The show once again offers Capetonians the opportunity to taste and purchase around seventy value-for-money wines from twenty South African wineries under one roof. All wines included in the 2009 Best Value Booklet have been tasted and rated by Wine’s independent panel and costs less than R60 per bottle. Prices start at R18.

 “Many of the wines on offer at the show are available on supermarket shelves, but one rarely has the opportunity to taste them at point of purchase. This show offers the wines for tasting by the winemakers or representatives from the wineries themselves and thanks to Grand West’s efficient staff, the wines can be ordered, paid for at cellar door prices and taken home directly from the show,” says Cobie van Oort, one of the organisors.

An exciting culinary addition to this year’s show is the creation of an informal bistro restaurant inside the venue where visitors can enjoy a light meal at a reasonable price whilst waiting for their order to be made up. Alternatively the upmarket Quarterdeck restaurant in the main casino building, a short walk away offers Best Value Wine Show ticket holders a special on their lavish buffet of only R99 per person, for that night only! (Usual price R130 pp)

The cost per ticket is R60 per person, which includes the entrance fee, a tasting glass, a copy of the Best Value Wine Guide 2009 and an order form with all participating wines and prices.

Tickets are limited and bookings are essential. Contact  Björn van Oort of CVO Marketing at (021) 981-0216 or send an email to bjorn@cvomarketing.co.za to book. Tickets are also for sale at the Quarterdeck Restaurant in the Casino complex

Visitors are welcome to come sample the perennially popular Arniston Bay Chenin Blanc Chardonnay 2008 with its lovely pineapple and melon flavours. Other brands from the company of wine peopleTM will also be showcased.

Source: wine.co.za

The eternal question looms: What is the ideal, universal gift for hosts, friends, business associates, service workers and, not least, the family physician?

I’d submit that – barring such obvious exceptions as Alcoholics Anonymous members or hardshell teetotalers – it’s hard to top a gift of wine. Wine is broadly available and widely enjoyed. It comes in a convenient size package and commands a range of prices all the way from the budget level to wretched excess, offering you something at every price point depending on your desire to impress.

When you’re looking for a wine gift that’s a perfect match for your recipient, though, there’s one little gotcha: Fine wine comes in almost infinite variety of style, flavour and price, and individuals’ tastes vary. A truly thoughtful giver may want to make an effort to find out what particular wines the recipient prefers: Red, white or pink? Bone-dry, just a touch of sugar or outright sweet? Bubbles or not? So many decisions! An easy alternative might be to stick with the most popular regions and grape varieties in an appropriate price range, figuring that you can’t go far wrong with the wines that fly off the shelves.

Here are a few specific suggestions aimed at making your wine-gifting experience a happy one for you and the person who opens your surprise package.

START AT A QUALITY FINE-WINE SHOP. Sure, you can pick up a cheap jug of mass-market wine at a neighbourhood liquor store, but your city’s better wine shops will likely offer you a broad selection of wine types and prices, and you can rely on the staff to give you savvy advice.

DON’T BE SHY ABOUT ASKING FOR ADVICE. Small wine shops are typically run by the owner; some large fine-wine shops seek to hire floor staff who can competently answer questions.

A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE. If you’re shy about asking for help, or find yourself in a warehouse-size store with no one to assist you, check out the popular wine regions and grapes and check the price tags to find something in your range. Red wine? The movie Sideways made Pinot Noir immensely popular, and Pinot is also the grape of French Burgundy, arguably one of the world’s great wines (and priced to match). Merlot is widely popular (despite being badly dissed in that same wine-country comedy) because it’s usually made as a fruity red wine with a mellow character. If you want a white, you can rarely go wrong with popular Chardonnay or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

FIZZ IS FUN. Just about everybody loves Champagne and similar sparkling wines, and the sound of a popping cork lets the world know that it’s party time. Genuine Champagne, the real thing from France, is pricey, ranging from R300 or so right up to the three-figure range. But it’s uniformly good, and when you’re looking for a more upscale gift, it’s hard to beat as a sure-fire pleaser.

If you want bubbles without breaking the budget, there are some more wallet-friendly Méthode Cap Classiques or Charmats such as the Arniston Bay Sparkling Brut which also makes a great gift.

SWEET STUFF. Dessert wines are rich, sweet and sumptuous; many of them also tend to be strong, many of them (like Port, Sherry and Madeira) “fortified” to 20 percent alcohol or so with a splash of brandy added to the sweet wine. There’s a wide range of dessert wines, from those mentioned to wines made from overripe, late-harvested grapes.

AT THE HIGH END. Things get a little more complicated if you’re seeking a spare-no-expense wine gift for someone you really want to impress. With the exception of Champagne, most “collectible” wines require years of maturing in a wine cellar under controlled temperature conditions before they’re ready to enjoy. Unless you know your recipient has a wine cellar and knows how to use it, it may be best to bypass this niche.

