Out of the way boys! This one’s for the girls! Cape Town girls looking for a dazzling night out will get the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and be care-free by filling their glasses with the fresh, crisp wine and enjoy the 5FM Girls’ Night Out, coming to the Cape Town Women’s Show on Friday, February 19.

The company of wine people^TM’s Brands and Business Development Manager, Corne Oosthuizen, says, “We are proud to be sponsoring our care-free, wines for an event of this nature. It aligns perfectly with our uniquely relaxing brand of Arniston Bay wines.”

Get your four closest girlfriends together, and join Sureshnie and your fav 5FM girls at the CTICC. 5FM will be treating the ladies to a fashion show, an Elle magazine trend workshop, a hot set from 5FM’s female DJs and a live performance by Gang of Instrumentals!

Listen to Sureshnie Rider’s show (Mon-Thurs, 11pm-1am) for details on how to get onto the guest list.
“We will be showcasing our wines at both The Women’s Show and The Girls’ Night Out Party and are very excited to introduce the ladies of Cape Town to our blush pink, new sparkling Rosé which is an ideal drink for a girls night out,” he continues.

Listen to Sureshnie Rider’s show (Mon-Thurs, 11pm-1am) for details on how to get onto the guest list.

For more info visit: www.5fm.co.za

South Africa continues to rank as the fastest-growing wine category in the UK.

New data shows, and Wines of SA (Wosa) CEO Su Birch believes exports of packaged wines could grow 10% in volume this year, provided the rand doesn’t strengthen materially.

Sales figures released by AC Nielsen for the UK, South Africa’s biggest wine export destination, show that local wines have increased their volume share of the market from 10.4% in 2008 to 12.3% in 2009.

Although still in fourth place, the country is now virtually on a par with France, which occupies third position with 12.4%, behind Australia and the US.

Birch added that the South African brands to have performed exceptionally well included First Cape, Kumala, Arniston Bay, Two Oceans and KWV.

Read more…

As South Africa continues to defy the global economic downturn by annually lifting the export of its packaged wines, it is making concerted moves to lower the weight of its wine bottles and so maintain its status as one of the world’s most eco-progressive winemaking nations and a leader in production integrity.

From this year, 750-ml wine bottles closed with screwcaps and weighing only 350 grams will be available to local wine producers. These compare with an average bottle weight of over 500 grams just four years ago.

“As we raise our export volumes of mostly bottled wines, we also increase our carbon emissions, so it becomes a delicate balancing act to enhance our sustainability profile while pushing up our output,” explained Su Birch, CEO of Wines of South Africa (WOSA), one of the leading champions of the country’s efforts to grow, make and market wines in a way that is least harmful to the environment.

She said the wine industry body, SA Wine Industry Information Systems (SAWIS), had calculated that for every 10 million litres of wine shipped in bulk, just over 107 jobs would be lost. “This figure does not even factor in the multiplier effect that such job losses bring. It has, for example, been reported that for every one of Unilever’s direct jobs in South Africa, another 22 workers depend on the company for at least a part of their livelihood. This is an indication of just how crucial each job is to a developing economy such as ours.”

While many players in the South African wine industry had actively supported bottle recycling programmes in recent years to reduce their impact on the environment, efforts were now being accelerated to focus on light-weight wine bottles as well.

According to Consol Glass, South Africa’s leading manufacturer of glass containers for the beverage industry, until 2006 the average weight of a 750ml non-returnable wine bottle was 516 grams, which by last year had dropped to 437 grams, a decrease of 15%. The new light-weight bottle will bring down the average still further.

She said the sturdy, light-weighted bottles, apart from strengthening South Africa’s reputation for environmentally responsible wine production, would also address the demands of leading retailers. Also keen to enhance their sustainability credentials, the multiple grocer chains were responding to high-profile media and consumer calls for more eco-friendly packaging.

Birch added that alternative wine packaging, such as the wine pouch offered by leading export brand, Arniston Bay, had also been welcomed in many export markets. South African bag-in-box wines were also very popular, particularly in Scandinavia.

Source: wine.co.za

Chicken salads are easy meal options, especially in summer. Here’s a simple recipe which is delicious when shared with friends and served with Arniston Bay Chenin Blanc Chardonnay.

Total Time:      25 minutes

Serves:             4

Ingredients

• -250g  rice noodles or angel hair pasta
• -1 tablespoon olive oil
• -4 180g  boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• -1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• -1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• -1 tablespoon sugar
• -1 jalapeno (preferably red), seeded and thinly sliced
• -1 bunch watercress (about 3 cups)
• -1 seedless cucumber, cut into ½ cm-thick half-moons
• -2 scallions, sliced

Directions

1. - Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. - Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side.
3. - In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, sesame oil, sugar, and jalapeño.
4. - Slice the chicken. Divide the noodles, chicken, watercress, cucumber, and scallions among plates. Drizzle with the dressing.

