Wine Extra - November 2011

FO RM AT NE W

ISSUE 11 VOL 3 - NOVEMBER 2011

Kickin’ it with KANU

Class by the glass

Nothing ‘cheesy’ about Fairview

WIN!

AERATOR RI WINE A VINTU F O LE ESS OTT D BARON AND A B THSCHIL O R Y & A T N R RUPE ARDON 2008 CH NADINE

Carla Antoni

RATO R L WINE AE

ES SE NT IA

The “Plaas-japie” with a penchant for Petrus

ISSUE 11 VOL 3 - NOVEMBER 2011

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Letter from the Editor Images: Mark Freeborough

What a month it's been! Thanks to all of you who sent encouraging emails congratulating us on the first new-look issue of Wine Extra. It has been a labour of love and a truly thrilling experience. We still see it as a teenager with a lot of development still to come as we listen to your feedback and give you what you want.

This month our Taste Team welcomes a new member into the fold in the shape of Zukiso. They tasted wines from the Kanu range and give their impartial feedback on a winery that is bound to go places.

Our special report is based on the potential of having top-quality wines served by the glass in our restaurants and thus ending the stigma behind only the cheaper house-wines being sold in this way.

I took a trip to visit the goats at Fairview and had a fabulous experience on one of South Africa's oldest and most trend-setting wineries.

Our cover model and exclusive interviewee is none other than the gorgeous Carla Antoni who kindly invited us into her stunning Fresnaye home to chat about her love for Petrus, falling over and her stunning range of gifts.

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

As usual, there's a great new recipe you can try out, a fabulous competition and so much more in the sexy new Wine Extra. Be sure to share us with your friends and like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

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

Happy wining,

CONTENTS 2 0 1 1

NOVEMBER

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

7 10 12 15 16

Living the Life The Musings of Polly Fumé Taste Team Get Out Wine Laid Bare

17 20 21 27 33

17. Nothing ‘cheesy’ about FAIRVIEW

12 Exclusive Interview with Carla Antoni

WIN!

AERATOR RI WINE A VINTU F O OTTLE RONESS AND A B CHILD BA S H T O R Y RUPERT & RDONNA 008 CHA 2 E IN D NA

RATOR L WINE AE

ES SE NT IA

10. Class by the Glass

21. TASTE TEAM - Kickin’ it with KANU

TABLE TALK Shipwreck Champagne fetches 'record' price A 200-year-old bottle of Champagne recovered from a Baltic shipwreck has fetched a record price at auction. The bottle, identified as Veuve Clicquot, was part of a cache of 168 bottles found last summer in a wrecked schooner dating from 1825-30 in Finland's Åland archipelago.

It was sold to an anonymous bidder from Singapore for €30,000 (£26,700) by New York auction house Acker Merrall and Condit last Friday in Mariehamn, the capital of the autonomous Åland archipelago between Finland and Sweden, near where the bottles were found.

Acker said the same buyer paid €24,000 for another bottle of Champagne from the cache, from the now defunct Juglar house.

Finnish Champagne expert Essi Avellan MW, editor of FINE Champagne magazine, who tasted some of the bottles when they were opened last November, said she was astonished by their freshness.

'Both the wines were very much alive and remarkably fresh. As expected they were sweet in style, with a surprisingly bright,

golden colour and honeyed, toasty and farmyardy aromatics. The Juglar was more harmonious and complete, while Veuve Clicquot's aroma was overwhelmingly pungent and smoky, but the palate retained a freshness and immense concentration.'

While the auction house claims the price paid for the Veuve Clicquot is a record, this has not been independently confirmed. Acker has claimed previous records for rare Champagne: in March 2009 it sold a bottle of 1928 Krug in Hong Kong for HK$164,560 (€15,900), and in 2008 two bottles of Dom Perignon Rosé 1959 were sold for £43,000, or about €27,600 each.

According to the BBC, the Åland authorities want to turn the Champagne auction into an annual event to boost tourism. (Story courtesy of www.Decanter.com)

One Glass of Wine = 149 Grapes We love wine trivia, and we wondered how many grapes it takes to make a bottle of wine. First, we ran across this factoid: about 630 grapes go into making a typical 750ml bottle. The statistic comes from Terry Armentor of Heck Estates, owner of Valley of the Moon winery, Kenwood Vineyard, Lake Sonoma Winery and Korbel. Another calculation from Eno Wines estimates that the number of grapes used to make a bottle is in the 440-660 range.

149 Grapes in Your Glass - If we stick with the 630 number, it means each glass of wine takes 126 grapes to make, assuming you pour five glasses from a bottle.

That's about a 5-ounce pour. A more generous 6-ounce pour translates into 149 grapes.

2500 Grapes in a 3L Box - To put the numbers in terms of boxed wine, a standard 3-liter box would take just over 2500 grapes. Considering the compact size of a 3L box, that certainly seems like a lot of grapes. According to the Eno stats, that would be about 50 average “clusters,” or more than 11 pounds of grapes.

While certainly these numbers vary by the varietal, the winery, their techniques, and so on, they emphasize the amazing value offered by wines that are affordable but still enjoyable. There's a lot of fruit in that bottle! (Story courtesy of www.boxwines.org)

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Dom Joly pairs up with CIVB The Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB) has teamed up with comedian Dom Joly to produce a series of short, fun videos.

Trigger Happpy TV star Joly is known for his love of wine, food and travel and recently spent time in Bordeaux to learn more about wine production in the region.

As well as sampling wines from some of the region's thousands of châteaux, Joly also took the opportunity to visit some of the city's major attractions.

He took a course at the Ecole du Vin, Bordeaux's wine school, which he described as “the best school I have ever been to”.

He also watched the Marathon du Médoc – a “happy” marathon with runners this year dressed as animals running through the vineyards of the Médoc with the opportunity to refresh themselves with wines en-route.

Joly also took part in the Ouvre la Voix, an annual scream-off contest in the Entre Deux Mers, where contestants cycle along the disused railway, which is now a cycle path, and scream as loud as possible, with the loudest winning.

Joly said: “I spent three fantastic days in Bordeaux in September, I think, probably the most surprising thing for me, was the variety of affordable Bordeaux wines; red, white and rosé available.

“Like most people, I had an image of Bordeaux as being red, expensive and really only for wine connoisseurs, but in reality, there are a multitude of wines available for easy drinking with some amazing wines under £10. I would recommend a weekend in Bordeaux to anyone who loves food and wine.” A selection of videos charting his visit can now be viewed on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YH6tmaKObQ (Story courtesy of www.thedrinksbusiness.com)

How many errors can you spot on this label?

The odd spelling mistake might be forgiveable at times, however, how many errors can you see on this label?

Page 8 - November 2011

Bicycle Wine Rack If you like wine and you like biking, you're going to love this.

The handmade leather bicycle wine rack is perfect for taking wine with you on the go. It easily attaches to any 1� bike frame with antique brass fasteners, while the hidden clamps hold the bottle securely. The olive oiltreated vegetable-tanned leather will only look better as it ages.

