the pith and finely dice the orange and grapefruit.

Whisk together the soya, mirin, ginger and oil. Add sugar to taste. To prepare the meringue, beat together the egg whites with 60g of the castor sugar until stiff. For the smoked salmon ice cream, beat the egg yolks, remaining 10g castor sugar and glucose until pale yellow. Infuse the cream with the smoke salmon and blend together. Strain the cream mix over the yolk mix and add the gelatin to dissolve. Churn this together in an ice-cream machine. Briefly pan-sear the trout fillets and cover them with meringue mix. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 2-3 minutes. Spoon ginger and soya emulsion into the center of the dish. Place the trout and meringue on top and top this off with the citrus salsa, cucumber, salmon ice-cream and garnish with caviar.

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Pair with this wine...

Raats Original Chenin Blanc 2011 www.raats.co.za RRP: R 88

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LIVIN’ THE LIFE!

When Mad Hatters meet with Showcook and Jorgensens Distillery

By MARYNA STRACHAN

ttending fabulous launches and dinners is one of the perks of being the Editor of a Wine magazine, although my dress size is the part that takes most strain… So it was that I was invited to another of these super lunch launches recently and I simply had to report back on it.

A

A brief welcome by Showcook.com Editor, Annette Kesler along with a brief history of the Dock House, how it came to be and its original purpose was shared before Roger Jorgensen, owner of Jorgensen's Distillery chatted a little about what they do to make their spirits so unique.

I arrived at the beautifully appointed Dock House boutique hotel, situated at the V&A Waterfront and was greeted with a 'passport' booklet and a glass of the Bovlei Brut bubbly which was topped by a fabulous amuse bouche of smoked salmon soft serve. With this, the tone was set for a day of vinous and culinary travel.

“Primitiv vodka is not just another vodka; it's authentic, sophisticated and lovingly handcrafted from organic spelt grown in the high Cedarberg”, comments Jorgensen before we all sipped away at a shot of neat Primitiv vodka. It is at this stage that I feel I need to add it was around 12:30, The

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which some may say is reasonable – for wine, however I must admit, I can't remember drinking neat spirits at that time of day for ages. I felt quite juvenile actually!

From here, our journey continued into the Queen Victoria hotel next door where we were led into the beautifully appointed Presidential suite for more delicious wines and delectable canapĂŠs.

The quiche Lorraine was paired with the 2010 release of the Mad Hatters' Carignan2010, the Mad Hatters' Roussanne Grenache Blanc 2011 went beautifully with the Crayfish Medallions whilst the Melon and Parma ham bruschetta complemented the Mad Hatters' Sangiovese 2010 to a tee. Finally, the Tiger Prawn with

mango salsa finished off this journey of taste, paired with the mad Hatters' MourvĂŠdre 2010 and a short speech from Newmark Hotels MD, Neil Markowitz about both the tourist industry in South Africa, how his hotel group fits in and why they are so successful in an otherwise struggling market.

Before I move on, I'd like to briefly stop to share a little bit more about the Mad Hatters' range from Bovlei. Since its launch, I've been a huge fan.

These wines are extremely well priced at under R40 and the name 'Mad Hatters' refers to the images printed on the labels. Each of the six bottles features a different hat, which relates directly to the country of origin of the grape

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LIVIN’ THE LIFE!

varietal used to make the wine. Therefore the Carignan has a black beret and hails from France, the Sangiovese shows a straw boater hat, which is synonymous with the boaters or gondoliers of Venice and the flamenco hat on the label of the Mourvédre, symbolizes the heartbeat of Spain. The wines are unique, different and rather tasty too and a range which I personally highly recommend.

A hop-skip-and-jump downstairs to Dash, the restaurant of the Queen Victoria Hotel saw the third leg of our journey for the day kick off with a superb green asparagus cream with quail eggs alongside the Mad Hatters' Roussanne Grenache Blanc followed by the most fantabulous Limoncello sorbet made from Jorgensen's Distillery Limoncello – this was absolutely to die for. The main course of grilled tournedos of beef with boulangére potato, spinach puree and king oyster mushrooms was successfully paired with both the Mad Hatters' Malbec 2010 as well as the Mad Hatters' Barbera 2010 with preferences for both pairings very much divided by personal taste.

