Wine Extra May 2014

FOR WINE LOVERS, NOT WINE SNOBS

WineExtra MAY 2014

Natural Wine The Way forward?

Livin’ the Life The real market

WIN! 2 amazing

competitions inside

Jonathan Boynton-Lee

TASTE TEAM The Dynamics of Wine

Official SA Media Partner

Chef Henrico Grobbelaar - Robots in the vineyards - Sex & wine subscribe free at www.wine-extra.co.za

Developing Wine Brands

SDF

Supplier Development Fund

A proud initiative

Bayede The Prince

Cape Dreams Pinotage

Cabernet Sauvignon

The Prince Merlot

Bayede

King Goodwill Zwelithini’s range of wines creates jobs and opportunities for needy communities.

Cape Dreams

The name Cape Dreams reflects the personal aspirations of Bunty Khan and part of the profit goes towards the realisation of the dreams of others.

Libby’s Pride

Thandi

Elizabeth “Libby” Petersen is carrying out her dream of owning and operating her own small premium wine label.

Thandi became the first wine brand in the world to receive Fairtrade accreditation in 2003.

Thandi

Sparkling Rosé

Libby’s Pride Shiraz

MILK

Mandisi Gangandeni formed The Food & Wine Factory in 2007 on the passion for good wine and the related lifestyle, and the desire to educate and share with others.

MILK Everyday Kiss Chenin Blanc

Women in Wine

Cabernet Sauvignon

Women in Wine

Established by 20 professional black women with a dream of giving women, especially farm workers and their families a share in the South African Wine industry.

Thembi Seven Sisters Merlot

African Roots is a 100% black-owned wine

company, owned and managed by seven sisters hence the brand name.

Thembi is a 100% black owned & traded company. Thembi Tobi sees herself as an educator and wine ambassador for communities with no wine culture.

Thembi Pinotage Thembi Shiraz

Ses’fikile

Ses’fikile is the work of Nondumiso Pikashe from Gugulethu.

Sesfikile

Re’mogo

Re’mogo is 100% owned by previously disadvantaged entrepreneurs and offers fantastic wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Ses’fikile Shiraz

Liquor not for sale to persons under the age of 18. Makro supports responsible drinking.

Contents MAY 2014

Editor’s letter Table Talk

5

8

Wine & Sex: The New Tupperware Party, Wine and yoga can help get you pregnant?, Argentine wine from small grape farmers for Pope Francis masses, French vineyard robot has a vine time in Oregon wine country

Taste Team

24

Natural Wine by Robert Joseph

Interview Cosmo Sexiest man Jonathan Boynton-Lee

Into the Spirit 36

Henrico Grobbelaar - Waldorf Salad, Blue Cheese, Raisin, Celery and Candied Walnut

16

The selection of wines this month comes from a few of Wine Dynamics' clients who will also be represented at The Wine Show Jo’burg

Special report

Now You’re Cooking

30

12 Questions Livin' the Life

38

48

Belvedere Vodka’s Citrus Espresso Martini

50

Mark Norrish, Ultra Liquors General Manager Wine Division

Moving and Shaking at the Market

We’ve been drinking

Get out 44

Le Riche Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

What Food What Wine

52

Our pick of the very best viticultural-based events.

46

Mushroom Risotto

MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 3

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info@markfreebs.com

Web Services Tracey Van Niekerk

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Advertising Sales Vanessa Adendorff

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Editor’s letter Maryna Strachan maryna@twsmedia.co.za Follow us @WineExtra

Y

ou can tell it’s almost Show-time at the TWS Media offices.

There’s a certain buzz going, with the sales team tying up the final loose ends on stand sales. All of the artwork is done, competitions and giveaways are being finalized, radio interviews being set up and final floor plans are about to be sent to the printers for the production of the Show maps.

Wine Extra too, is affected by this May issue going to print as we do with all our Shows every year. Several thousand copies will go to the visitors of The Wine Show Jo’burg. It’s exciting, but damn hard work too.

Last month we added the new What Food, What Wine? section to the magazine and this month you’ll see two brand new sections. The first, 12 Questions, where we ask the same questions to key industry people and see what their thoughts are on the often ‘touchy’ subjects.

The second new section sees us diversifying a little. Aptly named “Into the Spirit”, we will feature a spirits product and give you a delicious recipe from which to prepare a cocktail with it. I hope that it inspires those of you who enjoy diversifying from wine every now and again.

If you’re up in Jo’burg, be sure to visit us at The Wine Show at the Sandton Convention Centre from 8-10 May and please do say hi if you see me around.

Cheers to that!

MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 5

TableTalk This month: Wine & Sex: The New Tupperware Party Wine and yoga can help get you pregnant? Argentine wine from small grape farmers for Pope Francis masses French vineyard robot has a vine time in Oregon wine country

Wine & Sex: The New Tupperware Party

W

ine and sex seem like a natural pairing and are, in fact, the reason that many of us are on the planet. But beware casual conversational usage, as "Wine & Sex" is a trademarked brand, as well as an annual event in the Canary Islands.

8 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

Bodegas Monje in the Canary Islands began running “Wine & Sex” nights for its wine club four years ago. Felipe Monje, a fifth-generation winery owner, told ZoomNews he started the event because, "I've always been curious about Tuppersex*, but I could never attend because it was exclusively for girls."

"We had done tastings with cheese, chocolate and with poetry," Monje said. "So I thought, why not with sex toys?"

Let's pause to note that the great majority of Canary Island residents are Catholic.

Now then, the next “Wine & Sex” event includes a tasting, dinner,

TableTalk screening of an adult movie in the Bodegas Monje barrel room… and "erotic games". There will be aphrodisiac foods including the local delicacy, black piglet.

“A space on the bed might be difficult to find, however, with at least 60 guests expected to attend... ” According to ZoomNews, sex toys will decorate the walls, and there's an extra-large bed in the middle of the room, which we can all agree is usually the most comfortable place to watch erotic films. A space on the bed might be difficult to find, however, with at least 60 guests expected to attend, including "people very young, 20, but also grandparents," according to Monje. At previous events, some guests spent the entire evening in their underwear, he revealed.

As for the "Wine & Sex" trademark, Bodegas Monje warns that it owns the rights. The winery staff wear "Wine & Sex" logo t-shirts in the tasting room, but the winery doesn't appear to have a bottle of wine actually called "Wine & Sex." It does, however, sell "Wine & Sex" kits: for ¤65 (about R900) you get a bottle of entry-level “Hollera” red wine, a "Wine & Sex" logo glass, comfortable handcuffs, a pink feather, a black dildo, lubricant, two condoms – and a corkscrew. Upgrade to the ¤69 (about R980) kit and the wine gets a little better with a bottle of Listan Negro, an indigenous red variety. (*Tuppersex: A party in which sex toys are sold like Tupperware; and how that's not a trademark violation we cannot imagine.)

Article courtesy of www.wine-searcher.com

TableTalk

Wine and yoga can help get you pregnant?

A

new study has shown that there might be a stronger connection between stress and conception than we once thought.

A relaxing tipple might actually be the key. Although the exact reason isn't known, it seems logical that stress and the worry of trying to get pregnant may be contributing factors to why some women can't conceive.

During an Ohio University study, there was nothing to suggest that the "stressed" women taking part in the study weren't ovulating, as they all had normal menstrual cycles and fertility. Comparing with "non-stressed" ladies who were half as likely to have conceived, they suggested those who practice stress-management techniques like yoga and meditation "might shorten the time they need to become pregnant". This adds to growing evidence that stressing out about getting pregnant may be a big problem when it comes to conceiving.

10 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

A young doctor has also suggested in the British Medical Journal, reports the Telegraph, that half a bottle of Merlot might have the same effect, after trying to conceive for a whopping 18 months, while not drinking any alcohol. One night after a couple of well-deserved glasses of wine and in a suitably chilled mood, she conceived. She realised that going to bed sober must have been the main obstacle in becoming pregnant.

But before you start drinking wine with a straw for lunch, a Swedish study has suggested that drinking two alcoholic drinks a day can reduce a woman's chance on conceiving by up to 60%, but the odd glass of wine is fine.

Like everything else, baby making, it seems, is all about moderation.

Article courtesy of www.handbag.com

MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 11

TableTalk

Argentine wine from small grape farmers for Pope Francis masses

T

he wine used for the masses of Pope Francis will be made using grapes from small Argentine producers with 500 liters of the drink already in production, according to a report from the Project for the Integration of Small Producers in the Viticulture Chain (PROVIAR).

San Juan, La Rioja, Catamarca, Salta, Neuquén and Río Negro, as the nation's most important viticulture centers.

“...the wine in Francis' masses is nothing less than Argentine wine, made from grapes from all of the winemaking provinces.””

