Thursday, June 07, 2018

Tasting for the Wine Tasting Championship team at The Taj, Cape Town

This interesting wine tasting competition has the wine industry abuzz each year and lots of wine people rush to enter so that they can show off their tasting skills. Why? Because, if you are one of the winners, you get a trip to the International Championship which is held overseas and the trip is phenomenal. Not only do you compete, but you get to visit various wine areas and are hosted. You will taste amazing wines and meet important people in the international wine industry. And all you have to do to win is know which wines you are tasting. Easier said than done.
Because John was guiding a wine tour that morning, we were a little late in arriving.  What happens is that there is a wine tasting in one room and you need to taste everything and remember what you tasted. Then you go into the competition room where you taste five white wines and five red wines, blind, and you have to identify them. Name the varietals and the farms they are from, their vintages and other information that is required. And answer some industry questions. Easy!
 Almenkerk owner/winemaker Joris van Almenkerk with a contestant
Two keen sommeliers memorising wine
Tell me all about it please
This is serious tasting
In the competition room, lots of notes are made and compared with tasting notes
Brian Mahlangu, assistant sommelier from the Cape Grace Hotel, was a keen and skillful entrant
Black Pearl wine farm owner and Cape Wine Master Mary-Lou Nash and Joakim Hansi Blackadder, winner of the Gaggenau Sommelier competition, competing for a place in the South African team. They are also looking for a Zimbabwe Team
 The competition is organised in South Africa by winemaker and sommelier, Jean Vincent Ridon, now known as the Flying Sommelier. He has just returned from working in several different countries - making flying visits to them all. In front are the five red wines you have to identify. And some were mystifying. When you see a half empty flask you know this is the wine that is giving people the most problems
Taste, smell and remember.  Now we wait to see who the finalists are and what the wines were.  Lynne did taste them at the end and found it fascinating and difficult but didn't enter, it's for younger people to go forth and explore
Sommelier Eben Bezuidenhoud pouring Creation wines for Aimee Beaumont and friend 
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MENU's Wine of the Week. First Sighting Sauvignon blanc 2017

Served to us with lunch at the recent 2018 Shiraz SA Awards lunch at Rhebokskloof, Strandveld Vineyards First Sighting Sauvignon Blanc 2017 was awarded a Platinum medal and scored 97 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards on 29th May 2018. No white wine has ever scored this high. (Only 149 Platinum medals were awarded this year of which 5 went to South African wines)


We also loved it, it's a typical Elim Sauvignon Blanc from some of the most southernmost vineyards in South Africa. Crisp and full, it shows a good balance between cool climate and warmer areas Sauvignon, showing both citrus and tropical flavours, with a buchu hint. It is refreshing and an excellent food wine. 15% semillon is added and it adds richness and minerality. And a bargain if you can still find it, as it sells for under R100 a bottle. 

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Wednesday, June 06, 2018

What’s on the Menu this week. A Potjie!

(For our foreign readers it’s a casserole cooked on an open fire in a metal three legged pot, but you can just cook it in a good heavy metal and enamel pot on your hob)
Quick and simple, especially if you are not feeling so well but need to produce a filling and good supper. And if you buy those packs of ready prepared potjie vegetables, all you have to do is tip them in. You can use any vegetables you like in a casserole.


Farm Boerewors Casserole
1 T canola oil - 1 leek – 1 onion – 650g of thick Boerewors or other meaty spicy sausage like Cumberland – 3 carrots - 50g green beans – 1 turnip – 4 courgettes – 8 Small potatoes – stock – barbecue sauce or spice
Cut the sausage into 6 or 7 cm pieces and brown it off in a little oil in the bottom of your metal pot. Remove. Slice the leeks and onion and fry them in the oil till just beginning to turn golden. Add the vegetables – carrots and courgettes cut in rounds, turnip into small dice, beans cut in half. Add water or stock to nearly fill the pot and a tablespoon of barbecue sauce or a teaspoon of barbecue spice. Bring to a slow simmer and cook until both the carrots and potatoes are soft. Serve. You can check for seasoning but the sausage and the spice will probably add great flavour and you won’t need to add anything. Enjoy by the fire with a good Shiraz