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Maryna with Dawn Jorgensen of Jorgensen's Distillery

To completely finish off our culinary, wine and 'spiritual' journey a dessert of blood orange panna cotta with almond Florentine was served alongside one of my favourites, the Jorgensen's Distillery Savingnac. For me, all of the products from the Jorgensen's range of spirits are out of this world. You can actually taste the love and passion that goes into making each product and it's no surprise that they often sell out shortly after producing a new batch.

Besides their Limoncello, there's also other unique liquers, such as the Bay Leaf liquer and, of course, I simply must mention the Field of Dreams Absinthe, which at 68% alcohol volume is not for sissies, but so unique. They also produce

a sipping Gin, which is ideally enjoyed on its own.

The distillery is located in the heart of Wellington and Roger and Dawn are always keen to invite visitors into their historic home to sample their range of spirits.

The day was truly enjoyable with both the sublime canapĂŠ's and the main meal prepared by Executive Chef, Craig Paterson who really outdid himself. Thanks to Showcook.com for the highly memorable event, which they organized.

Everything ran so smoothly and a touch of class accompanied every single element of the day. All this reminds me just how lucky I am to be Livin' the Life.

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WE’VE BEEN DRINKING...

Vergenoegd Runner Duck Red

V

ergenoegd was a new-comer to The Wine Show in both Jo'burg and PE this year. Those familiar with the Cape winelands will know the farm as the first-call if you arrive from Cape Town on the N2. It is an historic farm, set in beautiful grounds and sporting an outstanding restaurant in the form of Michael Israel's Pomegranate. It's in for a good chance of being a wine label of choice to many a movie-star, too, being conveniently placed across the road from the impressive Cape Town film studios.

harvested and vinified separately, with the blend only coming together at the final stage and based on rigorous assessment and tasting of individual barrels. This is serious, “soft and juicy” red wine and frankly just plain yummy.

The farm has an array of topnotch wines, often with slightly older vintages on offer. What really took our eye and quickly established itself as a tipple of choice for this month is their lower cost range “Runner Duck” and especially the red.

It's a curious (certainly for SA) b l e n d o f e x o t i c To u r i g a Naçional, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. The three varietals are all

What: Where: Cost: Web:

It's super smooth and fruity and delivers an explosion of fresh cherry and raspberry with a subtle hint of pepper. Absolutely perfect winter wine and at just R50 a bottle it is most certainly accessible for any occasion.

Named in honour of the ducks that are resident on the farm and perform the vital task of eating the snails out of the vineyards.

What made us smile, however, is having honoured these hard working ducks on the label, the tasting notes on the website go on to recommend pairing the wine with beef or poultry – especially duck! Maybe it's just us?

Vergenoegd Runner Duck Red

Wine Concepts, Norman Goodfellows and Prestons R 50 per bottle www.vergenoegd.co.za

The Page 23 - June 2012

Wine Show

Top of the Pops This is the final set of reviews from our Jo'burg based Taste Team as we've decided to start a new team that is 'winelands-based'. For their final task, we asked team members to pick their favourite wine from all of the wines showcased at the recent Wine Show in Jo'burg and then to also highlight their all-time favourite wine from previous TT

TASTE TEAM gatherings. Wine Extra would like to thank the team (some of whom have been on the panel since the start of the magazine) for their time, effort and mostly for sharing their absolute love of wine with all of us. And what better way to say goodbye than with this phenomenal selection of wines…

All-time Favourite

Journey's End Haystack Chardonnay 2011

Radford Dale Freedom Pinot Noir 2008

RRP: R65

RRP: R225

Stockists: Ultra Liquors, TOPS at Spar and Wine Dynamics

Stockists: Frogitt & Vonkel

www.journeysend.co.za

www.thewineryofgoodhope.co.za

I like all wine styles and varieties, so it's about as difficult to pick a favourite as it is for South African motorists to keep left and pass right. So I picked a jolly good swig at a great price from one of South Africa's top-notch Chardonnay producers. Their Haystack entry-level offering is a real over-achiever at below R60. The proper wooding is only just evident with a sweet sawdust impression on the nose, followed by properly clear and bright fruit, with some peach, biscuits and yeastiness. At 13.5% alcohol, the wine is not heavy, but juicy and fresh, with a striking purity of fruit. Authentic and moreish – what a drinker!

