WINEFUNDI

BOTTELARY BOYS

According to Neil Pendock in  the Sunday Times, five vineyards in the Bottelary Hills have combined together to established the BOTTELARY HILLS WINE CENTRE.

The venue is on the Cnr of the R304 and M23 and they can be contacted by phoning 021 865 2955

Next time you are on holiday in the Cape make a point of doing the Bottelary wine route and call in at the centre which acts as a joint tasting room and retail centre. The wines there have been screened by a tasting panel to maintain quality and authenticity. The staff are professionals.

In the photograph of the owners of the five vineyards, I note the presence of Danie Steytler, the famous Pinotage King from Kaapzicht. I am sure that he has played a major role in getting the centre going.

CASTLE LAGER COST INDEX - MOVE OVER BIG MAC

The average South African has to work for over an hour to have enough money to buy a beer!

This is according to a new affordability index as quoted by SAB-Miller in the Times Business.

The benchmark is a 330ml Castle Dumpy which retails for about R5. The average South African earns R7 862 pm. Assuming 180 working hours the average employed person in South Africa, earns a Castle Dumpy every 72 minutes.

Minutes worked to buy a beer

India...................................369

South Africa..........................72

Poland.................................28

China..................................25

USA....................................10

Italy....................................9

Wine drinkers must be seriously disadvantaged as they have to work for about 195 minutes to buy a 750ml bottle of Chateau Libertas!

SLALEY HITS THE TOP

Slaley celebrates golden anniversary with three gold medals in 2007 SA Young Wine Awards
	24 August 2007    by Grapevine Publicity
	After a period out of the limelight, celebrated Slaley Estate is marking its golden anniversary in the Hunting family with a string of gold medals won in the 2007 SA Young Wine Awards.
	Slaley won gongs for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Shiraz, Capping the achievement were the best-in-class ratings for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage. Winemaker Marius Malan, who joined Slaley in September 2005, is committed to returning the estate to its former position as a leading South African cellar. "Our 2007 wines are some of the best ever produced at Slaley and our mission is to recapture the acclaim the estate has known for decades," said Malan. Lindsay Hunting, current owner of Slaley estate, said revamping of the cellar was underway and new winemaking techniques, including spontaneous fermentation in newly introduced open fermenters and some radical new ideas in the barrel cellar would ensure the estate a place in the winners’ circle for years to come. Named for the former Hunting family seat Slaley Hall in the UK, the original farm dates back to 1751 and has enjoyed a rich history. Previously named Simonsig, Slaley started producing its own wines in 1995 with the creation of the current cellar complex. "We are pleased with the three gold medals and see these as confirmation of our confidence in Marius Malan’s winemaking prowess. I am particularly thrilled with the performance of Block 109, which is 50 years old this year and must by now be one of the oldest, if not the oldest block of Pinotage in the country,” said Lindsay Hunting. Malan studied at Elsenburg, and honed his winemaking skills at Uva Mira vineyards. He is enrolled for the Cape Wine Masters programme next year and has set his sights on an MBA thereafter. "Our red wines are very much geared to be an enjoyable wine drinking experience to suit most palates and the 2007 SA Young Wine Awards recognised these characteristics," said Malan.

SIMPLY THE BEST

 THE HUGUENOT is one of the favourite restaurants of my wife and I.

It is handily situated just off the Gordon Road turnoff from the highway on the Cnr of Ontdekkers and Conrad Roads. The telephone number is 011 672 8777

The patrons are a wonderful couple Cecil and Edna Scheepers. They always greet one with a welcoming, complementary sherry aperitif!

The menu was put together by Edna and is pretty extensive. My favourite starter is the Avo-ritz. However there are 14 others to choose from.

As far as mains are concerned there is a 600g T-bone but my favourite is the 300g Blackened Sirloin. What better way to end off the evening than with an Old Cape Brandy Pudding topped with Ice Cream!

THE HUGUENOT has a sort of Olde Worlde dining ambiance about it and one can enjoy a meal there without being disturbed by by loud chatter from other guests. Something prevalent in many other restaurants in Johannesburg.