The election of an Argentine pontiff has given local wine a new opportunity to make its name on a global scale, and a statement from PROVIAR asserts that forces are working together to ensure “the wine in Francis' masses is nothing less than Argentine wine, made from grapes from all of the wine-making provinces.”

The launch of the project was revealed by Agriculture Minister Carlos Casamiquela, who met with small wine producers affiliated with Proviar and other vineyards associated with Centres of Viticulture Development (CDV).

“500 liters of wine are being made in INTA's experimental vineyard with grapes from producers in every one of the Centres of Viticulture Development,” the minister affirmed Article courtesy of www.mercopress.com

This would encompass the provinces of Mendoza, 12 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

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TableTalk

French vineyard robot has a vine time in Oregon wine country

A

shear-wielding contraption billed as the world’s first robotic vineyard pruner put on a show to a rapt audience of winemakers and vineyard managers Monday in the hills above Carlton, Oregon, USA. The robot, dubbed WallYe-France by its French inventor, Christophe Millot, moved up and down a long vineyard row, extending its clippered “hand” to make a precise but imaginary cut.

(Imaginary because the demonstration vines didn't need any actual pruning.)

these so far to winemaking clients in France.”

Millot’s pruner is about the size of a lawnmower and equipped with three cameras as well as software that remembers every cut from season to season.

One camera recognizes woody material and tells the robot to move in for the clip. Another, in the shear, guides the procedure itself.

“It can work 12 hours a day and never make a mistake...”

“It can work 12 hours a day and never make a mistake,” said Millot, who on Monday used an iPad to control the robot’s movements. “I have sold 30 of 14 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

Oregon winemaker Ken Wright, who owns the vineyard used for Monday's demonstration, said he was impressed by the technology. Pruning, however, isn’t the phase of the winemaking cycle for which he needs a robotic assist. “I can get by with a crew of about 10 to 15 for pruning because it’s an extended process that takes place over about three months”, Wright said. “Harvest is where we need the help.

Needing anywhere from 85 to 100 people in a single

TableTalk day is not unusual and our labour pool is both aging and diminishing”.

Wright paused to consider how big a breakthrough a robotic harvester would be. Not the type of mechanical harvester now in use that shakes grapes so hard they turn into soup, he said, but a lighthanded cousin to Wall-Ye-France. “It would be huge,” he said. “Whoever makes that machine will be a billionaire”.

Millot said he faces exactly the opposite situation in France, where the phenomenon of citizens pitching in to help harvest the year’s grape crop is an honored, age-old tradition. “You will never see these robotic harvesters in my country”, he said. “If there is a future for these devices, it is in the United States and other winegrowing countries”.

Both the harvester and the pruner sell for about $30,000 (about R300,000). “You work that out over a lifespan of 10 to 15 years”, Wright said, “and it makes perfect economic sense”.

With Millot currently set up to build new robots

only upon request, it remains to be seen whether Wright and other U.S. winemakers view this particular robot as the answer to their respective harvesting futures. Other vintners attending the demonstration said they were just as enthused about yet another robotic device Millot has developed for vineyard use.

It takes on the twin pestilences of late-season birds and deer, whose combined energies can decimate a vineyard almost overnight. When the robot picks up an incoming bird at about 150 yards, it fends it off with a green, non-damaging laser. “Entire flocks stay clear of vineyards equipped with the laser robots”, Millot said. At night, the device uses infrared sensors to spot intruding deer. When it does, it can hit speeds topping 15 mph to chase them away from the vines.

As for Millot, he will pack up Wall-Ye-France late Wednesday and head for meetings next week with NASA officials in Texas. They want to hear what he has to say about flexible, easy-to-use robotic hands.

MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 15

TasteTeam The Dynamics of Wine

Wine Dynamics is a young wine distribution, sales and marketing company which was started by dynamic individuals in January 2010 after seeing a gap in the industry for a company that views itself as a business partner that creates smiles of satisfaction on their clients' faces. The selection of wines this month comes from a few of Wine Dynamics' clients who will also be represented at The Wine Show Jo’burg, so if you like what you read here, then be sure to visit their stands at the Sandton Convention Centre from 8-10 May to see whether you agree with what the team had to say.

From left to right: Louis Sauvignon Blanc 2013, by Louis Wines, RRP: R99. Fort Simon Viognier 2012, by Fort Simon, RRP: R96. Sterhuis Chardonnay 2010, by Sterhuis Wines, RRP: R135. Joubert-Tradouw Syrah 2008, by Joubert Tradouw RRP: R130. De Meye Trutina 2009, by De Meye, RRP: R140. Boschkloof Conclusion 2011, by Boschkloof, RRP: R250.

16 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 17

TasteTeam Louis Sauvignon Blanc 2013 RRP: R99 ; Stockists: Food Lovers Market, Bootleggers and Norman Goodfellows www.louiswines.com

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

be surprised though and this certainly wasn't what I was expecting. Aromas of sweet green melon and ice cold green grapes that burst with flavour leapt out of the glass and then a lovely richness and gentle floral nature came forward to keep the acidity in check. Certainly something surprisingly different and one to add to the collection.

Eduard says: With hints of green on the colour my expectations for the aroma were met with white peaches and a tropical feel of passion fruit. Spicy rosemary was winking just behind my nose’s reach adding to this wine’s full bodied aroma. On the taste it is beautifully balanced between acidity and a nearly creamy aftertaste. (Some Semillon in there?) This wine woke me up, snuffed my cold out of the door and is a keeper in my book – most enjoyable!

Daisy says: Hello…. Please may I take the entire bottle of this wine and sneak into a corner to quaff it on my own?! This wine boasted a beautiful pale gold hue with scents of green melon, litchi, white pepper and green grass. Her ‘tear drops’ or ‘legs’ clung provocatively to the inside of the glass - giving you good reason to swirl it a second, third and fourth time...if only to get those beautiful aromas to flirt with your sense of smell over and over and over again.

Charlotte says: Instead of the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) trend, I'm on a bit of an ABS vibe at the moment (Anything But Sauvignon Blanc), so I admit to being slightly wary as I was handed this glass. I am always happy to

18 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

“I am Sauvignon Blanc’s harshest critic, but this wine has made me seriously reconsider.”

Donald says: This wine smelled like your run of the mill Sauvignon Blanc so immediately I was not terribly impressed. There was however just a hint of something different to make me wonder where it came from – all the usual suspects plus a bit of flinty earthiness. I find most Sauvignons very narrow on the palate but this is anything but, all the tropical fruit you could hope for well balanced by a pinch of fynbos herb but more importantly smooth, full and very soft with only a

very subtle dose of acidity on the finish.

I am Sauvignon Blanc’s harshest critic, but this wine has made me seriously reconsider.

Guest taster Eugene says: The bouquet on this wine is simply beautiful: fruity and floral to the extreme! I could spend the day smelling it and it would certainly be a day productively spent. From the first sip there were happy faces all around and gestures of glasses wanting to be re-filled. This wine had me wanting to spend a whole day sipping it on a soft daybed under a canopy of trees, or lying lazily outstretched on a lounger by the pool.

Fort Simon Viognier 2012 RRP: R96; Stockists: Liquor City and Farm Liquors www.fortsimon.com

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

Daisy says: This wine smelled like sitting in an English country field, adorned with flowers and the odd barrel or two of hay.

She was pale gold with a touch of green and tart and brisk on first sip. I picked up on a saline or brine-like element on this wine, which then lead me on to a taste of pear – one that you enticingly bite into, but lets you down because it’s just not quite ripe enough. I wanted to give this wine the ‘umami’ label: salty, yet slightly sweet, leaving you quite unsure of a thumbs-up or thumbs-down, yet so luring you towards another sip.

Charlotte says: Unfortunately my first impression of this, probably due to my recent bush holiday, was that it smelt like fresh elephant dung. Once the laughter had subsided, I clarified that this wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but perhaps saying rich, warm hay, gentle floral, dried apricots and oak flavours is probably a nicer way of putting it! The finish is surprisingly fresher and lighter than the dense nose suggests and there is an underlying sweetness that adds another dimension.

Eduard says: Looking closely at the wine’s colour, the rim is clear straw going on to a yellow. The aromas are deceptively outdoorsy, light pineapple and maybe a tinge of wood with honey.

The strong lingering taste started off with a tinge of sweetness moving towards acidity, balanced inside a mouthful of dry fruitiness. I like my Voignier light and friendly, so this one is a bit heavy for me. It’s brisk on the palate and will go down nicely on a cold winters’ evening paired with your favourite comfort food.

