Congratulations to Joanita Christie and Derek Mitchell

Their Facebook comments were judge to be the best and they have each won an Arniston Bay wine hamper.

We are giving away Arniston Bay wine prizes for the best quote / comment on our Facebook page.

All you have to do is become a Facebook fan and leave a comment / quote on the page.

Congratulations to Debbie van Zyl.

Debbie is the lucky Facebook fan of the month and has won an Arniston Bay wine hamper.

Become a Facebook Fan and stand a chance to win wine hampers

Forget the candy and the flowers! If you really want to win over your sweetheart, give your Valentine a bottle of wine. Even Cupid knows that wine is the perfect sharing beverage.

According to a recent Online Survey in which both men and women participated equally, 59% said they would be happier to receive wine from their sweetheart on Valentine’s Day compared with 41% who would prefer a box of chocolates.

And what do most people think they will actually receive from their Valentine? Though 59% of those surveyed said they would prefer wine over candy for Valentine’s Day, only 14% expected that their sweetheart would really come through with a bottle of wine. Almost 50% expected to receive one of the old standbys–flowers (26%) or candy (23%). Another 21% didn’t even expect a token gift.

Read more …

So surprise and dazzle your Valentine with a good bottle of wine. The Arniston Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 with its deep red colour and berry fruit aromas is just the right wine for your Valentine.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: wine.co.za

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

Total Time:      25 minutes

Serves:             4

Ingredients

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

Directions

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

Recommended Wine:

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

Source: Real Simple

The wine:

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

You can also harness positive energy by living green.

Tip #1: Eco-friendly Canvas Bags

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

Tip #2: Eco-Friendly Eating

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

Tip #3: Natural Cleaning Products

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

Tip #4: Change Your Lightbubs

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

Tip #5: Daily Green Tips for Every Family

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

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

Arniston Bay Brand News

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

Read more at Suite101

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: offlicencenews.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

Serves 4.

Ingredients

· 350g hot smoked salmon, flaked

. 1 punnet baby plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

· 1/2 cup mayonnaise

· 1 tbsp mild mustard

· 1 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice

· 1 cup baby butter leaves

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

· 1/2 bunch chives, chopped

· 2 hardboiled eggs, chopped

.  freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

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

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

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

Accompany the salad with some rye bread.

Recommended wine

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

Source: themercury.com

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

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

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

Sparkling wine

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

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

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

Most red wines

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

Sauvignon Blanc

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

Or saucy?

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

Chilled

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

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

Source: exploringwine.co.uk

Arniston Bay Brand News:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arniston Bay Brand News

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

Source: timeslive

For those who value their super-bright smile, it has always been the drink to avoid.

But red wine could actually be good for your teeth, scientists have claimed.

They have found it contains chemicals that could ward off decay by stopping harmful bacteria from sticking to teeth.

The findings, due to be published in the journal Food Chemistry, suggest a daily glass of red could help to keep teeth healthy and reduce the need for fillings.

In contrast, a recent study showed white wine could damage dental health because its high acid content erodes the enamel that coats the surface of a tooth.

Red wine, when drunk in moderation, is already thought to have a protective effect against heart disease and some forms of cancer.

But in recent years, scientists have also been investigating whether it could help to prevent dental decay. Last year, a team of U.S. researchers discovered that chemicals found in large quantities in the discarded seeds and skins of grapes pressed to make wine blocked the ability of corrosive bacteria to bind with tooth enamel.

The most damaging bacteria, called streptococcus mutans, live in the mouth and feed on sugar in the diet.

Once it sticks to the enamel, the organism triggers a process called demineralisation, where acid starts to punch holes in the teeth.

In the latest study, researchers at Pavia University in Italy exposed the bacteria to a small amount of red wine that had all its alcohol content removed.

This was so they could clarify if it was the alcohol, or something else in wine, that had a beneficial effect.

The results showed harmful organisms were unable to cling to teeth or saliva once exposed to red wine.

Read more: dailymail.co.uk

Arniston Bay Brand News

Arniston Bay Merlot 2008 is such an amazing wine, it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face. It has a fine and compact aromatic portfolio and is a food-friendly red wine with a good structure and clean execution.

The Wine:

Steak is such a versatile dish and it can be prepared in numerous and interesting ways. This is a nice and easy and very delicious recipe. Ideal for the holidays

Serves:                         4

Total Time:                 20 minutes

Ingredients

• - 3 tablespoons olive oil
• - 700g sirloin steak
• - salt and black pepper
• - 1- 300g box couscous
• - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• - 1/4 cup pine nuts
• - 2 cups baby spinach
• - 1/4 cup crumbled Feta
• - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. - Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steak with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook to the desired doneness, 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest before slicing.
2. - Cook the couscous according to the package directions; transfer to a large bowl.
3. - Wipe out the skillet. Cook the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the garlic, and pine nuts over medium heat, stirring, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold into the couscous with the spinach, Feta, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the steak.

