A sublime day out

Every year, December is welcomed in the most superb fashion – with the Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival.This year, I have TWO sets of FOUR tickets to give away. Tickets for Saturday 3 December have already been SOLD OUT, so if you want to indulge in heavenly fizz this weekend, you want to get in on this action.

I am giving away:

One set of 4 tickets for Saturday 3 December, and
One set of 4 tickets for Sunday 4 December.

The post {Giveaway} – Franschhoek Cap Classique & Champagne Festival appeared first on Incogvino.

Ex Animo Wine Co.

I first met David Clarke a few years ago when I traded him lessons on wine (he is a sommelier, after all) for Afrikaans lessons. He’d just moved to SA – married to an Afrikaans-speaking local and he wanted to improve his local lingo. Packed schedules eventually got the better of us both and we only really had a few lessons, but his incredibly knowledge and honest, down-to-earth love for wine stayed with me. Back to present day, David and his wife Jeannette have started Ex Animo Wine Co. and they’ve been bloody busy since. They had their first trade show in early March and it was packed to the rafters with some of the most exciting and enjoyable wines I’ve encountered in ages.

First, a bit of an intro for Ex Animo. I think of them as “not just another wine company”. In their own words: “…work with and represent a select group of producers who are passionate about vineyards and aspire to reflect them in the cellar.” and “Our aim is to get South Africans to drink better wine, thus quality ‘in the glass’ is paramount.”. 

This vision translates into Ex Animo sourcing some of the most exciting, talked about and paradigm-shifting wines, wineries and wine-makers to be involved with. Each partner reflects the core idea that David and Jeannette have in mind: getting SA to drink better wine through service, knowledge and education. It’s impossible to miss the love these two have for the wine industry and it’s hard to not get excited when chatting to either of them about wine. Their trade show was a collection of the new, the unexpected and in some cases (I’m looking at you, Testalonga El Bandito), the downright incomparable. The complete list of producers featured at the trade tasting is at the end of the post. Choosing out special mentions is tricky (the merits of the likes of Julien Schaal, Testalonga El Bandito and Thorne&Daughters is no surprise to anyone), so I’ll just go for the ones I enjoyed the most – which is also tricky because the wines were all exceptional in their own way.

Craven Wines – I fell in love with their Pinot Noir last year, while continuing a stormy and tumultuous relationship with the heart-break grape. I still love it as much as the first time I tasted it. I also had the chance to taste their Clairette Blanche, which I found fresh and fascinating.

Lammershoek – They brought the longest wine list to the show and I worked diligently through all of them. They make a Hárslevelü (the only other winery I’m aware of that makes one is Lemberg in Tulbagh), the unusual nature of the wine is quite noticeable though it’s probably not to everyone’s taste. As recent self-appointed champion for rosé and Blanc de Noir wines, the LAM Rosé 2013 was a great find, good strong acidity and just the faintest hint of spice from the Syrah with a great finish. The Bush Vines Chenin Blanc was by far my favourite though, good body and a complexity that makes it moreish and engaging.

Spioenkop – Elgin based producer, crazy Belgian Koen Roose makes wines in more a French style (though I wouldn’t presume to try and box their wines in too tightly). The vibrant, cool climate Pinotage 2013 stuck with me, an elegant wine made more like a Pinot Noir than it’s progeny normally is.

I adore what Ex Animo are doing, I think it’s exciting to see people with the knowledge and the (ugh…I hate this next word, but in this case it is authentically appropriate) passion of the Clarke’s doing their bit to breathe new life into industry, adding to the mix in ways that ultimately means that we – the wine consumers – are in for a treat.

The Ex Animo Trade Tasting was held on the 9th of March, 2015 and feature the following producers: Craven, Intellego, JH Meyer Signature Wines, Julien Schaal, Lammershoek, Restless River, Skinny Legs, Spioenkop, Testalonga El Bandito, Thorne & Daughters, Trizanne Signature Wines. The Ex Animo website will be launched soon. For more information, contact David or Jeannette.

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Vreedsaam

Op pad Franschhoek toe vanoggend het my gedagtes aanhoudend gemaal oor my “to do” list. E-posse om te stuur, vergaderings om te reël, verslae om te skryf. Soos dit klaarblyklik die moderne mens betaam, kon ek my kop nie sover bring om rustig te raak nie, al was ek op pad na ‘n bederfie; ‘n paar uur uit my dag om rustig te raak en iets spesiaals te geniet. Nie lank nadat ek my plek by die restaurant – op die ‘glaskas’ stoep wat uitkyk op ‘n bewolkte, koel Franschhoek dag – ingeneem het nie, het die gedruis in my gedagtes begin verdwyn.

Ek is altyd op soek na ‘n storie. Dit is altyd lekker om iets te skryf oor ‘n aangename ervaring; ‘n ete of ‘n wyn, ‘n uitstappie of ‘n gebeurtenis. Maar dit is altyd beter wanneer daar ‘n storie is. Almal het vandag iets om te sê, maar nie almal het ‘n storie om te vertel nie. Hierdie verskynsel loop natuurlik oor in die wynbedryf. Almal het ‘n brand. Almal het iets om te verkoop (dit is immers baie se brood en botter). Maar wie vertel regtig nog ‘n storie?