Beautiful memories of Creation Semillon 2010, Laibach The Ladybird 2009, Howard Booysen Riesling 2010, Vrede en Lust Boet Erasmus 2007 and many more are swirling through my mind as I think back and it's impossible to choose just one favourite. Well, almost.I've decided to go with the best Pinot Noir that I've had with the TT. This got my mojo working better than Muddy Waters'. The nose starts with wood-smoke, changes into cherries, youngberries and nougat and then finally, with more time in the glass, into poetry. It carries over to a palate that shows typical bright acid and mesmerizing balance, hinting at excellent ageing potential. But here we also enter into that holy grail of Pinot: an awesome, silky, creamy texture that makes you want to keep it in your mouth and, at the same time, gobble up the whole bottle. It's not cheap, but tasting it should emphatically shatter all defences.

Favourite wine at the Wine Show Jo’burg and favourite wine from previous TT gatherings

Wine Show Favourite

Pieter says...

Click on each team member’s picture to read more about them.

The

Wine Show

TASTE TEAM

Top of the Pops All-time Favourite

Oak Valley Elgin Chardonnay 2010

Thelema Chardonnay 2010

RRP: R169

RRP: R100

Stockists: Liquor City, Solly Kramer and Bootleggers

Stockists: Ultra Liquors, Makro and Pick 'n Pay

www.oak-valley.co.za

www.thelema.co.za

The nose of this wine is very complex with citrus and tropical flavours. The pale colour had me a bit worried at first but upon taking a sip I was in heaven. It's slightly dry and not the typical buttery style of Chardonnay, but still a pleasant wine nonetheless. Pleasant is a bit of an understatement actually, as this was my favourite wine atThe Wine ShowJo'burg – will definitely be purchasing this. It makes for light drinking and is perfect for these autumn afternoons - with or without food. Oak Valley is definitely onto a winner with this delicious Chardonnay.

I am a big fan of Chardonnay (I'm a big fan of wine!) and this is my all-time favourite. It's smooth and goes down really well. I absolutely love the sheer creaminess of it; brings to mind the butterscotch sweets of my childhood. As rich as it is, it's not over-powering at all, and really is quite silky and luxurious. The buttery scents take me to my special place at once and on the palate – well, as I've already said, it's a sheer delight.

This is one wine I recommend to all lovers of white wine and particularly to all fans of Chardonnay. Love! Also, it goes extremely well with a nice relaxed bubble-bath. Who needs champers?

Favourite wine at the Wine Show Jo’burg and favourite wine from previous TT gatherings

Wine Show Favourite

Noluthando

says...

Click on each team member’s picture to read more about them.

The Page 25 - June 2012

Wine Show

Top of the Pops

TASTE TEAM

All-time Favourite

Howard Booysen Pegasus Cinsault 2011

Hermanuspietersfontein Swaartskaap

RRP: R57

RRP: R175

Stockists: Makro, Ultra Liquors and Wine Dynamics

Stockists: Liquor City, Ultra Liquors and Makro

www.howardbooysenwines.com

www.hpf1855.co.za

I'm very pleased that so many are starting to champion the use of lesser-known varieties – especially into single variety wines. This wine would be a must-buy, even discounting it's own merits, for only for the ability to taste the shyer parent (Hermitage) of our own beloved Pinotage. However, this wine is that and something special all of it's own. Made in a slightly lighter style than most SA reds, it's a wash of fresh, ripe plum, with hints of bitter chocolate and pepper. Surprisingly generous, but still playful in its youth, this is excellent to drink now and will also evolve well over a few years. Finally, with a really reasonable price tag, you'd be robbing yourself if you didn't pick up a bottle or more of this piece of wine history that goes down very well.

I've always been a strange child, the “weirdo”, the odd one out in the friendship group (although I can't claim that in my family – we're all weird there), so I guess I've always been drawn towards the unusual and so it was that Cabernet Franc captured my heart. This specific 'black sheep' is one of the finer examples of what a truly great, single variety, local Cab Franc can be. It tastes amazing; rich, complex, warm, dusty and just the right dash of fruit and spice; but my favourite vintage so far – the '08 – also has the nose required to make a great wine exceptional. Jalapenos. Just thinking about their smell makes me salivate and the best bit about this marvelous Cab Franc is that when everything is perfect, is smells just like gently smoky jalapenos to me (and tastes like it a little too). Sounds weird, but for me it's just right.