BOTTLES LARGE AND SMALL. Most wine comes in a standard 750 ml bottle. But for a particularly spectacular gift, seek out a magnum (double the size of a standard bottle) or even such rarities as a Jeroboam (3 litres or four bottles), and on up to the man-size Nebuchadnezzar (15 litres or 20 regular-size bottles in one). At the other end of the scale, how about a gift basket with a half-dozen “half-bottles,” the undersize 375 ml bottle that’s just enough when you’re drinking abstemiously or having dinner with a partner who doesn’t do wine.

There’s a huge range of options, and once you solve the basics, this is a great advantage: There’s something for just about everyone at just about any price. Happy holidays, and bottoms up!

Source: wineloverspage.com

Wine enhances the flavour of the food, makes the table look nice and can liven up a meal. But many people find it confusing. There are too many choices, it requires a special tool to open, and there’s the whole culture around wine supposedly dictating what goes with which food and what’s cool to drink.

Here’s a quick primer on how to incorporate wine into your holidays without hassles and embarrassment, and what basic items you need to present your drink perfectly.

The No. 1  rule is drink what you think tastes good, and have a couple of other offerings available that others might like.  Your palate is about as individual as your fingerprints. What you like, someone else might avoid and vice versa, but that doesn’t mean the wine is bad. So serve a couple of wines and keep your bases covered.

Secondly, serve it in decent glasses.  The shape of the glass really can affect the taste of a wine.  It has to do with how the bowl of the glass channels the aroma – which is a big component of taste – to your nose.  This is what wine lovers refer to when they are talking about the bouquet of a wine. Use a clear glass so you can see the wine. It’s worth the second or two to raise the stem toward light and just take a moment to appreciate the color.

Next, get a good corkscrew. A flimsy old corkscrew can be a hassle and an embarrassment.  Corkscrews are really not expensive and, ideally, you should have more than one in your home.

Now all you need is wine. I recommend a Merlot or a Bordeaux blend like Arniston Bay Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot. This wine is a well-balanced wine with hints of vanilla and chocolate and will be enjoyed by most red wine lovers. 

Source: LA Times Blogs

Balmy weather calls for alfresco entertaining. Real Simple magazine has offers some useful tips for a flawless outdoor party.

Make a table runner. Leftover wallpaper or wrapping paper works great and costs nothing.

Dress up outdoor chairs. Tie a colorful sash around the back and tuck a sprig of rosemary into the bow.

Do some windproofing. To avoid chasing paper plates and napkins around the yard, weight them down with pretty rocks or shells. Wrap utensils in napkins and tie with paper twine. Keep the tablecloth secure by sandwiching each corner with a pair of mutually attracting magnets.

Make a one-bloom centrepiece. There’s no need for an expensive arrangement. Place a small colored vase with one bloom inside a larger hurricane lamp or clear glass vase.

Use herbs for a centrepiece. “Herbs in small glasses look fantastic,” says event planner Yifat Oren. “You can use clear or coloured glass, everyday or vintage bottles, in the same or different shapes and heights. And you can do just a single herb in a glass — like rosemary, lavender, or thyme — or mix them.” Use pots of lavender as combination centerpiece, place card, and favour. Onto each pot, tie a tag that has a name card on one side and a recipe using the herb on the other.

Set up a lemonade stand. To give guests something to do the minute they arrive and to help with hydration on hot afternoons. Stock it with glasses, an ice bucket, a vase of mint sprigs in water, and straws.

Freeze mint leaves in ice cubes to add to lemonade or water for a cool, refreshing zing. To make the cubes last longer outside the refrigerator, set a bowl of ice inside a larger bowl filled with half ice and half water.

Make misters. On hot days, fill spray bottles with ice water so guests can mist themselves.

For a Braai

Set up the grill or braai downwind of guests and away from the house and dining area to avoid getting smoked out.

Use a timer and a meat thermometer when grilling. Then, if you’re distracted, you won’t burn the food.

Make the main course grill-it-yourself. Get guests mingling – and lighten your load- by providing the fixings for kebabs or pizzas they can build and grill exactly to their liking.

Grill an easy dessert: Cinnamon-grilled peaches, courtesy of Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue! Bible. Skewer quartered peaches with a cinnamon stick and a mint leaf. Baste with a mix of equal parts butter, brown sugar, and bourbon. Then grill, basting and turning once so the peaches are golden brown on both sides. Serve in martini glasses atop vanilla ice cream drizzled with some of the bourbon sauce. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Source: Real Simple

Wines from Old World countries like France, Italy and Spain and New World wines from California seem to always garner most of the experts’ accolades. The majority absolutely deserve these high ratings, but there are many outstanding wines from other parts of the New World.

South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Chile are producing fabulous wines. In many cases, their prices are well below those of their European and California counterparts.

Over the past three years combined, these New World countries have accounted for 22 percent of the wines on Wine Spectator’s top 100 list. In 2006, 25 percent of the top 100 came from these countries.

South Africans have been making wine for many years. Over the past few years, they are getting recognised for making some quality wines.

They plant more white grapes than red. Much of the white produced is Chenin Blanc. They also have been making some very good Sauvignon Blanc.

Their top red varietals are Shiraz (Syrah), Cabernet Sauvignon and their creation Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Pinotage used to be hard to find, but is starting to pop up more regularly at wine shops.

