Wineblog

by Elona Nel

A phenomenon that started with a batch of Pinotage made at Diemersfontein by Bertus Fourie about five years ago, has sky rocketed ever since. And although these mocha-chocca wines are a stead-fast cash cow for a lot of their makers, we have to tread carefully and responsibly to maintain the popularity and prevent it from back firing.

CJP Chemicals, the sole provider of Innerstave wood products in South Africa, hosted a panel discussion at the Royal Hotel in Riebeek Kasteel, where the much debated topic of coffee-style wines saw many different opinions being raised. Charl Theron started the somewhat controversial discussion by stressing that these coffee wines aren’t limited to the original Pinotage variety anymore – and it is important to let the consumers know that those are not cultivar specific flavours.

According to Jurie Germishuys from Boland Cellar, producers of the popular Cappupinoccinotage, it is a very important product and one that the market clearly enjoys and demands. They sell roughly 500 bottles per day, compared to the ‘normal’ Pinotage, also retailing at R45 a bottle that sells around 60 bottles a day. And although it is often seen as a less serious, “cheaper” product, the wood component still amounts to about R2,80 per litre to achieve the preferred level of coffee and chocolate flavours in the wine.

One of the problems, however, is that the wood sometimes overshadows the fruit flavours in the wines, explained Neethlingshof’s De Wet Viljoen, vice-chairman of the Pinotage Association. Even though he highlighted the fact that the Association supports all things Pinotage, the focus has to remain on the cultivar, with the goal to achieve a good balance of fruit.

Being faced with the question of why these style wines never make the Pinotage Top Ten, he explained that they don’t judge them differently, but that they rather focus on balance and the variety’s true fruit character – if it has well-integrated coffee or chocolate flavours as well, it will add to the complexity. “There are coffee-style wines and then there are coffee-wines; at the end of the day, Pinotage must come out top and not something completely different,” said De Wet.

With a lot of mixed feelings and opinions on the floor, ranging between traditionalists, conformists and extremists, it doesn’t seem likely that the whole industry will ever be on the same page with this regard. One interesting suggestion, however, was to differentiate and separate coffee-type wines into their own category, to promote them and protect pure Pinotage – who would like to join the Coffee Association?

By Elona Nel

Red meat with red wine? Not necessarily.

When it comes to selecting food and wine combinations, we sometimes tend to shut down our senses and follow the age-old rule of thumb, where white wine gets paired with white meats and fish, and red wine is glugged down with red meats. In celebration of the Stellenbosch Wine Festival, Neethlingshof presented a food and wine pairing evening with guru, Katinka van Niekerk, who successfully managed to assure this becomes my new hobby.

Neethlingshof winemaker De Wet Viljoen is a firm believer in producing and living sustainably and declares that to him an empty bottle means much more than a shiny sticker on it. We tasted six of his wines and had to pair them with six different courses, as well as a mixed cheese platter. All with Katinka’s help off course – the highly entertaining and sometimes downright naughty co-author of The Food and Wine Pairing Guide.

First up was a plate of three starters – Mussel Chowder, Caprice Salad and Smoked Salmon Trout with ginger cream. To choose from on the white wine side, was the Sauvignon Blanc 2011 with enticing tropical fruit, the very flavoursome and slightly creamy Unwooded Chardonnay 2010 and the 2011 Gewürztraminer with some sweetness at 7 g/l, and also the recent winner of its category at the South African Terroir Awards.

The three red wines included a Malbec 2010, with abundant ripe plum and chocolate flavours, The Owl Post Pinotage 2009 with an almost spicy aroma and the beautifully elegant Bordeaux style blend, The Caracal 2007, with smooth but prominent tannins and a soothing mintiness on the aftertaste.

Discovering an interesting world with Katinka where everything was very umami (besides from being our fifth tasting sense, it also means lekker), I was surprised at some of the combinations that really worked well – like the Smoked salmon being a perfect match for the Malbec and Pinotage. And although we were mostly unanimous on most of the combinations, there were some personal differences, as with anything in life.

On to the mains, it was a plate that traditionally screams for red wines – Lamb Curry, Oxtail and a Beef medallion. Although the red wines mostly did impress with these dishes, the Gewürztraminer went well with the curry. The big surprise here though, was pairing the flagship Bordeaux style blend with the sweetish South African curry, and although it doesn’t make much sense, it just works.

The exuberant Katinka van Niekerk.

Last up, but always a crowd pleaser, was the cheese platters. But, Katinka warned, in contrast with Neethlingshof’s Short Story range, this is a horror film. Cheese is creamy, mostly fat and salty – in short, a nightmare to try and pair with wine, although port would usually be a more suitable suitor.

However, no one has ever turned away from cheese or wine and if you really put your mind to it, some interesting combinations will surface. My favourite was the Provolone cheese, reminiscent of smoked snoek paté, paired with the crisp, yet creamy Chardonnay, but also being delicious with the slightly sweeter Gewürztraminer. And if you like to drink Sauvignon throughout the whole night? Have it with some Chevin goat’s milk cheese – the acidity cuts right through the creaminess and lifts the flavours in both.

