"I can really see myself with a glass of this in hand whilst lounging next to the pool..."

(RRP) R75

Available at: Ultra Liquors, Makro, TOPS at Spar

Website: www.cluver.com

		“Once you’ve taken a swig of this, it’s as if a string quartet has started to play Vivaldi’s Spring...” (RRP) R40-50 Available at: Pick n Pay, TOPS at Spar, Liquor City, Bootleggers Website: http://elginvintners.co.za

I find it pretty amazing just how many men are getting over themselves and finally deciding to indulge in a bit of pink. Seriously now, there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s wine, it tastes good and you might even look like you are a man of the world who knows better.

The Merlot Rose by Elgin Vintners caught my eye firstly with its beautiful colour. Rose often shows up in various shades of pink, from the more salmony shades, to peach and often just slightly pale pink and others more of a light red. This particular Rose was a beautiful pink, bright and inviting.

A common stereotype with Rose is that it is a sweeter wine. This is no longer the case as more and more producers decide to opt for a dry Rose. Made from 100% Merlot grapes, the juice was left on the skin for only 4 hours to extract this magnificent colour.

Once you’ve taken a swig of this, it’s as if a string quartet has started to play Vivaldi’s Spring, as the wonderfully fruity strawberry and red berry flavours conjugate and do their dance in your mouth. This is a wine I’d happily stock up on for the coming spring and summer months as it’s so easy to drink on its own, with a salad, sushi or smoked salmon sandwich. And let’s be fair, at the price, there simply isn’t a reason not to indulge.

		"A firm structure with all the soft and rounded bits in the right places, like that redhead from The Mentalist..." (RRP) R110 Available at: www.sealbreezewines.co.za Website: www.sealbreezewines.co.za

If you, like me, think that it's mostly too warm in the Olifantsrivier to make more than the occasional goodish wine between all the bulk stuff, you clearly haven't tasted the Seal Breeze range yet. Looking for something off the beaten track to select as my show wine (it's impossible to pick one ultimate best wine from so many), I found my pre-conceived ideas crumbling like Jericho's walls in front of the Seal Breeze stand.

There I found Joan Wiggins, who substitutes the academic stuff with raw passion. Having immersed herself in the art of winemaking at the tender age of 51, she isolates herself three weeks before every harvest and she talks to her vines (they talk back, she assures me). She tears up as she explains how they've replaced another yearning of hers, almost literally becoming her babies...

Apart from true passion, other really good vinous things happen here: a miniscule selection of own-label wines (in total, only 780 cases from more than 60 hectares) are lovingly made from truly maritime vineyards as little as 8 kilometres off the coast. Grapes are foot-trodden with friends and end up in beautifully authentic expressions. All the wines that were there for tasting were nicely balanced (both reds labelled at 13.61 % alc.) and really true expressions of their cultivars – refreshing in this age of over-extracted wines that all taste the same.

Joan's 2009 Merlot is hauntingly authentic with awesome fruit purity, showing soft purple fruits, aniseed and a touch of tea leaves after time in the glass. There's also great minerality on the palate, which shows wonderful balance and a proper dry finish. The sensitive wooding adds complexity but allows the fruit to take centre stage. There's also some tannic backbone, but the "feminine" kind that so many Merlot producers claim, but never get right: soft and sensual. A firm structure with all the soft and rounded bits in the right places, like that redhead from The Mentalist...

		"It's as if the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty had been rewritten and Carmenere woke up from a deep slumber." (RRP) R55 Available at: Pick 'n Pay countrywide, Makro, TOPS at Spar Website: www.nixanwines.co.za

Carmenere, otherwise known as 'The lost varietal' is one of my favourites, not only because it is unique, but also because it embodies so many wonderful qualities, which Chilean producer Concha y Toro has embraced to the fullest.

Until the late 1990's, it was thought that Carmenere had died in the late 1800's when the Phylloxera bug swept across all wine-growing regions, but when a Frenchman visited Chile, he recognised the grape, which was thought to be Merlot. It's as if the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty had been rewritten and Carmenere woke up from a deep slumber.

The wine presents with a beautifully fragrant nose of luscious fruit flavours, dark plums and blackcurrant, black chocolate with hints of coffee and toasted American oak.
A medley of flavours fills your mouth as you taste this wine with the smooth and subtle fruitiness of a Merlot, but pulling through the spiciness one would typically find in a Shiraz.

What I also really like about the wine is that it really creates a talking point around any table. Most people haven't even heard of the varietal, let alone tasted it and the conversation really takes off once it has been tasted as everyone has their own opinion, though often it is found that, due to the complexity of the wine, everyone really likes it. And I particularly like the price. Not at all bad for a unique and fun import. You can also read more about the intriguing story behind the name of Casillero del Diablo here.

		"It's hard to figure out how this could be both so rich, and yet so elegant at the same time..." (RRP) R110 Available from agents: Matthys Uys – Gauteng / 082 468 9720 Sam Rose – Garden Route / 076 315 6247 David Nel – Cape Town / 083 235 5748 Website: www.gabrielskloof.co.za

I'm a big fan of the wines coming from the Bot River/Hermanus area (technically the Walker Bay and Hemel-en-Aarde wards if we want to get stuffy about it). Lovely, cool climate wines with loads of flavour and some restraint. Hell, even some of the Sauvvies are drinkable!

A couple of years ago I was given a reason to visit the very new Gabrielskloof and after one taste of their The Blend, I was hooked, but sadly for me, most of their range had yet to be released. So at this Jo'burg Wine Show I was very pleased to be able to drink... uh, taste, my way through their whole range!

It was a major struggle to pick a favourite – many comparative 're-tastings' were required, but the endlessly complex 5 Arches came out tops. Named after both the five arches in their impressive cellar, and the five Bordeaux varieties that make up this blend, this wine is already picking up the odd bit of bottle bling.

If you pour a glass of this for yourself anytime soon, I'd recommend just sitting and smelling it for a while – not only is that a pleasure in itself, but it'll help make up a little for the fact that you're cradle-snatching. Initially, the tannins seemed a little sharp, but after a few sips the whole thing melts into itself like good dark chocolate and with the same feeling of silky decadence. It's hard to figure out how this could be both so rich, and yet so elegant at the same time – perhaps it's more feeling than flavour?

The 5 Arches is excellent drinking now, but with a little patience, I swear it will be magnificent. Trust me!

Wine Review - Lisha Nelson Cabernet Franc

		“…this Cabernet Franc simply blew my mind.” (RRP) R200 Available at: Frogitt & Vonkel and the cellar. Website: www.nelsonscreek.co.za

This was my second visit to the Wine Show and the first as a member of the Taste Team. I still very much consider myself to be the novice of the group, although I've learnt a lot in the few months I've been part of the team. One thing that I do, however, know is that I absolutely LOVE red wine and it was pretty much a no-brainer that I'd be picking one to present.

What I certainly did not expect was that it would be a Cabernet Franc! My palate is still very much evolving and growing as I experience all of the different wines, blends and varietals that come my way, but this Cabernet Franc simply blew my mind. I'm sure Ellen would've been proud!

Winemaker Lisha Nelson seemed to have totally embraced the grapes and the inherent properties of this varietal. The deep ruby red colour and spicy nose followed through beautifully onto the palate with a strong tannic backbone and lingering aftertaste.
This is a fantastic wine that could probably be laid down for a few more years and will be even more rounded. I wouldn't recommend this wine on its own - definitely to be enjoyed with some red meat, a nice rich oxtail stew or lamb roast. And some good company of course…