Pork chops is probably one of the most underrated dishes. It is easy to prepare and it is very versatile. This recipe is and nice and easy recipe for a spicy pork chops with some cabbage and raisins. Truly divine.

Recommended wine: I would serve the Arniston Bay Shiraz 2008. This is a full bodied wine with intense dark colour subtle smoky and pepper spice nose with strong full middle palate and good tannin structure. Good finish with hints of coffee and chocolate in the aftertaste

Serves 4

Total Time: 25min

Ingredients

• - 3 tablespoons olive oil
• - 4 bone-in pork rib chops (about 2.5cm thick; 500g total)
• - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• - salt and black pepper
• - 1 onion, sliced
• - ½ small head red cabbage, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
• - ½ cup golden raisins
• - ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• - ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
• - bread (optional)

Directions

1. - Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the pork with the cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side.
2. - Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a second large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cabbage, raisins, vinegar, ¼ cup water, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, covered, tossing occasionally, until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes; stir in the dill. Serve with the pork and bread, if using.

Source: realsimple

The Wine:

Wine packaging and the environmental impact of the logistics surrounding the distribution are becoming a concern for British consumers.

A recent article by Tim Aiken (The Guardian)  indicates at a time when we’re supposed to be reducing our carbon footprints, an increasing number of producers are packaging their wines in disgracefully heavy bottles. It is mainly, but not exclusively, a Latin thing: the major culprits are Spain, Italy and Argentina, where anyone who makes an icon wine seems to come over all macho and purchase the thickest glass available.

The only wine that justifies a heavyweight bottle is Champagne / Sparkling wine where the wine style (and the potential for serious accident) dictates the choice of package.

The shipping of wine to the lucrative markets like the UK, USA and the East are putting pressure on the environment as heavier bottles creates a bigger carbon footprint.

Arniston Bay Brand News

Keeping with its policy of constantly innovating and reducing carbon footprint, the best-selling Arniston Bay brand – who also pioneered the eco-friendly wine pouch – is lightening up by introducing lightweight wine bottles.

Source: guardian.co.uk

In order to cook with wine you need to know what wine is made of and what will be the  effect on certain dishes when wine is used in the cooking process.

Wine is made up of water, grape acids, tannins and alcohol. All of these players, individually and together, affect the final result. Alcohol itself is tasteless, but it affects the release of flavour and fragrance molecules from the other components. It helps fats to dissolve and penetrate the food, bringing out hidden flavours. This is a chemical reaction that “ordinary” liquids, like water or stock, or even fats such as butter or oil cannot achieve. For this reason, when wine is added to the pot it should be allowed to simmer, uncovered, so that the alcohol and some of the volume evaporate. Never add wine at the end of cooking.

When red wine is made, the seeds and the skins are in prolonged contact with the grape juice, so red wine is rich in tannins. White wine is low in tannins because the juice does not come into contact with the skin and seeds during fermentation. Thick-skinned grapes (such as cabernet sauvignon) will result in tannin-rich wine, in contrast to thin-skinned varieties (like merlot).

White wine is low in tannins because the juice does not come into contact with the skin and seeds during fermentation. Thick-skinned grapes (such as cabernet sauvignon) will result in tannin-rich wine, in contrast to thin-skinned varieties (like merlot).

During marination the tannins and other acids in the wine penetrate the meat’s fibers and bind to its proteins, leaving the meat much softer and tastier than it was before its wine bath. Adding tannin-rich wine while cooking will improve the flavours of a meat dish beyond recognition, softening and rounding out hidden fragrances. In cooking, the tannins bind to the meat proteins and coax out their best flavours. When the food is eaten only the aroma remains; the tannins do not react adversely with the proteins in saliva to spoil the enjoyment.

But beware – adding red wine to a vegetable dish does exactly the opposite. The tannins will remain, making the dish relatively astringent. For that reason it’s best to use white wine or a low-tannin red wine when cooking vegetarian foods.