Features: Unisex Fits a 1" bike frame Adjustable to fit different types of 3� bottles Hidden clamping system keeps clamp firmly in place Handmade in Montreal from oiltreated vegetable-tanned leather that will age beautifully Available for $29 from www.oopsmark.ca

SPECIAL REPORT

Class by the Glass W

e've all been there before, a really nice dinner with friends at a good restaurant.

Everyone is having a different dish and with that, everyone really wants a different kind of wine, which ends up in one person choosing a bottle of wine on behalf of everyone, because we all know that a bottle is cheaper than a glass. Or is it?

Not only that, but traditionally it is only the cheaper wines that are sold by the glass. This is mainly due to the fact that restaurant owners prefer not to open the more expensive wines and then not sell them fast enough before they go off.

This little issue is seemingly now being overcome by the introduction of wine dispensers that are popping up in bars and restaurants. The first of these was in the form of the WineSense system that is imported from Italy. Today there are a handful of these types of systems throughout South Africa including the latest, WineStation, and it's most certainly adding a whole new dimension to the overall dining experience, particularly in restaurants.

continue

As consumers are becoming more open to the idea of tasting new wines, these systems are also becoming increasingly more popular. Restaurant owners can not only offer a wider variety of wines by the glass to their more discerning clientele, but they will ultimately save as the systems are designed to ensure accurate measurements, whilst delivering fresh product. This, in turn, allows for the maximum revenue from each individual 750ml bottle.

For the client, they have the opportunity to sample tasters of each wine, a small or large glass, all calculated at the same cost of a bottle. So say the cost of a 750ml bottle would ordinarily be R200, then they can have a 150ml glass for R40, and so on. This also allows the diner to enjoy different wines in one sitting. Kinda cool, don't you think?

A recent installation of WineStation dispensers in Pretoria-based restaurant, De Kloof has had some very interesting results, according to WineStation Managing Director, Charl Whitlock, “The impact has been amazing. Many pundits thought that they would suffer without listing traditional Pretoria stock deliveries. Instead De Kloof has been selling large quantities of unusual, yet excellent wines, especially premium wines. Boekenhoutskloof Semillon, Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon and Cederberg Shiraz are all selling at more than R60 for a 215ml glass and selling very well.”

“Customers are loving the fact that the “house wine” no longer comes out of a box and instead offers a great selection of genuine, quality wines. We believe that the impact of more strict enforcement of drunk-driving laws are causing people to drink smaller quantities of better wines. Many people would rather order a glass of something good than a bottle of something mediocre.”

How do these dispensers work? Well, just as a sliced apple turns brown due to the effect of oxygen, a wine, once opened, will also begin to spoil. Wine dispensers preserve wine by covering the wine with an inert gas like Argon, allowing you to keep the wine in perfect condition for up to 60 days. In addition to near perfect preservation, the system also keeps your wine at the perfect temperature.

Finally, you can then set your system to dispense wine in 3 volumes, for example a small size for sampling, a small glass and a large glass.

Most diners merely buy what they know or simply make a decision based on price. However, once a customer has been offered a taster or three (paid for) they will almost inevitably order what they liked rather than what they know. These systems also Page 11 - November 2011

allow restaurant owners to offer suitable wine pairings with their menu – an easy way to offer your customers a premium experience.

For the wine fanatic considering one for their home, the WineStation is the ultimate gadget. Many people claim they always finish the bottle once opened. With a WineStation you can now open 4 bottles at any time and drink whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, or even pair your meals with a suitable wine any night of the week.

Furthermore, it makes for an excellent dinner party tool allowing your guests to choose their own wines from your perfectly chilled and preserved selection.

Being served good quality wines in restaurants is something that's coming to the forefront on many levels. Organisers of the Top 100 South African wines competition have recently launched a new competition where they judge and subsequently award restaurants on the basis of their wine lists based on two categories: Quality and Value. This further highlights the importance of wines. They are no longer merely a decision made on the side like ordering a glass of water, but rather part of the overall dining experience.

As with most of these things, it is up to us, the consumers, to indicate our desire to have a wider range of wines available by the glass. Next time you're in your favourite restaurant, be it gourmet or one where you take your kids to play in a play area, be sure to mention that you'd prefer a better option of wines by the glass. The reality is that of demand and supply and if we don't start demanding, we won't get supplied.

Where can readers go to try it out? The Wine Bar, Monte Casino, Joburg; Balthazar, V & A Waterfront; Winesense, Joburg & Cape Town and De Kloof, Pretoria.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

CARLA ANTONI The “Plaas-japie” with a penchant for Petrus Images: Mark Freeborough

T

he stunning Carla Antoni is one of Cape Town's well-known socialites who has recently started her own business, sourcing unusual and extraordinary gifts for the kinds of people we all know – the ones who already have everything. Carla is also married to arguably South Africa's top architect, Stefan Antoni, and the couple have two beautiful young children.

Where are you originally from?

I'm Afrikaans and was born and raised in Bloemfontein. A real plaas-japie (farm girl). My sister and I went to farm school. There were only 30 children in the school and in Std. 3, 4 and 5 we were in the same class despite me being a year and a half older than her. There were only 2 teachers at the school – the headmaster and his wife. It was a great upbringing and I feel quite privileged to have had that.

How does a Vrystaat-boeremeisie come to develop a love for wine?

That's VERY easy: Afrikaans people just seem to love their wine. I reckon it's something in our blood! [I agree! – Ed] Do you have a preference for red or white wine?

I definitely prefer red wine and hardly ever drink white. I think it might have something to do with the sugar content in white wine as I tend to get really sensitive teeth after drinking white wine. I also prefer the taste of red wine.

Do you have a favourite red wine?

Yes, I do. Diemersfontein Pinotage if I'm going for something more affordable, but on the opposite end of the scale, I absolutely love Petrus. I also really enjoy Hamilton-Russel's Pinot Noir. I tend to enjoy heavier red wines.

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Where do you particularly enjoy a good glass of red wine?

My ultimate place would be somewhere in the countryside, next to a log fire with some olives, snacks and a glass, no, a bottle of wine – definitely not just a glass!

If you had to compare yourself to a wine and have it labeled as the 'Carla Antoni', which would that be?

I would say, something sweet, but very easydrinking with some spiciness. By sweet I mean something with a chocolaty flavour rather than a wine that is particularly sweet to the taste.

What do you have in your wine collection?

That's a dangerous question because Stefan and I don't know enough to really have a serious collection, however we have a few older bottles of Meerlust. In our new house we're building a cellar with temperature controls in place so we'll start collecting more seriously then.

Have you got any particular wine-related experiences that stand out?

I must tell you about my 'Petrus experience'! We were in Mumbai at a friend's house. He has a whole collection of wines including a lot of Petrus, which you can only buy by invitation at auction. We drank bottle after bottle and the worst is that he himself doesn't drink. The good thing is that we managed to enjoy several bottles of the Petrus during our stay, because sadly, two weeks later his house burnt down along with his entire wine collection! In hindsight, we should've drunk more!

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Have you ever done anything REALLY silly after having a few glasses too many?