Recommended wine

The Arniston Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 will complement this dish. This wine has a deep red colour with redcurrant and berry aromas and goes perfectly with steak.

The Wine:

Source: realsimple

Drinking and Driving over the Festive Season? Then it’s time to ask Goodfellas to the party.

Cathy Marston writes  “Sadly, I realise that this is not the norm here in SA. The drink-driving stats in this country are horrendous with alcohol being blamed for 50% of the 18,000 deaths on our roads every year – yes, that number is correct – 18,000 deaths a year. A massive sea-change is needed in people’s attitudes to drinking and driving, and one company which is providing a real alternative to this is Goodfellas. They offer a membership service which you can call after one too many drinks and they will come to wherever you are and drive you safely home in your own car.”

According to Alison Brussow, marketing manager for Goodfellas, all the drivers have to pass stringent background checks, driving tests on both manual and automatic cars and undergo regular training by the company. Both Morell and Mogamat had branded uniforms and ID cards and we were given their names by the call centre when we rang to book the service so there was no possibility of any mistakes. And we felt completely safe in their hands – much more so than when we pick up a random taxi from the rank, something which is an added boon for women going home on their own as well.

Drinking and driving is a complete social no-no in the UK – if ever I contemplated getting behind the wheel after a few drinks, then the thought of my friends’ total disgust and disapproval is always enough to change my mind. I have heard various excuses over the years such as “Well, we have to drink and drive in SA because we have no public transport!” or “I’m a really good driver so alcohol doesn’t affect me like other people” and really folks, enough is enough. The choices are simple -

• – Drink, but don’t drive
• – Drive, but don’t drink
• – Call Goodfellas or somebody like them.

and with the Festive season in full swing, there are plenty of opportunities to use a service like this and I fully intend to do so. After all, if it’s good enough for the Sharks, for South African Breweries and for Bob Skinstad, then it’s good enough for me too.”

www.gfellas.co.za Tel:   0861 433 552

Source: food24

Arniston Bay Brand News

Arniston Bay supports this initiative and urges consumers to make use of this service.

In the year to end-October South Africans have scaled down their wine and brandy consumption, but in export markets more South African wine has flowed from bottles than in the previous corresponding period.

A statement issued by Yvette van der Merwe, managing executive of SA Wine Industry Information & Systems (Sawis), reported that domestic sales of natural wine fell 5.7% over the 12 months, and those of brandy 8.8%. Bulk wine exports were 20% down.

Exports of packaged wine, however, increased 9.4% during the period.

The combination of the economic downturn, which caused a drop in sales, and the 2010 Fifa World Cup, which should boost sales, is expected to result in domestic sales of wine and brandy remaining more or less stable in 2010, the statement continued.

Van der Merwe said there are various factors affecting wine exports, and it is therefore impossible to make any forecasts. These factors included the strong exchange rate, the economic chaos in South Africa’s principal export markets, the non-profitability of South African wines in core markets such as Britain, and the availability of the product.

Arniston Bay Brand News

South African wine brands like Arniston Bay are doing exceptionally well 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: fin24.com

Want to make your holidays greener? Here is a list of ideas and suggestions of how you can do your bid for the environment over the festive season .

Make Your Own Wrapping Paper

Most mass-produced wrapping paper you find in stores is not recyclable and ends up in landfills. Instead, here’s a great chance to get creative. Wrap presents with old maps, the comics section of a newspaper, or children’s artwork. Or use a scarf, attractive dish towel, bandana, or some other useful cloth item. If every family wrapped just three gifts this way, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.

Buy Energy-Saving Holiday Lights

Now you can decorate your house with LED lights that use 90 percent less energy than conventional holiday lights, and can save your family on electricity  bills during the holiday season.

Add Organic and Local Foods to Your Holiday Feast

Support local family farmers who grow sustainable meat and produce. Not only does it taste better, you’ll be doing your part for the planet too.

Get a Pesticide-Free Tree

Demand is on the rise for Christmas trees that are not covered in chemicals; some growers use 40 different pesticides, as well as chemical colorants. The good news is that there are now a number of tree-farms that sell pesticide-free trees.