Arniston Bay Brand News:

The Arniston Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 is a perfectly balanced wine.  Deep red colour with fresh redcurrant and berry fruit aromas with hints of nutmeg and mint. Serve this wine with lazy-aged beef fillet or rosemary infused lamb

The wine:

Source: haaretz.com

In the US, Merlot was almost unheard of until the 1970s and gained prominence in the US market when customers found it stylish and classy to ask for a glass of Merlot, which became synonymous with a glass of red wine.

Merlot achieved rapid prominence because at its best, it’s the easiest fine wine for novices to appreciate, and maybe the easiest to pronounce. As a result of this rise in popularity, producers made oceans of the stuff, eventually forgoing quality for quantity

In 2004 Merlot slipped in popularity and sales, thanks to just two lines in the movie Sideways. In a much-quoted scene, the wine snob character Miles tells his easygoing friend Jack before a double-date dinner: “If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am not drinking any f-g Merlot.” Ironically, one of the character’s favourite wines is Chateau Cheval Blanc: it is a blend of Merlot and another varietal he slams, Cabernet Franc.

As Merlot sales plummeted and Pinot Noir sales increased, it seems that this might have caused Merlot winemakers to focus on making a better product. The recession has also helped Merlot as good Pinot Noir usually costs a little more, so customers are looking for wines at great prices which helps Merlot sales very much.

Merlot is sometimes easily described as what it’s not – not as light and soft as Pinot Noir and not as big, full and robust as Cabernet Sauvignon. At its best Merlot makes some of the very best wines in the world; think about some of the world’s best Bordeaux. It’s wonderful in a way no other varietal can achieve. A great Merlot is gentle, yet fruity; easy to drink, yet elegant and interesting.

It can be as generic as supermarket jug wine – in fact, the so-called international style of red wines is based largely on the taste of Merlot. But a great Merlot can also be as complex as the finest Cabernet, without the formidable tannins or the necessity of bottle-aging for decades. Merlot is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon in order to soften it.

Arniston Bay Brand News:

The Arniston Bay Merlot 2008 has been described as a food-friendly red with a good structure and clean execution and with compact aromatic portfolio.

The wine:

Source: jamaicaobserver.com

Consumer goods with a relatively wide price range like coffee and wine are deemed to be indicators for economic trends. The buying patterns of US consumers can be seen as a possible indication of trends in the global economy.

A recent report by a leading US retailing group indicates that the buying patterns of consumers are predicting that the recession may have reach turning point.

Steven Burd , CEO of Safeway said :”When we went into the recession, we saw a change in the mix of lattes versus coffee, and now we’ve seen – it’s early, but we’re seeing – a trend back to lattes,”

Apart from coffee buying patterns it seems that wine purchasing are also an indicator of buying patterns which relates to economic conditions.

At the beginning of the recession retailers indicated that the percentage of premium wines sales declined. Burd added that they noticed that these declining premium wine trends are reversing.

This may be an indication that we are close the turning point of the economic downturn.

Arniston Bay Brand News

Despite the recession 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: insidebayarea.com

Smell is important to the wine taster. Much of what we think is taste really comes through our noses. If you don’t believe this, try to enjoy a wine – or a meal – the next time you have a bad head cold.

When it comes to smelling, humans take a distant second place to our dogs and cats. Still, we can train our sense of smell, and you don’t have to be an expert wine taster to learn to sniff out the differences among wines.

When new wine enthusiasts read wine-tasting notes, they’re often puzzled by references to a fruit bowl full of aroma descriptions: Apples, pears, blackberries and melons, oh my, not to mention such un-fruity characteristics as chocolate, coffee, vanilla and warm spice.

Let’s look at a few specific examples of aromas commonly associated with popular wine-grape varieties.

The aroma of Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, is classically associated with “cassis,” or black currant liqueur, sometimes with back notes of cedar (in Bordeaux) or eucalyptus (in Northern California). Some add hints of green olives, green peppers, tobacco leaves or grass. Extended bottle aging may lend a toasty quality and impart earthy scents as variable as mushrooms, old leather, roses and wildflowers.