Posted by MENU at 5:35 pm 0 comments

MENU's Iberian Exploit 7. A visit to the Jose de Sousa Winery in Reguengos de Monsaraz, Alentejo

The journey continues South and East, to Alentejo and then across the border into Spain. Europe had had a really appalling Spring this year and it looks like the bad weather is continuing into their summer as well
This was our view as we left Lisbon and drove South to meet a winemaker on his farm in Alentejo. The windscreen wipers just could not keep up with the downpour and we were wishing we could send some south to the Cape. Luckily the roads were empty as it was a Saturday
We arrived mid morning in the village of Reguengos de Monsaraz to discover that Paulo Amaral, our winemaker friend at the JM da Fonseca property Adega José de Sousa Rosado, was actually in Lisbon on business. We met him at a tasting at Muratie in Stellenbosch a couple of weeks before we left for Portugal. Sadly, he couldn't meet us at the Adega, but asked his colleague, Miguel Mendes, to look after us
It is a very quaint old farm and they do have a tasting room
Jose Maria da Fonseca was founded in 1834 by the family, six generations ago
Some of their best customers from Germany, Bruno Hamm of distributor Weinkontor Freund GmbH and his partner, were already midway through a tasting, so we joined them
We tasted the Puro Talha, a pale salmon pink. Made in huge ceramic amphorae, called Talhas, they own 114, some of which are still in use. Very perfumed fruits, silky, crisp, more like a sherry than other Alentejo wines we have tasted with white plums and nuts
Then the 2016 José de Sousa Vinho regional, a heady red wine full of incense, vanilla and raspberries with soft then fresh fruit chalky chewy tannins, ending with rhubarb and sour cherry. Followed by the José de Sousa Mayor, incense wood, sweet cherries, perfume and fresh fruit acidity and mouth puckering tannins, a long finish with salty licorice. The 2016 Red Purho Talha vin Rouge had a rich red fruit nose with some sweetness, cherries, raspberries, soft tannins and a long end. A food wine. Miguel Mendes spoke very good English and German and was able to give us lots of information about the wines
These are the wines we tasted. The José de Sousa 2014 was the wine that impressed us the most with intense fruit, herbal greenness, with cranberry, blackberry and black cherry and that was just on the nose. A fully integrated palate of dark berries, lots of chalky tannins (they love them!) and a long, long finish. The quality grows and stays. 18/20
A Nineteenth Century pot still and other antique equipment,
awards and other decor in the tasting room
Old and new wine barrels in the cellar. The old ones are museum pieces and are no longer suitable for use
Many young South African winemakers are using amphorae as fermentation vessels. Adega José de Sousa has been fermenting in amphorae (ceramic Talhas) for more than 200 years. Most of these in current use are well over 100 years old. They are hand made and hold between 800 and 1600 litres each. To quote from their web site: “At the José de Sousa winery, the winemaking technique with talhas is still being used in a very similar way as it was 2000 years ago. In this wine, a small part is made according to this Roman process, the red grapes are previously trodden on foot and destemmed by hand in a table called “table of ripanço”. Afterwards, a small part of the must, skins and 30% stems are fermented in talhas, and another part in lagares (shallow open wine tanks, kuipe). The remainder of the brand is fermented in stainless steel tanks. The use of talhas gives spices and a third dimension to wine. After fermentation, this wine has a skin maceration of 4 weeks, followed by 9 months of stage in French and American oak casks”
A broken one allows one to see inside
Comparison with the people gives a relative idea of the size
An old sorting table in one of the Lagares or open kuipe, where they tread the grapes and also use these for fermentation
The wine is topped with olive oil
Maker's mark
An ancient standing stone known as a “Menhir” dating from the Paleolithic period was found in the vineyard at the Herdade do Monte da Ribeira, also in Reguengos de Monsaraz. This vineyard also has a stone circle which was found and preserved by the company
An old basket press standing in another Lagare
Making some purchases in the shop
Branding irons and a skottel
It was definitely time for lunch and we went back into the small town of Reguengos. This is the local church, Igreja Matriz de Santo António, designed by the architect António Dias da Silva, who also designed the Campo Pequeno Bullring in Lisbon. It was opened in 1912. A fine specimen of Portuguese regional religious architecture
... in the town square
We had been recommended to go to the restaurant shown on this car
It was down a side street about 200 metres away
Spring was showing her lovely face with wisteria blossoming
The almost anonymous entrance to the restaurant El Plano B. They couldn't tell us why it is called Plan B or what Plan A was, but the winemakers recommended it and it was good. It's a popular place in the village
It is a bit café like inside, with rather austere decor
Not yet very busy, they do eat later in the day
A good way to start a Sunday lunch. Olives and a jug of Verdelho. We ordered a jug of this local Alentejo white, the house wine; refreshing and grapey, it goes down a treat with food and came with bread, good fruity olive oil and local olives, which were quite hard and under developed for our palates, but that is how they prefer them
A huge platter, delicious and very filling. We couldn't finish it; traditional Alentejo Migas (translation is crumbs), which is made from soaked day old bread, mixed with olive oil and garlic and wild asparagus (just in season). It's rather bland, doughy and stodgy, a bit like a savoury summer pudding, and we picked out as much of the beautiful asparagus as we could. The dish was surrounded by lots of seared and beautifully seasoned pieces of Grelhados de Porco Iberico (Grilled Iberian Pork). The flavour was lovely
Our great waiter was trying to persuade us to try the dessert which was Sericaia, another traditional dish. But we had eaten too well on the large main course. On looking up the recipe, perhaps we should have tasted it, as it sounds rather like the middle of a Melktert! Eggs, sugar, milk and cinnamon are the main ingredients. Could we be wrong about the origins of Melktert?
This was a bridge too far - so we paid the bill and on to Seville
RETURN TO MENU
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Monday, June 04, 2018

