Wineblog

Our wines of the week

Silky smooth Shiraz

by Elona Nel

A Monday-night steak braai is always a good idea – especially when the holiday’s memories seem to want to give way under the pressure that the new year brings. So while marinating the meat in Sunday night’s leftover red wine, I decided it was time to dig into my cherished wine collection.

De Meye Shiraz 2006 fitted the bill and with its super soft and velvety texture, it actually reminds of a well-matured Free State steak. The nose is rich and powerful, with herbs, pepper and black fruit, which follows through on the palate. It has a good structure, with a soft, fresh, fruity side to it.

This Stellenbosch winery’s Shiraz vineyards are planted in the western part of the Muldersvlei area. The 2006 harvest season had a very cold preceding winter, with late, but even ripening. And although the grapes are harvested when perfectly ripe, a certain degree of fresh fruit flavours are retained due to a cool westerly wind that sweeps through this south-east facing vineyard.

So what music to pair with a perfectly cooked medium steak and silky smooth Shiraz to complete the Monday night vibes? I prefer some local poetry, in the form of aKing’s words – I find delight in empty days, I take my counsel with wine.

Even though the 2006 is sold out – and drinking beautifully now – the 2009 is available at the tasting room at R78 a bottle.

’n Versamelstuk

deur Edo Heyns

Is daar werklik so iets soos ’n ikoniese Suid-Afrikaanse wyn? Hierdie vraag het die afgelope week opgekom tydens ’n vurige gesprek onder ’n handvol wynbedryfsrolspelers en nadese aanhou draai in my kop.

Nou wat presies is ’n ikoniese wyn? Die woord word immers links en regs gegooi op al wat persverklaring of advertensie is en is selfs al bietjie afgewater. In my boekies is die kriteria vir ’n ware ikoon drieledig: Die wyn moet ’n geskiedenis, oftewel track record,  hê van minstens 10 jaar; dit moet plaaslik en buitelandse erkenning geniet en dit moet in volumes beskikbaar wees wat van so aard is dat dit ’n internasionale impak kan maak.

Wyne soos Klein Constantia Vin de Constance, Meerlust Rubicon en Kanonkop Paul Sauer merk die regte boksies af. Dit was ook nie ’n verrassing dat die 2006 Vin de Constance en 2007, sowel as 2008 Paul Sauer onder die IWSC wenners was, wat gister by Grand Roche te proe beskikbaar was nie.

Hoewel dit tussen hierdie drie ’n moeilike besluit was, is die Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2007 my wyn van die week. Met uitstekende verouderingspotensiaal, konstante kwaliteit en ook redelike volumes is hierdie een van die indrukwekkendste produkte wat ons bedryf al opgelewer het. Alhoewel dit reeds deur baie beskou word as ’n ikoon, glo ek hierdie is ’n wyn wat selfs nog meer gaan naam maak en ook ’n paar Bordeaux ikone die stof sal laat byt.

Die 2008-oesjaar is beskikbaar by die proelokaal teen R330.

deur Elona Nel

“We don’t drink pink drinks,” is lankal by die deur uit en die groeiende populariteit van Rosé-wyne bied ʼn alternatiewe uitkomste vir beide verbruikers en produsente. Hierdie pienk nommers ontpop om elke hoek en draai en tydens ons Nuwewyn proe gister blyk dit al hoe duideliker dat hierdie wyne se name ook net so vreemd raak soos die Hollywood-sterre se kroos.

Die naam onder bespreking is Slaley se ligte, prettige reeks genaamd Lindsay’s Whimsy, wat uit ʼn Kaapse-vernit en Rosé bestaan. Hierdie 2010 Rosé is gemaak van Shiraz en het ʼn vreemde koperagtige pienk kleur wat op die neus beaam word deur effense oksidatiewe geure. Hoewel daar ook bessie en Turkse lekker geure waargeneem kan word, is die wyn taamlik een dimensioneel en flabby.

