Scenario: You cooked the most amazing rack of lamb and paired it with rosemary-roasted potatoes, you very proud of yourself and after a very confident pat on the back, you realise you have a dilemma: which wine should accompany your brilliant meal, in order to bring out the scents and flavours that have made the meal your own. Dilemma.
Food24 understands and in order to satisfy your taste buds and social stands, we have put together a list of wine winners and wine events to keep wine lovers’ senses in check and wine knowledge at an all time high…
Wine Awards of note;
Five wineries stole the spotlight at the 2006 Veritas Awards which took place earlier this year. Winecorp, Nuy, Cederberg, Kanonkop and Rust & Vrede received top honours.
Of the close to 1 700 wines that were entered for this year’s competition, 36 were crowned with double gold awards, 94 with gold, 383 with silver and 682 with bronze medals.
Other wines setting a high standard
Winecorp in Stellenbosch raked in double gold medals for their 2004 Longridge Pinotage and 2004 Spier Vintage Selection Shiraz/Mourvédre/Viognier blend. This wine company’s winning team – Frans Smit (Cellar Master), Eleonor Visser and Kobie Viljoen – also scooped up two gold medals with the 2005 Spier Private Collection Chenin Blanc (off-dry) and the 2004 Spier Private Collection Shiraz.
Christo Pienaar, winemaker and manager at Nuy winery near Worcester, scooped two double gold awards for the 2006 Nuy Colombar (semi-sweet) and 2005 Nuy Red Muscadel, as well as two gold medals for the 2006 Nuy Colombar (dry) and 2003 Nuy White Muscadel.
Double gold medals were awarded to the 2004 Cederberg Five Generations Chenin Blanc and the 2005 Cederberg Shiraz. Owner and winemaker David Nieuwoudt also received two gold medals for the 2004 Cederberg Shiraz.
Kanonkop in Stellenbosch amazed judges with their well-known 2004 Kanonkop Pinotage and the 2003 Kanonkop Paul Sauer a Bordeaux-style blend that has been made since 1981. Both wines were honoured with double gold awards.
Another regular achiever from the Stellenbosch wine region was Rust & Vrede. Their 2003 Rust & Vrede Estate Wine – a red blend – and their 2004 Rust & Vrede Merlot both secured double gold medals.
Other wineries that performed well with one double gold and two or more gold awards include Badsberg, Bon Courage, Durbanville Hills, Graham Beck wines, Hartenberg, Nederburg and Raka.
Lets talk Rosé
It’s on everybody’s lips, from Linden to London. And we’ve listed a few good choices to compliment this good wine.
As the fastest growing wine in South Africa, the popularity of pink wines is quite popular in the UK, US and other leading markets. It’s fun and easy to drink on its own and versatile with food.
If you are not sure which Rosé to choose. We have options, you have the tastebuds…
Try the debut Theuniskraal Rosé 2006, a seductively rose-hued, fragrant wine that tastes somewhere between off-dry and semi-sweet. With an alcohol content of just above 10%, it’s the perfect quaffing wine this summer. And best of all, it’s available countrywide.
The Tulbagh winery owned by the same family for four generations. Winemaker Andries Jordaan has added pink to his colour palette with this Shiraz-based Rosé made from grapes hand-picked before dawn when temperatures were cool enough to retain lively varietal characters.
Serve solo or with Parma ham, other smoked meats, pasta, fish and shellfish.
Awards, awards…South African winery does us proud
The ever impressive 96 Winery Road, with various awards including being ranked in the 2006 Wine spectator Restaurant Awards. A US magazine that recognises a choice of top restaurants from around the world.
They boast a collection of wines including Barollo from Italy; Cabernet and Zinfandel from California; Chateau Mouton Rothschild and classed growth wines from Bordeaux; Pinot Noir stunners from Burgundy and superior Shiraz from Chateauneuf Du Pape and South Australia.
To add to this decadent experience the kitchen presents a menu that will leave any diner in sheer satisfaction…
Hope that assisted all wine-lovers and those wanting to learn more. If you have any questions about wine ask our own wine expert Pieter to help you with those nagging questions, such as, ‘what wine should be served with my slice of brie?’ or “should I refrigerate my red wine?’ go on ask Pieter…
Happy drinking….