Donald says: My initial impression was that this suffers from a massive

identity crisis - so much so as to be schizophrenic. Pungent, wet-dog-justrolled-in-a-flowerbed bouquet is not the most auspicious start to a tasting, so most of the initial attraction was down to intrigue. There was a hint of fruit as an after thought but overall the wine was piquant and savoury, sort of like smelling an Aromat shaker, which washed up on the beach. Tasting it flipped the switch – a nutty, woody mélange of pear, peach and apricot tempered with a floral undertone, this wine is fairly complex. A good foody white for when you’ve OD’d on Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

TasteTeam Sterhuis Chardonnay 2010 RRP: R135 ; Stockists: Wine Concepts, Norman Goodfellows and Bottelary Hills Wine Centre www.sterhuis.co.za

“…a nutty, woody mélange of pear, peach and apricot tempered with a floral undertone…”

Guest taster Eugene says: The nose on this was mostly of lemon and lime. There was also a slight savoury element to the palate at first, which was interesting enough to make me want to go back for those second and third sips. As an aftertaste, there was a marshmallowpowdery component, which one would expect to be sweet, but surprisingly wasn't. This wine had me on the bench: undecided. If I were going to pair it with a dish, my choice would be a mild, fragrant Indian curry.

Daisy says: A medium-gold colour which, when I swirled the glass, lead me to thoughts of Limoncello. It was very much citrus forward on the nose – most particularly of ripe lemons hanging heavy and yellow on the tree with a dash of lime in there too. There was lots of wood coming at me, which I absolutely loved, as well some raw almonds and a stone fruit that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. We had this alongside an array of cheeses and each complemented the other beautifully.

Charlotte says: This is a like something out of a Nigella Lawson cookbook, just picture a sophisticated yet decadently rich lemon sponge cake, drenched in a thyme infused honey syrup and wolfed down with a good dollop of double

MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 19

TasteTeam cream. If that whets your appetite then you really must give this one a go.

The palate has a nice masculine edge to it though, with a layer of almond essence and soft spice, which balances beautifully with the romantic nose.

Thought provoking, yet not confusing, this wine will certainly be featuring in my collection in the not so distant future.

“This had a wonderfully smoky bouquet on the nose: deep and complex like a broody teenager.”

Eduard says: The bright straw colour moving into a rich gold core of a ripe Chardonnay promises an extra full bouquet that hits you with a barrage of buttery toast, lemon, pineapple and almond. I love the vanilla feel on the nose with the oaked woodiness. The medium low acidity is in balance with the lingering rounded oiliness of the taste. I don’t need to say anything more about this wine, taste it and it will speak for itself. My choice for this month’s trout dish.

Donald says: Every now and then a wine comes along that challenges the mainstream. This fitted the bill as for me it straddled the conundrum that many whites suffer from – oak versus fruit balance. Super concentrated on the nose with citrus, tropical fruit and almonds, this wine was everything and more I hoped it would be. Powerful, yet elegant on the palate, the fruit follow through is so concentrated its like stuffing every green and yellow wine

20 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

Donald Griffiths Originally from Durban, Donald developed an appreciation for wine at a relatively young age, thanks to his francophile mother who served it. He spent most of his time in the UK trying to convert English friends to Pinotage. If he won the lottery he would buy a vineyard somewhere in the Cape and grow old in no great rush while getting his feet wet with grape juice.

gum from the bag in your mouth. It’s tempered perfectly by a toasty, baked cheesecake mouthful, all wrapped up by subtle acidity and freshness. If un-oaked Chardonnay is too one-dimensional for you then this is your elixir.

Guest taster Eugene says: This had a wonderfully smoky bouquet on the nose: deep and complex like a broody teenager. I didn't find it to taste quite as wooded as it smelled, but it still had a lot to offer the taste buds. Creamy and yeasty all at once, I thoroughly enjoyed its lingering taste. After-notes of soft honey with smooth citrus fruit came through, leaving a warm glow on the lips.

Joubert-Tradouw Syrah 2008 RRP: R 130; Stockists: Van Riebeeck Liquors and Norman Goodfellows www.joubert-tradouw.co.za

Daisy says: This red was inky to look at, full and fat as it pressed itself against the

sides of my glass. The nose smelled of iron and raw steak, yet was reminiscent of Port. On sipping it, the alcohol was most prominent and I struggled to pick up on any fruit. This I had anticipated yet remained hopeful for more. I found this wine quite fortified, though I continued to swirl the glass until finally a trace of mulberry shone through. Akin to a poor film to which you give the benefit of the doubt, this wine needs a little more time to open up.

Charlotte says: Like a big bowl of warm, spiced berry compote, this wine begs to be drunk on a cold winter’s night in front of a crackling fire, preferably under some form of fluffy blanket. The nose is slightly Port-like, showing some age, and the palate reminds me of a large slice of brandy soaked fruit cake. Whilst the maturity is nice, I do find myself yearning for some fresh fruit character, so I’d recommend to drink this one sooner rather than later before it hits a mid-life crisis.

“…this wine begs to be drunk on a cold winter’s night in front of a crackling fire…”

Eduard says: Open the bottle, decant, light the braai and wait 30 minutes – at least. The colour is brick and oldish with enough red to show it is starting to come out on its own. Interesting nose: minerally, blueberries and black olives with smoke. The tannins have settled nicely and there is a great peppery spiciness that develops on the back of your tongue, especially after the second taste. Explore your dark side with this

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

needed freshness. A big wine that leaves you feeling warm and tingly all over… and rather frisky, frankly. I’d definitely give this winemaker my number!

one, pair it with a slab of Lindt 70% cocoa dark chocolate, on a dark stoep, late at night.

Donald says: Shy and withdrawn with meaty port-style aromas of dark fruit, leather and damp earth, this wine is like one of those bottles stumbled upon on a dusty shelf in an eccentric wine shop. It reminded me very much of some wines I’ve drunk from the South West of France in that it had way more of a musty, rusty nail aroma to it than fruit. On the palate the fruit gets slowly released with each sip from its grounded cloak, stewed blackberry with a tinge of spice and touch of licorice prevail in a full, rounded and supple mouthful. Like a vintage Mercedes, it may lack a bit of freshness and zip, but its finesse and build quality more than make up for it.

Guest taster Eugene says: The colour and bouquet of this one hinted at a slightly more mature wine. It was stark and earthy on the nose, reminiscent of dry forest leaves crunching under your feet on a leisurely Sunday afternoon walk in the woods. It was spectacularly smooth with a nutty finish. This went perfectly with the blue cheese on offer, with the mustiness of the cheese complementing the roundness of the wine’s flavour.

De Meye Trutina 2009 RRP: R140; Stockists: TOPS@Spar and Food Lovers Market www.demeye.co.za

TasteTeam

Eduard says: Crisp red colour with the slightest tint of brown right at the edge.

The nose shouts out a blend of Cabbie, Merlot, Frank; and I’m gonna chance a feel of spiciness towards a bit of Shiraz.

Specifically, I pick up blackberries and Wine Gums, aromas going perfectly through to the taste with just enough tannins that lingers on the tongue. This wine is pretty, soft and ready to drink, paired with a slice of smoked pork fillet Daisy says: This wine has a dark purple colour, which my eye instantly reveled in. The nose was prominent of pink pepper, cassis and blueberry – my sense of smell fell in total lust with it. Light to medium tannins on the palate and a delicious spiciness, faintly reminiscent of the after-taste of those fire jawbreakers from our childhood. I had this with some Camembert and the cheese really helped the flavours in the wine to burst in your mouth. I would have loved to pair this with a rare fillet steak and mushroom sauce, followed by a darkberry pie with thick cream. I reckon this is a wine that could easily match up with main course right through to dessert.

Just ensure you have more than one bottle at the ready.

Charlotte says: Phwoar, what a manly wine! Like a ruggedly handsome biker that looks equally good in Armani as he does in leather, this testosterone fueled glass gives lots of big meaty flavours of biltong and droëwors, yet is also suavely restrained. Smooth tannins give it a soft and seductive mouth feel, whilst deep, dark berry fruits add complexity and a

“A big wine that leaves you feeling warm and tingly all over… and rather frisky, frankly.”

Donald says: Sticking our noses in this prompted much discussion as to the character and make-up of this wine. It gives the impression of being crafted with a lot of tender loving care and is probably the personal project of an experienced wine maker looking for the Holy Grail partnership between terroir, fruit, wine making and cellaring.

There was a hint of sharp tannins in the bouquet indicating relative youth, but the rest was cigar box, tobacco and violets followed by a dark fruit and chocolate medley. The finish is long and complex with just enough of a lick of something else to tell you its more than just Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It will definitely improve with an additional year or two in the bottle and for me it’s the perfect companion for a game potjie on a cold winters day.

MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 21

TasteTeam Guest taster Eugene says: The nose on this wine was exceptionally light, but with freshly cracked pepper and wafts of salty ocean breeze proving dominant to my sense of smell. It also had a faintly nutty flavour - dry like almond or pecan nut skin remnants on the tongue, with a good mix of mulberries and blackberries. I would love to pair this with an oxtail stew and revel in both whilst sitting on the floor in front of a fire on a chilly winter evening.

Boschkloof Conclusion 2011 RRP: R250 : Stockists: Bootleggers, Norman Goodfellows and Willoughby’s www.boschkloofwines.com

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

elegantly spicy… I smelled violets, dark berries and a hint of liquorice. And then something like cedar came into the mix as well…utterly delightful. I had this alongside Parma ham, which brought out a much stronger, meatier element.

This blend would be well suited to sharing with friends around a dinner table in winter, with lots of laughter, chatter and good food.

Charlotte says: A heady bouquet full of violets, dried lavender and soft chewy dates that entices you into the glass. The rich aromatic nature continues onto the palate, with the young tannin structure coming through to add a moreishly dry finish. I would love to try this wine alongside a roast leg of lamb, studded with lots of fresh rosemary and garlic, but would think that in a year to two it would be even more of a show stopper…

Not quite sure if I can wait that long.

“The equivalent of a stark naked Charlize Theron walking into a conference room full of insurance salesmen…”

Daisy says: This wine made me see Tinkerbell flying around my glass wearing a skirt of yesterday-todayand-tomorrow flowers. And no, I have not been using any funky-illusion contraband. It was fruity, floral and

22 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

Eduard says: Deep and red from the side to the core. The sweetness of my mother’s plum jam jumps out of the glass with flavours of cigars and berries surprising you with a hint of lavender.

Fantastic! The tannins are full bodied and the taste lingers longer than most.

This wine excites me. In cricket terms it is Dale Steyn bowling an in-swinging Yorker to take out middle and leg, you will never get enough of it and it’s always

perfect. Rump Steak, medium rare, no sauce. Just me, my meat and my wine.

That is how I will enjoy this one!

Donald says: The equivalent of a stark naked Charlize Theron walking into a conference room full of insurance salesmen, this wine grabbed my attention from the first sniff. Luxuriously sexy and full-bodied, the bouquet is so hedonistically overwhelming it took me a few seconds to compose myself. I absolutely love Cabernet Franc and the perfume in the bouquet of this wine told me there was some lurking behind the concentrated brooding black fruits, dark chocolate and cigar box tones from the others in the glass. A powerful, muscular wine that is made for the long haul and will definitely need to be laid down for a few years. We all know at least one wine snob – serving this to them will definitely stop them from looking down their nose at you. Superb.

Guest taster Eugene says: The bouquet on this was predominantly lavender and violet but intertwined also with the lovely scent of putting your nose to a mixed posy. I would have liked to have this on my pillow so that I could inhale it in all night. After a while of it being in the glass, notes of dark berries and old cigar box aromas came through. It seemed to smack your palate with some fairly heavy tannins, but mellowed to a full, round luscious aftertaste.

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

Special Report

Natural Wine

by Robert Joseph

“Natural” is a magic word, as any marketing man peddling industrial food and drink knows all too well. Just look at all those references to “natural flavours” and “natural aromas” that have been cooked up in laboratories by men and women in white coats and used to enhance the appeal of everything from fruit drinks and deserts for children to air fresheners.

Today, however, there’s a very different kind of “natural” product whose producers would be agonised to see themselves mentioned in the same paragraph as any of these. I’m talking about “natural wine”.

I

f you haven’t come across natural wine you are either, as its most enthusiastic fans - the “naturalistas”, as I call them - would say, missing out on the most exciting thing to happen to wine. Or in what I would call a state of vinous grace. When you start to look around, you soon realise that “natural” (I find it hard not to use the apostrophes) wines are everywhere and nowhere. So, while supermarkets, many wine merchants and wine critics ignore them completely, an apparently growing number of restaurants in 24 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

London, New York, Paris and Tokyo now have pages of natural wines on their lists, and sommeliers who are eager to introduce them to their customers.

Some, such as Terroir, close to Trafalgar Square in London actually specialise in them, while anyone browsing the subject online will encounter specialist suppliers such as the Natural Wine Co. There are apparently well over 500 natural producers in France, and enough globally to fill the stands at two annual London natural wine fairs. In the Cape,

Special Report Craig Watkins is proudly making natural wine at Lammershoek and Marc Kent, of Boekenhoutskloof and Porcupine Ridge, has launched his own Porseleinberg label in Swartland as a joint venture with the viticulturist Callie Louw.

So what are “natural” wines? And how do they differ from anything else in the rack? Well, if I could answer this precisely, I would do so, but then I probably might not be writing this piece. Unlike their Organic, Biodynamic and Fairtrade counterparts, natural wines are not governed by any kinds of rules; they are part of a basic philosophical reaction against what the naturalistas see as the “industrialisation”, or “manipulation” of wine. This would include the arsenal of man-made sprays and fertilisers that are used to increase production and protect against pests and disease, as well as some undeniably industrial processes like using sophisticated filters

to extract water from grape juice to produce a more concentrated wine, or to reduce its alcoholic strength. Other techniques the naturalistas dislike include deepening the colour of red wine and adding richness by adding Mega-Purple, a dye derived from black-juiced grapes, and the use of enzymes and cultured yeasts to bring out specific flavours.

“Unlike their Organic, Biodynamic and Fairtrade counterparts, natural wines are not governed by any kinds of rules..... ”

So far, so good; it would be hard to find any serious winemaker who’d disagree with them about any of this. But the naturalistas go further. They’re purists, so they also eschew cultured yeasts of the kind many of us use to make bread and that every Champagne producer relies on to kick off the second fermentation process that gives us all those bubbles. Beer, bread and Champagne are impossible to make without adding yeast of some kind, but grapes that are going to be used to produce still wine come with their own coating of wild yeasts

MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 25

Special Report that should do the job of converting the sugar in the juice into alcohol. For millennia, winemakers relied on wild yeasts, because they had no alternative, but they also put up with high levels of unpredictability.

When temperatures were low, some vats failed to start fermenting; when they were high, the juice would over-heat, the fermentation process would stop before it was complete, and bacteria would turn the halfmade wine into vinegar. In the 1970s and 1980s, installing equipment to control the temperature of the vats reduced these problems but many producers - including some of the finest in the world - decided that the Champagne makers were actually on to something, and began to use reliable cultured yeasts of their own. The advantage of these, apart from their reliability, was the “clean”, flavour of the wine they produced; on the other hand many still favoured more complex, often earthier characters produced by the wild yeasts. Until recently, the two groups coexisted peaceably and some producers, particularly in the New World offered examples of both styles of winemaking.

of place, or of the land, grapes or weather, it is about producing more and more wine for less and less cash. It’s about producing it as quickly as possible and then flogging a brand illusion.”

“...wine today is far removed from its original definition of fermented grape juice.”

Today, the naturalistas – or some of them at least – have adopted a (far) “holier-than-thou” approach, demonizing anyone who dos not march to the beat of their drum.

Isabelle Legeron MW, the leading spokesman for the movement is quoted on the Lammersheok website as saying "Most wine today is heavily processed and made using dozens of different additives that ensure consistency and in short, wine today is far removed from its original definition of fermented grape juice… It is the by-product of a chemically-induced fermentation, which is tightly controlled through the aid of additives and structure-altering equipment. Why? Because the bottom line is now what the vast majority of wines is all about. It is no longer about terroir, or a sense 26 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

This is a gloriously sweeping statement. Yes, there's plenty of cheap, commercial wine of which this may be true - and innumerable serious wines of which it's a gross overstatement. Is it really true that all those Burgundies, Bordeaux, Barolos and top Cape wines whose producers haven’t signed up to the cause really lack a “sense of place”. If that were the case, how on earth have experts managed to blind taste them over the years? In my experience, good wines made with cultured yeasts do taste “cleaner” and less “earthy” than ones made with wild ones – but they still have plenty of terroir.

But if the naturalistas demonise the use of cultured yeasts, far more controversially, they often also dislike the use of sulphur dioxide - SO2, the “sulfites’ that have to be mentioned on warning stickers on wines sold in the US. SO2 is an easy target. No-one who can remember the rotten egg smells and involuntary coughing fits of the school chemistry lab will think of it with affection, and it’s true that it can be bad news for asthmatics. On the other hand, bleach doesn’t smell very nice either and like bleach, SO2 has the invaluable quality of killing bacteria, and it also protects against the potentially damaging effects of oxygen.