Min het ek verwag dat ek by La Motte se Winelands tee ‘n storie sou kry. Tee? Beslis. MCC? Ja, hoekom nie? Watertand lekkernye? Verseker. Maar ‘n storie? Die storie agter die tee ervaring is die eg gasvryheid van die Kapenaars van ouds: altyd ‘n blink, blikpot koffie op die stoof of ‘n teetjie reg om te trek. ‘n Warm verwelkoming vir vriende, familie en vreemdelinge wat oor die kombuisdrumpel trap.

Die tee spyskaart word aangebied saam met ‘n skatkissie vol feite oor die gebruike rondom tradisionele tee en gasvryheid. Van die gebruiklike bediening van konfituur – gepreserveerde konfyt gemaak van heel of groot vrugte stukke – tot Boerejongens en Boeremeisies (appelkose of rosyntjies ingelê in brandewyn). Daar is ook notas oor die verskeie teesoorte: wit, swart, rooi en rypgemaak. En natuurlik, ‘n bietjie meer oor die ‘soet sopie’ wat gebruiklik aan gaste gebied is tydens middagete, namiddag kuiers en aandete.

Die tee ervaring bestaan uit ‘n bordjie met fynproewer lekkernye: ‘n gerookte forel pannekoek bedryf met gebraaide kappertjies en roomkaas, biltong soes (dis die properse Afrikaans vir ‘choux pastry’), ‘n sjokolade truffle, ‘n amandelkoekie (en dis die mooi woord vir ‘n macaron) en jou keuse van wat op die koek spyskaart vir die dag is. My knieë het lam geword vir die rooi fluweel koek.

Die liplek-lekkernye word bedien met of jou keuse van tee (‘n formidabele boks met minstens agt verskeie geure word vir jou gebring om te beloer), koffie of die moderne ekwivalent van ‘n gasvrye drankie: Méthode Cap Classique. Die soet sopie keuses sluit in Amarula, Van der Hum likeur, peperment likeur of La Motte se Straw Wine. Ek het beide die MCC en Straw wines gekies. Die MCC is verfrissend, appelgeure en geroosterde amandels met ‘n prikkelende suur en fyn mousse. Die Straw wine het intense gedroogde sultana geure met n treffende soetsmaak sonder om aan jou keel te kleef en ‘n skimp na geblikte perskes.

Tussen die aanhoudende gejaag van afspraak na afspraak, taak na taak en doel na doel vergeet ons om stil te staan en die wêreld bietjie in te asem. Ons ontneem onsself die kans om af te skakel en die gasvryheid van ander te geniet. Pierneef á La Motte se Winelands tee is ‘n intieme bederfie. Geniet dit saam met vriende of familie, of knyp ‘n uur of twee vir jouself af daarvoor. Ontspan. Haal asem. Bederf jouself.

Die La Motte Winelands tee is Dinsdae tot Sondae beskikbaar vanaf 09:00 – 17:00 teen R145 per persoon. Besprekings is noodsaaklik. Kontak [email protected] vir meer inligting.

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#SecretStellies – The Setting

‘Tis the season and all that, but if you’re like me and you’re struggling to get into the Christmas spirit (but you also desperately don’t want to be a grinch) then I may have just the solution for you. You see, while I love and have always loved the Festive season, I must admit that this being a grown-up gig has taken some of the magic out of the whole thing. Work, deadlines, last minute crises. And let’s not talk about the anxiety of figuring out leave and holiday arrangements. Bah! Humbug! Hardly things that make me want to wrap myself in tinsel and sing Fa-la-la-la-laaaa. So how do we combat The Grinch at this truly lovely time of year? What could we do to dust off the anxiety and “meh-ness” of 2014 and get ready to have some summer fun in the gorgeous winelands? Lucky for you all, I have a secret. It’s called #SecretStellies and it might just put you in the summer festive season mood.

#SecretStellies is a little project dreamt up by Lydia from Beau Joubert. I could write endless posts about the endless talents of this remarkable wine-lover but for now, just take note of her marvellous idea: Secret Stellenbosch. The idea is to showcase the real hidden gems of the area. With nearly 150 wine farms on the official Stellenbosch Wine Route, there is more than enough to see and do to keep any wandering wino busy for months. Visitors are often drawn to the bigger, more well-known farms simply because they’re hard to miss. Of course they also offer quality wines, activities and are well worth a visit. But smaller wineries that may not have the word-of-mouth presence of the more popular ones are often skipped. #SecretStellies aims to uncover these secret treasures of the winelands and give the public a little insight on what they may be missing.

The first #SecretStellies day out was organised with military precision and focused on the Polkadraai Hills area of Stellenbosch. We simply had to make our way to Beau Joubert – the first of three stops – and the rest would be taken care of by The Amazing Lydia.  At BJ we were treated not only to a tasting of their wines and a nice gab about the whole #SecretStellies concept, but we were among the first people ever to taste the very first MCC from Beau Joubert. And let me tell you, it certainly was worth the wait. If you’d like to know more, keep an eye on the Beau Joubert Twitter feed. After sampling their mind-bogglingly fantastic value for money wines (seriously, most of them are R100 or less at cellar door. I highly recommend the Chenin Blanc, the Shiraz and the “Free-run” Merlot Rosé.) we took a leisurely stroll down the road to the neighbouring Bein wines, where they had a special experience waiting for us.