Merlot, often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, typically presents an aroma of black cherries on its own. West Coast Merlots aged in new oak barrels may add hints of chocolate and vanilla, creating a wine that almost gives the impression of a sundae in a wine glass.

Zinfandel’s trademark scent is raspberry and blackberry. Pinot Noir at its best can be so complex as to defy definition, but the list starts with cherries and subtle, pleasant hints of earth, roses and spice, with a texture that invites comparison to velvet.

A fragrant floral scent of freshly ground black pepper signals Syrah, the No. 1 grape of the Northern Rhone valley in France.

Chardonnay in its natural state recalls crisp, ripe apples, figs, pineapple and tropical fruits. It may add rich notes of butter or coconut if it’s aged in oak.

Riesling, the king of German grapes, starts with apples, too, adding elements of mango, pine and even citrus fruit.

Sauvignon Blanc may be grassy and herbal or citric and grapefruity, depending on the amount of sunlight it receives in the vineyard.

Chenin Blanc evokes melons, sometimes with a touch of orange blossom. A sultry smell of peaches identifies Muscat; the hard-to-prounounce Gewurztraminer shows aromas of grapefruit and Chinese litchee nuts.

Arniston Bay Brand News.

The ever popular Arniston Bay Chenin Blanc / Chardonnay has lovely pineapple and ripe melon flavours on the nose which add to make this blend a great well balanced wine.

The wine:

Source: wineloverspage

What’s a green wine drinker to do? The cork versus screw cap battle is getting increasingly dirty. The issue of environmental credentials has entered the fight and that is yet to have closure – so to speak. So for the wine drinker with a green tinge, how do they stack up?

There is nothing more annoying or environmentally wasteful than tipping wine down the sink because cork taint has ruined it. Cork taint is the mouldy flavour that deadens the wine and is imparted by a 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, or TCA. This amazingly intense chemical can be detected in white wines in two parts per trillion.

How it comes about and how it gets into cork is one of the wine world’s most hotly debated issues but it seems that, like most of the problems besetting the human race, we brought it on ourselves. When moisture is present, common microscopic fungi such as aspergillus and penicillium convert chlorophenols that have ended up in the cork bark through the use of pesticides into TCA.

Cork companies claim their corks account for less than 1 per cent of tainted wines. Other more independent studies show figures of between 5 and 7 per cent. But if your definition of cork taint is any effect on the wine from the cork, then the figure is more like 10 to 12 per cent.

In defence of the cork, it is a sustainable industry. After bark is stripped off the trees, regrowth occurs which is ready to be harvested nine years later. A cork tree takes about 25 years to reach the right size and has a commercial life span of about 150 to 200 years or about 16 harvests. Cork is recyclable and biodegradable. But, that’s where the good green news ends.

After being stripped from the trees the cork is left to season. This is thought to be the time that the cork picks up the TCA. Travellers in Portugal are often bemused to see piles of cork sitting outside in the damp, and wonder if a better seasoning method might be preferable to applying chemicals later. Apparently cork that comes in contact with damp ground is used for flooring but a little TCA goes a long way. After seasoning the cork is disinfected, cut into shapes, washed with hydrogen peroxide and treated with ozone. Some are glued; some are even covered with plastic to protect the wine from the cork. The process is about the TCA, not the cork, and in a TCA-free world, cork would be a truly green industry.

A screw cap, on the other hand, is made from aluminium, which is very polluting to make. It has been estimated it takes as much electricity to produce one screw cap as running a TV for an hour. On the other hand, aluminium can be endlessly recycled. Of all the aluminium produced since 1886, two-thirds is apparently still out there as a Coke can, a 747 or a screw cap. Recycling aluminium saves on 95 per cent of the energy used to make new aluminium. So, in the scale of greenness, if you recycle your screw caps, you’re probably neck and neck with the cork pullers.