Recycle Your Christmas Tree

Ninety-eight percent of Christmas trees were grown on farms, not in forests, so at least it’s not as if you’re cutting down an ancient tree. Each year, 10 million Christmas trees end up in the landfill. While your tree won’t fit in the recycling bin with your newspapers and bottles, you can recycle your tree: many cities offer programs to turn your tree to mulch or wood chips.

Donate Your Time or Money to an Environmental Group

Get into the holiday spirit by volunteering. There are countless ways to help improve your community – and the planet – from cleaning up a local river to helping inner city kids experience the outdoors for the first time.

Source: sierraclub.org

As a gift, wine has undeniable advantages. Compact and portable, it’s also fun, offering more immediate pleasure than, say, a set of drill bits. And unlike a box of chocolates, it’s fat free.

Apart from the obvious advantage the process of deciding on the right bottle is also part of the gift giving process.

Some people feel that older wines can add more significance to the gift while others feel that ‘pairing’ the right wine with the person is the significant part of the gift.

I believe that a great gift is something that the person would to like the have and that you had to think about the person while obtaining the gift. This implies that a great bottle of wine, which ‘pairs’ well with the person,  is a spot-on gift.

Arniston Bay Brand News

The Arniston Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 is a great Christmas gift. This wine as a nice cedar Cabernet Sauvignon notes on the nose. Smoky complexity on the palate with good concentration and well integrated soft tannins.

The Wine:

Source:
nytimes

Pork is a very versatile and sometimes overlooked meat. It can be used in a wide array of dishes suitable for any season and taste. Here is a nice, easy and delicious recipe to treat your guests or family.

Serves:             4

Total Time:     25 minutes

Ingredients

• - 2 tablespoons olive oil
• - 1 pork tenderloin (500g)
• - salt and black pepper
• - 350g Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
• - 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
• - 2 tablespoons roasted unsalted almonds, chopped

Directions

1. - Heat oven to 200º C. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the skillet to oven and roast until the pork is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Let rest before slicing.
2. - Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a second large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts, apricots, almonds, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing, until the Brussels sprouts are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with the pork.

Recommended wine: The Arniston Bay Pinotage Rosé will complement this dish. This is a light , fresh and fruity easy drinking wine which is perfect for this meal.

The wine:

Source: realsimple.com

Christmas is about excess and extravagance – the glittering decorations, mountain of gifts at the bottom of the dusty, plastic tree and numerous dishes of traditional Christmas fare are all part of what makes Christmas so divine and decadent.

Christmas is also made special by the fact that we actually stop to spend time with one another, wrapping gifts, cooking up a storm and taking a moment to appreciate our relationships. You might think that becoming more aware of the environment means skimping on what makes Christmas special. But going green this Christmas can only make the festive season that much more memorable.

Get the kids involved while you’re at it and teach them to be less wasteful and more considerate of the environment. This is a perfect way to make a difference during what is considered a time of giving.

Real or fake tree?

To reduce your impact on the environment this year, consider what type of Christmas tree you’ll be putting up. Though a fake tree is convenient and easy, it’s also made of substances that are harmful to the environment and therefore has a heavy carbon footprint.

Rather, consider going to your local garden nursery to buy a tree or bush that you can plant in your garden after the festive season. Using an indigenous plant as your Christmas tree and planting it afterwards is a really great idea that will mean doing your bit for the continuation of our local flora.

If you must have the branch of a real pine tree, make sure you get hold of an ‘organically grown’ one and when you’re finished, dispose of it properly by taking it to your local waste management area.

Christmas tree décor

Popcorn tinsel, twig stars and marshmallow angels are a great way to decorate the tree and they’re a lot more eco-friendly than tinsel and mass-produced plastic baubles. Be creative and recycle bottle tops or press flowers from the garden and string them up for a beautiful effect.

Gifts

Gifts that are handcrafted are always that much more special and unique, and you’ll be surprised at the choice and ingenuity of handcrafted products. An electric guitar made out of jerry cans or a beautiful wooden biltong slicer are some examples of finely handcrafted products. Do your Christmas shopping at the flea market this year to reduce your consumption of mass-produced products.

Give the gift of time to your friends and family. Make up vouchers that your loved ones can use that will involve time spent with you. ‘A picnic at the park’ or ‘a day out shopping’ or even an offer to babysit so parents can have some time to do their own thing are all ways of showing your appreciation of those you love.

Edible gifts – a bag of beautifully decorated cookies or yummy brandy snaps festively wrapped are fantastic gifts that will please the sweet-toothed.

Coloured lights are a big part of what makes Christmas so festive and by using LED lights – which use significantly less electricity, yet last at least 100 times longer than a normal bulb – you can reduce your impact on the environment. In fact, if we were to change all of our home lighting to LED, we’d save a lot of electricity. LED festive lighting should be readily available at your nearest convenience store.

