According to those in the know, premiumisation is not only a thing but a global trend. Brands and services aim to offer a range of products at different price points, often aimed at different consumers. The ever-present lookout for new ways to add more value is everywhere. It’s particularly prevalent in the wine industry, with both large-scale producers and small to medium wineries setting out their offerings with labels like entry-level, premium, reserve etc. Some seem to get it quite wrong at times, asking premium (and above) prices for wines that are mediocre at best. Whether or not premiumisation was a goal in mind during creation of The Mentors range, they’ve very much gotten it right.

In 2006, The Mentors range was created by KWV with the purpose of allowing the winemakers free reign in terms of creativity, experimentation and sourcing the best grapes from the best vineyards. It’s no small task to create wines that are earmarked to be the flagship products for a company such as KWV but the team behind The Mentors have come out swinging and the results are nothing less than spectacular.

If it’s quality you’re concerned with, the production of The Mentors ticks all the boxes one would expect: stringent selection of vineyards and grapes, only the ‘best of the best’ wines get bottled and even then, quantities are limited. If the wines don’t reach the high quality standards, it simply doesn’t get released. For example, The Mentors Grenache Blanc was last released in 2011  and was only given the green light again this year with release of the 2014 vintage. They simply don’t mess about: if it’s not good enough, it’s not going out.

Putting aside the economics of cost, production and any other factors that influence the decision to release a wine or not, I respect the philosophy behind this range immensely and (in my opinion, at least) it pays dividends. I have not yet encountered a wine from the range that I have not enjoyed or adored. A brand offering such consistent quality and innovation is not to be sniffed at. You should rather be sniffing their wines.

I’m not going to say much about the wines because they very much speak for themselves. Also, if I started, this post would become very long, very quickly. I will mention that I was enamoured by the new release Grenache Blanc 2014, citrus and apple notes greet your nose and the wine itself is fresh with a clean but creamy lingering palate. I would not recommend sharing this with anyone – it’s just too good.

So because I love The Mentors and because the good people at KWV love sharing their very best with wine lovers everywhere, I have a mixed case (valued at R1290) of brand new release The Mentors wines to give away. The case consists of the following wines:

Grenache Blanc 2014
Sauvignon Blanc – Elim 2014
Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2014
Orchestra 2013
Canvas 2013
Shiraz 2013

To enter, simply comment below and tell me which great individual (historic figure, musician, artist – either still with us or someone who has already shuffled off this mortal coil) you would want to share a bottle of The Mentors with and why? Be creative, describe how you see it happening in your mind’s eye. Interesting answers may or may not count more than shorter ones. *ahem*

For additional entries, retweet the link to the competition with the #MeetGreatness or use the tweet below:

Tell @WeAreIncogvino how you would like to #MeetGreatness with @KWVwines The Mentors and you could win. https://incogvino.co.za/?p=562

Winners will be drawn and announced on Monday 13 July.

*** Competition is now closed. Congratulations to Lize Hartley for the winning comment!***

The post {Giveaway} – KWV The Mentors New Releases appeared first on Incogvino.

Van Ryn Distillery – this is where the magic happens

Let’s not beat around the proverbial bush here: if you say “brandy” to most South Africans, the word association to complete the phrase would undoubtedly be “Coke”. Now, in the spirit of Incogvino, we do not judge. If you enjoy your tot of firewater with fizzy, sugary drinks and ice added then so be it. To each their own. The only thing that irks me about that image is the fact that it seems to overshadow the fact that South Africa produces the best brandies in the world. Brandies that regularly wipe the floor with Cognacs and Armagnacs. Trophy, gold medal and overall award-winning brandies. And not always the type that you mix with fizzy drinks. Here is a little peek at some of our best brandies, as well as a giveaway of two fine specimens of these prize-winning beauties.

Debate and dissension around the merit of wine awards and competitions aside (that is a topic for an entirely different series of posts), there are some local and international wine and spirits awards that are widely accepted as indicators of excellence, including the Veritas awards (often called the “Oscars” of the local wine industry), the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) and the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. South African brandies are regularly well-represented at these competitions, with Van Ryn and KWV often cleaning up. ***Update: Tim James kindly pointed out that SA brandies often don’t compete internationally against Cognac directly, as the latter has its own category. Our brandies are still world-class, many made in a style reminiscent of Cognac and do compete commercially – both locally and globally – for the preference of consumers.***

Take, for example, the performance of the Van Ryn 15 Year old Cask Reserve over the past few years: gold medal at IWSC for the past 5 years, Best Brandy Trophy at the International Spirits Challenge in 2010, Double Gold at this year’s Veritas awards. Impressive, isn’t it? And these impressive results are not limited to the Van Ryn or KWV 15 or 20 -year old brandies. Elsenburg (the Agricultural Training Institute) release their first potstill brandy (13yo) which walked away with a Double Gold at this year’s Veritas awards. Other consistently performing offerings include Collison’s White Gold Pot still Brandy, Richelieu 10 Years Vintage Brandy and – bringing us to our giveaway – Oude Meester Demant Pot still Brandy (Double Gold at Veritas 2014) and Klipdrift Gold brandy (Gold ad Veritas 2014).

Launched in 2008, the Oude Meester Demant pot still brandy has also been racking up awards and medals. Double distilled in Savalle stills, blended from brandies up to 8 years old, this brandy has a freshness underlying the maturity. Oak, cinnamon and dried fruit on the nose, perhaps even a hint of chocolate. Soft spice and apricot on the palate and a smooth, easy-drinking finish. Best enjoyed as is, in a proper glass but mixes well (and not just with Coke – try Ginger Ale and lemon).

Klipdrift Gold is one of my favourites. Another blended pot still brandy, the oldest component is 21 years old. Lovely pale gold liquid, slightest floral note amongst the myriad of dried fruit (peach, apricot, pear) and citrus. Cigarbox and chocolate notes add seriousness and complexity. Definitely to be enjoyed straight up, but if you do want to mix it, use it for something more sophisticated; a stylish cocktail for instance.

Now that we’ve established the excellence of SA brandy, it’s giveaway time! We have TWO gift packs to give away, each containing 1 x Oude Meester Demant and 1 x Klipdrift Gold. To enter, all you need to do is comment and tweet:

• Leave a comment below and tell us what you think about SA brandy. Do you prefer it with your fizzy softdrink? Do you think Cognac is better?  Are we all on the wrong track here? Or do you think we make the best brandies in the world? We’re looking for opinions, no right or wrong answers here! Or just let us know which is your favourite brandy.
• Tweet us @WeAreIncogvino, share the link to this post and use the hashtag #BestBrandy. You can make up your own tweet, or use the one below
  WIN a gift pack with two of SA’s #BestBrandies with @WeAreIncogvino. Enter here  https://incogvino.co.za/brandy-gold-demant-giveaway/

Winners will be selected, announced and notified on Friday 17 October at 17:00.

Please note: winners must be in Cape Town or surrounds (or have an address in Cape Town where their prize can be delivered to).

{competition has been closed and the winners chosen. Congratulations to @CandidKar and @ClydeCupido!}

The post Brandy: Gold, Demant and a [Giveaway] appeared first on Incogvino.