Arniston Bay Brand News:

When it comes to wine packaging the choice is much clearer for green consumers. Arniston Bay was one of the pioneers in pouch wine packaging. This revolutionary packaging has 80% less of a carbon footprint than wine bottles. It also has 90% less waste and takes up less space in a landfill than two glass bottles.

Another great thing is that wine can be stored up to one month after opening the pouch.

Source: smh.com.au

British wine consumers continued their new found love affair with Rosé wines as the sales of this pink wine has again outperformed the overall drink sector.

Demand for Rosé among women has pushed wine sales through the £5 billion barrier for the first time.

The market for non-sparkling wine grew by 6.5 per cent to £5.04 billion in the year to August.

Britons are on course to buy a record 100 million cases this year.

The wine market has significantly outperformed the overall drinks sector, which is up 5.6 per cent, said market analysts Nielsen.

Experts say much of the growth in wine sales has been driven by Rosé, sales of which were up 15 per cent, giving it a record 11 per cent share of all wine bought in supermarkets and off-licences.

Arniston Bay Brand news:

The Arniston Bay Pinotage Rosé  – with its lively strawberry and violet aromas and fruity taste – is immensely popular in the UK market. 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: dailymail.co.uk

Last year the Californian wine industry got a shot in the arm when the film ‘Bottle Shock’ told the stories of the blind Paris wine tasting of 1976 that has come to be known as “Judgment of Paris”. This event put Californian wine on the map and the movie reminded consumers of the quality wine that comes from that region.

New Zealand filmmakers are set to make a film about a journalist’s first winemaking experiences in Marlborough.

Based on the 2007 book, First Big Crush: The Down and Dirty on Making Great Wine Down Under. This book recounts a year in the life of US journalist Eric Arnold as he sets out to make wine in New Zealand. The production team is currently searching for a screenwriter. This film will also give New Zealand wine a lift and will improve the image of their wines.

Maybe South Africa must also make a film about South African wine. Previous films from South Africa like Tsotsi and District 9 does not really attract visitors or wine drinkers to South Africa. Maybe South Africa must make a period drama of the Vryburger revolt when Adam Tas , Jakobus van der Heyden and others rebelled. Van der Heyden was one of the original owners / farmers of Welmoed and he was prominent and brave during this rebellion.

I think the best would be for a James Bond movie that playoff in Cape Town. A car chase on Chapman’s Peak, the villain lives on a wine estate and he only drinks Pinotage.

The Bond girl can be called Chenin Blanc and she is a Big Wave surfer. She can have a Ursulla Andress / Halle Berry beach bikini scene on Arniston,  where Bond awaits sipping (Arniston Bay) sparkling wine on this idyllic beach.

The final scene can be Table Mountain Cable Car action scene or something.

Maybe Gavin Hood or Neill Blomkamp must get involved because a blockbuster movie will make the wine world see South African wine in a new light.

Wines of South Africa (WOSA) is planning a series of international braai festivals, a World Cup for sommeliers, and a range of other novel initiatives to highlight abroad South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup. 

The braai festivals, to be held in key export destinations such as the UK, Holland, Germany, Scandinavia and countries in Latin America and the Far East, will be scheduled to co-incide with important matches of next year’s tournament.  The events will feature high-profile South African chefs, as well as winemakers at venues where matches are being televised.

Linked to the braai festival concept is the publication and international distribution of a book of special braai recipes created by local winemakers to match their wines.  The compendium of recipes will appear with styled photographs, and marketers all over the world will have access to the recipes and images to use in their South African wine campaigns.

A World Cup for sommeliers, to be held in a number of countries selling South African wine, is intended to increase awareness of local wines among on-consumption buyers. The winning contestant from each participating country, judged on the basis of their ability to identify a series of local wines and pair them successfully with foods, will be flown to South Africa late in 2010 for the finals.

WOSA has also developed a special logo for 2010 that includes a soccer ball, approved by FIFA. It will be available to producers to feature in their marketing material and on wine bottles in those countries where legislation permits. In Sweden, for example, local legislation forbids a link between alcohol and sport in any advertising or merchandising.