In other words, a dose of sulphur dioxide is what stands between a wine turning into sherry or vinegar, or falling victim to other bacteria such as brettanomyces that will leave it smelling like the Augean stables. Especially if that wine is shipped from one place to another, subject to even the slightest changes in temperature or kept for any

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Special Report serious length of time. Some natural winemakers, like Frank Cornelissen in Italy have been firm in their stance against the use of any SO2 – and have been criticized for the instability of their often highly priced wines. Others, like Mark Kent more sensibly use moderate quantities of the chemical, and make truly delicious wine.

For the hardline naturalistas, instablility is a risk worth taking for the sake of “expressing the terroir”. Indeed they are not actually risks, because what have traditionally been regarded as faults - cloudiness, for example or vinegariness - are embraced as “natural”. The world of natural wine is a place where it is considered normal to shell out a lot of money for a bottle of white that looks, smells and tastes just like a cheap bottle of rustic Normandy cider. As Tim Atkin put it, “natural wine lovers do seem to be indulgent of faults... that have nothing to do with good winemaking or terroir”.

Among the worst of the “four legs good; two legs bad” natural wine evangelists is a certain breed of sommelier. The kind that reportedly refused to replace a bottle that had been declared faulty by top US wine merchant Kermit Lynch, saying “There’s no point in my getting you another one, sir.

Obviously you just don’t appreciate the natural style of the wine”. To which Lynch apparently replied that he did actually appreciate the wine in question, enough in fact for him to have become its importer.

He drinks it quite often, which is how he’s able to spot a duff bottle like the one the sommelier was trying to tell him was ok.

Like “honest” and “clean”, the power of “natural” lies in what it isn’t. Who’s raising their hand, after all, for a glass of un-natural flavours in red or white 28 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

wine. A moment’s reflection, however, reveals that naturalness is not innately desirable. Malaria is wholly natural in places where mosquitos thrive.

What could be more natural than what foxes do to rabbits and chickens? Sensible travellers take pills or injections against the disease and farmers put up fences to protect their flocks; sensible winemakers use at least a little sulphur dioxide to protect their wine. Early last year, a London wine merchant, the much-missed late Patrick Sandeman, wrote a blog in which he quoted the Rhône producer Michel Chapoutier as saying “It is extraordinary that people defend products with defects on the grounds that in the past growers were making wines with defects, so that is good, or natural. Those old wines had defects because people lacked the tools and means to make fault-free wines.”

In harking back to the past, the naturalistas conveniently forget that the Romans did not make natural wine. They struggled to improve its flavour and keep it fresh with additives ranging from herbs to seawater to lead. The 19th century Burgundians had no recourse to Mega Purple or sophisticated extraction machines so, in tricky vintages, they added thick red from North Africa and the Rhone, along, possibly, with a little local liqueur de cassis.

Some of my neighbours, when I lived in Burgundy in the 1970s, had no industrial equipment, but as Anthony Hanson pointed out in the first edition of his book on the region, they had lots and lots of sugar that they (illegally) used to raise the alcoholic strength of their wine from 9% to 12.5%.

The older I get and the more wine I drink, the less I care about the reputation of where it came from or the philosophy of the winemaker. What matters to me is whether it tastes good. I’m not sure what I really think about some of the things Biodynamic winemakers do with cow corns and “energised” water, but I love many of the reds and whites they produce and I love the fact that they don't set themselves above their neighbours. I’ve had some so-called natural wines that were absolutely brilliant and rather more that I would never want to pass my lips again. Ultimately, I trust the producers - and the merchants - who’ve not let me down - and I let nature do the rest.

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Exclusive interview

Jonathan BoyntonLee Shot on location at 15 on Orange Hotel by Mark Freebs Humble and down to earth, Jonathan is living the ‘dream’, taking every day one step at a time whilst trying to save the world along the way.

APRIL 2014 WINE EXTRA 30

Jonathan Boynton-Lee We know you as a TV presenter and you’ve recently won the coveted title of Cosmopolitan Sexiest Man of the Year. Tell us, where did your career begin?

Well, it’s pretty much the story of my life. I’ve got all of the special locations tattoo’d on my arm. The first coordinates are from where my life started, at an adoption home. I grew up with my adoptive family in Northcliff. I studied drama at Rhodes University and started acting, writing and directing for theatre.

Fate then stepped in. I was set to star in a big theatre production when I was assaulted and badly beaten up to the point where my jaw was broken. It was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was only 22 and some bouncers went on a bit of a rampage where they let loose on whoever was nearest to them.

The good side is that while I was recovering I wrote a film script, which made it to a film festival and that’s how I jumped to the directing and writing side of things. That film won an award at the Quickies Film Festival and that then led me to directing music videos and adverts.

The reason why I’m a Top Billing presenter today is because I pretty much grew up with it. I’d actually booked to go on a holiday to Thailand with my thengirlfriend, but we broke up a week before and I was alone and depressed in Jo’burg, so thought I may as well audition. I stood in a queue for 8 hours with thousands of people and here I am today.

Where does your passion lie?

As long as I’m on set, I’m happy. Whether I’m in front of the camera or behind it, that doesn’t really matter. This is a dream-job for me. Everything is as amazing as it appears to be.

“ I’ve got all of the special locations tattoo’d on my arm.”

How did it feel when you were announced as the Cosmopolitan Sexiest Man of 2014?

It’s not really sunk in yet, to be honest. [The interview took place days after Jonathan’s victory – Ed]. It’s pretty awesome though. I suppose it gives you bragging

The timeline of Johnathan's special locations

31 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

Exclusive interview

rights and appearing alongside some of the sexiest people in South Africa is quite an honour. My Mom obviously voted a lot!

You seem to be a family man. Do you spend much time with them in between travelling?

It’s difficult. Last year, I was home only 6 weekends of the year. If I stand on my balcony I can see their homes and I’m super close to my sister too. I miss them, but we try to make an effort to see each other whenever we can.

When did you start to enjoy wine?

Only recently, actually… I was shooting with Top Billing at the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year awards in Franschhoek towards the end of last year.

At the event, all of the wines were paired with food and I think something just clicked into place for me, which sparked a further interest in the subject.

I was hooked from then. I’m trying to research and learn as much as I can.

So, do you have any favourites yet?

I’m still getting the hang of all of the different varietals. I’m loving Champagne and good local bubblies at the moment. There’s always some kind MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 32

of sparkling wine at most of the events I attend, so I do enjoy it, but I’m not a massive drinker overall.

I enjoy having a few drinks, but it’s not the beall and end-all of a night out. For me, wine is very much something to be enjoyed with food and depending on the meal, I’m happy to have whatever complements that.

“...all of the wines were paired with food and I think something just clicked into place for me, which sparked a further interest in the subject.”

Have you visited any wine farms?

I wish I had more time to do it. I was actually planning on doing just that yesterday, but unfortunately I just didn’t have the time. It’s been many years since I last visited a wine farm. I really do want to do it and make a weekend of it.

Jonathan Boynton-Lee If a wine were to be made in your honour, how would it represent you and what would it be called?

Valdobbiadene. La differenza è tutta qui.

It would have to be a bubbly. I think it would be one of those wines that evolves. It’s not going to be flamboyant from the moment you pull the cork. You’d take the first sip and slowly the flavour changes to become something really special. The name… Well if it’s made in my honour, then it would have to be named after me, so perhaps something like ‘Johnny B’.

“The beauty of wines is that there’s a wine for every occasion, whether you’re celebrating something or winding down after a long day at work.”

www.canevel.it CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REGOLAMENTO CE N. 1234/07

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Where, in your opinion, is the perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine?

The beauty of wines is that there’s a wine for every occasion, whether you’re celebrating something or winding down after a long day at work. It’s like asking me what my favourite movie is, which is simply impossible for me to say as I love so many different movies in all of the various genres.

With which wine would you seduce a hot girl who really took your fancy?

I would have no idea which wine to pick as I don’t have enough experience, but I suppose bubbly would be a safe bet. I think Dom Perignon should do the trick.

Have you ever done anything a little crazy after a few glasses too many?

Well, obviously there were my college days…

33 WINE EXTRA APRIL 2014

Exclusive interview What’s next for you?

I’m just going with the flow right now. I’m very much a believer of living in the ‘now’, so it’s pointless to plan too much. Once you’re living in the moment, the right things will come your way. I want to make a movie at the end of the year. I’d also love to get back onto the stage.

What are your thoughts on the Secret Cellar Chardonnay?

This is a delicious, fruity wine. It’s really smooth too. I’m quite enjoying this right now.