Bein Private Cellar is exactly the type of winery that sits at the heart of the #SecretStellies idea; a small operation run by Luca and Ingrid Bein – Swiss veterinarians who fell in love with South Africa and moved here to study and make wine. Their focus is Merlot and they produce a fantastic selection. Bein also offers an unusual winelands experience: a donkey walk. The donkey walk takes visitors on a walk through the vineyards, up to a lookout point and picnic spot. The donkeys carry delicious picnic fare and when you reach the top, Ingrid and Luca unpack the spread and the wine and a little feast is had, overlooking the magnificent surroundings. A good time was had by all, relaxing under the trees and digesting not only the nibbles but the view. You only have to chat with the Beins for 5 minutes to uncover their love for South Africa and their enthusiasm for wine. A visit to Bein Private cellar and a donkey walk should be on everyone’s summer to-do list.

Once we rolled ourselves back down the hill (after being fed beyond elegant sufficiency with the lovely picnic) we were loaded into and onto a bakkie and whisked off to Saxenburg for a Safari Wine tasting. And no, this is not some metaphoric comparison of the Saxenburg wines with The Big Five. Oh no. The tastings are held in a game camp with zebra, antelope and other wild game trotting about around you. No rhinos, elephants or wild cats of course, but if you sit back and stare into the veld, it’s difficult to imagine you’re in the winelands and not at a luxury game lodge.

We indulged in a tasting of Saxenburg’s finest, including their truly fantastic MCC (at R180 a bottle it really is a brilliant buy – unfortunately the label design does let it down immensely as it does not visually present itself as a near-R200 bottle of bubbles, but DO give it a try if you encounter it at your local. It gives the other bubbles in that price class a real run for their money!). Saxenburg has a great selection of wines, from a creamy Chardonnay to a supremely elegant Cabernet Sauvignon which on their own make the estate worth a visit.

And with the view of zebras in the distance (and the kerfuffle of finding of an ostrich egg next to the camp), our #SecretStellies day ended. I’ve always known that Stellenbosch – in fact, all the winelands areas – are a heady mix of the historic, the well-known, the crowd-pleasers, the small and obscure. The #SecretStellies adventure reminded me that the hidden gems must be discovered and talked about. A little exposure will hardly turn them into commercial punters but rather serve to share the secrets they hold with the world. And when that happens, everybody wins.

So if you’re short on some summer Christmas cheer, I recommend a visit to one of these secret spots. It might be just what the doctor Santa ordered . Ho, ho, ho!

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Magic of Bubbles

Summer is upon us, dearest winos and readers, and few things are as summery and refreshing as the Magic of Bubbles. Whether your taste is expensive and French or divine and local, we are heading into bubbly season. And there’s no better place to get your fizzy on than at the Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival.  The festival takes place on the lawns around the Huguenot Monument on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November. Read on, because I have two double tickets to give away…

The festival promises to be nirvana for those who seek the pleasure of bubbles. Not only will classic French Champagne – the likes of Piper Heidsieck, Champagne Guy Charbaut and Veuve Clicquot – be represented, but also some of the best MCC South Africa has to offer: Pierre Jourdan, Morena, Môreson, La Motte, Boschendal, Leopard’s Leap, Noble Hill, Plaisir de Merle, Anthonij Rupert Wines, Graham Beck Wines, Krone, Pongracz, Simonsig, Steenberg and Villiera. A veritable who’s who of the precious liquid.

Some of Franschhoek’s star restaurants will also be there to ensure festival goers are well fed with delicious menus. Bread & Wine, The Salmon Bar, Haute Cabrière, Le Franschhoek, L’Ermitage, Restaurant at Grand Provence and Mont Rochelle are only a few of those who will be fuelling the hungry Champagne-seekers.

The theme of this year’s festival is Black & White, with the focus on parasols and panama hats. There is even a ‘Best Dressed’ competition, with the best dressed couples on Friday and Saturday walking away with a 2-night safari at Ngala Safari Lodge.

Is your mouth watering yet? Are you thirsty for some luxurious treats? Tickets are R200 pp and are available through Webtickets. But how about you try your luck instead? The fabulous folks from MasterCard and the festival have given me TWO DOUBLE TICKETS to give away for entry to the festival on SUNDAY 30 NOVEMBER. To enter, you need to:

1. Comment on this post and describe to us why you love the precious, fizzy liquid this festival is all about. Be creative, put your heart into it and make me feel the love. Best entry wines.
2. Share this post on Twitter and/or Facebook. You can share the link in your own tweet, or copy and paste the one below:

The Magic of Bubbles awaits! Enter to win double tickets to the #FHKBubby festival http://bit.ly/1xd3SQD

Competition closes Friday 14 November, winners will be chosen and notified via email/Twitter. Please note, tickets will not be transferrable for the Saturday, so ensure you are available the Sunday.