Well there's one VERY embarrassing time. I was still living in Bloemfontein and when you're really young and someone tells you that you're drunk, you'll go all-out to deny it and prove that, in fact, you're nothing more than a little bit tipsy. So, my friend told me to hop on one leg to the car. Very stubbornly I started hopping, only to fall face down onto the gravel road! Thank goodness I was too drunk to feel much, but there was blood everywhere. At the time I had this Italian boyfriend and when he saw me he pulled out his gun wanting to know who had done that to me as he was ready to take them on. So, I had to confess that it was in fact I who did it to myself.

That was definitely the worst experience I've ever had on a wine-filled night.

Are there any other stand-out moments that come to mind when you think of wine?

Stefan and I were once in this beautiful resort in the Maldives, Huvafen Fushi. The spa is under the sea, so you lie back and look up into the sea. We were treated like royalty and were invited to a superb private wine tasting in the hotel's cellar with several outstanding wines specially opened for us. After a while though, you could've given me a glass of Chateaux Libertas and I probably wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.

Tell us more about the Carla Antoni Collection.

It all started when we were looking for uniquely South African, yet sophisticated gifts for Stefan's international clients. That gave life to a dream of

mine. I've always loved wrapping special presents with a lot of love and attention to detail, which set the initial tone. Part of the fun of receiving a gift is in opening it up, untying bows and scrambling through pretty coloured tissue paper or opening a beautiful box to reveal your special surprise.

Every item has its own box with a story card on the artist or designer, their inspiration behind the item and their contact details. All of the items in the collection is proudly South African, yet many of the designers, artists and sculptors aren't well known, so it's a great way of showcasing them and telling the recipient a bit more about the person who has created their special gift.

Each gift that is purchased in turn gives a percentage of the proceeds to either the Lunchbox fund, feeding about 4,000 kids in Soweto and the Eastern Cape and the Rhino Security Project, which is part of the Endangered Wildlife Trust.

I've been very fortunate and blessed with the amount of exposure with this collection. It was launched earlier this year with Top Billing attending the event. It's certainly not been easy, but it's been very rewarding. I take a lot of pride in the business

and even wrap each gift personally as I believe it's such an important part of the entire gift. I'm quite a perfectionist, although not as bad as my husband!

You can see when something is done in a rush or as an after-thought as opposed to someone having done something with care and love, which is what I aim to do.

I'm currently working on an auction planned for February 2012 with all proceeds going to the Lunchbox Fund and the Rhino Security Project. It's going to be like nothing before and promises to be a stunning event. I believe it's important to give back to the less fortunate and I hope to be able to do this on a regular basis.

Whilst chatting, Carla and Maryna enjoyed a bottle of Hamilton-Russel Pinot Noir. This is what Carla had to say about the wine: “It's seductive, bordering on erotic, like silk gently unraveling over your tongue and seducing your taste-buds, capturing you in your own magical forest where you know that the forbidden experience is just so tempting!�

NOW YOU’RE COOKING Chef Jacob Snow Jacob Snow is Head Chef at Poplars Restaurant, where he has set himself and his team a goal of bringing Poplars back up to the high standard it once was – a top 100 SA restaurant.

Jacob has been in the industry for 8 years, which included a 1-year stint at a Michelin star hotel in England. A qualified pastry chef, he also enjoys creating dishes using gastro-molecular techniques. He might just be the South African Heston Blumenthal!

Honey & Soy Glazed Pork Belly Ingredients for 6 - 8 portions: • 1 Whole pork belly (more or less 2 kg) • 1 Bunch of celery • 4 Carrots • 4 Bay leaves, a few sprigs of thyme, a few peppercorns • 300ml Soya Sauce • 60ml Honey Method: Preheat oven to 160°C. Prepare a vegetable stock by bringing the celery, carrots and herbs to the boil in 2 litres of water. Boil for 20 minutes. Score the fat/skin layer, with a sharp knife, into diamond shapes. Do not cut too deep.

Put Pork belly into a large oven-proof dish and cover with stock (leave veggies in). Cover with lid or foil and put in oven for about 2½ - 3 hours until pork is tender. Remove from stock and place in a clean pan. Roast at 180°C for another 20-30 minutes, until the skin is crispy. Leave to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

Boil soya and honey together for about 10 minutes until syrupy. Drizzle with soya and honey sauce and serve.

Serving suggestion: Serve with sweet potato tarte tatin and Asian salad.

Experience Jacob's culinary treats at Poplars in the Durbanville winelands by visiting www.daria.co.za/restaurant.htm or phone 021-975 5736 to make a reservation.

I LOVE COOKING WITH WINE ...

SOMETIMES I EVEN PUT IT IN MY FOOD Page 15 -November 2011

WIN WITH WINEWEB & VINTURI ANSWER THE TWO EASY QUESTIONS AND STAND A CHANCE TO WIN A VINTURI WHITE WINE AERATOR AND A BOTTLE OF RUPERT & ROTHSCHILD BARONESS NADINE 2008 CHARDONNAY

I M N U I

N

ESSENTIAL WINE AERATOR wall of The Wine Show Jo’burg group.

IT E M

ANSWER THESE SIMPLE QUESTIONS: 1.To which two charities do profits from the Carla Antoni Collection go?

2.Name two of the images that appear on the new Fairview label.

Competition closes on 30 November 2011 The winner will be announced on the Facebook group before the December issue of Wine Extra gets published. Please read the competition rules on the facebook group before you enter.

E

Entries must be made on the

OVATIV

PR E M

VINTURI successfully combines elegant design with break through function the VINTURI wine aerator will elegantly add a breath of fresh air to your wine. Normally wine lovers would expose their wine to air for 30 minutes or More to get the same effect. VINTURI however instantly gives wine enhanced aromas, flavours, and a smoother finish.

Wine lovers can instantly enjoy their wine the way the wine maker intended. The result is a more authentic and better quality wine experience.

WineExtra

LIVIN’ THE LIFE!

Nothing ‘Cheesy’ about FAIRVIEW

By MARYNA STRACHAN Images: Mark Freeborough

F

airview Wine Estate is one of South Africa's oldest and best-known farms, not only for their wines, but for their fabulous cheeses. So, I decided to visit the place where goats roam and see for myself what all the fuss was about and boy, was I pleasantly surprised?!

Upon arrival I was escorted to their beautiful tasting room where I was met by Patrick, a man with a passion for wine that simply oozes from every pore. It's been a long time since I met someone who really impressed me so much with their love for what they do. (Tip of the

Page 17 - November 2011

day: If you ever visit Fairview, ask for Patrick).

The tasting was presented with a selection of cheeses from the Fairview range, including the Cream Cheese Chakalaka, which was paired with the Viognier 2010 and my favourite pairing of the lot, which was the Chevin with Black Pepper and Paprika paired with the Cabernet Sauvignon 2009.

The farm was originally bought in 1937 by Lithuanian immigrant, Charles Back I, who bequeathed it to one of his sons Cyril. Initially Cyril supplied wine to KWV, but went solo in 1974, also initiating the first wine auction to be held in the Cape. According to many, he was a visionary in his field, often having to tame his 'way-out'

The Goat tower, Patrick explains the Fairview wines, Older vintage Fairview wines

ideas in order to wait for the rest of the industry to understand and accept what he was doing, without being ridiculed.

