Archive for February, 2011

South Africa winemakers mix and match grapes with success on par with that of the French. This is according the Jim Clark the wine writer of Forbes Magazine.

He writes that South Africa is, properly speaking, part of the New World, but it has an unseemly predilection for blending that evokes Old World winemaking-think of France’s Chateauneuf-du-Pape, where some wines have 13 different grape varieties contributing to a single wine.

Clark believes that blended wine is more difficult to sell in America because the American consumer are programmed to order by varietal, so if one dominant grape doesn’t show up on the label, their minds file the wine under “troublesome.” European wines go under regional monikers instead, but they’ve got history working for them (though, even there, many lesser-known regions would be glad to stick the grape name on the label if local law didn’t prohibit it).

He adds that many of the South African blends are among the country’s most critically acclaimed, in-demand wines. Blending, after all, is a great way to get lots of complex flavors and textures into the bottle.

Clark concludes by asking “So where do these guys get off, asking sommeliers to memorize their blends and shoppers to read their back labels? Well, they may be New World, but they’ve been growing wine grapes for 350 years, so their wine industry is actually older than many of the famous chateaus of France. Maybe blending is something that comes with age and experience.”

A great example of one of these amazing South African blended wines is the Kumkani Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot. This wine has a dense, dark red colour. Fresh blackcurrant, ripe berry fruit on the nose with just a hint of mint.

Source: forbes.com

South Africa has become a very popular Valentines destination as the beauty and the amazing weather enchant romantic visitors.

An international website indicates that ‘South Africa is a beautiful country with the right mix of flora and fauna. As if this was not enough, South Africa also offers good food and wines to complete your Valentine’s Day celebrations with beautiful memories.

South Africa is indeed the country to visit if you want to have a splendid Valentine’s Day. There are several beautiful places which will lure your senses.”

Apart from the natural beauty,  South Africa also has interesting cuisine and produces excellent wines. These two elements are also key aspects of making a great Valentine’s event.

The multi award winning Kumkani Infiniti is an iconic South African MCC sparkling wine which will be the perfect partner , for you and your partner , this Valentine’s Day.

Source: mydearvalentine.com

The Rainbow Nation, South Africa, is an extremely diverse and unique country with a wide array of cultures, wildlife and vegetation. The wines are a product and a representation of this diverse and vibrant uniqueness of this amazing country.

The vegetation of a small part of this country embodies the diversity and variety of the land.

The Cape Floral Kingdom is the smallest and richest plant kingdom on earth. The Table Mountain National Park alone has more plant species within its 22 000 hectares than the whole British Isles or New Zealand.

A stretch of land and sea spanning 90 000 square kilometres, or 0.05% of the earth’s land area, the Cape floral kingdom contains roughly 3% of the world’s plant species – at about 456 species per 1 000km².

Of the 9 600 species of vascular plants (plants with vessels for bearing sap) found in the Cape floral kingdom, about 70% are endemic, ie occur nowhere else on earth.

Wines of South Africa ( WOSA )  indicates that the diversity in soils, matched by the diversity in climate and geography, create a treasure trove of winemaking possibilities. The result is a huge array of flavour and aroma profiles in South African wines.

Kumkani wines embraces and celebrates South Africa’s rich heritage, eclectic mix of people and abundance of natural resources.

Source: southafrica.info

Wine storage can play a very important role in your enjoyment of wine.

For successful wine storage, proper attention must be given to: temperature, darkness, vibration and angle of storage.

Temperature – The ideal is a constant, low temperature, around 50°F (10°C) to 60°F (15°C). Wine will endure 80°F (25°C) as long as the fluctuation relative to the 80°F temperature is kept to a minimum. Wine in storage should also be kept well away from any heat sources. If a cellar is not available, one suggestion is to place your wine in a dark cupboard or closet with good ventilation and a constant internal temperature.

Darkness – Wine spoils (oxidizes) with long exposure to direct sunlight, or daylight balanced artificial light. Although it is tempting to display wine bottles in fancy racks in dining rooms and kitchens, it is better to keep them in the dark – they will be preserved better, and last longer.

Vibration – Constant agitation causes wine to age prematurely. Keep wine away from vibrations of any sort – motors, HVAC ducts, street traffic, elevators, fans, etc….

Angle of storage – Wine must be stored on its side to keep the cork moist and tight against the bottle neck. If a bottle is stored upright, the cork will eventually dry out and shrink, exposing the wine to the dangers of oxidation and vinegaring. Bubbles will escape from Sparkling wines causing them to ‘go flat’ as well.

Once Wine is Opened – It is best to consume any wine relatively soon once it has been opened. However, should you find yourself with a little left over, two basic rules apply 1) refrigerate the wine to help preserve its taste, and 2) minimize the wine’s exposure to oxygen by transferring it to a smaller container and corking it with a vacuum stopper.

Adding a neutral gas like nitrogen in the bottle seriously extends the life of the wine. You should find it safe to store White Wines and Red Wines for up to a couple of weeks and Sweet Wines for about 2 to 4 weeks.

The multi award winning Kumkani Cradle Hill Cabernet Sauvignon is a perfect wine for a wine lover. This wine would be great to enjoy now but could be enjoyed up to 7 years from vintage.

Source: french-wine-online.com