Shiraz SA 2018 Awards tasting and lunch at Rhebokskloof, Paarl

We are great fans of good South African Shiraz; we believe that this cultivar is well suited to our climate and terroir. This year's Awards ceremony was held over lunch at Rhebokskloof wine estate in Paarl and we were able to taste the top 25 and ten blends before the awards. A total of 192 wines (36 blends and 156 single varietal wines) from every wine making region was submitted this year.
Shiraz, or Syrah to give it its other name (there is no difference in the wine, just a nod to whether it is in a certain Northern or a Southern Rhône style), can be made in many different styles. Do we make Syrah? Some think we are just being pretentious. Can you charge more if it’s called by a French name?  We should make Shiraz in the many South African styles, and how closely those can and should resemble styles from France, Australia, California, South America, Italy, sunny Spain or even chilly New Zealand – or any other areas that grow this grape - is up for a long debate.
This year, we found that the panel awarded wines that were quite linear and elegant, yes, but tight and lean. Many did not show the terroir they came from, but were indeed mirrors of French northern style wines. Were there enough of the more complex, layered and rounded Shirazes that are full and have spice and pepper? And the other heavier or lighter styles that this versatile grape makes possible. Those that come from warmer climates and revel in it rather than trying to be something that, perhaps, they are not? There were a few - one was our wine of the week last week immediately after the competition - but not many of these won awards. Why do we not recognise that, like Chenin blanc, Shiraz has several different good styles, all laudable?
The top wines were offered at tasting tables in this room. 25 Single varietals and 10 blends were finalists. You had to be quick, as people were going back and re-tasting their favourites which, sadly, ran out before some of us could get to them. 
The panel Chairman of Judges this year was Dr Andy Roediger (Cape Wine Master).  Other members of the panel were Edmund Terblanche (SA Shiraz chairperson & Cellar Master at La Motte), Charles Hopkins (Cellar Master at De Grendel), Samarie Smith (Brand manager, Benguela Cove), Jeanne-Mari de Villiers (Odd Bins Checkers), Jac Borman (Cellarmaster and owner of Boschkloof), Klaus Fischer from Germany (Vinventions) and this year's Cape Winemakers Guild intern Gynor Fredericks