In 1978 Cyril's son, Charles II, started to farm with his father and took control of the farm in 1995. He's become a pioneer in developing new, hithertounexplored viticultural sites across the Western Cape

and experimenting with lesser-known varieties. And he's expanded his late father Cyril's dairy goat herd, started in 1980, into a fully fledged cheesery producing international award-winning farm cheeses.

In December it is expected that the Fairview cheesery will be the first in the world to be certified Carbon Neutral. Did you know that even cow farts count as a carbon emission?!

One of the well-known brands hailing from Fairview is the Goats do Roam wine, which caused major upset by 'ze French', who actually took Charles II to court for 'imitating' the famous Côte du Rhone region. Back eventually won the case stating “I've got goats and they DO roam”. In a peaceful march to the French Embassy building in Cape Town, Back presented the French Ambassador wine, cheese and a packet of goat manure in an act of friendship – only the cheese and wine was accepted…

Recently, the distinctive label of the goat tower has been changed to feature a more symbolic image. On the left, a goat is seen to be standing with one of its feet on a wheel of cheese. The plant to the left of the crest is wheat, representing the fresh bread that is baked daily on the farm and to the right is a grape vine with a man representing the many farm workers who make up an integral part of the farm and success thereof. He is holding a bunch of grapes – the fruit of their labour.

Inside the crest are four areas, each with a symbol. The key, which unlocks knowledge. Upon closer inspection, the key has a 'B', representing the family name, Back.

The basket press, shows that there is no compromise in the winemaking process at Fairview. Traditional methods are implemented to ensure only the best wines are made. The scroll represents wisdom and the olive tree has deep-seated roots, like the family and the

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values.

Visiting Fairview is a true winelands experience. The staff are friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable – when complimented on his presentation, Patrick really made me chuckle by saying “I'm blushing, but you can't see it”. You can taste and purchase wines and cheeses and have a delectable meal in the Goatshed Restaurant whilst enjoying the stunning views and, of course, let's not forget the goats!

Under Charles Back II's sure guidance, Fairview has come full circle: from its days as one of the Cape's earliest wine farms developed by French Huguenot Steven Verwey at the turn of the 17th century, to its current position as one of South Africa's most successful, enduring, innovative wineries firmly ensconced in the 21st century. Keep your eyes open for future releases of lesser-known varietals such as Barbera, Tannat and Tempranillo – I got to taste some barrel samples and they promise to rock your tastebuds. This one is a definite for the 'Must Visit' list.

Page 19 - November 2011

From the Laptop of Polly Fumé Hi, I'm Polly and I fancy myself a little 'green'.

Really, I do. I recycle, I BYO shopping bags, I switch off lights when I leave rooms (sometimes to the surprise of people still in them). But this new plastic wine bottle thing? WTF? Low emissions, less carbon cost thingies, whatever! So not rocking my boat, and I'll tell you why.

Think about wine; it's boozy, it gets you warm and fuzzy, it makes you feel soooo good. A great bottle just makes you want to do naughty things to it (or to the winemaker, if he, hell, or she, happens to be half as delectable as what's in your glass). Wine makes you feel sexy, it is sexy!

So now onto the bottle – those smooth, firm curves, cool to the touch, begging for you to run your hands down its sides. You grasp it firmly, such a nice weight in the hand and gently insert the corkscrew, twisting… twisting slowly and then you *gasp* pull.

Climax!

Out comes the cork with that satisfying pop and you're ready to pour the luscious liquid into the glass and present it to someone soon-to-feel-special.

Opening wine is like foreplay, whether your payoff is what's inside or the person you're drinking it with.

Now someone explain to me, where is the 'va-vavoom' when your bottle of wine feels like a cheap cold-drink bottle and one of the selling points is that you can practically drop kick the f#*@er? I don't think so dahlings.

I'm with Consol, glass is good.

Follow me on Twitter @PollyFume

Consol

Kickin’ it with KANU

TASTE TEAM

This month, the Taste Team enjoy some wines from the Kanu range. Legend has it that the Kanu used to be a mythical bird of promise, its appearance in the African skies signalling the blessings of a bountiful harvest for all those who fell under its shadow. The wines of Kanu celebrate this traditional African legend.

We also want to welcome a new team member – Zukiso Makalima. He's sure to add a whole new dimension to the Taste Team and entertain you with his unique quips. Remember: You can read more about out Taste Team members by clicking on each member's photo in this section.

MEET THE TEAM Our “Taste Team” are 5 wine lovers drawn from the members of our Facebook group and were all visitors to the Show. They’ve been selected to taste and rate wines every month. Most have no formal wine training, but know what they like and want to tell you all about the goodies!

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

Ellen

Ettienne

Pieter

Robyn

Zukiso The

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Wine Show

READ THESE COMPARATIVE REVIEWS ON OUR SELECTED WINES

TASTE TEAM

Kickin’ it with KANU

KANU Sauvignon Blanc 2011

KANU Chardonnay (Unwooded) 2011

KANU Chenin Blanc (Unwooded) 2011

RRP: R60

RRP: R60

RRP: R40

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Quote: “I found it easy drinking, light and unpretentious...”

Quote: “The perfect vehicle to braise a rabbit in”

Quote: “ Serve it for lunch for goodness sakes, Comrades!”

A young, primary nose without too much complexity: some boiled sweets (think yellow & green Sparkles) and a touch of tropical fruit. The palate shows racy acidity, but the fruit stalls a bit on the aftertaste. Drink this while it's still young and fresh.

Very shy on the nose, like an Amish girl being shoved on stage at a rock concert. Faint phantoms of fruit flutters faintly over the mid palate only to vanish like fog before the sun. About as complex as a Kardashian, but not nearly as loud.

A really pleasant nose of ripe tropical fruit, featuring mainly mango, paw-paw and just a little yellow cling peach. Perhaps a touch of sugar on the palate? It matches nicely with a fairly fresh acid to produce a rounded mouthfeel and balanced taste.

On the aftertaste, nice stone fruits and just a hint of minerality. Good value!

The SB manages to be a reasonable lunch wine reminded me of lime sparkles, especially when you've sucked to the end and your tongue is starting to prickle a bit. That or a not-assweet version of the juice left in tinned fruit salad, the 'healthy' ones that come in their own juices. Not my taste, but not bad.

I'm not a fan of heavily acidic wines so if I'm being euphemistic I'd call this unwooded Chardonnay “Zingy”.

More honestly, I couldn't tell if this had a lot of minerality, or if that was just the taste of my mouth bleeding after a few sips...

The Chenin was very drinkable – 'lively acidity' as per the back label, but in a good way. It had a nice feeling in the mouth and went down pretty pleasantly with a bit of summer fruit in there. My winner of the whites by a country mile – and pretty fair value for what you get.

A typical Sauvignon Blanc with grassy and green pepper flavors.

I must say that this young wine did not blow me away at first glance and tasting but it certainly did not disappoint after being chilled and enjoyed on a warm afternoon with crackers and Camembert cheese. I found it e a s y d r i n k i n g, l i g h t a n d unpretentious, in other words it does exactly what it says on the label, it grew on me!