The organisation’s CEO, Su Birch, said an animated wine and soccer video was being produced for release at next year’s ProWein trade exhibition in Germany in March, and which would be made available internationally.

These braai festivals will give South African wine brands like Arniston Bay wine and Welmoed wine the change to associative with uniquely South African cuisine and social events surrounding the 2010 World Cup.  

Source: cbn.co.za

Nearly half of UK wine drinkers said they would buy a wine with an alcohol level of just 9% abv – provided that taste is not compromised – a new survey has revealed.

Some 42% of the 800 wine drinkers surveyed said they would ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ buy a 9% abv wine, while 59% of all respondents claimed they liked the concept of such a wine. This is according to a study initiated by the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

Some winemakers describe lower alcohol wine as the “last unconquered frontier” of the wine industry. Retailers and marketer agrees that lower alcohol wine will become prominent in the immediate future.

One of the biggest South African wine brands in the UK, Arniston Bay has launched the Lighthouse Collection. These wines offer lower alcohol wines which still boast the same taste, flavours and aromas.

Source: Decanter

The wine:

Arniston Bay wines sponsored the wine for the launch of Top Billing’s latest initiative, Top Travel, in Johannesburg to ensure everyone toasts the journey presenters Jeannie D and Janez Vermeiren are embarking on.

the company of wine peopleTM‘s Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, Chris O’Shea, says, “We are proud to be sponsoring our easy-drinking, lifestyle wine for this occasion. It aligns perfectly with our brand essence.”

The Valpre Top Travel programme commences on Wednesday 7th October on SABC 3 at 8pm. Jeannie D and Janez Vermeiren embark on a 26-week journey around the globe in search of all things premium and rare.

High-profile guests attending the launch had the opportunity to sample the easy drinking wines with varietals such as the Arniston Bay Sparkling Brut, Arniston Bay Sparkling Rose, Arniston Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and Arniston Bay Reserve Shiraz.

Wine Festivals has become a regular fixture on the social calendar. It can be a fun and interesting night but there are a few things to remember.

First off, go with the intent of learning and having fun. Second, get a special friend to go with you. In addition to great company, two palates are always better than one. Also, with a tasting partner you can explore twice as many wines.

Be sure to take something to record your impressions and preferences. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and try not to carry anything in your hands. Keep them free for wine, food and handshakes – you’ll meet some wonderful people.

You can’t taste every wine -believe me, I’ve tried and it can’t be done. So you need to develop an action plan. I suggest a two-pronged approach – first, select your favourite grape/wine; second, pick a grape/wine that you are not familiar with to sample throughout the event.

Start off with your friend and head straight for the bubbles. This helps set a tone of celebration of wine, friendship, the festival and life. And besides, who doesn’t like sparkling wines?

After enjoying the bubbly, together review the list of wines offered. Select a few that you definitely want to try. Negotiate with your friend so you pick different wines to sample. This increases your knowledge of a greater number of wines.

After the sparkling wines, go for the dry whites, then the reds and end with the dessert wines. Drink a few wines together and then split up for a while.

You will cross paths with your tasting partner as you wander the tasting arena, but be sure the two of you have set a time and place to meet to compare notes.

As you split up, a good strategy is to head to tables with the smallest crowds. This way you’ll get more individual attention from the people pouring the wines as they tell you about their products, plus it will give you an opportunity to ask more questions.

Be sure to sample the food along the way and periodically drink water to keep hydrated. Take a few breaks to enjoy the atmosphere and the people.

Toward the last part of the tasting, find your partner at the prearranged location and talk about the wines that wowed each of you. Head off together to taste each other’s favourites. Ending the tasting with a wine buddy and a great taste in your mouth is, in large part, what a festival is all about.

Arniston Bay Brand News:

Arniston Bay is enjoyed in over 30 countries in particular the United Kingdom, USA and Asia. It is consistently one of the top selling wines in the UK.

Source: azstarnet.com