The Christmas holidays are approaching, and with it a time of indulgence and things that sparkle. Maryna Strachan and The Wine Show ladies donned their Kill Bill suits, sharpened their samurai swords and sabraged themselves through 6 MCC’s from this years Show.
Champers, fizz, bubbly, call it what you want.
Remember the 80’s and 90’s when we were drinking ‘champagne’ from martini glasses and feeling oh-so sophisticated? That sweet bubbly drink, most likely in the form of JC le Roux le Domaine or 5th Avenue Cold Duck is, in retrospect, a far cry from its more sophisticated cousin, French Champagne.
In Spain they call it Cava, Italians say Asti or Spumante and the Germans go with Sekt. We boertjies have come up with our own term, Methode Cap Classique
(MCC).
It still sounds French, so I suppose a bit more posh, but in essence it refers to how the actual fizz is made – the traditional way of Champagne, by secondary fermentation in the bottle...Read more
"Now for something completely different" 6 unusual cultivars
reviewed.
The Wine Show’s Taste Team are all about making wine writing as fun and relaxed as our Show. They’re drawn from amongst you, our visitors. With 6 different opinions and personalities you’ll certainly identify with individual Tasters and find their reviews relevant to you personally. In our first edition they got to grips with 6 wines made from unusual or lesser known varietals. The Team found plenty of gems you’re likely to want to try yourself!
John Woodward reports from the first tasting.
Zinfandel, Gamay Noir and Cinsault/Mouverdre. Pinot Grigio, Malbec and Tempranillo. Exotic names for what we hoped would be a revelation of new tastes and sensations within our shared passion for wine.
The Melrose Arch Hotel’s Pool Bar is one cool venue. Uber chic featuring seating within an ankle-deep wading pool nestled amongst giant plant pots and sporting a view over Melrose Arch itself. Thankfully the weather had warmed up and our taste buds quickly followed... Read More
It’s the “magic” in some of Bordeaux’s finest blends, and used the world over as both a single cultivar and to add finesse to red blends. Feminine and silky smooth when produced to high standards, Merlot has had a rocky recent few years, not least here in SA where the debate seems to be “should South Africa even try to produce good Merlot?”.
World-wide sales of Merlot reportedly started heading south following an unlikely and unfortunate quote in the cult movie “Sideways”. In the film two buddies, one about to marry, go on a wine tour as a final hoorah before marital bliss. The character Miles, the more wine orientated of the two, utters the line “If anyone orders Merlot I’m leaving” as they enter a restaurant to meet some friends.
That line, based on comedy rather than actual critique, is widely considered to have been the cause of consumers abandoning the cultivar
in their droves. Interestingly, another line in the film is thought to have seen an explosion of consumer interest in Pinot Noir. WINE EXTRA spoke to two international Sommeliers working in South Africa what they thought.
At The Wine Show Jo’burg ’09 Sommelier Jörg Pfützner led a very special tasting of 9 iconic wines dating back to 1909 and taking in each decade until 1999. Pieter de Klerk was there and tells us what its like to drink 90 year-old wine.
Finally, after perpetually salivating in anticipation for a month like a rabid werewolf, I was sitting in front of some pretty fancy glasses with sommelier Jörg Pfützner pouring Louis Roederer Cristal 1999 into my very happy glass. Talk about a flying start!
At this stage the 45% Chardonnay still dominates the 55% Pinot Noir, but this is bound to change as this awesome wine moves towards full maturity. Superbly balanced, the wine bristled with minerality and a sturdy natural acid: “She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie… Champagne!” (with apologies to J.J.Cale and Eric Clapton).. . Read More
Neil Pendock & Michael Olivier launch The Peoples Guide giving an alternative to Platter to the consumer. Cathy Marston discusses the two guides and asks “how important are they”?
Leading UK wine writer Jancis Robinson recently focused on South African wines and declared more than a handful of favourites including wines from Raats, Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards and Diemersdal.
Turn Left at the Giraffe has released an electronic guide to the Cape Winelands for mobile phones - Turn Left at the Barrel.This comprehensive guide comprises estate details, wine ratings by local experts and the best tour recommendations selected="true" from over 600 Cape estates.
Kleine Zalze’s Terroir restaurant wins again at the 2009 Prudential EAT OUT restaurant awards.News articles compliments of wine.co.za
If you enjoyed our MCC review and want to try your hand at sabrage check out this cool instructional video
Want to know how producers plot and plan to separate you from your hard earned cash? Check out this amusing video “Wine Sales 101” (contains profanity). Those crazy Americans!
UK Wine writer Olly Smith, umm, “gets to grips”(i.e fondles) with Anne Robinson on The Weakest Link. Very funny.
Facebook addicts will want to check out the pages for Douglas Green and Versus. Both brands have seemingly put lots of effort into content ranging from celebrity skinnering, amusing stories, competitions and amusing wine related stories. Douglas Green and Versus
The debate over wine guides and wine writers continues at www.grape.co.za with an interesting and well written Guest Blogg
Brendan Shaw of blog The Cru has posted a cool list of the 10 Most Expensive Cognacs in the World complete with tasting notes and photos.
www.winemag.co.za has a useful article on the importance of “sundowners” including a list of recommendations dominated by Cape Town, but not forgetting Jozi with 3 great venues listed.
Neil Pendock catches an arguable con on his Uncorked blog as a fine private cellar comes up for sale with some eyebrow raising prices. See
This is the part of our monthly magazine where we want to let you all know about wine tastings, club gatherings and food and wine evenings. However, having asked our exhibitors what they had planned for Jozi in the run up to Christmas not one of them had an event to report! We’re obviously, as an industry, going to have to try harder!
In the meantime, if you missed one of the two sublime Frogitt & Vonkel dinners at Melrose Arch Hotel you can have a peek at the photos here