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Nederburg Estate, Paarl

South African wine farms are diverse with many offering not just wine, but experiences, pairings and world-class gastronomic experiences.  Diversity aside, there is a golden thread that runs through and binds many of our most well-known estates: history. Since the humble beginnings of our country as a halfway station between Europe and India, wine has been an established part of that history. Groot Constantia, Vergelegen, Blaauwklippen, Muratie, Alto (to name a few) were all established within the first century of the Dutch setting foot in the Cape. In 1791, Nederburg was bought by Philippus Bernardus Wolvaardt for 5600 guilders and the estate took its place in SA wine history. And this historical (and oenological) gem is hiding in plain sight.

As with most historic places, a visit to the estate is by far the best way to appreciate the heritage. Walking into the Nederburg tasting room, the history of the farm is set out in panels with beautiful images bringing to life the rich past of the estate. There is also a central display dedicated to their Heritage Heroes, a tribute to the owners and winemasters of the farm, incredible people with incredible stories that are represented by incredible wines.

The Heritage Heroes range consists of five wines. The Anchorman Chenin Blanc represents the first owner and winemaster of the estate, Philippus Wolvaardt, who had the vision and passion to create and establish Nederburg, paving the way for the estate we know today. The Brewmaster (Bordeaux blend) is a tribute to Johannes Graue, who co-owned a brewery in Germany before moving to South Africa to play his part in revolutionising the wine industry through clonal experiments and his attention to improving source material for the vineyards. The Young Airhawk Sauvignon Blanc commemorates Johan Graue’s son, Arnold. Arnold was known for his brilliance in continuing to improve winemaking and viticulture techniques but he died tragically in an a light aircraft crash at the age of 29. After the death of his son, Graue was devastated. He nearly quit the farm, but instead opted to go to Germany and bring back the next winemaster: Günther Brözel. Known for whizzing around the farm on his 250cc motorcycle, a fitting name for the wine to honour him is the Motorcycle Marvel (Rhône blend). The last wine to be released in the series was The Beautiful Lady (Gewürtztraminer), remembering Graue’s wife Ilse, who played an important part in making the estate what it is today. A beautiful wine for a beautiful lady.

Nederburg is one of the Distell brand homes and offers a number of wine ranges, suiting every taste and budget. These include the Foundation range, 5600,  Winemaster’s Reserve, Manor House, Heritage Heroes and Ingenuity. The tasting room offers tastings of the different ranges as well as a “Which wine, which cheese” tasting with gorgeous locally sourced goats cheeses. The Manor House is home to The Red Table restaurant, bistro style fare with jaw-dropping views of the estate.

Tasting through the entire range offered at Nederburg is quite a task, so we skipped the Foundation and 5600 range as well as the Baronne and the Duet (not because of snobbish tendencies but because I’m very familiar with the ranges and wanted to invest time in some of the unknown wines). We ended up tasting 15 wines and I won’t prattle on with a review and overview of each wine, but the ones worth stocking up on include:

• Young Airhawk Sauvignon Blanc – Slightly wooded, zesty with mineral undertones and a smooth finish.
• The Beautiful Lady – Without a doubt, my favourite wine of the day. Inviting, engaging and beautiful and a gentle sweetness on the palate.
• Motorcycle Marvel – Silky, smooth tannins with good structure. Hit of acidity highlights fruit in the wine. Great summer red.
• The Brewmaster – Nicely wooded, complex with dark fruit and savoury notes. A warm, winter wine which would go well with stews, especially those of the French persuasion
• Edelrood (Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend) – Easy drinking, juicy wine. Pine needles, eucalyptus hints from the Cab with great softness from the Merlot.  Great “standby” wine for unexpected braais or pizza evenings. 
• Winemaster’s Reserve Chardonnay – Straightforward. Honey tones on the nose, unassuming, middle-of-the-road Chardonnay. Not overly wooded, not overly fruity.

• Wines, wines and more wines.

  Ingenuity White – 8 varietal blend (Sauvignon Blanc led, with Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Viognier, Semillon and Verdelho). A serious white wine. Rich, creamy finish with Riesling, Gewürtz and even the Viognier coming through on the nose. The 2013 is fantastically balanced, with the varietals not fighting each other in the bottle but rather working together to complement.

• Manor House Sauvignon Blanc – If you like green pepper Sauvignon Blanc, this one is for you. Chill as much as you dare and set it down by the pool to make the hot summer bearable.

To conclude, permit me a little waffle about perceptions. Nederburg is part of Distell and the Boutique-ONLY wine crowd will undoubtedly sniff and grumble at the thought of quaffing anything produced by “big corporate”.  This attitude irks me no end as I am very familiar with many of the Distell brands and I know the quality that can be found in their products. Yes, it’s a massive company. Yes, it produces hundreds of products, some more “commercially accessible” shall we say, than others. It may not have the intimate, boutique-appeal that some farms champion and it may be far from a “hidden gem” but Nederburg caters for nearly all tastes. From the eternally dependable, staple of my student days Baronne (which I can still happily pick up at any wine shop and know exactly what I’m getting – there’s something to be said for consistency!) to the Heritage Heroes range through to the Ingenuity, Noble Late Harvest and the Edelkeur, Nederburg offers a little bit of everything for everyone.

