This delicious and easy-to-make Lemon Chicken with Olives recipe first appeared in the September issue of the South African edition of Real Simple magazine.

This meal is ideal for a weeknight dinner but it can also be served to your weekend dinner guests. Arniston Bay’s Sauvignon Blanc will perfectly complement this meal.

Recipe

Lemon Chicken With Olives Hands-on time: 25 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Serves 4

2 tablespoons cake flour ½ teaspoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 750 grams chicken breast, thawed and flattened between greaseproof paper with a mallet or rolling pin 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 shallot, thinly sliced 1 cup pitted green olives ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped ½ cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)

Mix the flour, cumin, zest, salt and pepper on a flat plate. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and dredge in the flour mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan and return to medium heat. Heat the remaining oil. Add the shallot and cook until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the olives, parsley, lemon juice and wine, and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it in the olives and shallot. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately topped with the olive and shallot mixture and any sauce.

Source: Real Simple Magazine

In an recent article by Debra Gordon she explains some health benefits of wine , especially for women.

The list of wine’s benefits is long—and getting more surprising all the time. Already well-known as heart-healthy, wine in moderation might help you lose weight, reduce forgetfulness, boost your immunity, and help prevent bone loss. With women buying more than 6 out of every 10 bottles sold in this country, we’re happy to report that wine may do all of the following:

1. Feed your head Wine could preserve your memory. When researchers gave memory quizzes to women in their 70s, those who drank one drink or more every day scored much better than those who drank less or not at all. Wine helps prevent clots and reduce blood vessel inflammation, both of which have been linked to cognitive decline, as well as heart disease, explains Tedd Goldfinger, DO, of University of Arizona School of Medicine. Alcohol also seems to raise HDL, the good cholesterol, which helps unclog your arteries. 2. Keep the scale in your corner Studies find that people who drink wine daily have lower body mass than those who indulge occasionally; moderate wine drinkers have narrower waists and less abdominal fat than people who drink liquor. Alcohol may encourage your body to burn extra calories for as long as 90 minutes after you down a glass. Beer seems to have a similar effect. 3. Boost your body’s defenses In one British study, those who drank roughly a glass of wine a day reduced by 11 percent their risk of infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria, a major cause of gastritis, ulcers, and stomach cancers. As little as half a glass may also guard against food poisoning caused by germs like salmonella when people are exposed to contaminated food, according to a Spanish study. 4. Guard against ovarian woes When Australian researchers recently compared women with ovarian cancer and cancer-free women, they found that roughly one glass of wine a day seemed to reduce the risk of the disease by as much as 50 percent. Earlier research at the University of Hawaii produced similar findings. Experts suspect this may be due to antioxidants or phytoestrogens, which have high anticancer properties, in the wine. And in a recent University of Michigan study, a red wine compound helped kill ovarian cancer cells in a test tube. 5. Build better bones On average, women who drink moderately seem to have higher bone mass than abstainers. Alcohol appears to boost estrogen levels; the hormone seems to slow the body’s destruction of old bone more than it slows the production of new bone. 6. Prevent blood-sugar trouble Premenopausal women who drink one or two glasses of wine a day are 40 percent less likely than women who don’t drink to develop type 2 diabetes, according to a 10-year study by Harvard Medical School. While the reasons aren’t clear, wine seems to reduce insulin resistance in diabetic patients.

Source: eating.health.com

Sales of French wines are down almost everywhere, even in France itself.

While global consumption of wine rose 4 percent from 2001 to 2005, France’s dropped by 11 percent. Exports to the U.S. slipped 12.5 percent so far this year.

The worldwide wine consumption is expected to grow 10 percent within the next two years. It seems that the front runner in serving these consumption increases are thee New World Wines from Australia, South Africa, USA etc. South Africa has firmly established itself in the European and especially the UK markets.

Brands like Arniston Bay are having huge successes in the UK and other European markets.

Source: Bloomberg

The fifth biennial Cape Wine trade show will again be held in the state-of-the-art Cape Town International Convention Centre from 23 to 25 September 2008.