Favourite wine at the Wine Show Jo’burg and favourite wine from previous TT gatherings

Wine Show Favourite

Robyn says...

Click on each team member’s picture to read more about them.

continue The

Wine Show

Page 26 - June 2012

TASTE TEAM

Top of the Pops All-time Favourite

Laborie Jean Taillefert Shiraz 2010

Zorgvliet Cabernet Franc 2007

RRP: R190

RRP: R110

Stockists: Bootleggers and KWV Emporium

Stockists: TOPS at Spar, Big Time Liquors and Roots

www.laboriewines.co.za

www.zorgvliet.com

As first meetings go, the introduction to this wine was something quite unusual. Not the simple “how do you do” I'm used to when browsing the local liquor store's selection or browsing through the exhibitors' tables. Being invited to a tasting of some very well known names while at the show already created the possibility that I might dress up anything I tasted just a bit in any reviews I wrote after with, well, wine tinted glasses. To be fair to the wine, I also had a friend visiting from overseas taste it very informally and was relieved that his summation was the same as mine. Talking up this wine can't be helped, and with the Taillefert, it really shouldn't. It gives everything it promises and then a little more. This is a juicy wine that has stand-out blackcurrant and plummy fruit. These are built upon by some peppery dark chocolate, hints of vanilla and a slight dark toastiness. This wine is so smooth it talked more than a few people into taking it home without so much as a hint of regret from either side.

It took some time before I could actually admit that the Zorgvliet Cabernet Franc was more than just a passing fancy and actually my all time favourite wine. All things considered, and that includes price, this 'saucy' Cabernet Franc has something airy about it. It is delicate, yet sophisticated and with that in mind one isn't surprised to find not the deep inky blackness I'm usually so fond of, but a rather more inviting colour that says: “drink me, don't drown in me”.

Clear spice and cinnamon aromas transition gracefully into dark fruit, mostly plum and cherry to finish on a very earthy note. Given time, it will mature beautifully. I'll never have that amount of patience knowing there is a bottle of this in the house and, knowing where buy it, I don't think I'll ever have the problem of running out of them.

Favourite wine at the Wine Show Jo’burg and favourite wine from previous TT gatherings

Wine Show Favourite

Etienne says...

Click on each team member’s picture to read more about them.

The Page 27 - June 2012

Wine Show

Top of the Pops

TASTE TEAM

All-time Favourite

Howard Booysen Riesling

Ataraxia Chardonnay

RRP: R135

RRP: R190

Stockists: Makro, Ultra Liquors and Wine Dynamics

Stockists: Ultra Liquors, TOPS at Spar and Liquor City

www.howardbooysenwines.com

www.ataraxiawines.co.za

In the case of the 2012 Wine Show, the first stand I visited, if not literally the first wine I tasted, stands out in my memory even after two days spent at the show. Howard Booysen is one of a new breed of winemaker – his family hasn't been farming since Jan van Riebeek settled in the Cape and you won't come across his tasting room as you drive around Stellenbosch. But his way with Riesling puts him firmly in the big leagues of South African winemakers.

It seemed like a nice way to kick off the show.

But I had clearly forgotten just how good it is.

Opulent and complex, the wine tastes older than it is, suggesting that the lovely petrol-like nose of old German or Alsace Riesling will develop over time. The wine is off-dry but beautifully acidic with flavours of lime and honey and richly aromatic on the nose, with floral notes. It is made in a European style yet somehow manages to reflect all that is good in South African winemaking.

In truth, it is impossible to choose only one wine as my favourite. One per varietal I could do, or if really pushed, one red and one white, but to single out one from my pantheon of favourite wines seems almost cruel and unjust. Whoever I choose, I'm going to feel guilty for not choosing another. But one wine that has consistently impressed me during my four years in South Africa is Kevin Grant's Ataraxia Chardonnay.

The first time I tasted it I was reminded of a Meursault, and I have since discovered that a Burgundian style is what the winemaker is after.

The wine is creamy with peach and nutty flavours and a core of minerality. The wood is well integrated and an elemental part of the quality of the wine, never obvious or intrusive. I am an unashamed Chardonnay fan, but that makes me more rather than less selective. South Africa has some great Chardonnays so choosing one was not an easy task.

Overall, we are very fortunate in this country to have such a range of superb wines available to us at generally affordable prices.