On international wine markets South African brands are doing exceptionally well. Leading South African wine producer, the company of wine people™, has announced an increase of 21.9% in sales of their flagship brand Arniston Bay. This is largely driven by the success of its revolutionary, environmentally friendly packaging format, the Arniston Bay pouch.

Wine of South Africa’s UK market manager, Jo Mason, said it is satisfying to see South Africa performing so well in one of its most established export markets. “South Africa enjoys an enviable image in the minds of UK consumers and the quality and value for money the country offers are clearly having an effect. The more established South African brands have been successful this year.

Source: Ventura County Star

The company of wine peopleTM delivered sterling results at the India Wine Challenge: its newly launched Arniston Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008 and Kumkani Sauvignon Blanc 2007 were both awarded silver medals.

The Kumkani Chardonnay Viognier 2007 received a bronze medal while the Arniston Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2008, Arniston Bay Reserve Shiraz 2007 and Kumkani Shiraz 2005 all got the Seal of Approval.

 The Arniston Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008 also clinched a gold medal at the recent prestigious Veritas Awards – South Africa’s longest running wine competition – and winged it onto the 2009 South African Airways On Board Wine List. Top quality grapes, sourced throughout the Western Cape, were used to create this premium wine. Consumers are subsequently rewarded with cut grass and green pea aromas, typical Sauvignon Blanc character on the palate, crisp acidity and a good finish.

 The Kumkani Sauvignon Blanc 2007 – which won a silver medal at the AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge – has expressive fresh aromas of ripe figs, green peppers and Cape gooseberry. With a rich mid-palate and a long finish, this wine was made to be enjoyed with food.

 Brand and business development manager at the company of wine peopleTM, Mark Lester, said: “It’s always encouraging to see our wines perform so well, especially on the international stage and considering such a respected panel. The endorsement expressed by these distinguished panelists can only motivate the winemaking team, who ultimately should take credit for creating these great wines, to reach new heights. Our superb achievement highlights our depth as a quality South African wine producer, and I’m confident that ultimately our performance will contribute to a greater presence for the category as a whole in the exciting Indian market.”

 More than 500 wines from across the globe were entered into the India Wine Challenge 2008, currently in its second year and the country’s only major independent wine competition. A panel of 14 distinguished judges such as founder of the London International Wine Challenge and IFE Chairman Robert Joseph, president of the Indian Wine Academy Subhash Arora, and sommelier Magandeep Singh were amongst the panelists.

The month before the festive season tends to be the busiest period on the social calendar thanks to numerous year-end functions, and visits from friends and family. We’ll leave you to decide on the eat-some-morish menus and music, but here’s a few tips when choosing wine for the silly season.

In order to make a good recommendation for type and quantity of wine, I usually have a number of questions; I ask about budget, what type of food is being served, how many persons, are the majority of guests wine drinkers or not, how long is the event, is it mainly standing or sitting, what time of day is the event.

After a number of experiments with large and small events, I am beginning to realise that the bigger the guest list for the party, the fewer wine choices you should have unless wine is the primary focus of the event. Now I typically suggest four wines; a fruity light-bodied and a full-bodied white wine and a light-bodied and a full-bodied red wine.

If there are a lot of new wine drinkers expected I usually throw an off dry white wine or blush in the mix. Persons come to mix and mingle and most are not too concerned about what wine is in their glasses as long as it tastes good, so don’t break the bank for fancy wine; on the flip side don’t go with the cheapest product on the market either.

Examples of light to medium-bodied crisp, dry white wines are: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and blends containing these cultivars. These wines are all usually food-friendly. RECOMMENDED WINES: The Arniston Bay Chenin Blanc Chardonnay is masterfully blended with pineapple and melon flavours on the nose. The Arniston Bay Sauvignon Blanc Semillon is a dry white wine with melon, citrus and peach tones and is delicious served with seafood dishes.

Full-bodied whites: Chardonnay and Viognier. Other great white wine choices include some off dry and aromatic wines such as Gewurztraminer, Torrontes and Reisling. RECOMMENDED WINE: The Arniston Bay Chardonnay which was partially fermented with oak chips to give a mini blockbuster wine with a crème brulée finish.

Medium-bodied reds to choose from are: Pinot Noir, Merlot, some blends. RECOMMENDED WINE: The Arniston Bay Merlot which was partially aged in French oak barrels for eight months, and has a dark cherry and plum nose with a spicy palate.

Medium to full-bodied reds would include Bordeaux blends, Shiraz and blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Pinotage. RECOMMENDED WINE: The Arniston Bay Reserve Shiraz has a rich fruit character with nice bubblegum notes and velvety tannins. Good weight and length, and is heavenly when paired with succulent roast beef or venison carpaccio.

How much wine to purchase? Standing guests tend to consume more wine than when they are sitting, so factor four glasses per guest for a typical stand-around cocktail party lasting three to four hours in the evening. One regular 750ml bottle of wine can comfortably pour five to six glasses. If wine is the only drink, then buying one bottle per guest is recommended, with 2:1 red/white ratio. Of course this all depends on your target audience. The earlier the event the less people will consume – unless you’re having a beach or pool party.