A stone’s throw from the city, international hotels and the famous V&A Waterfront, this spacious venue is only 25 minutes’ drive from the winelands. The entire South African wine industry enthusiastically supports Cape Wine and more than 300 wineries will exhibit over 4 000 wines. Join trade visitors and journalists from all over the world in networking with the South African winemakers and discover the huge variety of wines, from garagiste bottlings and value brands to icons in the making.

Arniston Bay as well as other brands from the company of wine people™ will be present. Visitors are invited to visit our exhibitions. Other brands from the company of wine people™ include Kumkani, Versus, Thandi and Welmoed

For more info about  The Cape Wine Trade Show visit: Cape Wine 2008

 India’s domestic wine consumption is likely to go up to 9 million lites per annum by 2010 from the current level of 5 million litres, registering a growth of 25 per cent for the next two year, according to an estimate by industry body Assocham.

“India’s wine market is currently growing at 20 per cent per annum but is likely to grow at 25 per cent in the next 2 years in view of rising consumption not only among youngsters but equally so in aged groups,” Assocham President Sajjan Jindal said in a statement.

Major cities in the country such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune and Bangalore accounts for around 80 per cent, the chamber said.

In terms of the overall wine consumption, Western India has taken a lead as it accounts for 41 per cent of the total wines quaffed in India.

Incidentally, a similar survey conducted by Assocham last year had also projected wine consumptions in India to touch 9 million litres per annum by 2010.

When contacted Assocham spokesperson said, “There is some difference in the projections and there has been some changes in rules and regulation governing the sector.”

During the last one year, some state governments have relaxed norms for selling wines through hotels and restaurants while others have hiked excise tax on wines by 0.25 per cent, he added.

 This consumption growth in India will definitely draw international wine brands to focus more on this sleeping giant market.

According to Johan Schwartz, a wine marketing consultant, wine brand managers will have to be innovative and dynamic. The campaign successes that Arniston Bay had on the UK market can be used as an example. By effectively understanding the markets and developing specific strategies and products, Arniston Bay has established its brand in numerous international markets.

Source: The Economic Times of India

Arniston Bay is one of the pioneers in pouch wine packaging. It seems that the Americans are also starting to see the advantages of wines in pouches.

A recent opinion article in the New York Times suggests that US consumers must change their options of non-bottled wines. This suggestion is based on the environmental benefits considering the carbon footprint created by trucking around glass bottles.

The vast majority (90% +) of American wine is produced on the West Coast, but then shipped to the East Coast where the majority of wine consumers live. This trucking process generates a tremendous amount of carbon-dioxide emissions. It is estimated that switching to lighter boxed wine for the 97% of wines that are made to be consumed within a year would reduce greenhouse gases by roughly 2 million tons or the equivalent of 400,000 cars.

Along with environmental advantages of boxed and pouched wine, it is also more economical from a cost per-glass perspective because of volume and preservation.

Arniston Bay was one of the first brands that launched the wine in pouch bag. These bags has an 80% lower carbon footprint and 90% less waste and landfill than regular glass wine bottles.

Source: seriousaboutwine

Decanter reports that the French wine sector has sent an open letter to the government, demanding it do more to protect the industry against the threat of the anti-alcohol lobby.

The letter describes how, ‘contrary to promises by the president, the government is ignoring the legal injustice to the wine sector’. A copy has been sent from each of the wine regions in the country.

It names specifically the banning of advertising wine on the internet, which was not included in a specific list of allowable advertising mediums in the 1991 Evin Law, and so is by omission illegal.

It also names the constraints on journalists to write freely about wine, and accuses the Ministers of Health and Agriculture of taking no decision regarding ‘this catastrophic legal deadlock’.

Marie Christine Tarby, the president of lobbyists Vins et Societé has spent much of 2008 liaising with the wine regions, underlining the extent of the threat facing them, and mobilising them to launch this unified oppostion.

She told decanter.com, ‘The internet did not exist in its current form when the Evin Law was drawn up. We are not looking for total liberty [to advertise wine], but we are asking for the same limited rights on the web, as we have in the press.’