Ek ry nou al vir ses jaar amper elke dag verby Neethlingshof. Die bordjie wat na die indrukwekkende laning dennebome wys, het in hierdie tyd baie keer die kragmeting teen my rubberarm oppad huis toe gewen – waarna ek gou “een of twee wyne gaan proe het”.

As ‘n laning wat uit ou bome bestaan, gate begin kry soos die windverwaaide reuse oor die jare wegkwyn, kan dit nie maklik vervang word nie. Dit was ook die geval by die laning wat lei na Neethlingshof se proelokaal, waar Sandra – die proelokaal se vriendelike matriarg – my gewoonlik ingewag het met ‘n glasie Cabernet Franc. ‘n Voordeel van hierdie proesessies was dat daar gewoonlik ‘n proebottel of wat beskikbaar was wat al mooi verouder het, terwyl die wynwinkel langs Sandra se gebied gereeld winskopies aangebied het. Ek onthou spesifiek magnum bottels 1989 Cabernet Sauvignon, wat teen minder as R100 verkoop het en my standaard sopie was totdat die rak leeggeloop het.

Toe ek onlangs weer die afdraai na Neethlingshof neem – die keer in ‘n werk-hoedanigheid vir die bekendstelling van hul nuwe wyne en etikette – het daar helder groen boompies in die ou reuse se gate gestaan. Ek het vroeg gegaan sodat ek vir Sandra kan groet en dalk oudergewoonte ‘n glasie Cabernet Franc wegsluk voor die amptelike verrigtinge afskop.

Die wynwinkel het my soos vroeër lank aan die rondsnuffel gehad, maar op die oog af het dit gelyk asof die dae wat Neethlingshof hul wyne vir my verouder, verby is. Enigiemand wat wyn bemark sal vir jou sê dat hierdie ‘n baie goeie teken is. Geen wynplaas wil sit op ou voorraad nie.

Dié landgoed het steeds ‘n beleid dat meeste van die rooiwyne eers 18 maande in die bottel lê, voordat dit op die mark uitgereik word. Maar anders as in die verlede is al die wyne wat nou verkoop word, gemaak deur wynmaker De Wet Viljoen.

Dié rustige reus sien heelwat simboliek in die nuwe denne  wat tussen die reuse staan. “Dit vat ‘n hele paar jaar vir daardie boompies om so groot te word soos hul gevestigde bure. Hierdie groen boompies is ‘n teken van die vertroue wat ons in die toekoms van hierdie landgoed het,” vertel hy.

Groen boompies is egter nie die enigste teken van vernuwing op Neethlingshof nie. Inteendeel – ‘n nuwe wynreeks is onlangs uitgereik, terwyl die etikette ‘n moderne swaai bygekry het en die proelokaal binnekort ‘n heel ander baadjie gaan aantrek.

Die nuwe reeks – The Short Story Collection – bestaan uit ‘n Bordeaux-styl versnit (The Caracal), Pinotage (The Owlpost) en ‘n Edellaatoes (Maria). Hierdie drie wyne vervang dus die ou Lord Neethling reeks, met die Caracal wat die plek inneem van die vlagskip-versnit, Laurentius.

Nuwe etikette beteken egter nie dat dit in die bottel ‘n algehele gedaanteverwisseling ondergaan het nie. Nee, die styl van veral die Caracal, is steeds klassiek en Europees. Hierdie rooikat rooi is ‘n versnit van Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot en Cabernet Franc – en ek gaan myne vir ten minste 10 jaar wegsit.

Dieselfde geld vir die Owl Post, wat net soos die variëteit waarvan dit gemaak word, duidelik De Wet se oogappel is. Die wyn is pure Pinotage en het genoeg lyf om enige beesstert bredie aan tafel te vergesel.

Wingerd-ghoeroe, Eben Archer, het ‘n groot rol gespeel in die stories wat hierdie twee rooiwyne se etikette dra. Omgewingsvriendelike deklaagbeheer bring voëllewe – spesifiek tarentale – terug na die wingerde, terwyl hierdie weer rooikatte laat tuis (en versadig) voel. Die Owl Post storie handel oor kappe wat in die wingerde aangebring is om uilgetalle te laat styg en die minder welkom veldmuise in toom te hou.

Die moeder van die storiereeks is egter Maria – ‘n Weisser Riesling edellaatvrot. Hierdie taai soetetjie is afkomstig van ‘n wingerd wat perfek geleë is om die seemis tot vrot volmaaktheid te omskep. De Wet het by veral die Jongwynskou die afgelope paar jaar die trofeë met hierdie wyn laat inrol.

 

De Wet Viljoen en Eben Archer

Net soos wat my gunsteling wyn met die vorige etikette (die Cabernet Franc), nie een van die hoë profiel menere was nie, is die uitblinker van Neethlingshof se post-metamorfose skepsels een sonder ‘n storie of fancy etiket – die Malbec 2008. Dié rooi is ‘n elegante spogstuk, met ryp vruggeure wat harmonieus met subtiele speserygeure aangevul word. As ‘n eerste poging met Malbec as enkel-kultivarwyn, is dié wyn ‘n Neethlingshof vonds. Ek het klaar vir Sandra gesê dat sy in die vervolg maar die Malbec kan skink as ek by die nuwe proelokaal inkom. Hierdie groen boompie gaan nog ‘n reus word!