Other Home Entertainment tips:

PREPARE FOR SPONTANEOUS EVENTS: Keep a mixed case of inexpensive favourite wines on hand, as well as a couple of bottles of the ever popular Merlot, Chardonnay and a bottle of champagne in the fridge. You’ll always be ready for drop-in guests or spur-of-the-moment celebrations.

CHILLING WINE QUICKLY: Your guests are arriving in 10 minutes and you forgot to chill the white. Sound familiar? Relax and, most importantly, resist the urge to throw the bottle in the freezer. The fastest way to chill a white is to submerge it in an ice bucket filled with a mixture of ice and cold water.

REMEMBER: A white that’s “too chilled” won’t be able to exhibit its full flavour and bouquet; and a red that’s too warm won’t show its full potential. A handy rule of thumb is to take whites out of the ice bucket a half-hour before serving, and place reds in the refrigerator for a half-hour before serving.

CHOOSING WINE GLASSES: Glasses vary in size and shape to enhance the aroma of a particular wine. Start with a set of all-purpose glasses for white and one for red, they must be tulip or pear-shaped; wide bottom, narrow top. Since champagne requires a tall narrow glass so that bubbles stay perky for as long as possible, you’ll want a nice set of flutes as well. When filling a glass with white or red, stop just below half-full. Leaving room in the glass allows a wine to release its aromas and “open up”. Champagne flutes should be filled two-thirds of the way up.

TO DECANT OR NOT TO DECANT: Do you have an older (10 years or more), or a young full-bodied red on hand? Then yes! Break out your gorgeous decanter and go to it. Decanting separates unpleasant sediment from older wines, and aerates them. Big, younger reds simply benefit from having the opportunity to breathe (decanters, like red wine glasses, have a much larger opening than the slim neck of the wine bottle, giving oxygen easier access to the wine).

Some wines will benefit from an hour or so in the decanter before being served, while others can slowly be enjoyed right away. Either way, you’ll notice a progressive deepening of both aroma and taste as the wine opens up over the course of your gathering.

Cheers! Now go forth and try a few new wines.

Source: Jamaica Observer

Never mind the oligarchs. Russia is probably the most exciting new wine market to emerge in the past five years. Why? Because a growing slice of ordinary middle class Russian society has developed a taste for quality wine, according to Wine Intelligence’s Russian Wine Market Landscape report, published on 14 November 2008.

 Based on a groundbreaking consumer survey of Russian drinkers of imported wine, and containing both the latest sales data and information about routes to market, this report provides an unprecedented insight into a rapidly growing wine market on the doorstep of Europe.

Unlike in the emerging Asian markets – to which Russia is often compared – people in this country are familiar with wine and are used to drinking it at the table with food. Wine was actually a popular choice during the Soviet era, and today Russians treat imported wine, especially from traditional European winemaking areas such as France, as a product with an important cultural value.

However Russia’s modern wine market is still relatively immature and has suffered two serious crises in the past 10 years, the financial crash of 1998 and the 2006 wine tax crisis – and as we enter the final weeks of 2008, the threat of a global economic downturn may yet precipitate another crisis in the wine industry.

Moscow is fundamental to the success of any aspiring wine producer, representing at least two thirds of all wine sales. It is followed by St. Petersburg, and a handful of other key population centres. With its Vinitrac® Russia study, Wine Intelligence has been among the first to survey real consumer behaviour in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and the results of this groundbreaking consumer research are contained in the report.

While the global financial crisis may dampen some demand in the short term, the long term picture for wine in Russia is very encouraging. Wine Intelligence predicts that the Russian wine drinking population will more than double by 2020, which gives an opportunity for further sales and consumption growth. The challenge for the wine trade is to sustain this increase, as well as to educate a relatively unsophisticated market.

 Earlier this year, Arniston Bay and Kumkani expanded their global footprint and entered this strategically important market despite complicated export procedures. A diverse variety of wine from these award-winning brands will be sold at major retailers in Russia.

 Business development manager, Mark Lester, said early indications are that Arniston Bay and Kumkani wines have a promising future in the Russian market. “Traditionally, Russian palates have leant towards European-styled wines as a result of historic influences on consumption patterns. However as the footprint widens for Russian businessmen and leisure travelers to countries beyond European shores, increased exposure to New World wine producing countries and their wines are bound to have an influence on their buying decisions back home. Simultaneously, the current growth in the number of New World brands appearing on local shelves in Russia along with improved access to disposable income will further contribute to interest creation and increased demand for these wines.”

Source: wine.co.za

It’s easy for diners to be confident when ordering their favourite domestic beer, or a common cocktail that every bartender knows how to prepare.

Hand them a wine list, though, and all confidence goes out the window. The average diner tends to be less than well-educated when it comes to pairing wine with their meals, or knowing how to serve it. To avoid turning ordering a glass of wine into a major ordeal, it’s important to educate yourself about the wines available and the things you should or should not be doing to enjoy them.

Ordering out

Few things are more embarrassing than stumbling over the wine list at a fancy restaurant.

