Development of the aroma wheel Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinotage (Pinot noir x Cinsaut noir) was developed in South Africa in 1924 by Prof. Abraham Izak Perold. In 1995 the Pinotage Association was established to ensure the continued interest and development of this...
Benchmarking is a tool used in the wine industry for branding, re-branding and product development. Rapid sensory methods suitable for benchmarking Comparing the appearance, aroma (“nose”), taste and mouthfeel (“palate”) of a wine to other wines on the market,...
It seems the planets are aligned to ensure Chenin Blanc South Africa’s success. The varietal has proven its potential for creating premium white wines that can make even the most cynical audiences sit up and take note. Chenin Blanc sales worldwide have...
A fun new app - called Tipple - allows users to train their wine palate like a pro and share their favourite wine experience. Ever wished you knew a little more about wine tasting? Now an innovative new wine app helps you not only expand your wine vocabulary, but...
South African Chenin blanc wines take centre stage in a novel study that explores the sensory space of wine using data mining and machine learning techniques. In this study, the first of its kind, researchers employed techniques that are usually utilised to analyse...
The Wine and Spirit Board has exciting tools to help you discover a wealth of knowledge about the wines you enjoy. And no, they don’t make the rules – they just apply them! Wine and Spirit Board (WSB) secretary Olivia Poonah has a tough job. South Africa’s wine...
VINEYARD AND CELLAR UPDATE Although sweet, acid, salt and bitter are the basic taste descriptors, the originality of copy writes has ensured that the back labels of wines sound like landscape, flower or garden descriptions. Many of these descriptions are meaningless...
Sorting – a fast and simple method to describe sensory differences and similarities between wines This article is the second in a series of four articles on methods for the sensory evaluation of wine. The articles are based on current sensory research at the Institute...
Pinotage is an important red wine cultivar, based on its unique South African character, as well as a sought after local and export product. A few years ago Pinotage did not fare so well and wines with intense acetone/nail polish flavours were produced. Various...
Vinification includes two important fermentation processes, namely alcoholic fermentation, which is conducted by yeast, and malolactic fermentation (MLF), which is performed by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). During MLF l-malic acid is converted to l-lactic acid and CO2...
Once tasting panels have sniffed, gargled and spat their way through wines of a specific variety or type, and once the scores have been handed in for the final verdict, the belated question about parameters sometimes comes to the fore: What were we supposed to be tasting for? What are the typical varietal characteristics? Bemused, perplexed reactions are often the result, sometimes even embarrassment, because who knows, who prescribes, whos in charge of a variety to be able to lay down guidelines for aroma, bouquet and balance?
Many different descriptive terms can be used to describe the various aroma nuances in brandy. Unfortunately, different people often use different terms to describe the same aroma nuance. Even brandy experts, normally working in small groups within a brandy producing...
The popularity of Rosé wines seems unstoppable. Enjoyed by famous Hollywood A-listers and served in trendy bars from St. Tropez to New York, this red-and-white cousin has become a global success story. With this pink drink getting trendier, and more sophisticated, by...
Sensory panels often avoid the evaluation of mouthfeel sensations in wine, since it implies (for many non-wine experts) complex, and abstract concepts. However, mouthfeel is an important dimension of wine quality, and it is, therefore, necessary that these properties...
Introduction The macromolecular fraction of red wine consists inter alia of polysaccharides and polyphenolic compounds such as procyanidins and anthocyanins (Vidal et al., 2004a). It has been proposed that anthocyanins may impact on the astringency of wine, whether...
Global trends suggest consumers are doing a re-think about higher alcohol wines. Although South Africa is lagging behind in health awareness and the drinking and driving enforcement, KIM MAXWELL takes a look at legislation related to the lighter categories and isn’t enticed.
The 20th exhibition of SITEVI, organised by Exposima (Exposium, Sygma and Secina), took place on 13, 14 and 15 November 2001 at the Montpellier Exhibition Centre in Montpellier. SITEVI is a business-to-business event dedicated to viticulture, winemaking and fruit...
The dream to make one’s own wine often necessitates a few other irons in the fire. Veterans such as Jan Boland Coetzee and Neil Ellis broke away in the 1980s and succeeded in financing their own formidable cellars with income from consultation work. Martin Meinert and now also Koos Jordaan are two of the younger generation who severed their ties with the corporate world to be associated with various other cellars in a consulting capacity, but also to put their names to their own product.