It smells like a Chardonnay, it says Chardonnay on the bottle, but the palate did not impress me that much. Yes, I'm a wooded fan, it's like giving the swan a hard time just because I like ducks. A dominant lemon flavor for me suggests there's nothing wrong with pairing this 'Black Swan' with some lemon chicken on a weber, I'll give it a nod, definitely!

Loved it, millions of peaches, peaches for me! A smooth palate with an emergency stop, this wine will keep calling your name and you'll tend to listen. Have it with eggs and bacon in the morning, in a tin cup if you wish because it has a fruity dispensation that belies its alcoholic tendencies. Ok maybe only Julius Malema will have it with breakfast, but serve it for lunch for goodness sakes, Comrades!

Pieter says...

Robyn says...

Zukiso says...

READ THESE COMPARATIVE REVIEWS ON OUR SELECTED WINES

KANU Sauvignon Blanc 2011

KANU Chardonnay (Unwooded) 2011

KANU Chenin Blanc (Unwooded) 2011

RRP: R60

RRP: R60

RRP: R40

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Quote: “I found it easy drinking, light and unpretentious...”

Quote: “The perfect vehicle to braise a rabbit in”

Quote: “ Serve it for lunch for goodness sakes, Comrades!”

Etienne says...

Ellen says...

The

Wine Show

It looks like what it is. A white wine. Slight grassy tinge at the edges but one has to look really hard to spot it. It has the aroma of candyfloss but the taste of apples and soggy white grapes, the type you find in cans of mixed fruit. You either like those or hate them. If you like them, you'll like this. Be warned.

The taste doesn't last.

As with the Sauvignon, the colour is fairly nondescript.

The taste is somewhat easier to describe. If you don't like any wood in your wine or need something to put in the food, then this will work for you, otherwise not. This wine would be an ideal filler in a police line-up. It has all the features but nothing distinctive.

Something is happening here, it isn't quite clear...straw coloured with aromas of mango and rubber that has been in the sun too long. The finish is longer and it balances well. The most drinkable of the whites, if my palate is to be trusted.

This wine presents a simple nose with hints of apple and lime, and sweet notes reminiscent of travel sweets – a bit insipid for my taste.

The palate is high in acidity and lacking in fruit to provide balance – a bit like sucking a lemon. Not a big hit with me, but then I'm not a big Sauvignon Blanc fan.

Straw colour, with a shy, slightly green nose that suggests pear drops. Medium-bodied, with medium-high acidity, but nowhere near as high as the Sauvignon. It is quite lemony on the palate, and while it lacks the body and character wood gives to Chardonnay, I find it clean and uncomplicated. It would be the perfect vehicle to braise a rabbit in or to accompany same.

Compared to the previous two wines, this is more rewarding.

It's worth sticking your nose right in the glass – you'll enjoy the slight perfume of honeysuckle and other white flowers, and fruit notes of peach. It has a nice mouth-feel and is well rounded, though a bit acidic – is this a Kanu trait? Pineapple, kiwi and mango finish smoothly. Great value for the price.

CONTINUE...

READ THESE COMPARATIVE REVIEWS ON OUR SELECTED WINES

TASTE TEAM

Kickin’ it with KANU

KANU Rockwood Red (Shiraz / Cabernet) 2007

KANU Merlot 2010

KANU Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

RRP: R40

RRP: R60

RRP: R60

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Quote: “Wine that wears the pants, leather ones...”

Quote: “ Red cherries and raspberry flavours make it very soft & easy drinking.”

Quote: “ This left me in my happy place.”

Pieter says...

Robyn says...

Zukiso says...

Inviting nose of wood perfume (turning later into something more chocolaty) and gentle spices. Very nice spices and red fruits on a soft and easy – but not insubstantial – palate.

Some sweet vanilla confirms what seemed on the nose to be more crowd-pleasing than classic wooding. A 2007 red like this, at this price? What a pleasure!

Hello, eucalyptus! This then fades a bit as plush dark fruits and a slight earthiness evolves.

There are also some chocolaty nuances from the wood (a bit slutty, I say, but most people like that more than I do).

Approachable tannins and an incredibly soft palate for a 2010. Fair fruit with good flavour. A good drinker, but not overly serious.

Initially, aniseed meets a weird (but not bad) pong on the nose.

This evolves more into a berry meets lead pencil shavings aroma. The palate shows a nice marriage of wood and fruit, with earthy-minerally complexity and lingering aftertaste. Drink within the next four years. Like all the other wines in this flight, there's a welcoming absence of alcohol burn.

A huge waft of coffee choc, black fruit and woody treatment stuff comes out of the glass. Tasting it, well, it's a little out of balance – those hints of fruit are overwhelmed by very stern acidity. However – open it when you crack the first bottle of wine for the evening, and by the time you get to it, it'll probably go down pretty comfortably.

Probably the most interesting of the Kanu wines, nose was meaty with slightly fake cherry. Taking a sip was something else too – a wash of herby cherry was followed by a drying sensation like you'd licked the Sahara.

Blind I'd have sworn it was a young Pinot Noir and it really grows on you over the course of a glass (and no, not like mold).

Ah, the Cab – following the varied range of wines that preceded it, it was like coming back to your own bed after travelling too long.

Started a little smelly, but in a promising way and from there in it really got my nod. Smooth, rounded, nice fruit, (no back label bollocks!) a little bit of spices and final pinch of liquorice. Finishing with this left me in my happy place…

This wine has unmistakable coffee flavors, reminding me of a famous Pinotage, but with a personality of its own. Full bodied and smooth on the palate - grab a couple of mates and braai! Ok don't braai the mates, I suggest lamb chops and a starch perhaps, I don't think your friends will taste half as good, besides you still need to talk to somebody while you eat, right? Right!

I must say as far as merlots go this would be far too... excuse me for this... mellow! Far too light for my liking but a hell of a nose! It just lacked a punch and a strong finish for me but don't get me wrong, I'll drink it. The deciduous fruity flavour suggests this bottle will go down nicely with a beef stew and some fruit chutney.

"I'm not too mad about your nose but I find you quite irresistible on the mouth" Now if somebody said that to you I'm sure you'll just kiss them and maybe contemplate a nose job after. "I think though we should give you three more years until you're mature enough, just a suggestion".

This is a good wine with a lot of potential after a couple of years in the bottle and I don't begrudge it's youthfulness at all...for a red that is!

READ THESE COMPARATIVE REVIEWS ON OUR SELECTED WINES

KANU Rockwood Red (Shiraz / Cabernet) 2007

KANU Merlot 2010

KANU Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

RRP: R40

RRP: R60

RRP: R60

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Available at: Visit www.kanu.co.za

Quote: “Wine that wears the pants, leather ones...”

Quote: “ Red cherries and raspberry flavours make it very soft & easy drinking.”

Quote: “ This left me in my happy place.”

Etienne says...

Ellen says...

Oh, hello...what's this then? Chocolate and coffee on the nose. A hint of vanilla? Obviously a wine made to please the contemporary tastes or those that have not yet decided that chocolate and coffee are a no-no. Fruit flavours are tied up in what reminds of hessian rope. A very drinkable wine that wears the pants, leather ones...but not under a trench coat. It is what it is and doesn't hide the fact.