Try following these tips you find yourself on the spot. No red and white rules: The old adage is “red wine with red meat and white wine with poultry or fish.” But feel free to give yourself some wiggle room when it comes to that. A salmon dish can be paired with a red wine just as easily as a steak. With a broadened variety of wines and blends, the wines have become more complex. They have expanded their capabilities of what they can be successfully paired with.

Weight: Keep the weight your entree and wine balanced so one doesn’t overpower the other. A thick steak with onions and mushrooms would go best with a heavy red wine, while white fish would be best paired with a light white wine. Glass half full: Don’t allow your server to fill your wine glass to the top. Instruct the server to fill the glass halfway so you can swirl the wine and oxygenate it to make the drink more refreshing. No hard alcohol: You’ve heard of no swimming for 30 minutes after eating. Well, don’t try a new wine immediately after downing a martini or brandy. The hard alcohol numbs your palate, making wine tasting impossible. I recommend waiting 20 minutes between cocktails and wine. Don’t go cheap: In light of today’s economy, it’s tempting to go with the cheapest wine on the menu. These wines have the highest markup. Pick a wine right in mid-range, that way, you’re getting your money’s worth.

Wine at home

Serving wine at home can be almost as nerve-wracking as ordering wine at a restaurant, especially if you have guests. As the host, the success of the meal depends on making good wine choices. Start with bubbles: No matter what wine you are serving with dinner, give your guests a glass of sparkling wine to help cleanse their palate. Choices, choices: Offer a red and a white wine with dinner. Each guest’s palate is different, and it may change over the course of the meal, depending on the main course. Pour early: Pour the wine before your guests sit down to dinner. It gives the wine time to breathe, and plus you won’t be leaning over people trying to pour while they start their meal. Get smart: Even if you think you have a good grasp on wine, keep educating yourself. Try a different wine every time you go out to eat. Also, keep an eye out for wine tastings and classes.

Source: Press of Atlantic City

The newly launched Arniston Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008 has been chosen for the 2009 South African Airways On Board Wine List, and the 750ml bottle will now be served on all their African and international flights, including their airport lounges, during 2009

 The wine – which won a gold medal at the esteemed Veritas Awards and bronze at the International Wine & Spirit Competition earlier this year – has delicious cut grass and green pea aromas, great typical Sauvignon Blanc characteristics on the palate and a crisp finish.

South African brand and business development at the company of wine peopleTM, Johan Erasmus, said: “It is always an enormous honour to have our wines chosen by the panel and we are very proud of our continued relationship with SAA. Arniston Bay continues to impress with its consistent quality.”

The competition is judged by a panel comprising 12 renowned local and international wine experts, and wines receiving the highest scores after a rigorous two-and-a-half-day tasting process are chosen to be served on all SAA’s flights. More than 900 wines were entered for the selection process.

With the exception of Champagne, SAA only buys and serves locally produced wines aboard its flights and in their lounges.

Source: wine.co.za

Arniston Bay is to relaunch its best-selling Original range into the UK market. The relaunch is set to upgrade the range, and will see screwcap closures and fresh, updated packaging on all varietals.

The first varietals to receive the refresh will be the best-selling Chenin Chardonnay 2008, Pinotage Rose 2008 and Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2008. The new packaging will be available in the UK grocery trade from December with an RRP of £5.29.

The packaging refresh is part of an overall strategy by brand owner, the company of wine peopleTM, to expand and innovate the entire Arniston Bay portfolio. Recent developments have included the launch of a 1-litre tetra pak, the launch of a sparkling wine and a new entry-level range Arniston Bay: The Reef.

UK Brand and Business Development Manager for the company of wine peopleTM, Barney Davis, says: “We felt it was time to regenerate the most popular range in the Arniston Bay portfolio and respond to an increasing demand from our customers for a screwcap closure. The Original range has shown consistently strong sales and offers consumers exceptional value for money without compromising on quality.”

My dietician (and banker) regrettably advised me to reduce my red meat consumption. Thank goodness red wine still gets a thumbs up! Luckily, I stumbled across this mouthwatering chicken recipe (which pairs well with a bottle of red wine) so it wasn’t too much of a sacrifice.

Serve this easy-to-make meal with a bottle of easy-drinking Arniston Bay Merlot. This great wine has a plum nose with a spicy palate and is the ideal accompaniment to a delicious meal.

Crunchy Herbed Chicken

Serves: 4

4 slices white bread, toasted 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 clove garlic, chopped salt and black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 4 (150-180 grams) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Heat oven to 200°C. In a food processor, pulse the bread, parsley, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper until coarse crumbs form. Add the oil and pulse to combine. Transfer to a plate.

Spread the mustard over the chicken and dip the pieces in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere.

Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden and cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.

Serve this dish with Quick-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes.

Quick-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

3-4 cups of cherry tomatoes 1 tablespoon olive oil salt and pepper

Heat oven to 200° C.

Place the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Roast until the tomatoes start to burst, 20 to 25 minutes.

Source: Real Simple

South African wine exports are up 36% over 2007 export figures as of September this year, reports wine export facilitator Wines of South Africa (Wosa).

Wosa CEO Su Birch reports that the growth is being driven by the weakening rand and the commendable performance of South African wines in key export markets.