Favourite wine at the Wine Show Jo’burg and favourite wine from previous TT gatherings

Wine Show Favourite

Ellen says...

Click on each team member’s picture to read more about them.

The

Wine Show

Page 28 - June 2012

GET OUT

Cape Town

Following on the success of last year's event, visitors to Franschhoek can once again look forward to another interactive Cook Franschhoek, which takes place over the weekend of 15, 16 and 17 June.Joinsome of the Valley's highly acclaimed chefs and winemakers as they present hands on demonstration kitchens. Master the art of bread making, sushi or truffles, or simply appreciate the art of pairing food and wine. Participating restaurants include, amongst others, CotageFromage, Liam Tomlin Food at Leopard's Leap Vineyards, Le Quartier Françias, Bread and Wine at Môreson and Ryan's Kitchen.With the focus on exclusivity, each demonstration will range from 8 to 30 people, and costs will differ by establishment. Tickets can be purchased directly from www.webtickets.co.za.

For more information on Cook Franschhoek, accommodation and retail offerings, as well as the Food & Wine Route visit www.franschhoek.org.za or contact the Franschhoek Wine Valley offices on 021-876 2861.

Barrel Tasting 101 with Mont Rochelle On Friday 15 June the evening will provide an in-depth experiential wine journey with gourmet fare to match. A special stay-over package at Mont Rochelle's luxury boutique hotel on the property is available to those looking for the ideal kick-start to a weekend in the winelands. At R600 per person per night, including a full English breakfast and attendance at the Barrel Tasting, this is simply a must-do, offering a night of luxury to round off a perfect evening. Winemaker Darran Stone, armed with wine thief in hand, will lead a tasting of a selection of wines straight from the barrel. Joslin Hawker, the Country Kitchen's Head Chef, will dish up delectable canapé platters, paired specifically with each barrel, highlighting the specific characteristics of each wine with his culinary creations. The event will be presented from 18:00 until 20:00 in Mont Rochelle's cellar door restaurant, the Country Kitchen, at a cost of R150 per person, including the tasting and canapés.

Page 29 - June 2012

Clos Malverne gourmet dinner Join us for an incredible evening of world class cuisine, award winning wine and a relaxing ambience on the 15th of June 2012. The food will be prepared by our executive chef Nadia LouwSmith and the wines to be paired with the dishes by winemaker Suzanne Coetzee for R268 per person. Please note that we have limited our gourmet evenings down to only 75 guests per evening as we want to keep them intimate and more personal with excellent service. Booking is essential on 021-8652022 or email us at info@closmalverne.co.za.

Tantalise Dad's Taste Buds at Durbanville Hills Wines

Fathers' Day at the Laborie Lazy Days Market Running out of ideas on what to do for your dad this Father's Day weekend? Head out to the popular Laborie Lazy Days Market on Saturday, 16 June (between 9:00 and 14:00) where dads will be treated to a spectacular vintage car exhibition, as well as a selection of international and local beers. Open to the public every Saturday the laid back market offers visitors a wide selection of fresh produce and lifestyle goods. These include freshly baked breads, coffee, cheese, olives, honey and charcuterie. From mouth-watering food stalls to arts and craft exhibitors, the market caters to young and old. An exciting new addition to the farm's many offerings is the Cecil Skotnes art exhibition, featuring 30 works by this highly acclaimed South African artist, which has been partnered with the Laborie Limited Collection wines. For more information contact 021-807 3390, visit our website www.laboriewines.co.za or email info@laboriewines.co.za.

As the saying goes, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and dads are no exception. Make this Father's Day (17 June) a memorable occasion and gather family and friends for a feast fit for a king at The Eatery.

Ease into a buffet-lunch with a delicious glass of Durbanville Hills Bastion on arrival, matched with a biltong and blue cheese soup or tomato, olive and basil tart. For the main course choose from hearty garlic and rosemary leg of lamb, short ribs braised in red wine and chicken roasted with red onions and thyme. Side dishes include creamy spinach and feta potato bake, Spanish wild rice and roasted seasonal vegetables. End the afternoon on a sinful note by indulging in brandy tart or crème brûlée.

The lunch costs only R169 per person and includes a glass of the 2010 Durbanville Hills Bastion on arrival and a gift for dad. Kids under 12 pay R89 for lunch and more Durbanville Hills wines will be available for purchase.

Booking is essential and can be made by phoning 021-558 1337 or sending an email to info@dheatery.co.za.