It’s a wrap

Recycle old Christmas cards by cutting up the fronts and adding these to recycled paper backs to give them a new lease on life.

Wrapping paper – try novel ideas like old newspaper and brown paper with a home-made decoration attached…

Lastly… recycle.

All the packaging that you’ll be opening this festive season will go to good use if it’s recycled. Set up your recycle bins now and encourage the whole family to get used to the idea ahead of the big feast. Remember: glass, plastic, cans and paper are all recyclable.

There is so much that you can do that will ensure that your home is environmentally-friendly for the holidays. Be part of the change that needs to happen to ensure that we preserve our earth for many, many festive seasons more.

Source: iafrica.com

Arniston Bay Brand News

Arniston Bay believes in sustainable practices to protect our environment. This is reflected by initiatives like wine pouches (Astrapouch) and the Arniston Bay Tides Range which is being bottled in lighter weight glass (nearly 100g less in weight than the previous bottle).

With the eyes of the world on Cape Town for the 2010 World Cup draw it seems that FIFA is overwhelmed by the Mother City.

In an article on the official FIFA website , comments on the beauty of Cape Town and the surrounding attractions are stated . It states that “Cape Town’s popularity as a holiday destination has as much to do with the areas that thrive just outside its borders as the attractions that lie within the Mother City itself”

The Cape Winelands , Whale country and the bigger Cape Town attractions are indicated in this article.

They had the following to say about The Cape Winelands:
“This is a place where elegance meets untamed nature, where immaculate vineyards are pressed against unruly mountains and in which small-town charm is combined with well-traveled sensibilities. Visitors to the Cape Winelands can easily spend anything from a single afternoon to a few days exploring the various wine estates and towns, the most famous of which are Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl.”

To read more visit  FIFA.com

Arniston Bay Brand News

Cape Town and it’s surroundings  is renowned for it beautiful beaches and scenery. Arniston Bay Wines is named after a beautiful little beach village, Arniston, which situated 150km from Cape Town.

Arniston:

Hot summer days calls for light and refreshing meals and summer salads are just the thing as it can be healthy, tasty and refreshing. This is a healthy yet easy and delicious recipe.

Serves:             6

Total Time:      30 minutes

Ingredients

• - 500g frozen, fully cooked medium shrimp, thawed
• - 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• - 4 cups watermelon, roughly chopped
• - 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
• - 2 avocados, roughly chopped
• - juice of 1 lime
• - 1 teaspoon honey
• - 3 tablespoons olive oil
• - 3/4 teaspoon salt
• - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves or flat leaf parsley , roughly chopped

Directions

1. - In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, onion, watermelon, jalapeños, and avocado.
2. - In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey, oil, salt, and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad; toss.
3. - Sprinkle with the cilantro. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.

Recommended wine:  The Arniston Bay Chenin Blanc Chardonay 2009 will complement this meal. This wine has lovely pineapple and melon flavours on the nose with a crisp and fresh finish. Perfect for this meal and perfect for summer.

The wine:

Source: realsimple

Wine and food pairing has some semi-rigid guidelines and some aspects that is guided by individual preferences. It can be difficult to find a balance between the different pairing approaches but at the end of the day it must work for you.

The old rule of “White wine with white meat and red wine with red meat” can be such a  rigid way of pairing wine and food. The problem is that you only pair the wine with the meat and not with the sauce. The sauce must be taken into account when pairings are done because that is the main taste catalyst of the dish.

A steak with a garlic butter sauce can be complemented by a buttery Chardonnay. And spicy fish dishes can be complemented by peppery Shiraz wines.

On the other hand, food and wine connoisseurs sometimes goes a bit over the top when trying to pair wine with the slightest aspect of one of the ingredients. Like pairing wine with the sort of salt or a minor spice ingredient.

Another thing is;  Where does Rosé wines fit into the old “White with white and Red with red” rule?  Does this mean you only drink Rosé wine with well done steaks or with “pink” fish like salmon? No of course not. Rosé wines are fantastic food partners with lighter examples matching salads, chicken dishes and fish with denser, darker versions standing up to steak and game.

Do not over analyse and remember just enjoy whatever you end up eating and drinking – it’s not an ordeal, it’s an experience.

Arniston Bay Brand News:

The Arniston Bay Pinotage Rosé is an excellent and versatile wine. This wine has strawberry and violet aromas and a fresh fruity taste. This wine will complement many salads, sandwiches and even steaks.