If this wine was a life stage it would be a predictable fat teenager with a big mouth.

It's a full bodied vickschappies-bubblegum and banana flavour with a rolling mouth feel. There are no surprises from opening to finishing. That alone makes it worth the effort.

The wine is a warm brownishred. There is an initial tangy metal taste. The type of taste you would find if you licked an open man-hole cover. No, I'm not suggesting that it reminds me of a pair of dirty undies, the taste is really not as unpleasant as it sounds. To the contrary, some wood, herbs and fruit ensures that it remains quite engaging straight through to a reasonable finish.

Ruby core, pale at the rim, this has a medium-intense nose with a delightful mélange of mocha, chocolate, winter spice, star anise and black raspberry.

Sadly the palate does not live up to the nose. There are nice blackberry and plum flavours but a lack of balance – there's that acidity again. But it's a good party wine – very drinkable. Just a bit too cheap and cheerful for me.

This is so pale and transparent it could pass for cherry juice!

But it's definitely wine, with red fruit, some black pepper and herbal notes on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with low acidity (finally!) and low tannins. Red cherry and raspberry flavours make it very soft and easy-drinking – you hardly notice it slipping down!

A light ruby colour, one whiff instantly tells you this is a more serious wine than the others. It has delightful rustic qualities and is slightly sulphurous but with pleasant blackcurrant aromas, all of which develop in the glass. The palate has black fruit and mint and a good mouth-feel with decent length.

The tannins need to soften, but don't detract from the drinkability.

The

Wine Show

Page 26 - November 2011

GET OUT

Cape Town The Swartland Revolution is back!

Over the past 15 years the Swartland region has grown in stature and complexity and today there are enough contrasting wines to showcase this diversity over a weekend. The aim of the revolutionary weekend is to raise general awareness of the area, and although there might be stylistic and philosophical differences in the wines to be showcased, they all share a common sense of place – as with all great wine regions of the world. The second revolution is set to take place in the town of Riebeek Kasteel over weekend of the 11th and 12th of November 2011. For more info on events you can call Helena Sheridan on 083 558 6594, email Swartlandrevolution@gmail.com or visit www.theswartlandrevolution.com.

Rock and Blues at Durbanville Hills Unwind under the olive trees on November 11 as you enjoy Durbanville Hills' award-winning wines whilst listening to the mellow sounds of indie rock musician Farryl Purkiss and blues artist Dan Patlansky. Both musicians have been gaining national and international recognition and radio success for their unique sounds which can be enjoyed as the sun sets over Table Bay. Tickets cost R100 per person and are available from http://www.webtickets.co.za (children under 12 free).

For more information contact Simone Brown at SIBrown@durbanvillehills.co.za or 021-558 1300.

Kurt Darren at Rhebokskloof On the 11th of November be sure to visit Rhebokskloof's Theatre on the Lake for Kurt's Biggest Hits tour. Now is the time to experience this super-star on stage with his entire band. Tickets are available from Computicket at R130 for adults and R65 for kids under 12. Bring your picnic blanket and either buy one of Rhebokskloof's stunning picnic hampers or bring your own. Gates open at 17:00.

Show starts at 19:30. For more information, please email Nicola@rhebokskloof.co.za or call her on 021-869 8386.

Villiera Summer Festival Spend a leisurely afternoon at Villiera on the 12th of November. There will be live music and food stalls to cater for all your needs. A cover charge of R30 per person is payable. Booking is essential by emailing general@villiera.com or contact Heidi on 021-865 2002.

Tasting stations will be dotted around the garden, featuring different wine styles. Needless to say, all our wines will be available by the bottle to enjoy on the day or by the case to take home. Special offers will be an added incentive to make the trip.

Wine on the Water On the 19th of November you can taste over a hundred wines from 40 wineries in a relaxed and serene setting by the water at the world-class marina development of Harbour Island (Villa Via Hotel). With the Helderberg Mountains in the background and a variety of top-class restaurants in the area, there are a host of activities for any type of visitor. Between 11:00 and 17:00 you can savour the wines, have a meal, go on a boat cruise or simply enjoy the spectacular scenery. Tickets cost R50 per person. For more information or to book, please contact Jaco on 082 448 2201 or wineonthewatershow@gmail.com.

Jordan Summer Festival for Stellenbosch Animal Welfare Bring your family, friends, umbrella and blanket and enjoy the day on the lawns of Jordan Estate! There will be live music, wine tastings, cellar tours, barrel tastings, lots of kids entertainment, vineyard tractor tours, boules, a CWG Tasting, an art exhibition by Isa-Dora, a beautiful jewellery display and demonstration by Jeweller Annemi Nelson and a fun red wine blending competition (R150/team) top 3 take home a case of their very own Bordeaux Blend.

Booking is essential. For lunch reservations contact the Jordan Restaurant on 021-881 3612 or visit George Jardine's Willow Tree Market. For more information contact ChandrĂŠ on 021-881 3441, email admin@jordanwines.com or visit our website www.jordanwines.com. All profits in aid of Stellenbosch Animal Welfare. Donations of pet food/blankets are welcome.

Custom Made Wine Racks-Bars-Cellars

Tel: 011 896 5090 Cell: 071 138 2365 E-mail: timbercreationssa@hotmail.com

Darling College Wine Auction On 19 November Darling College hosts its bi-annual wine auction at the historic Groote Post wine farm. A fun-filled day in the country when leading auctioneer Joey Burke will have fantastic wine on auction. The day will be even more special owing to the release of the maiden vintage "The Darling", a Sauvignon Blanc made from grapes collected from Darling farmers who have donated of their best grapes to make this special wine. Proceeds from this wine will be donated to the school. Hearty snacks from Hilda's Kitchen will be served. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Shaun McLaughlin on 083 325 4148.

Fashion Show at Mont Rochelle in aid of SPCA On Wednesday 23 November, Mange Tout restaurant at Mont Rochelle Hotel & Mountain Vineyards in Franschhoek will set the scene for an International Fashion Show Luncheon to help raise funds for the Franschhoek branch of the SPCA. Models will walk the 'ramp' displaying both mens' and ladies' clothing, as well as swimwear by EST Boutique in Somerset West, with jewellery provided by Tracy's Diamonds in Franschhoek. Guests attending this glamorous event will be served canapĂŠs and bubbly on arrival, and Mont Rochelle wines during a 3-course luncheon while enjoying the fashion extravaganza. The event will start at 12:00 and tickets cost R350 per person.

Tickets may be purchased from Mont Rochelle, Tracy's Diamonds and Le Ballon Rouge Guest House in Franschhoek, as well as EST Boutique in Somerset West.

Advance booking is essential. Call 021-876 2770 or email

Apricot picking at De Krans From 23 November until 7 December guests will be welcome to bring their own containers or buy from us at minimal fee. On Wednesdays and Saturdays a Snoekbraai lunch will be available at our cellar between 11h30 and 14h00 at R39 per person. Bookings are essential to avoid disappointment. On the 3rd of December we have a cooking demonstration (with apricots) with the well-known chef Francois Ferreira. This starts at 10:00 at R60 per person. Only 50 seats are available – so be sure to book. Contact us on 044-213 3314 or dekrans@mweb.co.za for more info.