Gourmet Dinner with Kitchen Angel Wine Concepts will once again be hosting their wine pairing dinner at Cape Angel Guesthouse st on Thursday the 21 of June from 19:00. Lynn Angel will prepare a four-course dinner and Mike and Corlien of Wine Concepts will pair each course with wines from selected wineries.

Cap Classique wine will be served on arrival and the event is limited to 20 guests. Booking is essential and the cost is R400 per person. For more details and bookings please call Corlien Morris on 021-671 9030 or email corlien@wineconcepts.co.za.

Page 30 - June 2012

GET OUT

Franschhoek Mystery Weekend

Rich man, poor man pairing at Durbanville Hills Surprise your senses by matching Durbanville Hills' wines with food that speak of both simplicity and sophistication. Join white-wine maker Gunther Kellerman for a 'Rich Man Poor Man' wine pairing at The Eatery at Durbanville Hills Wines on Thursday, June 21 at 18:30.Food and wine pairings generally focus on the sumptuous, but when a tight budget calls for something less extravagant, combining it with a glass of your favourite wine can make it a lot more palatable. With Gunther's insights, discover the secrets of superior wine pairing when matching the wines of Durbanville Hills with convenience foods such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and good old pepper steak pie. After the wine and food pairing, dinner follows in The Eatery at Durbanville Hills with a choice of either its famous chicken pie or an ostrich burger. Durbanville Hills' wines will be on sale during the evening. Cost is R175pp and space is very limited. Booking is essential.

Please contact Simone Brown on 021-558 1300 or e-mail sibrown@durbanvillehills.co.za.

Page 31 - June 2012

Due to popular demand and the sell out success of the inaugural weekend, visitors to the breathtakingly beautiful Franschhoek Wine Valley can look forward to a few more Mystery Weekends.The memorable weekend of 22 and 23 June promises to add a dash of intrigue and spice to your life. For a mere R1,850 per couple, for the weekend, you'll be able to experience the finest Franschhoek offerings in this 'once-in-a-blue-moon' opportunity.Representatives at the Franschhoek Wine Valley offices will randomly select a range of fabulous Franschhoek experiences and create your unique couple Mystery Weekend Package. This means that you have no idea where you're staying, where you're eating or what other experiences are in store for you. A truly unique adventure!

Every Franschhoek Mystery Weekend Package includes the following: · Two nights of accommodation (for two people sharing) at one of Franschhoek's superb four or five star hotels, B&B's or guesthouses; · A lunch or dinner experience (for two); · Two breakfasts (for two); · Two tickets to The Screening Room at Le Quartier Français; · A voucher (per couple) to use at one of the participating retail outlets located in and around Franschhoek; · A wine tasting (per couple) at one of the award-winning participating Franschhoek wine farms; · One other surprise Franschhoek experience (per couple).

For bookings or queries please contact Carmen on021-876 2861 or emailoffice@franschhoek.org.za.

Bouchard Finlayson tutored tasting A vertical tasting of our famous Hannibal wines will be sampled alongside some delectable Italian nibbles at Il Leone on Wednesday, the 20th of June at 18:00. This is one of those tastings that cannot to be missed by the wineenthusiast as knowledge is shared and this blend explored as it ages with appealing composure! After the tasting, you are welcome to stay for dinner at the restaurant on your own account. Please notify the restaurant of this reservation in advance.RSVP for the tasting by emailing info@bouchardfinlayson.co.za or on 028-312 3515.

The Winter Wine Festival at High Street Shopping Village The 8th of its kind takes place from Thursday, 21 June to Saturday, 23 June and offers visitors a selection of wines to taste and buy, hand-made food items and fresh produce, two food courts, live music and free access to the wine theatre presented by The Cape Wine Academy. Nearly 40 wineries and 30 food stalls make this the place to be during the cold winter months.

Although predominantly red wines, ports, brandies and dessert wines are presented for tasting in keeping with the theme, many wineries include bubblies and selected white wines. On-site sales are encouraged and storage areas are offered from where purchases can easily be transferred to the parking areas.