The wine:

Source: food24

South Africa’s energy supply emergency may have made us worry that we were headed for the “Dark” Ages unless we got rid of every single appliance we own, but the truth is we can make an enormous difference just by making some easy changes to how we use our energy supply.

The kitchen, with all of its heating and cooling gadgets, is an excellent place to start.

Defrosting

It all starts with a bit of pre-planning. If you can think about what you want to cook for dinner the day before, you can take it out of the freezer and let it defrost in the fridge. An added advantage here is that you can spend the whole day dreaming up fabulous additions to the meal, and wow your family with your Nigella Lawson creativity.

Microwaves

Believe it or not, the most powerful energy-saving gadget in your kitchen is your humble microwave.

Microwaves use a lot of energy while in use, but cut down on your cooking time dramatically. Overall, microwaves use only about half as much energy as conventional stoves (as if you needed an excuse to buy those Woolies instant meals).

Ovens

When you are cooking in your oven, the big trick is to keep cooking time down. Try to avoid the urge to peek: every time you open the door about 20% of the heat inside is lost.

Also, don’t bother preheating the oven unless you are baking. When the food is nearly ready, turn the oven off and let the trapped heat do the rest. Make sure that air can circulate properly by keeping the oven racks clear and by resisting the compulsion to use foil. And finally, make sure that the seal on the oven door is intact and closes tightly, so that all of the heat stays in there.

Stoves

The most efficient (and quickest) way to boil water is in a kettle, but make sure that you only boil as much as you need. When using a stove, try to use pots and pans that completely cover the stove plate so that heat isn’t lost, where it serves no purpose other than to make your brow drip.

If you put lids on your pots, you will be able to turn the temperature a bit lower, and can turn it off completely a few minutes before your food is done. Another handy tip is that if your stovetop is dirty, it will absorb heat instead of reflecting it back to the cookware, so keep ‘em shiny.

Cookware

If you love stews and casseroles, it is worth investing in a pressure cooker; they can halve your cooking time and your energy use. When buying pots and pans, invest in sturdy metal with slightly concave bottoms (when they heat up, the metal expands and the bottom flattens out).

Buy copper-bottomed pans, but use ceramic in the oven. Throw out cookware when it becomes warped – you can save about 50% by ensuring that the base of your pan is in full contact with the element.

Fridges

It sits silently in the corner of your kitchen, looking innocent. Few would guess that your fridge is one of the biggest power guzzlers in your home.

Keep it from eating you out of house and home by adjusting its thermostat according to the season. To find out what your setting should be, place a thermostat in a jar of water and leave it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, it should read between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius. The fridge setting can usually be reduced in winter.

If your freezer is only half full, plug the gaps with empty milk bottles filled with water (when these freeze, they will help to keep the temperature down so your freezer doesn’t have to work so hard). Make sure that your freezer is defrosted at least twice a year.

Remember, energy efficiency is not about giving up the electricity you need; it’s about cutting down on what you are wasting. They may seem like insignificant savings, but if we all do our bit, little savings will soon accumulate into enormous savings. Your bank balance will see the effect, as will our economy, and more importantly, the environment our children will inherit.

Arniston Bay Brand News.

Arniston Bay only sources grapes from producers registered with the IPW, Integrated Production of Wine, who set strict criteria for producers to follow environmentally friendly farming methods.

Source: women24.com

There is a common misconception that stews are difficult to prepare and extremely time consuming. Here is a quick and delicious recipe for a Lamb stew.

Serves:             4

Total Time:     30 min

Ingredients

• - 2 tablespoons olive oil
• - 750g lamb steaks (top round or shoulder), bones removed and meat cut into 5cm pieces
• - salt and black pepper
• - 4 carrots,
• - 1 onion, sliced
• - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• - 1/2 cup dry white wine
• - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• - 1 400g can diced tomatoes, drained
• - 100g green beans, cut into small pieces (about 1 cup)
• - 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

1. - Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until medium-rare, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.
2. - Add the carrots, onion, and the remaining oil to the pot. Cook until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and scrape up any brown bits.
3. - Add the broth, tomatoes, and beans. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the lamb, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve immediately.

Recommended wine. The Arniston Bay Merlot 2008 will complement this dish. This wine is a food-friendly red with a good structure and clean execution.

The wine:

Source: realsimple

Drinking alcohol every day cuts the risk of heart disease in men by more than a third, a major study suggests.

The Spanish research involving more than 15,500 men and 26,000 women found large quantities of alcohol could be even more beneficial for men.

Female drinkers did not benefit to the same extent, the study in Heart found.