Secret Cellar Chardonnay Retail price: R24.99 Available from Ultra Liquors nationwide www.ultraliquors. co.za

34 WINE EXTRA MARCH 2014

Life is

BEAUTIFUL

Website: www.beaubelle.co.za Tel : 0218813808 Find us on Facebook: Chateau Beau Belle E-mail: info@beaubelle.co.za

Trophy winner

Not for Sale to Persons under the Age of 18

In November 2001, Henrico Grobbelaar traded in his career as a trained engineer (Bachelor of Science in Polymer Engineering), for the culinary world - and has never looked back.

T

oday he is one of South Africa’s most creative and celebrated young chefs with a long list of accolades and an enviable resume which includes: Sunday Times Chef of the Year 2009; San Pellegrino International Young Chef of the World 2009; Executive Chef to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland 2010 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Captain of the South African Culinary Olympic Team in 2008 – 2012 and part of the national culinary team since 2005.

From the position of Executive Chef at The Twelve Apostles Hotel, Henrico joined the young creative team behind the creation of Equus at Cavalli Estate. Says Grobbelaar: “As a Chef you never, ever stop learning. There are always new trends, new styles and new techniques, and this is what keeps my passion alive.” Full, simple flavours are essential as well as an honest meal. I want to feel satisfied with the basic key points of food, be it balance, texture, colour and flavour. Being able to excite and satisfy the guest by passionately adhering to these fundamentals is how you build your relationship with guests, and ultimately a successful restaurant.

Waldorf Salad, Blue Cheese, Raisin, Celery and Candied Walnut (Serves 4)

IRaisin Gel Ingredients: • 250g Raisins • 125ml Old Brown Sherry • 125ml Water • 3g Agar

36 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

Method: Method: Soak the raisins overnight in the sherry and water.

Bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes.

Add the agar and keep at 90°C for 1 minute. Add salt and pepper and blend in Thermo mix till smooth. Add water if necessary. Strain and leave to set, reblend and transfer to squeeze.

Tang Espuma Ingredients: • 400ml Apple Juice • 100ml Apple Sours (Contains Alcohol) • 5ml Apple Vinegar • 5ml Xantham Gum • 100g Egg (whites only) Method: Bring apple juice to the boil.

Remove from heat. Add the, Xantham Gum, Apple Vinegar and mix with hand blender. Cool down to 40°C and add the egg whites. Blend with a hand blender.

Add to thermo gun and charge with 2 cartridges. Keep warm until service.

Spray inside the pickled apple.

Apple Pickle Ingredients: • 4 Granny Smith apples • 150ml White Verjus • 10ml Rice Vinegar • 20ml Water • 60ml Castor sugar • 1stran Saffron • 12g Salt Method: Bring the pickling liquid to the boil in a small pot over a medium heat. Place the corn in a bowl and pour the hot liquid over the kernels. Cool to room temperature. Remove the apple core and peel the apple. Cut to desired shape, in this case 2mm thick slices.

Transfer to the pickle and leave for 15 minutes. Make sure the apple slices are covered with the pickle to prevent them

from oxidizing. Stack the pickled apple slices on top of each other when plating.

Caramelised Walnuts Ingredients: • 80g Walnuts (toasted and peeled) • Sugar syrup (equal quantities of sugar and water) • 1g Gingerbread spice Method: Boil the walnuts in the sugar syrup. Add a little of the gingerbread spice until the walnuts are fully coated.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the coated walnuts on greaseproof paper and put them in the preheated oven until they caramelise.

Celery Curls and Blue Cheese Ingredients: • 2 Bunches of celery • 250ml Ice water • 80g Blue cheese Method: Peel celery very thin with a potato peeler. Store in ice water for 15 minutes. Celery will curl up. Serve 20g of blue cheese per person. Gently break the cheese in medium size chunks.

Pair it with Cavalli Pink Pony RRP: R45; www.cavallistud. co.za Red currant, raspberry, earthy notes, honeysuckle on the nose. Crisp mouthfeel with refreshing finish on the palate. A light hearted wine for any occasion.

MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 37

Livin’thelife

by Maryna Strachan

Hout Bay Market

Moving and Shaking at the Market Growing up in Bloemfontein, I loved to go to the big flea market that used to be held on the first Saturday of each month in Loch Logan. These days, however, I’m not such a huge market-goer anymore. There are many markets, slow markets, flea markets, craft markets, antique markets. Some are better than others and I recall what a friend recently said: “same stuff, different location”.

38 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

Livin’thelife

Maryna loved these furry hats

Maryna gets stuck into the Sauvignon vineyard

S

o when I recently visited the Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay, it was a really pleasant experience. Yes, there was a fair amount of the “same stuff” variety, but there was also a lot of “other” stuff. From funky t-shirts to Ugg-style boots and furry character hats with mittens attached, there’s something for everyone. The Bay Harbour Market is a celebration of the vibrancy, spirit and diversity of creativity and culture that make South Africa such a unique country.

“We are extremely excited to have KWV onboard with us. They embody the spirit of an authentic South African brand...”

The food area caters for those who just want a nibble or to appease a sweet tooth to hunger-busters of note, but what really caught my attention was the partnership that the market has with wine producer KWV. Music and entertainment are an integral part of the shopping experience at Bay Harbour Market MAY APRIL 2014 2014 WINE WINE EXTRA EXTRA 39 39

Livin’thelife

Kani Miambo in action

and KWV is playing a prominent role in supporting and promoting local up-and-coming artists and comedians through the official KWV Sound Stage. This sponsorship is aligned with KWV’s commitment to celebrating proud pioneers in their chosen field of expression. KWV will also be the official pouring wine and selected spirits brand at the market’s Boom Bar.

“This really tickled me as food and wine pairing is such a big thing these days.”

Anthony Stroebel, Co-Founder of the market says, “We are extremely excited to have KWV onboard with us. They embody the spirit of an authentic South African brand, as do we, not to mention that they offer a range of superb wines and spirits for all palates. Through a number of planned customer engagement activities we are excited at the prospect

The Kitchen Cowboys' steak sandwich and KWV Café Culture

40 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 41

Livin’thelife

of bringing a unique wine experience to our visitors, both local and international alike. And, of course, this partnership will also allow us to further invest in showcasing the amazing emerging musical talent from the Cape Town area and, indeed, from further afield.”

Anthony further confirmed that they’ve teamed up with all of the food stalls, to pair their individual signature dishes with one of the KWV wines. For those visiting the market, you can have a perfectly paired bite! This really tickled me as food and wine pairing is such a big thing these days. I was starving, so went for the famous 68 weeks matured Chalmar rump steak sandwich from the famous Kitchen Cowboys stand. This was perfectly paired with the Café Culture coffee Pinotage. Now, let’s just make it clear that I’m usually not very big on coffee-style wines, but I must admit, I LOVED the combination!

There are several other options with different dishes and a range of wines available that will appeal to everyone’s taste buds, so I highly recommend this.

The entertainment for the day really rounded it all off perfectly with Kani Miambo, a Latin jazz-rock 6-piece band who have played throughout SA. They hold a huge repertoire of both cover and original material. Their strong vocals and foot tapping melodies produced an unforgettable Latin experience and left everyone in an upbeat mood. OK, yes, the wine also had a lot to do with it…

Whether markets are your thing or not, if you’re looking for something different to do on either a Friday evening, Saturday or Sunday, you wouldn’t be disappointed if you visited the Bay Harbour Market.

Sure, it’s in the Republic of Hout Bay which might be a bit far for some, but you’ll be sure to have a lovely day out, even if you just go for the wine and song.

42 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

kronendal.belmet.co.za

We’ve Been Drinking Le Riche Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

O

wner Winemaker and cellarmaster Etienne Le Riche established his own label after moving from Rustenberg in the mid1990s and set up shop in an old cellar in Jonkershoek Valley. Today, he has his own purpose-built winery in the Helderberg area of Stellenbosch, on a small farm he recently acquired.

The grapes continue to be sourced from different microclimates around Stellenbosch, however. The fine new cellar has traditional open fermenters plus a few modern tweaks. Christo’s involvement since 2010 brings greater traceability to individual vineyard sites and more detailed viticulture. There is also a re-born wine, cleverly called Richesse, bearing the first of the redesigned labels. Plenty that’s new, then, but, says Etienne with a smile, ‘there’s really no change…’

The flagship of Le Riche, the 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve wine is the expression of the best they can possibly make. Rigorous vineyard selection, micro vinification, extended skin contact after fermentation and sufficient new oak to complement the fruit balance ensures the pedigree of this wine. It is a wine where no effort is spared, nor any cost to ensure the utmost of quality and consistency.

The berries are sorted after destemming and then go to open, lined concrete fermenters where

44 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

inoculation with yeast takes place.

Fermentation on the skins follows with regular manual punch-downs to ensure maximum colour, tannin and flavour extraction.