The importance of heritage, history and passion for wine is also evident not only from the Nederburg story, but from each wine produced today. Many estates have the history and the heritage sites, but few make it as part of their every day story as Nederburg, where the essence of the winemasters echoes still in every bottle.

The post Nederburg – Hiding in plain sight appeared first on Incogvino.

Haut Espoir

This past Thursday, wine lovers from all over SA joined up virtually – via the Twittersphere (a twitter wine tasting!) – to swirl, sniff, sip, gurgle, gulp and imbibe in a handful of Haut Espoir offerings. The Incogvino SuperFANS were offered their pick of Haut Espoir wines a few weeks ago. Rob and his team put together two fantastic “Fan Boxes” for the SuperFANS to choose from. One was a Shiraz vertical box, with vintages from ’05-’09 (of which ’08 and ’09 are unlabelled and unreleased) and a bottle of Gentle Giant 2009 to round it off. The other box was more a mixed bag: Shiraz 2007, Gentle Giant 2009 (two bottles), Chardonnay 2010, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 and a very special, not-released-commercially, botrytis Semillon Solera white port. Orders were put in and records were broken. Our SuperFANS have always been partial to buying a few bottles of wine when the Fan Boxes come around, but this time they outdid themselves. 73 Fan Boxes were sold. Most of those in the first two days of the offer.

Orders rolled in, invoices were sent off, EFT’s went flying and deliveries were dispatched all over the country. The date was set and the SuperFANS were prepping in all earnestness for #TasteHautEspoir. The Twitter tastings have come a long way and they have become events where wine drinkers gather, prepare special dinners to pair with the wines being tasted and invite friends to join the experience. #TasteHautEspoir was no exception. Here’s what went down, in tweets and images:

Breathing @hautespoir for tonight’s @WeAreIncogvino #TwitterTasting pic.twitter.com/wS1EFvn5n6

— samuraibunny (@samuraibunny) September 4, 2014

All set up and ready for thirsty super fans , #tastehautespoir is almost ready to roll. pic.twitter.com/IBFp9QYytQ

— Rob Armstrong (@rambowine) September 4, 2014

Previously on #TasteHautEspoir … When pepper autocorrects to people, one of the greatest Twitter wine moments pic.twitter.com/v1rI7YLuQl

— Incogvino (@WeAreIncogvino) September 4, 2014

@WeAreIncogvino behold the enabler. #TasteHautEspoir pic.twitter.com/GUmcDWkili

— Antony Stiglingh (@AntonyStiglingh) September 4, 2014

#TasteHautEspoir pic.twitter.com/zHgwGTBWiX

— Ross Murray (@RossMurray12) September 4, 2014

Note book of questions ready. Also, I brought out the big glass. #tastehautespoir @WeAreIncogvino pic.twitter.com/x3L1MiHAhs

— Lydia Coetzee (@greenlydia) September 4, 2014

#tastehautespoir on your marks…..get set ….. pic.twitter.com/cHufY5vb2E

— Rob Armstrong (@rambowine) September 4, 2014

#tastehautespoir @Tankerhoek ok, Wine ous East London on THE STARTING BLOCKS!

— Rosemary (@rersomewhere) September 4, 2014

Ladies and gentlemen… It’s time for #TasteHautEspoir – your hosts, @andyhadfield & @rambowine! Buckle up! pic.twitter.com/CayRyTRVWG

— Incogvino (@WeAreIncogvino) September 4, 2014

It seems like a lot of wine for the 2 of us, but we’ll give it our best shot! @Pauladca #TasteHautEspoir #WineOClock pic.twitter.com/2X67shyksI

— Brian Arentsen (@Bargainstein) September 4, 2014

“@WineOuEL: @Tankerhoek wine ous at the ready! pic.twitter.com/rUQ6AyiCgg” 1st timers!!! #TasteHautEspoir

— Tim (@Tankerhoek) September 4, 2014

Our Shiraz 500 litre Barrels sitting nicely #tastehautespoir pic.twitter.com/2n4IvUNqU0

— Rob Armstrong (@rambowine) September 4, 2014

Some more barrels for the superfans #tastehautespoir this is the chard and gg room pic.twitter.com/xV7fJNBVXU

— Rob Armstrong (@rambowine) September 4, 2014

Wine ready and first course ready to go- just waiting on guests #TasteHautEspoir pic.twitter.com/3NSq89yeZh

— Karen H (@CandidKar) September 4, 2014

This. #TasteHautEspoir @WeAreIncogvino @rambowine pic.twitter.com/ngNIPzLyNl

— Lydia Coetzee (@greenlydia) September 4, 2014

Our #TasteHautEspoir dinner. Steak done to perfection with mushroom sauce to blow your mind. Thanks @AntonyStiglingh pic.twitter.com/M7S1UUr8Qd

— Marthèlize Tredoux (@Konfytbekkie) September 4, 2014

Bargie’s Rump & Chorizo Trinchado ready to complement the ’07 Shiraz. #TasteHautEspoir Busy cooking & wining eve…. pic.twitter.com/6Fh3LQ4N0F

— Brian Arentsen (@Bargainstein) September 4, 2014

So what’s everyone think about the #TasteHautEspoir Gentle Giant ’09?