Experts are critical, warning heavy drinking can increase the risk of other diseases, with alcohol responsible for 1.8 million deaths globally per year.

The study was conducted in Spain, a country with relatively high rates of alcohol consumption and low rates of coronary heart disease.

The research involved men and women aged between 29 and 69, who were asked to document their lifetime drinking habits and followed for 10 years.

Crucially the research team claim to have eliminated the “sick abstainers” risk by differentiating between those who had never drunk and those whom ill-health had forced to quit. This has been used in the past to explain fewer heart-related deaths among drinkers on the basis that those who are unhealthy to start with are less likely to drink.

Good cholesterol

The researchers from centres across Spain placed the participants into six categories – from never having drunk to drinking more than 90g of alcohol each day. This would be the equivalent of consuming about eight bottles of wine a week, or 28 pints of lager.

For those drinking little – less than a shot of vodka a day for instance – the risk was reduced by 35%. And for those who drank anything from three shots to more than 11 shots each day, the risk worked out an average of 50% less.

The same benefits were not seen in women, who suffer fewer heart problems than men to start with. Researchers speculated this difference could be down to the fact that women process alcohol differently, and that female hormones protect against the disease in younger age groups.

The type of alcohol drunk did not seem to make a difference, but protection was greater for those drinking moderate to high amounts of varied drinks.

The exact mechanisms are as yet unclear, but it is known that alcohol helps to raise high-density lipoproteins, sometimes known as good cholesterol, which helps stop so-called bad cholesterol from building up in the arteries.

Read more on the BBC website.

Arniston Bay Brand News

Arniston Bay provides a range of lifestyle wines for every occasion including lighter wines with lower alcohol levels. The Arniston Bay Chenin Blanc / Colombar 2009 (10%) is a well balanced light wine.  Flavours of green apple candied citrus lemon lime and grapefruit dance across the palate as nearly all the citrus fruits are delivered in a single sip.

The Wine:

Pairing wine and food is in many cases an individual perception. But there are guidelines which suggest the most popular pairings and then there are commonly excepted pairings which are deemed to be universal mismatches.

To make sense of the best wine pairings, it helps to recognize the worst wine pairings. This gives and indication of which tastes complement and which tastes clash with one another.

Champagne / Sparkling Wine

Bubbles wake up the taste buds and Sparkling wines are eminently food-friendly.

Worst Pairing:

A frequent wine-pairing mistake: cake and bubbly. The Champagne is relatively tart, the cake is super-sweet, and it’s like World War III in your mouth.

Great pairing:

Great with Saltimbocca Veal or Oysters

Cabernet Sauvignon

Big Cabs are the giants of the wine world: Be careful, or they will stomp all over your menu.

Worst pairing:

Filet of sole or any white flaky fish, is delicate, and the big wine will overshadow the taste and can actually sour the taste.

Great pairing:

Red wine and beef is a classic match, but the addition of soy sauce, which helps soften tannins, makes the match that much better

Sauvignon Blanc

These wines tend to have fruity, citrus and grassy aromas with crispy and fresh finishes.

Worst pairing:

Brussels sprout and Blue cheese. Blue cheese does not complement this wine style and the taste of Brussels sprouts tends to become sour with some Sauvignon Blancs.

Great pairing: Sole (or a white flaky fish) with a Lemon and herb sauce. The wine and the sauce has a complimentary similarity which is divine.

Arniston Bay Brand News

We would suggest the Arniston Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 with rump steak and red wine sauce. The Veal Saltimbocca with Arniston Bay Sparkling Wine will be great and the Arniston Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc will be great with lemon and herb  sole.

The Wine: Arniston Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

Source: astrology.yahoo.com

Finding new ways to improve on old recipes / dish is always exciting. Meatballs are a standard dish and everyone has a good-to recipe for this good-old-faithful meal. Here is interesting spicy meatball dish which will not fail to delight your guests.

Recommended wine: 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.

The Recipe

Serves 8

Total preparation time is about  1 hour

Ingredients

• -500g lean ground beef
• -500g  ground pork
• -1 medium onion, minced
• -2 slices soft bread, crusts removed and torn into pieces
• -5 cloves garlic, minced
• -2 eggs
• -1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• -1/4 cup olive oil
• -1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• -1 tablespoon salt
• -1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
• -3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• -1 1/2 cups ricotta

Directions

1. -Preheat oven to 200° C. In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients, 1 cup of the Parmesan, and 2 teaspoons of the pepper. Mix just to combine. Shape the mixture into 16 to 18 large meatballs (each should consist of about 3/4 cup of meat). Place on a baking pan and set aside.
2. -In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta with the remaining Parmesan and the remaining pepper; set aside.
3. -Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes in upper third of oven. Remove from oven and turn on broiler. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture onto each meatball. Broil 3 to 5 minutes or until the ricotta just starts to brown.

