I've always been more of a beer drinker than a wine drinker. However my appreciation for wine, particularly red varieties has developed quite a bit recently. I don't know if this is because I'm getting older, because it's been winter the last few months, or because I'm spending a lot of time with a different group of friends. Whatever the reason here is a list (in no particular order) of a few of my favourite wines.
'Ruby Cabernet is a single variety developed in California from a cross of Cabernet Sauvignon with Carignan. Deep in colour, medium-bodied and rich in flavour with very soft tannins which make the wine approachable within just a couple of months after the vintage. Complements beef roast, chicken roast, stews, lamb, venison, pasta and steak.'
The first time I had this wine was at the Chief's Boma. At a party for about 50 people, many of them immigrants from Europe or South America, the onus of choosing a bottle of red wine for the table was put on my shoulders. This is what I chose. It went down remarkable well due to the fact that it is a light wine, akin to the varieties of wine the guests were familiar with.
Just a word of caution though, the bottle of wine was priced nearly four times more at the restaurant than it's shelf price at the local supermarket.
'Intense red colour with a purple rim. A spicy profile with ripe black fruit and violets.
Smooth and rich on the palate with soft tannins, good density and a hint of oak. A well balanced,
unpretentious wine made for easy drinking.'
After having heard about this wine for quite some time, I was finally formally introduced when a friend brought it over one weekend for his sister and I to taste. He'd had it the previous weekend and enjoyed it so much that he was now considering having it on the table for his wedding. For lack of a better description, this wine is delicious.
We had another bottle the following weekend, but it had a much harsher taste. Not an undrinkable harsh, but the taste was more reminiscent of an unaged Cabernet Sauvignon. We attributed the difference in taste to the fact that we had not allowed the wine to breathe properly the second time, as after being allowed to breathe for a few minutes those delicious berry flavours started to appear. It was decided that we needed to buy one more bottle as 'quality control,' just to make sure. This is possibly the
best wine on the list for social occasions.
'Red cherries, red currants and plum aromas. Ripe fruit and soft tannins creates a wine to be enjoyed young. This Bordeaux style blend is perfect for the meats dishes, from a beef burger to a hearty steak.'
While in Cape Town I was looking for a few bottles of wine to buy and take as gifts for a few folks back in Johannesburg. This is the first one that caught my eye. What attracted me to it was the label featuring an African Penguin, an icon of the Cape Peninsula, as well as the BirdLife South Africa logo. With 10% of the proceeds from wine sales going to the 'Save our Seabirds' Fund, the conservationist in me was evoked, and I bought two bottles.
Usually I avoid giving bottles of wine as gifts, unless I have tasted that wine before and am certain the recipient will enjoy it. Hence I bought two bottles. I still managed to break my own rule however, when I left one bottle in Cape Town and gave the other to a friend. The bottle was promptly opened at the dining table by the recipient, and shared out among all those present. After allowing it to breathe, the host took a sip. I held my breath and waited for his verdict. Silence. My heart skipped a beat or two, thinking he didn't like it. Oh well, you live and learn, I'll have to get something tried and tested next time. All these thoughts must have gone through my head in about half a second, as next thing the host was singing the wines praises and topping up his glass.
On the same wine shopping expedition as above, I also bought this wine. Again the label is what caught my attention, but the unusual origin also helped in my decision to purchase a bottle. Better known for its wild flowers and performances by satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys, the small town of Darling is approximately an hour's drive from Cape Town. If this wine is a good representative of other wines from that region, then wine lovers will be in for a treat.
I broke my own rules again and gave this bottle of wine to my partner's parents. Unlike the first recipient however, this bottle was put away in a rack for safe keeping. A few weeks passed, and at a gathering where the whole family was present, out it came. I was seated next to the family matriarch, and dutifully topped up her wine glass first after opening bottle. She took one sip and immediately declared that the bottle be kept so that she could later use it to identify the wine at the local supermarket. The rest of the table liked it too, and the contents of the bottle was quickly poured out and consumed before we had even finished the first course.
'An appealing light straw colour. Light with lovely ripe, attractive rounded fruit. Fresh floral nose and an exciting acid balance. Enjoy now with seafood, smoked salmon, roast chicken and pork.'
This may look like the 'token white wine' in a list dominated by reds, but it in fact represents the most recent bottle of wine I've bought. I chose this wine to accompany a fish curry dinner. My partner tends to shy away from white wine as the acidity often gives her terrible heartburn, but I really didn't think a red wine would suit a fish meal on one of the warmer winter days we'd been having.
I probably spent about 30 minutes trying to decide whether to get something from the Leopard's Leap range, or the Robertson's range. My decision may have been a little biased, as
I've always enjoyed wines from the Robertson Valley. The real dilemma was which white in their range would complement the meal best. I eventually settled on the Chenin Blanc in the hope that it would provide a crisp and refreshing taste, to take the edge off the curry if need be, but not be overpoweringly sweet.
I don't know if this was the right wine for the occasion, but lived up to the requirements. Come summer time, I'll definitely try this wine again, along with a contender from the Leopard's Leap range.
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