— Incogvino (@WeAreIncogvino) September 4, 2014

@WeAreIncogvino the GG is drinking beautifully. “Christmas Cake in a glass” is @Pauladca‘s angle. Cloves & cherries…. #TasteHautEspoir

— Brian Arentsen (@Bargainstein) September 4, 2014

The GG09 is a very clean wine. Great balance, soft finish and just a really fresh feeling left for such a complex wine #TasteHautEspoir

— Marthèlize Tredoux (@Konfytbekkie) September 4, 2014

Gotta say, I am SERIOUSLY impressed with the food you guys have put on. We need to have meet ups. Where you cook. #TasteHautEspoir

— Incogvino (@WeAreIncogvino) September 4, 2014

Witness… The REAL Poor Man’s Decanter. Shiraz 08 brewing. Bow, people! #TasteHautEspoir pic.twitter.com/K5zfPaM9fx

— Andy Hadfield (@andyhadfield) September 4, 2014

Tastes awesome with homemade ravioli w chorizo,coriander pesto&mush!Beaut w white pepper taste of 06 #TasteHautEspoir pic.twitter.com/4eqLFKCEVw

— Karen H (@CandidKar) September 4, 2014

Spot the spittoon #tastehautespoir pic.twitter.com/WduDvHATYL

— Wine (@WineOuEL) September 4, 2014

#TasteHautEspoir third course with a spicy prawn soup with the 07 shiraz cant wait pic.twitter.com/oQZvN37Atu

— Robert Obree (@RobertObree) September 4, 2014

The vertical shirazes are going down a treat #tastehautespoir pic.twitter.com/2x1su18j2Z

— Rob Armstrong (@rambowine) September 4, 2014

Righto. Everyone’s been waiting for it… NEXT! Time for the Shiraz 2007 on #TasteHautEspoir

— Incogvino (@WeAreIncogvino) September 4, 2014

@rambowine that is impossibly well priced. It is face-smashingly good. At that price my face is prepped for much smashing #tastehautespoir

— Antony Stiglingh (@AntonyStiglingh) September 4, 2014

@Konfytbekkie Also love the fact that they don’t rush their wines to market. Mature, flavour packed & ready to drink. #TasteHautEspoir

— Brian Arentsen (@Bargainstein) September 4, 2014

Here at Incogvino JHB HQ, someone just said re #TasteHautEspoir Shiraz 07: Menthol cigarette doing the cha cha on my tongue. Yes. That.

— Incogvino (@WeAreIncogvino) September 4, 2014

With all due respect: this Shiraz 07 kicks the GG09’s butt… Wow. Wow. #TasteHautEspoir

— Xivoni (@xivoni111) September 4, 2014

This Shiraz knows my secrets. Every sip is like a conversation with an old friend. #TasteHautEspoir

— Lydia Coetzee (@greenlydia) September 4, 2014

@rambowine that’s daylight (lowers shades)…ROBery. I’m here all night. Norequests. #TasteHautEspoir

— Antony Stiglingh (@AntonyStiglingh) September 4, 2014

This is happening right now. #tastehautespoir pic.twitter.com/90wkp5XXE3

— Lydia Coetzee (@greenlydia) September 4, 2014

@WeAreIncogvino @rambowine Thanx all #SuperFans, been a fun wine engagement! The GG rules the roost! #TasteHautEspoir pic.twitter.com/NAvvujTQdn

— Brian Arentsen (@Bargainstein) September 4, 2014

Haut Espoir is a boutique wine farm in Franschhoek, entirely family run, with the focus on making the best wine possible (and a spot of buchu brandy on the side). They’re also known for their conservation efforts, restoring fynbos on the farm, their BWI accreditation and simply for crafting truly fantastic wines. Even in an industry that is built on passion, you will be hard pressed to find a more passionate team than Rob and his family. For more information, visit their website or follow Rob (@rambowine) or the farm (@hautespoir) on Twitter.

The post #TasteHautEspoir – A Tremendous Twitter Wine Tasting appeared first on Incogvino.

Haut Espoir Shiraz 2007

Yes, you guessed it. The time has come for another #SuperFANS Twitter tasting. We’ll be hashtagging it tomorrow night (Thursday 4 September) with SuperFANS from around SA, digging into their Haut Espoir stash and sharing thoughts, opinions, tasting notes and sprinklings of white people.. err… pepper… (you had to be there).

For those not in the know, SuperFAN Twitter tastings are a fun li’l thing we do every two months or so. Our gobsmackingly fantastic member farms treat us to a special fan pack, filled with liquid treasure. We then pick two or three wines from the packs and set them aside for tasting on the night. A date and time is agreed upon by all the SuperFANS and on the night, we take to Twitter from all over the country. We sniff, swirl, squint, tweet, type, drink, hiccup and gulp our way through the wines and the whole thing plays out real-time, online.