The Wine:

Source: realsimple.com

According to a recent Telegraph article South Africa’s wines are improving in leaps and bounds and there has been a dramatic increase in quality.

South Africa is currently the world’s ninth largest wine producer with more than 600 wineries and 6,000 wines. It is the fastest growing wine-supplying country in Britain, with a 12.1 per cent share of the market, hot on the heels of Italy and France (13 and 13.1 per cent, respectively).

It further states that this market share improvement is driven by the big brands such as Arniston Bay

Arniston Bay Brand News

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).

Read the full Telegraph article.

Apart from the lovely drink, serving Champaign (sparkling wine) can be a mood and ambiance setter. Serve it ice cold and to open the bottle gracefully.

The next important step in sparkling wine etiquette is how to get sparkling wine into a glass. A lot trickier than it seems. Here are three clever tips to pouring a perfect glass of bubbly every time:

• -Easy does it. Pour a smidgen of the wine into the bottom of the glass first, wait for the initial fizzy head to bubble down, and then pour the rest.
• -Don’t tilt the glass. Rather, hold it upright, or let it stand on a table and pour the wine directly into it. The swirl and turbulence of a tilted glass can cause the wine to bubble up and over.
• -Don’t over-fill the glass. It’s a sure way to send all that precious liquid cascading over the edges of the glass. Think ‘less is more’ when filling a glass with wine. And with a bottle of bubbly, it’s always better to go back for a refill from a chilled bottle than to sit with the wine getting warm in your glass.

Sparkling wine offers a great way to punctuate a celebration with a special toast and with a bit of etiquette, it can turn a special occasion into that memorable event.

Arniston Bay Brand News:

The Arniston Bay Charmat Brut is a lovely elegant and zesty wine with tropical fruit flavours and fresh crisp bubbles. This wine can turn a special occasion into a memorable event.

The Wine:

Source: iafrica.com

Wine sales at restaurants and bars are declining as diners trade down to less expensive options or skip wine altogether to save a buck.

The economic woes have in some cases influenced diners to be less extravagant and less experimental. Diners can’t afford to be wrong and thus they are not likely to try new restaurants or try new more expensive wines.

It seems that diners will rather go to their tried and trusted restaurant and will order the wines they know but will scale down to order a more value-based wine (not as expensive) on the menu.

Although the economic woes can be devastating for restaurants businesses, some opportunities have arisen.

Firstly, treat your regulars better and to get to know them well.

Secondly, go with flow and have a more value based wines on the menu.

Lastly encourage personal references from your current client base, because a new client in these times is more valuable and sustainable than a new client in the old (pre-credit crunch)  times.

Arniston Bay Brand News

The Arniston Bay Chenin Blanc Chardonnay is one of the best value for money wines available. This wine is doing extremely well in the UK market and wine critics have given these wine great revues.

After opening a bottle of wine it just takes a few days for the  wines to “go bad”. The time which it will “stay good” depends on a few factors.

Both red and white wines will oxidise once exposed to the elements and will eventually convert into vinegar. Essentially, the only wines that keep for any length of time after removing the closure are fortified ones (ports and sherries).

Typically, white wines will turn sour faster than reds and the process is accelerated by higher temperatures; by replacing the cork or screwcap and keeping the wine in the fridge, oxidation is inhibited but not avoided.

A rule-of-thumb says that letting an open bottle of wine stand on the counter accelerates the ageing process by one year for each day opened.

If this is the case, a red wine intended to age for a few years may be propelled to age in this rather crude fashion. The counter is that in opening a bottle of wine and not finishing it in one sitting, there is the opportunity to drink it up to several days later.

A white wine does not usually last longer than two days after opening and being stored in the fridge.

Arniston Bay Brand News:

The Arniston Bay wine pouch has a wide array of environmental advantages but it also keep the wine fresh for longer. Wines can keep up to one month in these pouches which means you can enjoy the your everyday drink wine for a longer time

The Wine:

Source: tonight.co.za

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

Chicken recipes are sometimes to extravagant and complicated because chefs suggest that you must add a number of different herbs and spices. Here is a nice and easy recipe with just the right amount of extras.

With this meal I would suggest the well balanced Arniston Bay Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009. This wine has grassy and fig undertones with a good crispy and lengthy finish which will definitely complement this dish.