Dit is wel in ʼn eiesoortige styl gemaak, maar die kwessie van kleur is nie uniek aan hierdie wyn nie. Tydens ʼn vorige proe was die glimmende diep-pienk kleur van Durbanville Hills se nuwe Merlot Rosé onder die hamer. Bernard le Roux van Noble Hill beskryf die stoplig-rooi kleur van hierdie wyn:

Video: Durbanville Hills se \”rave-pienk\” Rosé

Een van die beter weergawes van dié wyne, maar met ʼn kleur wat deur Platter’s se proeër as “Disney pink” beskryf word, is die Rickety Bridge 2010. Kleur is egter iets wat nie noodwendig beheer kan word nie en met die sterk winde wat aan die einde van 2009 ervaar is, het vele van die 2010 pink ladies ʼn dieper kleur as gevolg van druiwe korrels met dikker doppe.

Hoewel Rosé baie maal as ʼn partytjie-wyn beskou word (en soms tereg so, as daar na die soeter, rooi-koeldrank weergawes gekyk word), is daar wel ʼn toenemende hoeveelheid ernstiger, droë en interessante opsies wat steeds baie bekostigbaar is –  Diemersdal, De Meye, De Grendel en Solms Delta se Lekkerwijn is almal goeie voorbeelde.

ʼn Ander uniekheid en onderskeidende faktor in ʼn mark met groeiende kompetisie wêreldwyd, is die keuse van kultivar. Shiraz, Merlot, Pinotage en Cabernet Sauvignon, sowel as ʼn verskeidenheid kombinasies, is baie gewilde, dog effe voorspelbare keuses. Ander kombinasies soos die Meditereense-trio van Grenache, Mourvèdre en Viognier word ook soms suksesvol saam gebruik. Menigte male word wit kultivar wyne in die versnitte gebruik, onder meer Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc en Viognier.

Om te hout, of nie te hout nie is ʼn verdere vraagstuk, waar dit per slot van rekening natuurlik weer die wyn se prys beïnvloed. Alhoewel daar goeie Rosé in die mark is, word die prys steeds belemmer deur vooroordeelde idees en verwagtinge. Luister maar fyn by meeste proe byeenkomste – hoewel ʼn goeie Rosé beloon word, word die “…vir ʼn Rosé”-frase meestal agterna gevoeg. Die mark wil hê wat die mark wil hê, so is dit nie dalk tyd dat ons die kwaliteit gee wat daar sonder twyfel kan wees nie.

Video: Bernard le Roux verduidelik Rosé se groeiende populariteit.

by Elona Nel

Going back to basics is what the new, but old-school restaurant at De Meye is all about. The Table is the creation of chef Camilla Comins and food photographer Russel Wasserfall, recreating the basics of what dining is all about – great food and warm company.

Situated on the Muldersvlei road outside Stellenbosch, this green haven is just off the N1, but worlds apart from the city. On a particularly chilly day we visited the renovated tasting room and novel restaurant for lunch and felt right at home in the cosy and charming eatery, where a crackling fire warms things up. Stick to wine, mostly from De Meye and neighbours, or try some locally brewed beer from Darling – accentuating their idea of local is lekker, with local produce and seasonal food used where possible.

Only open on weekends for now, the set three-course menu at R200 per person changes on a weekly basis. We started with a caramelised onion soup, blue cheese gougère and fresh French bread. One of my favourite pinks and a perfect accompaniment to this dish is the De Meye Shiraz Rosé – the newly released 2011 is a bit lighter in colour, with subtle strawberry and candy floss flavours. It is more restrained, but just as delicious as the previous award winner.

The seasonal family feast is prepared by Camilla’s brother, Jason Comins, and served on platters so the guests can dish up themselves. Wing rib roast with red wine sauce, hasselback potatoes with bay leaves and crisp baby greens tossed with sharp mustard vinaigrette; it is well-cooked, down to earth food – no frills, no fuss, but very flavoursome.

Dessert consisted of a colourful display of rosé jelly with toasted almonds, mini-meringues, a variety of seasonal fruit, as well as Camilla’s speciality Turkish delights. These are part of her Roses Handmade Confectionary range, where she is the creative product developer.

The rustic look and feel of The Table was transferred to the newly renovated tasting room, where a clean-cut, black-and-white theme is upheld with warm, wooden furniture, against a blackboard wall decorated with writings. It is a destination for the whole family, where the old saying of “the more, the merrier”, certainly rings true.