She adds that, although the final figures for the year have not been calculated, it is believed that exports will maintain momentum and finish up considerably higher then 2007’s figures. Last year, South Africa exported 309-million litres of wine to the international market.

Birch reports that a year ago, South African winemakers were working towards reclaiming lost ground after a slight dip in sales in 2006. The results of this reclamation is that international consumers have an extensive range of South African wines to choose from.

She adds that the biggest international consumer of South African wines by volume is the UK.

Birch reports that, according to the latest data from independent market research company AC Nielsen, South Africa is the fastest-growing category in the UK off-trade wine market.

In the first period of 2008, South African export wines grew 13% by volume, against a total market growth of 1,1%. South African value sales also grew by 13%, demonstrating a strong and profitable performance from this category. South Africa’s current market share in the UK is 9,1%, by volume, and it is the fifth-largest export country in the UK market.

Wosa UK market manager Jo Mason says that it is satisfying to see South Africa performing so well in one of its most established export markets. “South Africa enjoys an enviable image in the minds of UK consumers and the quality and value for money the country offers are clearly having an effect. The more established South African brands have been successful this year.

Numerous South African brands have delivered commendable results, and Arniston Bay in particular has put in a strong performance. According to the latest Nielsen statistics – Total Off Trade MAT to 9 August 2008 – Arniston Bay increased by 21.9% in value.

In addition, South African wines are selling more wines above the £5 a bottle mark. This is being driven by the fact that South Africa is being viewed as a producer of premium wines with distinctive regional characteristics,” says Mason.

Read full article: engineeringnews.co.za

The recent Platter tasting method debate has resulted in the Platter guide to set up an open discussion forum about their tasting method .

Wine.co.za reports that against a backdrop of increased interest in its method of sighted wine assessments (ie with the label exposed and the name of the producer known), Platter’s Wine Guide invites the book’s readers, wine producers, retailers, media and other interested parties to attend an Open Discussion Forum on blind versus sighted tasting, and the way forward for Platter’s, to be held in early February 2009.

Sighted tasting has been a feature of Platter’s Guide since its inception in 1980, initially because wineries were visited for tasting (and blind assessments obviously were out of the question) but also after visits were replaced in the early 2000s by “off-site” tasting. (For practical reasons, two very large portfolios continue to be reviewed at their producer’s premises.)

The guide’s publisher, Andrew McDowall, says sighted tasting serves two main purposes: firstly, it promotes more informed and nuanced assessments, resulting in (hopefully) a more readable and informative book. Secondly, sighted tasting supports a unique (in South Africa) aspect of the guide, namely the monitoring of the quality and style of a wine over successive vintages, thereby enabling the guide to offer an opinion on not only current performance but also track record and pedigree.

“Sighted tasting is a valid and internationally accepted approach,” McDowall continues. “Many of the world’s leading wine critics use it, either exclusively or on occasion, in the course of their reviews. However, while sighted tasting historically is Platter’s preferred method, it is not a dogma to which we blindly cling. If change is needed, our track record speaks of our willingness to listen to advice and constructive criticism and introduce improvements as needed.”

A complication, though, is that the local wine industry is far from unanimous in its opinion on the way forward for Platter. In conversation and via the media, many different alternative methodologies are mooted, ranging from competition-style blind tastings through to fully sighted assessments in the presence of the winemaker.

“The lack of industry accord on the one hand, and the need to canvass the views of consumers on the other, suggest that an Open Discussion Forum, which will encourage input from all interested parties, is the best first step in mapping out the way forward,” McDowall says. “The objective is for the Platter team to listen and to learn, but equally for those who call for drastic change to carefully consider the ramifications.”

Source: wine.co.za

Wine Spectator magazine reports that for the third straight year, Americans are expected to drink more red wine than white, thanks to a projected 3 percent increase in red wine consumption in 2008, to 121 million cases, an all-time high according to the recently-released The US Wine Market : Impact Databank Review and Forcast, 2008 edition. White wine consumption is also expected to grow this year, but by a slightly slower 2 percent rate to 118 million cases, while rosé and blush wine consumption is projected to decline 3 percent.

Before 2006, red wine had not outsold white since 1976. A white wine cocktail boom emerged back then, fueling the dominance of white wines until wine coolers had their heyday in the mid-’80s. When cooler sales slowed, the blush wine phenomenon began, driven by white Zinfandel, but sales of red and white wines also began to grow. Increases in the number of working women and the number of legal-age drinkers were responsible for much of that growth. Members of the “echo boomer” generation began reaching legal drinking age in the mid-1990s, adding about 60 million potential new wine drinkers, according to the report. By the end of this decade, those consumers will be in their 30s, the prime target for wine marketers.

Most of red wine’s 2008 growth is projected to come from sales of variety-labeled brands, both domestic and imported, particularly Pinot Noir, which is expected to advance 12 percent, to 9 million cases. Cabernet Sauvignon is also projected to perform well, according to Impact Databank, which is owned by M. Shanken Communications, the parent company of Wine Spectator.