The Cabernet Reserve undergoes an extended period of maceration after the initial fermentation in open tanks. The tanks are sealed with a lid for an additional period before pressing. This improves the tannin quality, balance and extract of the wine. After fermentation the wine is pressed, and both free run and selected press juice go to French oak barrels for the secondary, malolactic fermentation. After barrel maturation for 15 to 24 months, the wine is bottled and hand-labelled as such. Throughout the process there is no compromise on quality.

Aromas of dark red fruit and sweet cherries are balanced by a touch of mint and cedar. The palate shows classy Cabernet flavours and soft, supple tannins with a firm structure. The rich, juicy entry is followed by an elegant mid-palate and long, lingering finish. This wine is drinking well already, but will benefit from a further 5-10 years of ageing.

Price: R380 Available from: Norman Goodfellows, Caroline's Fine Wines and Makro www.leriche.co.za

WineExtra 2 Chances to win Stackable Wine Crates valued at R2,000 each

The competition questions: 1. What is the Riverwoods slogan?

2. Name 2 of the wines in this month’s Taste Team lineup?

Answers and your email address must be posted on the Wine Extra Facebook Page under the competition post. Entries close at 12:00 on the 30th of April with the winner being announced thereafter on the Facebook page.

Terms & conditions 1. Only readers resident in the Republic of South Africa are eligible for entry.

2. Competition entrants must be at least 18 years of age.

3. Prizes may not be redeemed for cash.

4. The judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

5. The prize winner will be notified via Facebook.

6. The prize is not transferable and may not be converted into cash.

7. Personal information collected will not be shared with any third parties.

8. Staff members of TWS Media, and their agencies, as well as their immediate families may not enter.

9. If the prize is not claimed within 3 months of the prize winner being announced, the winner forfeits the prize.

MAY 2014 WINE EXTRA 45

WhatFoodWhatWine?

Mushroom Risotto Risotto: 30g Dried porcini mushrooms 250ml Warm water 80g Butter 1 tsp Olive oil 1 Leek (white part only), finely chopped 1 Onion, finely chopped 1 Clove garlic, finely chopped

Add the mushroom water to the stock. Slowly add the wine to the rice and let it be absorbed while you stir. Keep adding small ladles of chicken stock to the rice as it is absorbed. Keep stirring all the time and adding stock until the rice is al dente when you test it (takes about 20 minutes). Once the rice is tender and creamy (not mushy), stir in the cooked mushrooms, parmesan cheese, cream, chives and parsley. Serve immediately.

1.5 Cups Arborio rice 100ml Dry white wine 900ml Hot chicken stock Stirred in on the side: 30g Butter 300g Sliced button mushrooms 1 Clove garlic 1 tsp Finely chopped, fresh rosemary needles Salt and freshly ground black pepper 100g Freshly grated Parmesan 1/2 Cup fresh cream 2 tbls Freshly chopped chives 1 tbls Chopped parsley Heat the butter in a pan and fry the mushrooms, garlic and rosemary till the mushrooms wilt.

Season with salt and pepper.

Soak the porcini mushrooms in the warm water until they are hydrated (about 20 minutes). Remove them from the water and reserve the water for the risotto, squeeze any liquid from them and chop them roughly and set aside until needed.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan and gently cook the leek and onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and stir in the chopped porcini mushrooms and rice and coat with the butter.

46 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

4 Star Under R 100 Almenkerk Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Beau Belle Cooper Shiraz 2012 Blaauwklippen White Zinfandel 2011 Arendskloof Pinot Grigio 2013 Paulina's Reserve Chenin Blanc 2012 Secret Cellar MCC Blanc de Blanc NV Solms Delta Amalie 2012 Bon Courage Chardonnay Prestige CuveĂŠ 2013 Groot Constantia Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2013

3 Star Under R 100 Limelight Chardonnay 2013 Du Toitskloof Sauvignon Blanc 2013

Glen Carlou Chardonnay 2013 Riebeek Cellar Chardonnay 2013

4 Star over R 100 Creation Pinot Noir 2012 Coronata Integration 2012 Spier Creative Block 3 2011 Sumaridge Estate Pinot Noir 2010

3 Star over R 100 Quoin Rock Nicobar 2012 Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2011

Trophy Winner under R100

Jordan Chameleon Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay 2013 Web: www.jordanwines.com

Trophy Winner over R100

Dagbreek Touriga Nacional 2011 Web: dagbreek@compnet.co.za

Visit our Showroom: See our Product Range: Contact us for a Quote:

87 - 11th Rd, Kew - JHB www.riverwoods.co.za (011) 887 7139

Into the Spirit

Belvedere Vodka’s Citrus Espresso Martini You certainly won’t find this in a coffee shop. Earthy chocolate and toffee espresso is tempered with bright Citrus. A complex and refreshing digestif.

Created in Poland, the birthplace of vodka, Belvedere represents the pinnacle of the Polish vodkamaking tradition. Distilled exclusively from the finest 100% Dankowskie Gold Rye and quadruple distilled to create the perfect balance of character and purity, Belvedere Vodka is the true expression of luxury vodka.

Retail Price: R339 www.belvederevodka.com

Citrus Espresso Martini · · · ·

60ml Belvedere Citrus Double espresso Dash simple syrup 10m Kahlua coffee liqueur (or other premium coffee liqueur substitute)

Add all ingredients to a Boston Shaker, and shake with cubed ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with 3 coffee beans. Optional lemon twist.

48 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

12

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

Mark Norrish Ultra Liquors- General Manager Wine Division 1. Selling wine to China and the Far East. Are you engaging?

and have been “quietly” purchasing current “cooler weather” located farms in various countries that they foresee as benefitting from warmer weather in the future. Cabernet Sauvignon from Champagne one day?

No 6. Bulk exports. Sustainable or insanity?

2. Local & International wine competitions.

Worthwhile or waste of marketing budget?

Essential, as they highlight new farms/new wines, and also serve as “indicators’ for consumers.

Importantly, it elevates the wine category to consumer “top of mind”. Also, it does create benchmarks for various wineries, as well as SA wines against international competition.

3. What would happen if SA wine received meaningful support from government?

A loaded question. I don’t see this happening to any great extent, based on history and current challenges within SA. 4. What’s the next BIG wine trend?

Aah, that is definitely my 'Secret'…

5. Global warming and local wine production. What’s going to happen?

A very complex situation, with even the experts differing. The only guarantees in life are death and change! As an indication of change, many top French producers have been on this topic for a long time, 50 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

Bulk will always have a role to play, but then that SA wine will always only be a commodity. Branding wine is the best sustainable practice, but much depends on circumstances of the individual producer.

7. What is the best way to educate new wine drinkers about the product?

Wine is essentially just another beverage to consumers. We need to keep it simple, fun and unostentatious. Forget telling the majority of consumers about the ph, ta, etc. Focus more on the wine heritage, tell stories of interest, what food works well with it and the basics of how to taste a wine. At the first Whisky Live show I attended, I recall one of the exhibitors asking me how I drank whisky, to which I replied, “with a block of ice” I then asked him as to how other people consumed theirs, to which he replied, “coke, soda, some even had Fanta orange with it, I don’t really care, as long they as they drink whisky!” This was a major learning curve for me, as I then understood - a] if the consumer pays for it, the consumer can do whatever they want with it, and b] we all have different thresholds for various tastes, so what makes me right or wrong, and who am I to judge anyway. This was a critical lesson in my understanding of consumerism and their behaviour

12 questions 8. Our farm workers. Fair treatment or ticking timebomb?

Not being a producer working with the labour force, I do not know the situation well enough to comment on this.

9. What will a ban on alcohol advertising, in all its proposed forms, mean to the wine industry?

Whew, a very loaded question. It all depends on the severity of it. If it is going to be like the cigarette industry from mid '95 and phased in over a decade then it will have major ramifications. It will present a major challenge, but also opportunities for producers if the “worst case” scenario is pushed through.

10. You get to run WoSA for 12 months and nobody can argue or complain about your decisions. What are you going to do?

I don’t know enough about the inner workings of WoSA, but I do know that the Aussies did a great job in the 90’s of marketing Australian wine, and they really lived their vision. I was at Vinexpo in '97

and I recall tasting at one producer's stand, asking him for a Merlot. He replied that he did not have a Merlot and I was gobsmacked when instead of trying to get me to then try his new Shiraz, he immediately told me to try the Aussie producer next door for a superb Merlot!

11. You get to change one thing about the SA wine industry by just clicking your fingers. What are you going to change?

Two things! Be professional in all aspects and investigate organic and sustainable best practice farming.

12. What will the SA wine industry look like in 20 years time?

No comment, another 'Secret' of mine that I am not sharing!