 Standing outside was a pleasure as the day was sunny, if not very warm
Nick and Mariette van Huyssteen of Saronsberg. The Full Circle Blend and the Provenance Shiraz both took awards
Fairview Winemaker Stephanie Wiid made a cracker of a wine 
The Lomond Conebush was complex and layered with soft fruit, spice, licorice and chocolate with a long finish
Boela Gerber and Anthony de Jager. Boela's Groot Constantia, a cool climate shiraz, was fruity and floral with a lovely nose. And the Eenzamheid from Anthony's team at Fairview really impressed, spicy on nose and palate, full of fruit and delight
The De Grendel Elim 2016 Shiraz deservedly made the top 12 and was our wine of the week last week
Pieter Badenhorst, who made the Lomond wine, sampling the De Grendel
Anel Grobler with JD Pretorius of Steenberg
The Ernie Els was lean on the nose with incense wood and spice and elegant and lean on the palate with mouth puckering tannins, so it needs a long rest in your cellar
Shiraz SA Chair Edmund Terblanche and Pinotage King Beyers Truter of Beyerskloof
The Roodeberg Dr Charles Niehaus is a big wine with good fruit but needs years. The KWV Cathedral Cellars was aromatic and woody, fruity, dark and lean on the end. 
Sandra Lotz, who so ably organises the event
The three Saronsberg entries
Waiting in the garden for the dinner gong to go
The Spier Creative Block was one of the three champions in the blend category. Spicy, full of fruit this is, as always, very quaffable
Canapés were served before lunch. We were both still tasting wine, so didn't manage to taste many
Amanda Harlow and Braam Gericke of Wildekrans
Michael Bampfield-Duggan and LRJ enjoying a refreshing bubble after the reds
Time to take our seats in the marquee
Some of the competition entries
Maryna Calow of WOSA and Charles Hopkins of De Grendal 
Entertainer Pietman Geldenhuys had us amused. For a good Afrikaans boy he does a good Scottish accent
The First Sighting Sauvignon Blanc 2017 was served at our table and is Menu's Wine of the Week this week. It went so well with the soup of the day and cut through the creamy cheesy flavours very well
The order of ceremony
Broccoli and Blue Cheese soup starter
Edmund Terblanche, SA Shiraz chairperson, said that quality always shines through. “It is easy enough to identify the top 20% and then, with a fresh palate, to choose the absolute leaders. Having twelve winning slots to fill enables us to acknowledge champs in the different styles” 

This year, they implemented a new tasting format (developed in conjunction with the University of Stellenbosch) with good results. Previously, the panel tasted a few wines and discussed them. This year there was no discussion in between judging sets and every judge had a unique order of wines to be tasted, resulting in a more objective outcome

Jac Borman of Boschkloof
Nick van Huyssteen
Pieter Badenhorst
JD Pretorius
Beyers Truter
Stephanus Eksteen of Checkers, who told us of his imminent retirement. He has been one of the best corporate wine selectors and we wish him a very happy retirement
Stephan van Rooyen of sponsor Exceed Group
Johan Conradie of sponsor Vinvention/Berthomieu
The main course of Springbok shank served with mieliepap (local white maize meal)and a good red wine jus - Shiraz, we hope
The top 3 awards for Blends received engraved hand-blown decanters from Riedel; an interesting shape with an incorporated glass straw - or breathing tube
For those of us with Scottish antecedents, the rendition of Flowers of the Forest, the unofficial Scottish National Anthem sung by Pietman Geldenhuys was rather emotional. He did sing it very beautifully. One was almost transported to Murrayfield
Dessert was a chocolate pudding tart
All the winners with their awards. A dozen exceptional Shiraz wines are worthy of the 2018 Top Shiraz title: Alvi’s Drift Signature Shiraz 2016, Babylonstoren Shiraz 2016, Bloemendal Syrah 2013, Boschkloof Louis 57 Shiraz 2016,  D’Aria The Soprano Shiraz 2016, De Grendel Elim Shiraz 2016 (the only 1,5ℓ magnum entered), Diemersfontein Shiraz 2017, Eagles’ Nest Shiraz 2015, KWV Cathedral Cellar Shiraz 2015, Oldenburg Vineyards Syrah 2014, Saronsberg Provenance Shiraz 2016, Wellington La Cave Shiraz 2016
The champions in the category for Shiraz blends are: 
Babylonstoren Babel 2016, Saronsberg Full Circle 2016, Spier Creative Block 3 2015
Posted by MENU at 1:45 pm 0 comments
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