Ticket prices are R80pp when bought online and R90pp at the door. Pensioners' and group tickets (10+) cost R70pp. Tickets are available at www.ticketbreak.co.za or at the door. Round Table Durbanville are the beneficiaries. For more information visit www.winterwinefestival.co.za

Nederburg 2012 Concert Series Performances by leading local and international musicians will once again be celebrated at the annual Nederburg Concert Series. Two national music competition winners will share the stage on June 24. Avigail Bushakevitz, the 2010 Unisa National String Competition winner will be joined by a previous SABC Music Prize winner, John Theodore, in a programme of virtuoso music for violin and piano. Avigail, who currently studies the violin at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, will perform violin sonatas by Bartok, Richard Strauss and Schubert. All classical recitals are hosted in the Nederburg Manor House and take place on Sundays at 17:00. Tickets are R170 per person and include drinks on arrival and during interval, as well as delicious light supper snacks served with fine Nederburg wines after the concert.Bookings can be made by emailing concerts@distell.co.za or ialbers@distell.co.za or by calling 021-809-8345 or 021-809 8106.

Winter in Morocco at CuvÊe Presenting a Moroccan themed 'Round the World’ food and music evening paired with Simonsig's flagship wines on the 30th of June at 19:00. R350 per person dinner starts off with Harira (traditional soup), followed by pan-fried line fish or baked lamb shanks and finish off with cardamom enhanced chocolate pods. To book, please email wine@simonsig.co.za or call 021-888 4900.

Page 32 - June 2012

GET OUT

Jo’burg East Rand Wine Club

Fairview food & wine evenings The Goatshed restaurant at Fairview Wine Farm and the neighbouring Spice Route Restaurant, in Paarl, are adding some warmth to the chilly season this August, with their Shiraz & Shanks night on Friday, 10 August.

This dinner is a lavish 4-course affair for R235 per person, which includes wine and tea/coffee. For bookings or more information, call The Goatshed on 021-863 3609 or visit www.thegoatshed.co.za or call Spice Route Restaurant on 021-863 5222 or visit www.spiceroute.co.za.

Discover hidden gems the first Wednesday of every month at our function venue at 6th Avenue in Edenvale. Each month 6 new wines will be tasted followed by a two-course dinner and canapĂŠs on arrival.

The next event will be on Wednesday, 1 August 2012 and starts at 18:30. The cost is R180 per person. For more information and to book, call Nicci on 011-453 9975 or email her on nicci@fivestarwines.co.za.

MCC Bubbly Day On Saturday, 23 June from 11:00 to 15:00 Tickets are R150 per person, which includes the tasting of 4 premium South African MCC bubblies, entrance, sweet &savoury snacks throughout the day. Glasses of bubbly can be ordered at R20 per glass. Cupcake Columbia will have a selection of exotic cakes and cupcakes for sale as well as the delicious treats being made to eat on the day. Various other hand-crafted items will be on sales. For more information and to book, call Nicci on 011-453 9975 or email her on nicci@fivestarwines.co.za.

Knysna Knysna Oyster Festival

Christmas in July Enjoy an early merry dinner of 6 festive courses each carefully paired with a delicious wine (beer, cider & soft drinks also served) on Saturday, the 28th of July from 17:00 to 21:00.

Dinner is R380 per person, which includes all food, beverage & service fees. · On arrival: Festive Canapés · Soup: Zucchini & Orange Soup · Starter: Mini Duck & Cherry Pie · Sorbet: Campari Cheer · Main Course: Moroccan Roast Lamb with Potato Croquettes & Vegetables · Dessert: Baked Cherry & Almond Pudding with Dark Rum Custard · Coffee/ Tea with Spiced Biscotti & Dark Chocolate Truffles For more information and to book, call Nicci on 011-453 9975 or email her on nicci@fivestarwines.co.za.

On 9 and 10 July the event will be showcasing up to 50 of South Africa's best wine producers and promises to be bigger and better than any of the previous events to date. The wines will all be available for tasting and purchasing at special event prices. Interact with the acclaimed wine producers and learn about current trends in the industry. Now in its 7th year, has also updated its location to be right in the heart of Knysna. This year it will be hosted in the official Nedbank Pavillion, at the Pick n Pay Festival Grounds, Waterfront Drive.

Patrons will receive their tasting glasses and a wine guide and get to mingle with South Africa's wine makers in a sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere. Tickets cost R100pp and event runs from 17:30–21:00. Email info@knysnawinefestival.co.za for more information.

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

NEXT MONTH IN WINE-EXTRA Michelle McLean - Exclusive Interview

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