Our lineup for tomorrow night’s tasting is as follows:

2009 Gentle Giant
2007 Shiraz
Bonus round: 2008 Shiraz (to do a mini “vertical” tasting and compare years)

Last time around, we did #TasteLithos, possibly our most interactive tasting yet. 15,236 saw #TasteLithos and the potential reach was 26,958. That’s not half bad. And I think that #TasteHautEspoir will be topping those numbers.

If you’re NOT a SuperFAN, but you want to see what all the fuss is about, follow the hashtag #TasteHautEspoir from 19:00 on Thursday 4 September. If you have some of the Haut Espoir up for tasting lying around, feel free to join in! We’re not exclusive or snobby, we think we’re pretty cool. And if you want to become a SuperFAN and be in on the action with special fan packs, events and tastings, roll on over to our contact page and give us a shout, and we’ll add you to the list. No spam, nary a newsletter or unwanted content. Just super content.

The post #TasteHautEspoir appeared first on Incogvino.

http://www.lithos.co.za

Another of our infamous Twitter Wine Tastings, hosted by AndyHadfield and the team from Lithos Wines, a new boutique winery in Somerset West – that brews beer in the down time! As usual, the Twitter tasting went down a treat and Lithos can now claim to be one of the most responsive wine farms on this medium. I heard afterwards that the team sweated a bit – but hey, that’s the game.

Huge thanks to Lithos for taking part. Here’s a gallery of some of the images shared during the Twitter tasting and the stats we achieved. And thanks again to the SuperFANS – SA’s greatest wine community

TASTING: Sunset Ale. Lithos Cape Blend. Lithos Syrah.

Follow Lithos on Twitter here.

Some of the SuperFAN comments:

lindakemp111: #TasteLithos I love this Shiraz. Dark chocolate, white pepper. Elegant, smooth, accessible but with real class. #wine140

xivoni111: #TasteLithos #wine140 Red Riedel better nose but harsher taste. White Riedel slightly closed nose – great taste. Restaurant glass: kak.

xivoni111: #TasteLithos @wines_lithos #wine140 @WeAreIncogvino Very classy Shiraz. Lovely elegance. White pepper, coffee-hint. Delicious.

Konfytbekkie: I’m trying to #wine140 about this @wines_lithos Syrah but I actually can’t be arsed because it’s just TOO good to describe.

AntonyStiglingh: Based on the @wines_lithos 2012 Syrah reviews, you best get to the cellar soon or compete in a trolley dash of death. #wine140 #TasteLithos

Konfytbekkie: Cape Blend: fresh and green but deliciously so. Ready to drink now but gut says a few years will REALLY perform magic #Wine140

GrapeWhine: #TasteLithos @wines_lithos #wine140 Syrah is delicious white pepper and mango nose with a more spicy and meaty mouth

andyhadfield: ’12 @wines_lithos Cape Blend. Perfumey spicy Shiraz dom blend. Kinda tour-the-world flavours. Well priced. Will age. YUM (decanted) #wine140

Photos and stats below…

All ready for tonight #TasteLithos waiting for @WeAreIncogvino @SeanPaulEmery @Tankerhoek pic.twitter.com/d12RLqsSQK

— lorraine Emery (@lorraineEmery1) July 10, 2014

@lorraineEmery1 @WeAreIncogvino @SeanPaulEmery @Tankerhoek Have found some remaining stock & rearing to #TasteLithos pic.twitter.com/m4V8giK7vx — Brian Arentsen (@Bargainstein) July 10, 2014

Sunset Ale poured well after sunset, but looking good. Decent aromatic head! Cheers #TasteLithos pic.twitter.com/cvJtotnZTq

— Brian Arentsen (@Bargainstein) July 10, 2014

We going for it! #TasteLithos pic.twitter.com/PNcDjLpSfC

— Lithos Wines (@wines_lithos) July 10, 2014

Ostrich Rump to go with the #TasteLithos twitter event @wines_lithos pic.twitter.com/FzK3k7LEyY

— Andy Hadfield (@andyhadfield) July 10, 2014

@greenlydia @wines_lithos @Bargainstein @WeAreIncogvino #tastelithos here is a desperate worker! pic.twitter.com/DJE05xZ9xz

— Sean Emery (@SeanPaulEmery) July 10, 2014

#TasteLithos Tim's 1st beer batch- tiny set up- increased in size since then! @wines_lithos @Tankerhoek pic.twitter.com/gdzu1m65y2

— Vanessa Hoek (@V_hoek) July 10, 2014

#TasteLithos @WeAreIncogvino some workers just cant get enough! i guess we must be doing something right pic.twitter.com/6egHPI3Ia1

— Sean Emery (@SeanPaulEmery) July 10, 2014

@WeAreIncogvino @wines_lithos @Konfytbekkie LDE – Lees die etiket pic.twitter.com/JzynBttMYm

— Antony Stiglingh (@AntonyStiglingh) July 10, 2014

#TasteLithos the originals of the inspiration behind the labels pic.twitter.com/fdFhbFWfIi

— Vanessa Hoek (@V_hoek) July 10, 2014

Cooking, tweeting & tasting. Has it's rewards…rump trinchado ready for the Syrah. #TasteLithos @WeAreIncogvino pic.twitter.com/qljiy2Lpab