Read full article: Decanter

This non-vintage Charmat Brut is made from Colombard grapes – known for their fresh aromas and natural acidity – by Arniston Bay winemaker, Abraham de Villiers. It joins the range of easy-drinking wines currently in the extensive Arniston Bay portfolio. The traditional bottle is elegantly adorned with a simple label and a distinctive royal blue foil seal around the neck.

This elegant sparkling wine has zesty tropical fruit flavours with fresh bubbles and a clean, crisp finish. It’s best enjoyed chilled with a diverse variety of salads, fish and white meat dishes and is a real treat for sparkling wine aficionados.

De Villiers said: “This is a great addition to the Arniston Bay portfolio. We used the fresh, vibrant characteristics of Colombard to make a Charmat that has wonderful aromas and a creamy, delicate palate. It’s a great wine for everything from picnics to parties.”

Brand and Business Development Manager Barney Davis says: “With sales of sparkling wine continuing to enjoy above average growth in the UK, we see the Arniston Bay Charmat Brut as a natural extension to the range. This makes our offering to the retailer a more complete one, and provides the consumer with a different choice for each drinking occasion.”

From: Talking Drinks

Rosé wine has continued to establish its place in UK wine drinking culture, despite poor summer weather, according to new research.

The number of regular wine drinkers who are partial to a glass of rosé has risen by 60% in the UK in the last three years, according to research published this week by Wine Intelligence.

Around one in six of the 1,000 wine drinkers surveyed said they drank rosé, compared to only a little more than a third in 2005, says the research, commissioned by the Wine & Spirit Trade Association. The results show rosé has taken market share off red wine, according to Wine Intelligence.

WSTA chief executive Jeremy Beadles said: “Even without a good summer to support the barbecue season it seems the taste for rosé continues to spread. Interestingly, the figures show women have increased their rosé consumption the most.”

Separately, the same survey also found that 43% of regular wine drinkers were reaching for the bottle more often. Arniston Bay Pinotage Rosé is one of the rosé wines that was a huge success in the UK summer.

This wine is a light and easy-drinking rosé made from South Africa’s signature grape Pinotage. It has a fresh and lively palate showing summer berry flavours and a tad of sweetness.

Sources: Just-Drinks.com

Supermarkets can play a vital role in ensuring that emissions are cut and businesses improve their green credentials, Tesco’s chief executive Sir Terry Leahy has said.

Leahy argued that if the organisation wants to witness long-term growth then it must adopt a green strategy and disagrees with those who think this sort of thinking and business operation cannot be combined.

He said that if consumers can purchase lower-carbon items, then they will reward the retailers that offer them.

Arniston Bay is one of the brands assisting the retailers in their efforts to sell greener products.

Claiming an 80% lower carbon footprint and 90% less waste and landfill than regular glass wine bottles, Arniston Bay wine pouches are aimed at the eco-conscious wine drinker

Developed as an extension from South Africa’s fourth biggest-selling brand, the Arniston Bay Reserve range of six wines made by wine maker Nicky Versfeld features a Barrel-Fermented Chenin Blanc, Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sources:

Talking Retail

www.which.co.uk

Talking Retail

South African wine exports are soaring in defiance of the international economic slowdown, chief executive of the industry body Wines of South Africa, Su Birch, said on Thursday.  FIN24

She said over 363m litres were sold offshore during the 12 months to July, an increase of 27% on the previous 12 months.

“This is way ahead of the originally anticipated target of 300m litres a year we were hoping to achieve by 2010,” she said in a statement.

Birch said even though the United Kingdom‘s relative contribution to total exports had diminished, it was still South Africa‘s largest wine export destination.

Jo Mason, UK market manger, Wines of South Africa, said: “It is fantastic to see South Africa performing so well in one of its most established export markets. The country enjoys an enviable image in the minds of UK consumers and the quality and value for money the country offers is clearly having an impact. Retail News Update

Mason added that “Arniston Bay has put in a strong performance this year”. Arniston Bay has become one of the key South African wine brands in the UK market.