Get Out April/May 2014

Reburn & Friends at Nitida : The Indie rock band, Reburn, will be revisiting the stage at Nitida Wine Farm on the 13th April 2014, for their muchanticipated return after a six month instudio sabbatical whilst working on their new album, Majestic. The performance will be accompanied by Simon Attwell from Freshlyground, comedian Brendan Murray and the Cape Town Caledonian Pipe Band for an interesting mix of entertainment.

Kicking off at 17:00 Reburn and City Soirée will be hosting the one-night-only evening at Tables@Nitida’s natural amphitheatre at a cost of R135 per person. Burgers, beers, boerie rolls and wraps will be available for guest purchase, as well as, of course, Nitida’s multi-award winning wines.

For ticket purchases go to http://www. citysoiree.co.za/events/a-majesticevening-with-reburn-and-friends/.

Limited tickets available. To find out more about menu options at Tables@Nitida contact 021-975 9357 or email info@ tablesatnitida.co.za.

52 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

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

Picnic at Uitkyk : The historic Uitkyk Wine Estate introduces flirty picnics on the lawns at the restored Georgian Manor House. Sip on Uitkyk’s recently released wines, while enjoying an opulent Georgian picnic basket consisting of artisan breads, cheeses, pâté’s, olives, a charcuterie selection, smoked salmon, fruit and decadent chocolate brownies. The Picnic Basket, which serves two, is priced at R350 and includes mineral water and a bottle of Uitkyk wine. There is also the option to upgrade your picnic to the R380 Carlonet Picnic, which includes a bottle of the estate’s flagship Carlonet wine or the R400 Glass Memoires Picnic, which includes a bottle of the new MCC. Kiddies are also catered for. Picnic blankets and/or picnic tables are provided for the comfort of guests. Picnics are available from Mondays to Sundays from 10:00 to 17:00. Please book 24-hours in advance to avoid disappointment. Call 021-884 4416 or email info@uitkyk.co.za.

‘Tastes of 2014’ Strategies of Seduction : The Vineyard Hotel has announced its fresh and irresistible ‘Tastes of 2014’ culinary calendar that features themed menus and wine-paired dinners in its elegant ‘Square Restaurant’. In April, ‘Tastes of 2014’ will launch with a Scottish theme to celebrate the Scotsman, James Mitchell, who bought the house in 1894. As a result, dinner guests can look forward to an exciting fusion of traditional and modern Scottish fare. “Scotland is undergoing an interesting culinary renaissance, so we’ve been able to draw on an eclectic assortment of European food cultures together with the Scots’ love of fish, hearty soups and broths, fresh produce and tantalising seasonal foods,” Deitchman explains.

‘Tastes of 2014’ also offers a series of fortnightly, wine-paired dinners that focus on the wines of carefully selected estates. The first such dinner will be hosted on 25 April and will feature the Vineyard Hotel’s five wine partners: Meerlust, Waterford Estate, Klein Constantia, Warwick and Simonsig. Specially crafted dishes, designed to help tease out the best possible synergies from wine/food combinations, will be revealed to those attending.

For the complete schedule of wine-paired dinners, visit www.vineyard. co.za. For more information or to make a reservation, please call 021657 4500 or e-mail eat@vineyard.co.za. .

CAPE TOWN Enter a World of Wonder : Val du Charron, an exquisite estate on the outskirts of Wellington, is showcasing their new vintage Theatre of Wine range at an extraordinary event in their wine cellar.

Enter a world of wonder and be enchanted by an evening of dress-up, make-believe, theatrical displays, carnival cuisine, live music, dancing and award winning wine.

Val du Charron’s Theatre of Wine Range brings you the very best of their blended wines in an exciting presentation, regaling you with splendid stories that you will tell your grandchildren. The event starts at 19:00 on 1, 2 and 3 May and tickets cost R250pp. No under 18’s allowed. The ticket price includes a glass of bubbly on arrival, a 3-course meal paired with Val du Charron’s Theatre of Wine range, live music and the magical happenings during the evening.

Tickets can be purchased at www. webtickets.co.za. Dress code: Dramatic and theatrical. For more information call 021-873 1256 or email sales@vdcwines. com.

Nitida Food & Wine Pairing at Bistro 1800 On Friday, 25 April 2014, the illustrious Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Spa’s Bistro 1800 Restaurant will be hosting the first of a series of six food and wine pairing evenings to run through the coming autumn and winter months. Multiaward winning Nitida Wines will debut the culinary festivities, giving guests the opportunity to enjoy their vintage varietals paired with exotic compositions of gastronomic delight.

Nitida winemaker Brendan Butler will spearhead the four-course pairing with Bistro 1800 Sommelier, Ardiel Norodien, and Head Chef, Bevan Webb. Bookings in advance are essential at a cost of R320 per person. For reservations contact Bistro 1800 Reservations on 021-430 0506 or email info@18hundreddegrees.co.za.

JO’BURG The Wine Show Jo’burg is back! : For a 9th consecutive year, South Africa’s most popular consumer wine exhibition is back.

Returning to the sexy Sandton Convention Centre, visitors will experience wine in a fun and informative environment from 8-10 May 2014. Doors open from 16:00-21:00 on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 May and 12:00-21:00 on Saturday, the 10th. Free interactive wine theatres, the IWSC Champions Lounge and integrated themed food areas ensures a great day out for all. Bring your purse as you’ll be able to purchase wines as your heart desires, with no limits and great show offers from the individual exhibitors. If there’s too much to carry, leave your wine at the Dawn Wing Sip ‘n Ship area and have the porters load your car at the end of your visit or they can ship it to your door. If you’ve had a bit too much to drink, Goodfellas will be on hand and several teams will be available during the last 3 hours of each day on a first come, first served basis totally free of charge, to drive you home safely in your own car. There’s so much more! For a full list of exhibitors, please visit www.wineshow.co.za. Tickets are available in advance for R150 from Computicket.co.za or R170 at the door and include a crystal wine glass, show map and snack voucher.

There’s no other place to be!.

Benchmark Bordeaux Tasting : We will taste through a range of styles, estates and vintages geared at exposing guests to some of the famed left and right bank estates of Bordeaux as well as a great white from Chateau Carbonnieux and ending with a 95 Parker Points dessert wine from the Sauternes estate, Doisy Vedrines. Wines for the tasting include the 2006 Chateau Carbonnieux blanc, 2008 Giscours, 2008 Clos L’Eglise, 2010 Monbousquet, 2011 Chateau Bire, 2008 Segla, 2010 Chateau Fourcase Borie and 2009 Doisy Vedrines. Price is R650 per person and the tasting takes place on the 15th of April at the Great Domaines cellar, 2 Jameson Avenue, Melrose Estate. Pol Roger Champagne is served at 18:30 and tastings will start promptly at 19:00, finishing at 20:30. Basic tapas/snacks will be served during the tasting. Seats limited to 12 guests and it will be a two bottle tasting. To book call 011-778 9300

PORT ELIZABETH Staying Alive with the Bee Gees : One of Centrestage`s most popular shows ever - "Staying Alive - A Tribute to the Bee Gees", will be revived this March, after having filled venues to capacity in the city some seven years ago. The show promises to take you back to the 70`s in true disco style. Show dates are 25 and 26 April 2014 at Hemingways, East London. Tickets cost R120 per person and are available at Computicket.

DURBAN The Wine Show Durban is back! : After an initial launch in November 2012, South Africa’s most popular consumer wine exhibition is back. Moving to a sexy new venue, the Suncoast, experience wine in a fun and informative environment from 5-7 June 2014. Doors open from 17:00-21:00 on Thursday and Friday the 5th and 6th and 12:00-21:00 on Saturday, the 7th. Free interactive wine theatres and an exciting food experience to boot ensures a great day out for all. Bring your purse as you’ll be able to purchase wines as your heart desires, with no limits and great show offers from the individual exhibitors. If there’s too much to carry, leave your wine at the Dawn Wing Sip ‘n Ship area and have the porters load your car at the end of your visit or they can ship it to your door. If you’ve had a bit too much to drink, Goodfellas will be on hand and several teams will be available during the last 3 hours of each day on a first come, first served basis totally free of charge, to drive you home safely in your own car.

There’s so much more! For a full list of exhibitors, please visit www.wineshow.co.za. Tickets are available in advance for R90 from Computicket.co.za or R100 at the door and include a wine glass and show map. There’s no other place to be!

54 WINE EXTRA MAY 2014

To book a private wine tasting, please contact Kevin 083 655 6611 or Jacques 082 337 9855

40A Uitkyk Street, Franschhoek sales@bevintners.co.za @bevintners www.facebook.com/bevintners WWW.BEVINTNERS.CO.ZA