— Brian Arentsen (@Bargainstein) July 10, 2014

This is happening right now. #TasteLithos pic.twitter.com/upVZLyOiJj

— Lydia Coetzee (@greenlydia) July 10, 2014

@Konfytbekkie @WeAreIncogvino boom! pic.twitter.com/PGXvyEd884

— Antony Stiglingh (@AntonyStiglingh) July 10, 2014

@WeAreIncogvino @wines_lithos we're making pizza, the blue cheese one is a good pairing pic.twitter.com/APo2WSyPsf

— Linda Kemp (@lindakemp111) July 10, 2014

#TasteLithos Blanc de Noir being bottled #blancdenoir pic.twitter.com/u4qOohBtWi

— Vanessa Hoek (@V_hoek) July 10, 2014

View from @wines_lithos – tough life #TasteLithos pic.twitter.com/C7M1bitDoc

— Incogvino (@WeAreIncogvino) July 10, 2014

Scenes from @wines_lithos (farm visit sounds like a good idea, ja?) #TasteLithos pic.twitter.com/EbTbnJ3UiI

— Incogvino (@WeAreIncogvino) July 10, 2014

Seen on the labels of @wines_lithos & on the farm. Can I hear a Hoo Hoooo? #TasteLithos pic.twitter.com/e3tP8bRAUa

— Incogvino (@WeAreIncogvino) July 10, 2014

#TasteLithos more views from the farm @wines_lithos pic.twitter.com/kkFb3uwhYZ

— Vanessa Hoek (@V_hoek) July 10, 2014

The post #TasteLithos [Twitter Wine Tasting] appeared first on Incogvino.

Wine Concepts

As someone who attempts to blog about their full-time hobby while holding down a full-time (unrelated) job, I’m the first to admit writing when you’re working 10-12 hour days is pretty tough at times. As a wine lover with the occasional opportunity to attend really exceptional events, I’m stubborn about putting content I care about out there, even if it is a couple of weeks after the fact. The Wine Concepts Burgundy Lover’s Festival is one of those events. I was aiming for a more constructive, informative and generally well composed piece, but in truth I adore Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir stole my heart years ago, so my analytical mind shut down shortly after the first drop of heavenly liquid hit my glass. For this round, I’ll leave the proper wine reviewing aside for a bit and just run through some of the more interesting and downright divine finds of the evening.

Knowing where my favourite wines were to be found and also which new ones wanted to try, I plunged into the fray randomly, approaching the first stand with a gap for me to fill my glass. This led me to Lothian Vineyards. I found their Chardonnay to be perfectly pleasant, hints of melon and lime and the most delicate touch of oak. Their Pinot Noir is well balanced, a mouthful of strawberry with a hint of tobacco on the other end of the spectrum.

The next new find was Winters Drift. Also from the Elgin Valley, I’ve seen the label around but had never tried their wines. The Chardonnay is very nice, smooth and lightly wooded with a honeydew fresh taste and good, soft acidity. The Pinot Noir is quite fruity, light and drinkable.

With great anticipation, I made my way to the Springfield stand to indulge in my longstanding love affair with their Wild Yeast and Methode Ancienne Chardonnay. Upon arrival, I was surprised to see they had a Pinot Noir on offer. I’m a great proponent of out-of-character wines in terms of styles, cultivars and where they are grown and made, but even so I wasn’t expecting a Pinot Noir (typically better suited to cooler areas) from Robertson, where summers can be merciless. I was delighted to find a sexy Pinot Noir in that bottle, slightly more muted and less fresh and fruity than others but with lots going on and lots to appreciate.

It was shortly after my stop at the Springfield station that I stopped taking pictures, finding conversing with my companions while discussing the exquisite wines far too consuming to keep snapping away with my phone. Other more than notable mentions include Vriesenhof, Creation (both their Pinot Noir and Reserve Pinot Noir are excellent) and Ataraxia (they had a sort of micro-flighted tasting, with their 2010 and 2013 Chardonnay available for tasting, a solid indication of what the younger wine could potentially grow into).

My absolute top finds of the evening were without question the Richard Kershaw Wines Chardonnay and both the Crystallum and Craven Wines Pinot Noirs. The Kershaw Chardonnay stops you dead in your tracks. A more composed, elegant and truly beautiful Chardonnay I have never encountered. Exquisitely wooded, complex fruit and a grounded character that invites you to just finish the bottle and make sure you pack a case in the car to take hom.

The Crystallum Pinot Noir is the stuff of dreams. If you love Pinot Noir, this is the one to seek out. And the Craven Wines Pinot Noir is magnificently exciting, a breath of fresh air from the seemingly new trend of “Young Guns” winemakers on the SA wine scene. Incredibly wine makers doing fantastically exciting things, shaking up the wine scene and producing tastebud-blowing stuff.

I’ll say it again. I love Chardonnay and I adore Pinot Noir. The Burgundy Lover’s festival was a treat, well organised and presented by the team from Wine Concepts. And if Sauvignon is more your thing, then you should keep an eye on their website for the Seductive Sauvignon festival coming up in September. It promises to be a spectacular collection of the best Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon around. I’m saving the date.

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