Arniston Bay, the South African wine producer, is to launch a parcel of Limited Release wines into the UK market. This is according to the website of Harpers .

The Arniston Bay Limited Release range is a premium addition to the portfolio and comprises two single varietal wines – Limited Release Shiraz 2007 and Limited Release Sauvignon Blanc 2008. Limited Release will go on sale in August in Co-op stores UK wide.

According to Harpers site this partnership with Co-op stores reflects the retailers’ commitment to high quality produce at fair prices. As such, Limited Release will carry an introductory offer (25 August – 14 September) retailing at £3.99, 50% off the RRP of £7.99.

Brand and Business Development Manager Barney Davis says: ‘The Limited Release range is a high quality premium wine made with finest grapes sourced from the Western Cape. We are delighted to launch it exclusively with a retail partner who shares our commitment to the highest quality produce at fair prices for the customer.”

Read full article: Harpers

South African wines dominated the 2008 Decanter World Wine Awards.

Decanter also reports that South Africa is the fastest-growing category in the UK off-trade wine market, according to the latest data from AC Nielsen – growing by 13% in volume, against a total market growth of 1.1%. The country’s value sales also grew by 13%, making it the fifth largest county in the UK market. The UK accounts for a quarter of all South African wine exports.

Jo Mason, UK market manager for Wines of South Africa, said. ‘South Africa is increasingly viewed as a producer of premium wines with distinctive regional characteristics.’

Arniston Bay is one of the brands that is expanding the presence of South African Wine on the UK markets. According to Blank Bottle Arniston Bay is an unpretentious fun-loving wine that can be enjoyed on its own or with a variety of seafood dishes. A UK-driven export success of several years, Arniston Bay speaks of sunny skies and balmy days; afternoons in hammocks and leisurely Sunday lunches.

Inspired by idyllic Arniston on South Africa’s southern coast, Arniston Bay offers approachable wine for relaxed and simple enjoyment. Single and dual cultivar wines make up the original range, while Arniston Bay The Shore offers white and red blends for entry level drinkers; and Reserve is an exclusive selection for special celebration.

In the world of varietal labeling, there are both deceptions as well as limitations that come into play. First let’s consider the deceptions. These are certainly not meant to be malicious in any way but they simplify the marketing of a wine so that the consumer has an easier time finding what he or she wants.

In the case of American wines, a wine with a grape variety listed on a label must be comprised of at least 75 percent of the grape stated. That means there is 25 percent wiggle room for other grapes to be added. In the case of cabernet sauvignon this is almost always the case and merlot is usually added to soften the stiff tannins of its cab counterpart.

Most grapes alone lack the balance to create great wines, but when blended with other grapes a symbiotic relationship is created that makes some of the world’s greatest wines. In the case of Bordeaux, the left bank is dominated by cab-based wines that use merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petite verdot to create the desired color, ripeness and balance. On the right bank, the wines are merlot-focused and use cab in smaller percentages to give the wines more structure.

The Southern Rhone is a blending paradise where 23 different varieties can be used. Most red wines in this region, however, are dominated by grenache, syrah, mourvedre and cinsault. When blended, these wines can possess a level of balance that is seldom seen by any one of these grapes standing on their own.

Read full article: Salt Lake Tribune

Wine lovers should only spend £6.99 on a bottle of wine to impress dinner party guests because they are unlikely to be able to tell the difference between that and a more expensive tipple, experts have said.

A group of leading connoisseurs from around the world agreed that £6.99 should be enough to buy what they would consider a “decent” bottle in a British shop.

Above that figure, the differences were more about “individual taste” than quality, they said.

Judges taking part in Decanter magazine’s World Wine Awards came up with the price amid fears that customers are regularly paying over the odds in an effort to satisfy the wine snobs.

Their guidance will come as a welcome relief to the nervous dinner party guest eager to impress and will make the task of selecting wine a slightly less expensive affair.

The magazine asked the judges to reveal how little they would pay for a bottle of wine if they were going out for the evening without risking their reputation. They agreed that anything over £6.99 was enough to satisfy the aficionados.