The recent success of red wines can be attributed to the American consumer’s increasingly sophisticated palate, expanding knowledge of wine and willingness to experiment with a wider variety of wine styles. Drinking red wine has also been linked favorably in numerous medical studies to various health benefits, such as a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

Among white wines, Chardonnay continues to lead the pack, except when it comes to imports, where it was once again surpassed by Pinot Grigio. Total Chardonnay consumption is projected to grow 2 percent in 2008 to a whopping 63 million cases, but outpaced by Pinot Grigio’s expected 7 percent gain to 18 million cases.

Meanwhile, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling imports will continue to surge at double-digit rates in the near term. The lone bright spot for blush wines this year is white Merlot, which is expected to advance by a modest 3 percent, while the much larger white Zinfandel category is projected to decline by 2 percent. Some imported rosés have started to come on strong, but from a very small base.

Source: Wine Spectator

Sight, swirl, smell and sip. These are the four basic steps to wine tasting, but what are you actually looking for when you do these steps? Here is a basic guide to wine drinking and tasting.

When you are first trying a new wine, pour a small amount into a glass and tilt it at an angle. Colour typically is a good indication of the age of the wines. As red wine ages, you will see hints of reddish-brown around the edges. White wines become more golden as they age.

Next, swirl the wine in the glass, which allows oxygen to flow through the liquid. Once you have done this, raise the glass to your nose and inhale, taking in the scent of the wine. Smell and taste are very closely connected and the smell of each wine varies.

Tasting is the final step. Take a small sip and allow the flavors of the wine to touch your palette. Determine if the wine is sweet or dry, tart or acidic, or identify certain flavours that were used to make the wine.

Here are the basics in wines, the tastes they should represent and the best dishes to pair styles of wine with.

Chardonnay Tastes like: Tropical fruits, with a buttery finish. Medium-to-light-bodied dry wines Best when paired with: pork, chicken, seafood, strong cheeses, turkey and salads Try the Arniston Bay Chardonnay – A blockbuster wine with a crème brulee finish

Sauvignon Blanc Tastes like: Citrus, tropical fruits, herbs, gooseberries. Tart and tangy Best when paired with: salads, vegetables and fish Try the Arniston Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc – Typical Sauvignon Blanc characteristics with distinctive green pea aromas

Cabernet Sauvignon Tastes like: cassis, black currants, herbs, and ginger. Full-bodied and dry Best when paired with: beef, lamb, stews gorgonzola cheese and dark chocolate Try the Arniston Bay Cabernet Sauvignon – Great Cab with hint of nutmeg and mint

Pinot Noir Tastes like: cherries, strawberries, spices, flowers. Medium sweetness and heavy-to-medium-bodied Best when paired with: salmon, tuna, pork and mushrooms

Merlot Tastes like: black cherries, plums, spices. Dry, heavy-to-medium-bodied wines with less acidity than most reds Best when paired with: grilled meats, duck, sausage and red sauces Try Arniston Bay Merlot – Dark cherry and plum nose with spicy palate and sweet finish

Syrah/Shiraz Tastes like: blackberries, black pepper, spices. Heavy-bodied wines with medium sweetness Best when paired with: chicken, BBQ, curries and spicy sausages Try Arniston Bay Reserve Shiraz – Rich fruit character with soft bubblegum notes

Pinotage Taste like: ripe fruit, black berries, vanilla, spices. Medium body Best when paired with spicy meat dishes, venison, lamb and steak Try the Arniston Bay Pinotage – Good balanced wine with sweet vanilla tones

Source: NBC

The wine buyer for the Shoprite Checkers group, Stephanus Eksteen, is probably one of the most respected and influential individuals in the South African wine market. In a recent interview published in The Times, Eksteen gave a few valuable suggestions for buying and enjoying wine.

Here are some tips:

-         Drink the wine you like and know, but in between experiment a little. As consumers we are blessed with having more than 6 000 labels to choose from. So be adventurous.

-         When you see a wine on a “special” and it is one you like, go for it. There is nothing wrong with wines on special offer. The retailer may simply be clearing stock or the wine had been offered to him or her at a discounted price.

-         Wine is a fascinating and venerable topic. Read what others have to say about our wines and see whether you can discover for yourself all those tastes and smells they describe. It is a most rewarding experience.

-         At the same time, try not to get too pretentious about it — just enjoy it.

Read full article: The Times

Arniston Bay, in association with Good Housekeeping, are offering one lucky winner a year’s supply of Arniston Bay wine.

This competition is exclusive the UK and entrants can visit Arniston Bay’s website to enter. 

Arniston Bay is also running another competition which is open to all countries. In the Escape to Arniston Bay competition consumers are invited to send their most enjoyable memories (photos or video clips) of enjoying a bottle of Arniston Bay. The monthly winner will receive a fantastic hamper of Arniston Bay goodies.

For more info visit: Arniston Bay

Wine tasting notes can be misleading and misunderstood. Sometimes consumers expect the wine to taste exactly like the tasting notes suggests. Wine that have a hind of chocolate and caramel do not taste like a Cadbury’s Caramello Bear (South African chocolate bar).

In an article, published on C-Ville.com, J. Tobias Beard said: “Many of us misunderstand the nature of wine language. I constantly run into people who seem to actually expect to find various foods in wine. “Mmmm,” they will say, reading the back of the bottle, “I like chocolate. I’ll buy this one!” Indeed, when confronted with wines that are said to offer a “mouthful of silky-textured cherries, blueberries, plums, boysenberries, earth, minerals, and spiced oak,” people can hardly be blamed if they expect dessert. I tend to advise customers to ignore those descriptions. But why? Doesn’t wine taste like all that stuff? Isn’t that the point?”

Yes and no. Wine language is poetic—a way of describing not what a wine objectively tastes like, but what it was like for the writer to taste the wine. Good wine writing presents an experience, not an analysis.

Granted, wine can taste and smell like all kinds of weird things, some of which I personally have tasted and smelled. Sauvignon Blanc does sometimes smell like cat pee. I used to have a cat that peed on my clothes, so I know that smell. But I have never smelled or tasted any of the following, taken from actual wine reviews: liquefied minerals, animal fur, beef blood, white flowers, or scorched earth.

Maybe you’ll taste all that stuff, maybe you won’t. We all have different palates, after all, and taste is subjective. But modern wine writing has become so fixated on isolating scents and smells that we’re led to believe there’s no other way to enjoy wine. The critics strain to conjure up ever more esoteric descriptions, and the drinker is left to strain for a small hint of “new saddle leather,” lest he be seen as a wine ignoramus.

People really want to know what wines taste like. They ask me all the time, but the only honest answer I can give is to tell them to taste it for themselves, and not to be afraid to wax poetic.”

One of my favorite wines , the Arniston Bay Shiraz / Merlot 2005, was described as follows on the tasting note:

“A medium-bodied wine with intense red colour. It has subtle blackcurrant and pepper nose with hints of coffee and chocolate on the taste and a soft, round finish.”

I think this is a soft, easy-drinking wine with a great balanced body. I can’t taste the hint of coffee, but I nonetheless enjoy the taste of this wine.

Source: c-ville.com

In a recent article on homemakers.com, Lynn Hoffman talks about the basics of swirling, sniffing, sipping and serving wine.

Do you feel a little nervous about serving wine to guests? Are you worried about seeming pretentious or are you just intimidated by the whole thing? Well, it’s time to pop a cork and relax; wine is fun and here are 10 ways to be a part of the good times.

1. Wine is delicious! The swirling, the sniffing, the sipping. All of the fuss about wine would be pointless if wine wasn’t just plain delicious. It’s true that wine can have tastes that you’re not used to or that aren’t so great the first time you try them, but there are lots of starter wines that are easy to like and even more that turn delicious when you have them with food.

2. Wine tastes best at the right temperature Common “knowledge” about wine is that you serve white wine well-chilled and red wine at room temperature. Surprisingly, that’s wrong. Room temperatures in North America are just too warm to serve red wines. Most drinks are unappealing at 22C so why should wine be any different? Refrigerator temperature -3C is too cold for anything that you really want to taste. What to do? Try storing your red wine in the coolest part of the house or giving a bottle a brief cold water bath. Take the white wine out of the fridge 10 minutes before you serve it or at least let it warm up a bit in your glass.

3. It’s usually better to air wine out Any drink without bubbles tastes better if it’s aerated a bit. Those decanters that you see aren’t just decorative; they let you pour your wine out with a bit of splashing and get some air dissolved in it.

4. Make sure the (right) glass is half full The best wine glass is shaped like a tulip and isn’t much bigger. What makes it best is that the tulip shape helps capture the aromas of wine and transport them to your nose.

5. Your nose knows Most of the pleasure that we call taste is really smell. That’s why nothing really tastes good when your nose is stuffed up. So be sure to swirl the wine around in the glass, take big sniffs and enjoy! 6. Take your time Tasting wine is a dance, not a race. One of the best things about wine is that it invites you to slow down. If you haven’t smelled the flowers today, at least you can smell the wine’s bouquet. You’ll have even more fun if you take a minute to enjoy the wine’s colour before smelling it and maybe even pausing after your first sniff, before taking a sip.

7. Don’t rush to judgment There’s nothing worse than premature evaluation. Once you decide if it’s good or not, you stop paying attention to the taste. So try this: swirl the wine in the glass, look at the colour, smell the aroma, sip and swish, pay attention to the taste and don’t decide if you like it or not. The last person to make up his or her mind wins 8. Have a variety of wine on hand It won’t be long before you’ll have preferences. You’ll discover that you like this wine with chicken and that one with pasta. You may even find that you’re suddenly ‘in the mood’ for one of your favourites so it’s a good idea to have a few different bottles available — all stored in a cool place in your home.

9. There’s no shopping like wine shopping! Shopping for wine is fun. If you find something you like, you can ask the clerk in the wine shop for advice about finding something similar. You can pick a bottle at random (in your price range, of course) or you can surf wine websites, in search of stores that carry your favourites. If you look around, you may find wine-tastings where you can sample a few different wines and pick out ones you like.

10. Respect your tastes but try new wines Remember that there are two things that count: liking what you like and being open to liking something new. So relax and let the wine work its magic.

Source: homemakers.com