Serves:             4

Total time : +- 20 min

Ingredients

• - 750g  small chicken cutlets (8 to 12)
• - Salt and pepper
• - 2 tablespoons olive oil
• - 700 ml grape or cherry tomatoes
• - 3/4 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
• - 4 spring onions, sliced
• - 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

Directions

1. -Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook the chicken until browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to plates.
2. -Add the tomatoes to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to burst, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. -Add the wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the spring onions and rosemary and serve with the chicken.

The wine:

Source: realsimple

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 people^TM’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

Champagne really is bursting with flavour. New research reveals the 10 million or so bubbles that pop from a glass of the sparkling wine carry loads of aromatic molecules that ultimately spray into the air right under your nose.

Bubbles and champagne are nothing new, as anyone who has uncorked a bottle, hoping for the ceremonious pop and subsequent flow of fizz, knows. But from a chemical perspective, that fizz, which is made up of loads of bubbles of carbon dioxide, has been relatively enigmatic. Only recently have scientists been equipped with sophisticated enough instruments to test the bubble process and the hidden chemicals.

High-speed chemical analyses showed each bubble contained tens of aromatic compounds (precursors to aromas), and these compounds were more concentrated in bubbles compared with the rest of the champagne.

Here’s how they think the sweet-smelling compounds burst from champagne: Aromatic compounds tend to be double-ended, with one side attracted to water and the other shunning it. So bubbles make for the perfect ferries, as the molecules can keep one end inside the bubble (sealed off from the liquid) and the other end touching the champagne.

Each bubble drags several scent-carrying molecules to the champagne’s surface. And when these bubbles pop, they spray tiny jets of about five droplets into the air as aerosols. That’s the primary way that champagne’s burst of flavour tickles our noses.

In fact, much of the flavour in a food (or drink) comes from its odor. For instance, while the tongue can send basic information to the brain, such as whether a snack is salty, sweet, bitter, or sour, it’s the nose that provides the more nuanced information on flavours, such as identifying something as chocolate or coffee, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.

The researchers say you don’t need a doctorate to see for yourself the jets spraying from a glass of bubbly.

Source: msnbc.com

It seems that UK retailers are focusing to pour their resources into promoting low-alcohol wines.

Supermarkets and retailers are gearing up to stock a wider range of low-alcohol wines in the run-up to Christmas, in response to growing consumer demand and increasing health concerns about drinking.

The latest research confirms that British drinkers are unwittingly knocking back more units of alcohol than they were nearly 10 years ago because of the prevalence of extra-strong lagers and high-alcohol wines.

An industry event this week will bring producers and retailers together to look at how they are expanding their ranges of low-alcohol wines and beers, which traditionally have fed a niche market, and what might be the potential for growth to meet changing and increasingly sophisticated consumer tastes.

Wine experts from supermarkets, including Tesco and Sainsbury, will also consider the finding, which suggests that consumers who want to buy low-alcohol wines prefer better-tasting products. Shoppers have also complained that it is difficult to find these drinks on supermarket aisles because wines are traditionally grouped by country of origin and colour, not alcoholic strength.

Important changes in European regulations, which have traditionally hampered the growth of this market, are also set to increase the pace of change. It is now legal to sell wine which has had its abv (alcohol by volume, expressed as a percentage on labels) reduced by up to 2% through the use of two specialist techniques, reverse osmosis and the “spinning cone” method.

Taste has always been a problem as the processing required to lower the alcohol content of wine has had a detrimental effect on its flavour.

But sales are edging up. According to the latest figures from the market researchers Nielsen, the broader category of low-alcohol drinks, which includes no-alcohol beers, wines and ciders, has seen sales growth of £25.2m in the last 12 months, a rise of 11%.

Health charities believe that the increasing popularity of higher strength wines, especially those from Australia and South America, has contributed to problem drinking levels. Some of these wines have an abv as high as 14% or 15%. Low-alcohol wines typically have abvs of 9% and lower.

To satisfy the consumer demand for lighter alcohol wines successful South African brand Arniston Bay has launched The Lighthouse Collection which offers numerous health benefits and value for money.

While this collection of fruity lighter style wines – befitting the brand’s easy-drinking persona – has considerably lower alcohol levels (10% to 11%) it doesn’t compromise on taste and the wines have a rich impressive flavour profile typical varietal aromas and good acidity. It’s ideal for people watching their waistlines or for occasions such as having a drink over lunch and then heading back to the office.

In keeping with the brand’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint (Arniston Bay also produces an eco-friendly wine pouch which takes up less space in a landfill than glass bottles) The Lighthouse Collection boasts lighter packaging making it a winning option for consumers with a conscience.

Source: guardian.co.uk