Johannesburg - We’re little over a week away from the end of winter and for many it signals a change of habit, whether it is to start gymming more often – summer bodies are, after all, made in winter, a gym poster in Fourways reminded the other day – eating healthier, or drinking less (or lighter, lower alcohol wines).
I’m a firm believer in quality, not quantity. And while there’s always occasion to open an exceptional red wine, now’s a great time to introduce noteworthy whites to the dinner table. Here are a few of my picks for the week, which include bubbly, white and red:
Golden Triangle producer Stellenzicht has just unveiled its 2007 Plum Pudding Hill syrah. Winemaker Guy Webber, who is one of South Africa’s pinotage masters with a personal tally of five Absa Top 10 scores, told us recently at a vertical tasting dinner he hosted at DW eleven-13 in Dunkeld West the wine had been named for a corner on the Stellenbosch property. One day, en route to the market, a trailer carrying plums from the farm tipped over, making a terrible mess, and the hill subsequently became known as Plum Pudding Hill.
The Plum Pudding syrah is a new single vineyard addition to the estate’s portfolio. The wine is inky blue-garnet in colour, with ripe, dark fruit with hints of pepper and violets (costs around R170 a bottle).
Highlights of the meal, which was marked by often opulent flavours and portions, were the langoustine and quail with turnip puree, pickled red cabbage, poached quail egg and bacon fat powder – presented artistically on simple black slate; the spiced springbok loin with a beetroot puree, caramelised sweet potato tarte tatin and a cranberry jus; and an OTT dulce de leche ice cream with white hazelnut praline, chocolate fudge and chocolate sauce.
DW eleven-13 celebrates five years in the business this year and owner Marthinus Ferreira, one of Jozi’s most celebrated chefs and a past Ultimate Braai Master judge, is not resting on his laurels. Already he has expanded his small restaurant to include The Grazing Room – a contemporary Asian-inspired tapas bar. And if two restaurants weren’t enough, Marthinus tells me he is set to open another near the Circa art gallery in Rosebank. It’s certainly one to look out for.
Back to the wine though, and another opulent red is Hidden Valley’s 2013 pinotage. Owner-winemaker Dave Hidden recently made a splash in the headlines with his limited edition “marine aged” Shipwreck shiraz which proved not only that our local shirazes can fetch top dollar – even if there’s some clever marketing involved (in this case, the wines going at more than R900 a bottle and selling out within days) – but also that it is being taken increasingly seriously.
It’s not a gimmick though – Hidden’s Hidden Secret (an award-winning shiraz-led blend), Hidden Gems (Bordeaux blend), sauvignon blanc and pinotage are some of the estate’s other great successes.
And true to his name, Hidden knows how to reveal some of a varietal’s best traits. The Hidden Valley pinotage is plummy and minty, with rich mocha, blackberry and chocolate notes – a big wine for a seriously good price at R84 (ex cellar). For many wine drinkers, pinotage is a take it or leave it variety – if you enjoy it, you’ll love its in-your-face fruit, pronounced cherry and earthy flavours; if you loathe it, it is probably for those self-same reasons. I’m not the greatest pinotage enthusiast so I kept a bottle of this in my cupboard for a few weeks, sizing it up. The surprise though, on finally opening it, was that I really enjoyed it. Their suggestion is with spaghetti Bolognese and cured meat, but it also goes down a treat with the weekend braai.
Muratie is one of Stellenbosch’s oldest properties and always a lovely stop in the winelands because it’s unpretentious, with a rich heritage, a lovely restaurant and a quaint tasting room with cobwebs, Persian carpets, and mooching dogs. Each of their wines is named after the farm’s various characters – from Ansela van de Caab (Bordeaux blend), to George Paul Canitz (pinot noir). Their Laurens Campher blended white wine pays tribute to the first owner of Muratie, a young German soldier. Having fallen in love with Ansela, a slave at the Castle in Cape Town, whom he later married, the soldier was clearly tenacious, making daily treks to the castle to see her.
The Laurens Campher, which was wooded for six months, is a rich blend of chenin blanc, verdelho, viognier and sauvignon blanc with honeysuckle, sweet melon, pineapple and vanilla flavours.
As part of their Flagship range, the Muratie Laurens Campher 2012 has ageing potential for 10 years and sells for R95.
For something on the sweet side, Krone has just launched their Night Nectar 2011 demi-sec cap classique. The Tulbagh property is renowned for blending the Champagne varieties, chardonnay and pinot noir. The Night Nectar is a sweeter version of their cap classique – very fruity, deliciously food-friendly and deceptively easy drinking.
Made in the Champagne method, the wine is a blend of the chardonnay and pinot noir, with flavours of baked golden apples, lemon curd and almonds. Sells for R110 a bottle.
Saturday Star