Scary Movie night at Rhebokskloof An experience you only get at Rhebokskloof; watching a movie on a very big LCD screen under the stars, overlooking a lake! For R69 per person on the 24th of November, you can join us for the screening of Insidious, a gripping story of a family in search of help for their son, Dalton, who fell into a mysterious coma on one ordinary morning. Little do they know that there is much more to this endless sleep than meets the eye as they explore the paranormal and rediscover the past; the key to getting their son back once and for all. Please note that we do not allow own food or drinks on our movie nights. We sell a special movie night picnic, which can be pre-booked with your movie or we will have popcorn, burgers, cold drinks and wine available for purchase on the night. We are only doing it twice a year and seating is limited! Tickets available from Rhebokskloof. Email info@rhebokskloof.co.za or call Gerda on 021-869 8386.

Now exclusively available at Frogitt & Vonkel - Tel:021 888 8800

The FACET Foundation art auction at Delaire Graff On Thursday, 24 November 2011, the Delaire Graff Estate will host a charity art auction featuring the donated works of 15 leading South African artists to benefit FACET (For Africa's Children Every Time), the charity set up by Laurence Graff in 2008. The event will focus on raising funds for FACET. The evening will include a drinks reception, followed by a dinner featuring the work of culinary genius Chef Christaan Campbell, paired with Delaire's award-winning wines, with entertainment provided throughout the night by one of South Africa's most celebrated female groups, 3 Tons of Fun. The evening is set to be a memorable showcase of incredible talent and treasures that South Africa has to offer raising essential funds for a very worthwhile cause. For more information contact Tanja Mackay-Davidson or Lily Liebe on 021-885 8166 or marketing@delaire.co.za.

“The Finer Things in Life” Champagne Festival There will be more than 30 cuvees of this tempting tipple on offer to thrill your taste buds. Hot and cold finger food will be served throughout the evening accompanied by live music. Fresh oysters, rare cheeses and fine chocolates will be on sale for those who care to indulge. Join hosts Wine Concepts in celebrating their tenth year of staging this prestigious event at the Vineyard Hotel and Spa in Newlands, Cape Town, on 25 November from 18:0021:00. “Mercedes Benz motorcars past and present will share the limelight to celebrate our tenth anniversary of this successful event,” says host Michael BampfieldDuggan of Wine Concepts. Tickets cost R400 and are available from Wine Concepts stores in Newlands 021-

671 9030 and Kloof Street 021-426-4401, email newlandshop@wineconcepts.co.za or at the door on the evening. Booking is advisable to avoid disappointment.

Bottelary Hills Family Day The annual family day of the Bottelary Hills is taking place at Hazendal Estate on Saturday 26 November, from 11:00-17:00, and Sunday 27 November, from 11:0016:00. The Bottelary Hills is a sub-route of the Stellenbosch American Express® Wine Routes, and include farms like Villiera, Hartenberg, Mooiplaas, Kaapzicht and Beyerskloof.

Visitors will be able to hang out on the large lawns in front of the manor house under a shaded canopy while tasting wines, listening to live music performed by local musicians, eating great food and browsing the craft market. Lots of activities and entertainment will be offered for kids such as a mini petting zoo, horse rides, play area, a jumping castle, games and daily reptile shows. Proceeds will be donated to local charity organisations, Pebbles Project and Anna Foundation. Tickets are R60, and include a tasting glass. Children under the age of 18 enter free of charge. Tickets are available at participating farms, as well as the Bottelary Hills Wine Centre. For more info, contact Elmarie Rabe on 021-886 8275 or events@wineroute.co.za.

The Friday Table at Haskell The first Friday of each month (2 December), Haskell Vineyards will be holding a winemakers lunch at Long Table Restaurant at R395 per person including all wine and food. We have created our restaurant around the idea of the shared table, and lunch will be served around our

custom built long table on the day. The menu will be decided upon by Chef Corli Els, with an emphasis on what is seasonal and what excites her on the day. A multiple course lunch will be accompanied by current and back vintages of our award winning Dombeya wines, together with the occasional surprise, and led by the winemaker of Haskell Vineyards, Rianie Strydom.

Phone 021-881 3895 or email werner@dombeya.co.za.

Slaley farm market Don't miss the Slaley Farm Market on Sunday 27 November from 10:00-15:00 with activities for the whole family! Fresh farm produce such as freshly baked breads and pastries, homemade jams, preserves and relishes, honey, game biltong, local cheeses and sushi to take home or enjoy on the lawns, washed down with a glass of Slaley premium wine. A full cash bar will be open on site. New additions to the market include crafts, antiques and collectables. For more info contact Slaley on 021-865 2123 or email info@slaley.co.za.

Trader enquiries: Eugene 083 656 2678.

Wine and food evening – This fun and informative workshop focuses n food and wine combinations and its effect on taste. By the end of the evening you'll have a very good idea of how to go about selecting a wine to go with a specific dish. The 3-hour session on the 30th of November 2011 costs R395 and will be presented by the Cape Wine Academy at the Nietvoorbij Campus in Stellenbosch. For more info please contact Amanda on 021-889 8844 or Amanda@capewineacademy.co.za.

The Franschhoek “Magic of Bubbles” festival Taste some of France's best Champagnes alongside the finest Cap Classiques to emerge from the wine cellars of South Africa. With the winemaking method virtually the same, it comes down to the terroir and skill of the winemakers, something which South African winemakers have mastered throughout the years.

Renowned wineries participating in this popular festival include Backsberg, Colmant, Graham Beck Wines, Krone, La Motte, Morena, Môreson, Pierre Jourdan, Simonsig, Steenberg, Topiary Wines and Villiera. World renowned Champagnes will be represented by brands such as Billecart Salmon, Tribaut and Veuve Clicquot.

This year the festival will take full advantage of the Cape's glorious summer evenings, with the festival open from 6pm to 10pm on Friday, 2 December, and then between 12pm and 5pm on both Saturday, 3 and Sunday, 4 December. The theme for this year's festival is black and white, with the emphasis on hats, and a prize will be awarded to the best-dressed couple. Tickets can be purchased through www.webtickets.co.za at R180pp, but hurry as tickets are limited.

Farmers Market at Windmeul Cellar Make your way through to Windmeul on 3 December from 8:00 until 15:00. This will be a real farmers' market with the freshest produce on offer (remember your cool-box!). This is not your average flea market set-up, and the focus is mainly on organic produce straight from the farms. he produce on offer on that day includes organic vegetables, vegetables, fruit, beef, lamb & mutton, chicken, pork, freshly baked bread, droëwors & biltong, cheese, biscuits and cakes, free-

range eggs, jams and preserves, olives and olive oil, buchu, braai-wood. For more info, contact Suretha van der Spuy on 021-869 8043 or suretha@windmeul.com.