Recommended Wine:

The Arniston Bay Chenin Blanc Chardonnay 2009 will superbly  complement this meal. This wine has a lovely pineapple and melon nose with a crisp and fresh taste.

Source: Real Simple

The wine:

There’s nothing better for your mind and soul than treading lightly on the planet. You’ll save money with some of these green tips, and your family’s physical and emotional health will also improve. When you apply these easy eco-friendly tips, you’ll see the psychologcial benefits of living green.

You can also harness positive energy by living green.

Tip #1: Eco-friendly Canvas Bags

When you’re deciding between paper and plastic at the grocery store, choose neither. Plastic takes 1,000 years to decompose and paper bags use 14 million trees a year. Instead, an easy eco-friendly tip is to use cloth grocery bags

Tip #2: Eco-Friendly Eating

Elizabeth Rogers wrote The Green Book, which contains dozens of easy eco-friendly tips. One of Rogers’ green tips is using one less napkin a day because paper napkins make a huge difference. Give up one paper napkin a day, and you’ll save a billion pounds of paper waste in landfills a year.

Tip #3: Natural Cleaning Products

“Clean doesn’t have a smell,” says one environmentally friendly family. When your bathroom is clean, it shouldn’t smell like pine or lemon. Switch from toxic to non-toxic, natural cleaning products.

Tip #4: Change Your Lightbubs

Most of the energy comes from coal-fired plants. A compact fluorescent light bulb is more energy-efficient and will save your money in the long run. CFL lightbulbs are energy smart; they’re more expensive, but they’ll last longer.

Tip #5: Daily Green Tips for Every Family

These easy eco-friendly tips are things you can do every day. The green tips come from the Squire family (a green family featured on the eco-friendly Oprah show).

• -Use the same cups over and over.
• -Don’t run the dishwasher unless it’s absolutely full.
• -Don’t throw clothing or shoes away, especially leather shoes.
• -Buy clothes at secondhand, consignment, or resale shops.
• -Put power strips on your tv to turn everything off when you go to bed or leave for the day. Vampire or standby power drains energy.

Arniston Bay Brand News

Arniston Bay believes in sustainable practices to protect our environment. This is reflected by initiatives like wine pouches (Astrapouch) and some Arniston Bay wine ranges which is being bottled in lighter weight glass.

Read more at Suite101

South African wine has achieved the largest increase in UK market share during 2009, according to the latest Nielsen figures.

Its performance takes the country from 10.4% of the off-trade market to 12.3% in the year to December 26, 2009.

The South African category also grew 24% by value and 23% by volume in the same period.

“South Africa’s market share is now only 0.1% behind France, which is in decline, falling to 12.4% by volume,” said generic body Wines of South Africa.

Exports to the UK were up 14% by volume. This growth maintains the UK’s position as the leading export market for the South African wine industry, accounting for 32% of total global exports.

Al the leading South African brands, including First Cape Kumala, Arniston Bay, Two Oceans and KWV, enjoyed exceptional growth in 2009.

The figures also show that growth in the South African wine category is not exclusively at the lower end of the market, with a 15% uplift in value sales of wines above £5, a 27% increase in wines above £7 and 43% increase in wines above £10.

Source: offlicencenews.co.uk

Lifestyle brand Arniston Bay is proud to announce that it will be the wine sponsor at the 5FM Girls Night Out party.

This event will be held at the Cape Town Convention Centre on Friday 19 February and promises to be a great night.  The party will again be hosted by Sureshnie Rider, fashion shows by the finest designers, music by top SA Bands like Flash Republic & Tamara Dey.  5FM also indicated that they will host a week long competition on air and listeners will be able to win tickets to this exclusive event.

While salads are perennially popular, in the scorching summer months they are the ideal choice for meals.

Not only is the cool crispness appreciated on a hot day but also the fact that the kitchen and the cook can stay cool as very little cooking is required for the salad.

This smoked salmon salad with rye recipe  is a perfect summer salad and great for a picnic or lunch dish.

The mayonnaise binds all the ingredients together, and it can be eaten with a fork or piled on to the bread and eaten as an open sandwich. This smoked salmon salad is quite thick with mayonnaise, making it suitable to pile on to sliced ryebread or crispbread. I like to use hot-smoked salmon but you can also use cold-smoked salmon.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

· 350g hot smoked salmon, flaked

. 1 punnet baby plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

· 1/2 cup mayonnaise

· 1 tbsp mild mustard

· 1 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice

· 1 cup baby butter leaves

· 1 cup curly endive, roughly chopped (spinach can be an alternative)

· 1/2 bunch chives, chopped

· 2 hardboiled eggs, chopped

.  freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Combine the salad leaves and tomatoes, then fold through the smoked salmon.