There is also a side room dedicated to parties and/or conferences (with all the required equipment)

The wines are pretty standard and lacking in choice, if one wants to experiment. However they have broken out of this mould and now stock Slaley and Broken Stone wines.

The service is good, especially if one gets Caroline as a waitress.

So all-in-all, if you want to have a quiet, satisfying evening out, don't forget THE HUGUENOT - it is SIMPLY THE BEST!

WINE BOTTLE NOMENCLATURE

Bottle Name                Champagne            Bordeaux            Burgundy

Picolo                            1/4                            NA                        NA
Chopine                        NA                             1/3                       NA
Filette/Demi                1/2                            1/2                       1/2
Magnum                        2                               2                           2
Marie Jeanne                NA                             3                          NA
Double Magnum            NA                             4                          NA
Jeroboam                     4                               6                          4
Rehoboam                   6                              NA                          6
Imperial                      NA                             8                          NA
Methuselah                  8                             NA                          8
Salamanzar                 12                            NA                          12
Balthazar                    16                            16                          16
Nebuchadnezzar          20                            20                          20
Melchior                     24                            24                          24

Wine is usually matured in bottles no larger than a Magnum                        

WITHER SOUTH AFRICAN WINE?

In the August edition of WINE, editor Fiona writes that OUR WINES ARE BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE WINES AVAILABLE IN CHAMPAGNE AND BURGUNDY - AND OFFER BETTER VALUE.

I agree whole heartedly with her and we don't have to stand back from the French nor anyone else in my opinion!

However, on a trip to the UK last month, I was constantly told by people that South African wines are very popular in the UK. But I was bitterly disappointed in the way they are being marketed there. I made a point of going into many wine stores to seek out South African wines.

What did I find?

Our wines were represented in two basic groups - just under £5 per bottle and just over the £10 per bottle range. But they seem to be poorly marketed indeed.

In Harrods and Sainsbury's in London I found them mixed up with New Zealand wines as tough the latter was a South African wine region. Furthermore they were in small numbers when compared with Australia. One realises that we are a relatively small wine producing entity in the greater scheme of things but how are we to go forward if the displays of South African wines are not monitored?

Recently on Sky News it was stated that the British public is becoming more sophisticated with regard to the particular tipple they enjoy on a regular basis. Popularity of Lager has dropped 5% whilst Cider sales have gone up 14% in two years. Wine is becoming more and more popular, especially amongst women. Rose has improved 188% in popularity!

Marketers of South African wine need to cash in on the trend and make a concerted effort to get to the retailers, so that our products do not enjoy dilution and lack of exposure on the shop shelves.   

PORTUGUESE RESTAURANT

O BETO is a relatively new restaurant in the South of Johannesburg. If one is tired of the more famous traditional ones in the area, try O Beto.

It has a nice wine list, although they could not produce the Fat Bastard Shiraz that we ordered. The "sommelier" suggested a Boland Cabernet Shiraz blend which turned out to be very pleasant indeed.

Our waiter was obviously from Mozambique as were all the others. They were all very neatly turned out and extremely polite.

We were all given a generous bowl of Caldo Verde soup, along with magnificent rolls of Portuguese bread. One seems to go to Portuguese restaurants just for the bread!

I settled on a plate of Lulas Grelhadas or grilled calamari and salad with boiled potatoes. This turned out to be delicious. My two partners were rather boring in that they both chose Costeletas or pork chops. Their portions turned out to be so large that they were compelled to ask for a bag to take the home.

If one is so inclined, there are revolving trays laden with mouth watering sweets and cakes. 

It was a Sunday when we ate there and I noticed a very interesting social change that has come about. Of the many tables occupied by Portuguese families, many were speaking English! Probably because they went to local schools as their children have done and all have been taught English at school.

For three people the bill came to R281.00 which I thought was good value.

O Beto style themselves as "The ideal place to eat and drink" and I can concur with that.

There is private secure parking and the venue is 73, 3rd Avenue, the Hill. Tel 011 435 7199/463 1216