Carols, Candles and Christmas Gifts at Durbanville Hills On the 9th of December, join Durbanville Hills Wines as we celebrate the festive season under the stars with a Christmas market and a performance of traditional and contemporary Christmas favourites by local musicians Jacus Hattingh and Tania Olivier accompanied by a 5piece band. Avoid over-crowded shops during the Christmas rush and purchase your gifts at the night market. Hand-made artisan products such as toys, baked goods, Christmas decorations and jewellery will be available. Proceeds of the evening are in aid of the Môresterretjies Crèche, a day-care centre established by community groups including the Durbanville Hills Share Purchase Trust. The Trust is a social investment initiative aimed at improving the quality of life of employees and children on the surrounding farms. Children under 12 years free. Tickets available from www.webtickets.co.za at R50 per person. For more information, please contact Simone Brown on 021-558 1300 or SIBrown@durbanvillehills.co.za.

Carols by Candlelight and Christmas market at Laborie Celebrate the start of the festive season and head off to Laborie Wine Farm on Friday evening, 9 December, for their annual Carols by Candlelight and Night Market.

Father Christmas will be on hand to entertain the little ones and spoil them with an abundance of sweets, and a beautifully decorated Christmas tree will twinkle along with the stars. Well known musician Derk 'Fingers' Blaisse, with the Cape Dutch Connection, will keep visitors entertained with traditional and new Christmas carols as they lay out their blankets and picnic baskets on the immaculate and sprawling gardens, and soak up the sights and sounds of Christmas. The festivities will include the Laborie Lazy Days' Night Market comprising a range of lifestyle stalls, including food and crafts as well as wonderfully traditional Christmas fare such as GlĂźhwein and pork pies. The market offers patrons the opportunity to do their last minute festive shopping. The gates will open at 17:00, with the carols commencing at 19:00. Entrance fee is R50 for adults and R20 for children over 12 years of age. Booking is essential as seating is limited. Picnic hampers, excluded from the ticket price, can be pre-booked and cost R250 for adults (for two people sharing) and R75 for children. Although no alcohol will be allowed onto the property, visitors will be able to purchase wines and Laborie MCC, at cellar door prices, directly from the farm. For further information and bookings contact 021 807 3390 or email info@laboriewines.co.za.

Ice Cream paired with wine at Clos Malverne With the mercury rising, Clos Malverne, nestled in the Devon Valley outside Stellenbosch, turns its pairing thoughts to that favourite summer staple, homemade ice cream, paired with wines as a refreshing summer tasting offer from October till the end of February 2012. For just R45, you can stay cool with sips and scoops of four delicious ice cream and wine pairing sensations in the tasting lounge for sheer indulgence on spectacular summer days in the heart of the Stellenbosch winelands.

For more information about these super cool indulgences or to book contact Clos Malverne Estate at Tel: 021-865 2022 or visit www.closmalverne.co.za.

Culinary Christmas Favourites at Durbanville Hills Christmas may only come once a year but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get more chances to enjoy your favourite festive foods. Durbanville Hills Wines will be celebrating the age-old culinary traditions of Christmas this year with a food and wine pairing from December 12 to 24. The tasting includes classics such as traditional fruit cake paired with Rhinofields Pinotage and smoked salmon with the lightly-oaked Durbanville Hills Chardonnay. The pairing costs R85 per person and bookings for groups larger than 6 are recommended. For more information or to make a booking, please contact Simone Brown on SIBrown@durbanvillehills.co.za or 021-558 1300.

The

Wine Show

Jo’burg Nabygelegen and Snow Mountain Tasting Hosting an exclusive tasting at the Higherground Conference Centre, St. Stithians College, Sandton on Friday, the 18th of November from 17:00 until 21:00. We will be launching our 2011 Chardonnay, 2011 Pinot Noir and 2007 Seventeen Twelve. Booking is essential by email to marketing@nabygelegen.co.za or on 021-873 7534.

Bronberg Wine Festival Pretoria's first true wine festival takes place on the 26th of November. After the great success of our festival in 2010, we're hosting yet another festival on the estate in the heart of Gauteng. We aim to be bigger and better this year, bringing the magic of the Cape winelands to Pretorians alike with fantastic wines and a complement of wine-related products. For more info, please contact Sonia Forssman on 012-809 8917 or info@bronbergwynlandgoed.co.za.

Port Elizabeth Veritas Tasting To wine and brandy lovers the Veritas Awards is a trustworthy barometer in terms of quality and excellence.

Veritas double gold and gold winners will be announced on 8 October and enthusiasts in Port Elizabeth can taste these outstanding wines on the 15th of November at Squires Legendary Grill, Boardwalk Centre. For only R100 per person, wine lovers will be treated to a sitdown tasting event that includes light refreshments.

Bookings for the Port Elizabeth events must be made with the various organisers. Visit www.veritas.co.za for more information and contact details.

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

The

Wine Show

WINE LAID BARE

The Mother Daughter Team that's Popping Corks!

W

ine Extra and The Wine Show organise a photographic competition each year to raise money for breast cancer charities. Amateur and professional photographers and models submit their interpretations of the theme “Wine Laid Bare” with the hopes of being selected as one of 12 “winners” that feature in a calendar that is sold to raise funds for the charity.

With over 130 entries each year, all of them stunning, Wine Extra features some of the more interesting images and the stories behind them every issue.

Nick & Fiona Emmett are a Boksburg husband and wife team who describe themselves as hobbyists, although creativity runs in their blood. By day they run a popular local business customising cars, but in their spare time they are creative photo-technicians extraordinaire.

“Nick came up with most of the ideas for this years' competition, and wanted something way different to his personal style, which is photography/imagination/art and fantasy all in one” says wife Fiona.

A lot of the backgrounds and inserts are actual Champagne bubbles, real popping corks and real bottle spray, which have been digitally incorporated into the final images.

Whilst Nick refers to Fiona as his “Number One Supermodel” the image featured here is of their close friends, mother and daughter team Sylvia and Patricia Breedt. It was both models' first time posing semi-nude which they describe as a “fabulous experience”, adding that Fiona and Nick are “truly unique and amazing at what they do”. “We always wanted to do some kind of shoot with them, but never knew quite what to do” they said, adding

“we love to chillout, eat and drink wine, and then when they said this was for breast cancer it all fell into place”.

Everyone found the shoot exciting and Fiona & Nick always like to add a little humour and fun into their shoots. “Even though we don't drink alcohol we sure had a lot of sips here and there from the 10 bottles used for the shoots!” mentioned Fiona. “Life's too short to be too serious”.

Initially the two models were shot separately, but they were keen to have an image done together. When reviewing the images after the shoot, Nick saw that he could make a great composite image by putting the two individual images together in Photoshop and then added the fantasy background to give it the final effect.

So how did the mother/daughter image go down with their family and friends? “They loved the picture! They all said we looked like sisters!” said Sylvia, adding “Most of us have had either family or friends with some sort of cancer illness at some time in their lives”.

On a happier note both teams are gunning for a page in the calendar next year and say they can't wait for the next competition. We can't wait to see what they come up with next time!

To enjoy more of Nick and Fiona's work you can check out: www. fionafoto.com.

The gallery of all the 2011 Wine Laid Bare images can be viewed at www.wine-extra.co.za/wlb.

Wine Laid Bare calendars cost only R100.

To support our cause and purchase a calendar, please email wlb@wineshow.co.za.

NEXT MONTH IN WINE-EXTRA Sasha Martinengo on his love for wine...

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