Mix the mayonnaise with the mustard, lemon juice and pepper. Fold the mayonnaise through the salad.

Sprinkle the chopped egg and chives over the top of the salad.

Accompany the salad with some rye bread.

Recommended wine

The Arniston Bay The Shore Rosé 2009 will complement this dish. This is an uncomplicated easy drinking Rosé filled with sweet red berry and strawberry aromas.

Source: themercury.com

Braai (or BBQ) is a big part of the South African summer and various social events and gatherings consists of a braai.

But what is the right sort of wine to offer at a braai? Let’s get one thing straight: there isn’t a right sort! The wine you choose for your braai should be one that you enjoy drinking, not necessarily one that you think you should enjoy. Set the tone for a light-hearted and relaxed event.

Rosé
So if you love a glass of rosé on a summer’s evening, welcome your guests with a chilled dry rosé, which combines the crispness of white wine with the flavours of strawberry or watermelon.

Sparkling wine

Or greet them with a glass of fizzy Sparkling wine. Chilled, pink maybe, it’ll add a touch of sophisticated fun to any garden gathering.

Bearing in mind that both white and red wines can be light-, medium- or full-bodied, vegetables, white meat and fish are light in character and respond best to a sympathetic wine, while red meats can handle a more robust accompaniment.

We’ll make some suggestions but remember, it’s your party and you’re supposed to enjoy it too, so choose what you’re happy with.

Most red wines

Will go well with simple barbecued (braai-ed)  meats. Try a young Cabernet Sauvignon or light fruity French wine.

Sauvignon Blanc

A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or another white wine with a high acidity content will go well with plain braai-ed meat. Look for one that promises a crisp and intensely aromatic experience.

Or saucy?

For meat covered in barbecue sauce, you want a wine that won’t try to compete with the flavour but will complement it. A young fruity, spicy red would be ideal. Try a Shiraz or a more traditional French Cotes du Rhone, which sometimes has a smoky aroma of its own.

Chilled

If you notice that you’re running out of chilled wine, pop a bottle or two in the freezer for half an hour. Take them out and keep them in a bucket of cold water and some ice. Use cooler sleeves that are available at most off-licences.

To keep a large number of bottles cool, three-quarter fill a clean dustbin with cold water and ice. Place the bottles in a bin bag and put the secured bin bag in the bucket.

Source: exploringwine.co.uk

Arniston Bay Brand News:

A perfect example of a great young Cabernet Sauvignon is  the Arniston Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 . This wine has berry fruit aromas with hints of mint and nutmeg.

Another wine that goes well with a braai is the Arniston Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009.This wine has cut grass and green pea aromas with a crisp acidity and a good length.

South Africa’s wine industry expects increased global sales in 2010, although the strong and volatile rand threatens its long-term prospects. This is according to Su Birch, CEO of  Wines of South Africa

The sector expects the 2010 Fifa World Cup - which kicks off on June 11 - to boost sales hurt by a global economic crisis and weakened economies in key export markets across Europe and in the US.

South African wine producers and exporters were planning to use the world’s most-watched sports spectacle to increase marketing and the association is organising special braai festivals in key nations competing in the tournament, she said.

Leading supermarket retailers in Europe, such as Sainsbury and Tesco, were also eager to promote South African wines.

“There is huge interest and excitement around 2010. There isn’t a supermarket group in Europe that doesn’t want to do a South African promotion,” Birch said.

The estimated 450000 foreign tourists expected to attend the World Cup will be able to pick up quality wines - usually seen on European shelves - for about R30.

Exports for South Africa’s packaged wines were expected to increase by between 10% to 15% in 2010, Birch said, adding: “The interest around South Africa and South African wines as a result of 2010 is just phenomenal.”

But the strength of the rand - which gained about 30% against the dollar - was a concern for the industry. Analysts say the stronger rand has hit exporters hard as Africa’s strongest economy tries to recover after exiting its first recession in 17 years in the third quarter of last year.

“The currency is a huge worry and we fear that if it doesn’t move it will, in the long term, be the death knell of the industry,” Birch said. “It is crippling because nobody can make any [profit] margins and what is worse is the huge volatility.”

Birch said the industry, which employs some 250000 people, and last year celebrated its 350th anniversary, was struggling despite exports surging by 335% between 1995 and 2007. “The industry is really in financial trouble. There is no new [vine] planting going on, so we are not going to sustain growth,” she said.

Arniston Bay Brand News

The 2010 World Cup will add impetus to already successful and fast growing brands like Arniston Bay. The Arniston Bay wine brand has experienced a marked sales increase over the past year - latest figures reveal that off-trade sales are up 29% by value and 31% by volume (AC Nielsen: 52 weeks to 05 September 2009)

Source: timeslive