With prices for top vintages increasing despite the international economic slow down, the figure will offer some comfort to buyers keen to navigate the social minefield of selecting a bottle of wine.

“There is such a difference between £4.99 and a bottle of wine that is £7.99, but from there it is more about individual taste and preference,” said Guy Woodward, the magazine’s editor.

Read full article: The Telegraph

Using wine in food and pairing wine with food are greatly misunderstood concepts.

Although both are incredibly complicated, they are at the same time very simple if you keep to two general guidelines:

When cooking with wine, treat it as a spice or flavor. When pairing wine with food, consider its acidity or tartness as the key 

Reds

Dry reds add grip, depth and a pleasant balance to richness.Sweet reds add a deep, syrupy, semi-sweetness to a sauce. Reds add color. Whether dry or sweet, when used as a marinade they’ll leave white meats like pork and chicken pink. In my view, reds also toughen and muddy the flavor of a dish unless it’s a roast, which cooks for a long time. 

Whites

Dry whites add necessary tartness and structure to a dish to counteract and balance richness, dairy and olive oil. Sweet whites add bright, toned sweetness to a sauce. When reduced, they can impart a light caramel tone. Dry or sweet, a white-wine marinade doesn’t leave color as a red does but can leave a spirituous flavor on a dish.

Pork, chicken, fish and shellfish actually begin to cook from the acidity in a dry white, leaving it tough. I wouldn’t recommend marinating for more than half an hour. Even better, don’t combine the food and the wine at all.

Make the marinade separately and use it to “paint” your dish regularly every 5 to 15 minutes of cooking. This introduces the flavor to the outside of the meat and the heat turns it into a moisture-sealer and glaze.  

Red or white: Never add “raw” (uncooked) wine to a dish, such as when finishing a soup. It will give an unpleasantly hot and bitter character to the dish. 

Source: Wine and Food Blog

‘A meal without wine is called breakfast’ is a common saying in the wine world.

Wine and food are meant to be, but most persons don’t really know too much about wine. So what exactly do you need to know about wine and food matching in order to enjoy it? If you are not planning to be a Master of Wine, a Master Sommelier or do any other formal wine certification, then you really don’t need to know too much in order to have some fun.

The first rule of wine and food pairing is that there are NO rules. Drink what you like with what you like to eat. However, there are a few guidelines that will make the experience much more enjoyable. Long gone are the days of “white wine with fish and red wine with meat”.

For the most part, food changes the taste of wine, so we will want to consider what we will be eating in order to select a wine to go with the meal. There are some wine lovers among us, though, who choose the wine first and then find something to eat with it.

Some believe that the wine should make the food taste better, while others believe that the wine should taste the way the winemaker intended and the food should taste the way the chef intended, in other words, wines should complement, not dominate food. Which school of thought are you from?

Balance is what we are attempting to achieve; neither the wine nor the food should overpower each other. The primary factors to consider in doing a pairing are to weigh the flavour and intensity of the food to the flavour and intensity of the wine. The more powerful and flavourful the food, the greater the flavour and intensity the wine will need to be in order for the pairing to remain in balance.

Source: www.jamaicaobserver.com

Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank has bought the film rights to best-selling lifestyle book French Women Don’t Get Fat.

According to news agency AFP, the 34-year-old US star (pictured) will produce a romantic comedy based on the book, which extols the virtues of a continental diet – meals rich in fat and carbohydrates.

Written by Mireille Guiliano, a former executive with Champagne house Veuve Clicquot, the book examines the reasons why Guiliano, who was used to a continental diet of bread, pastries, wine, and three-course meals, went to the US as an exchange student and ‘came back fat’.

According to Guiliano, the book ‘unlocks the secrets of the “French Paradox” – how to enjoy food and stay slim and healthy’.

The book topped the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list and has sold over 2m copies worldwide.

Although not as wine-led as recent wine films Bottle Shock and Sideways, according to reports, the film’s protagonist will be the boss of a Champagne house.

Swank has won two Academy Awards (Oscars): one for her role in the 1999 film Boys Don’t Cry and one, in 2005, for her portrayal of a boxer in Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby.