Archive for the ‘Wine’ Category

Wine and cheese have gone hand in hand for centuries; however, with today’s ever increasing options for both wines and cheese the pairing decisions can be staggering. So, to take a lot of the guess work out of pairing, here is a quick handy guide to give you a starting point for pairing your favourite wines with cheese. So let us look at four South African favourites to start. Naturally experimenting on your own is definitely recommended.

Welmoed’s easy-drinking Chardonnay will pair excellent with the wonderful brie.

With the taste of fresh citrus fruits, the Chenin Blanc and Camembert would work.

The hint of a sweet Sauvignon Blanc palate, would complement the contrast of a nice and rich chedder

Lastly, for the semi risk takers, try the Cabernet Sauvignon with some Blue cheese.

Yet again, experiment on your own and just enjoy it.

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It’s almost that time again, the time for delicious wine at a mere fraction of the price.

The company of winepeople^TM ‘s famous Market Day Sale is happening at Welmoed Wine Estate from the 27^th of February to the 4^th of March.

Remember it is first come first serve, so be that early bird and catch the wine-worm!

Directions to Welmoed Wine Estate.

Here is the list of wines to look forward to. Purchases are only by the case.

Whether you’re a hardcore resolutionist or you defy any attempt to start fresh on January 1, there’s no denying that the New Year provides an opportunity to take stock and perhaps see where some improvement might be needed. For all of us who take wine seriously enough to think about it, talk about it and spend good money for it, it makes sense to include wine in our New Year’s planning and resolution-making.

1. Life is too short, don’t drink bad wine

Just because a wine is cheap does not mean that it’s bad but we’ve all had a bottle that few can swallow. Spit it out and open a new bottle.

2. Try a new grape varietal every month

There are 24,000 names for varieties of wine grapes, corresponding to between 5,000 and 10,000 actual varieties. However, only about 150 are commercially important. This means that you should stick your neck out and try a different varietal every month. Compare different brands to each other and see which one you preferred. Live a little!

3. Drink bubbly throughout the year, not only on New Year’s eve

Another day on earth means we’ve got a reason to celebrate! Pop open that bottle of sparkling wine where ever and whenever you feel like it. If today is your last day, enjoy every second with a glass of bubbly in hand and cheers to the legacy you’re leaving behind.

4. NEVER EVER drink wine out of a plastic cup

Just don’t! Not on the beach, not at a barbeque, never. It’s just not cool.

5. Drink more wines that support a good cause

Don’t just fill your glass, make a difference and fill other people’s hearts with your love. Look out for wines that support much needed causes. Welmoed supports many good causes including the Wines With Heart Foundation,  a project that raises funds for charities based in South Africa’s Cape Winelands, and WIETA – which is committed to the promotion of ethical trade in the South African wine industry and agriculture as a whole.

Credit: Content adapted from original post on WineTimes.co.za

South African wine website, wine.co.za has launched a great initiative. The campaign is calling on every South African living abroad to share a drop of sunshine with a local on 16 December.

We would love every South African out there to open up a bottle of South African wine,
and show your mates just how good our wine is – taste some sunshine, sunshine!

We have chosen the 16th December as it is a very special day for us South Africans, and it is right in the middle of the northern hemispheres winter…
just when they need a little bit of sunshine in their lives – so spread a little bit of our sunshine, sunshine!

Get a great bottle of South African wine and sit down quietly and taste it with your mates.
Let them taste some of our sunshine. And of course, you don’t have to stop there…you could even open up a second bottle and then not so quietly share some of our sunshine.

And for those ex-pats out there in the land of OZ, or down the south of America, they might not need the sunshine, but you have to agree…
they do need to taste some good wine for a change, so get them to taste what makes us shine.

Then, please take some pictures and videos, and show us all what you did by posting them on the social networks (#tastewinesunshine) and at wine.co.za

And please tell us at wine.co.za so that we can organise this again next year.

So sunshine, what great South African wine are you going to taste this year !

South Africans in The Netherlands can pour a few glasses of the popular Welmoed wine range.

Some people perceive Viognier grapes to be relatively new to the South African wine market. Viognier became popular in South Africa in the 1990s as the reputation of this Rhône Valley grape grew for both for blending purposes and for making single varietal wines.

Viognier wines are well-known for their floral aromas, due to terpenes, which are also found in Muscat and Riesling wines.

The colour and the aroma of the wine suggest a sweet wine but Viognier wines are predominantly dry, although sweet late-harvest dessert wines have been made. It is a grape with low acidity; it is sometimes used to soften red wines. In addition to its softening qualities, the grape also adds a stabilising agent and enhanced perfume to the red wine.

 The distinctive aromas of peaches and apricots make it one of the easiest varieties to identify in blends.

South Africa has a few great single varietal and blended Viognier wines and the Welmoed Viognier is one such an example. This excellent wine as a pale straw colour. Lively tropical aromas of peach blossoms and lime with floral and perfume notes. Palate is delicately textured with a smooth, yet fresh acidity and excellent balance. Elegant, medium bodied wine with satisfying finish.

Source: food24.com

Who should be held responsible for under-age liquor purchases as the trend seems to be to point fingers at everyone else? The truth is, the responsibility lies with each and every one of us as individuals. In light of this ongoing issue and challenge, the Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (ARA) has launched their newly designed in-store sticker campaign titled RU18 to assist in increasing awareness amongst retailers and the public alike and combating the current stream of underage alcohol purchases.

“The aim is to reinforce the ARA message of responsible drinking by keeping the legal age limit top of mind for both the purchaser and the distributor as well as discouraging adults from sending underage buyers to buy alcohol for them,” says ARA spokesperson Adrian Botha.

Creating awareness regarding the role that traders play in driving a reduction of alcohol abuse in their respective communities is key to stemming the problem. Internationally published author of the LifeTalk books, Izabella Little Gates commented, “underage drinking is a real problem the world over, not just in South Africa and it is up to us as parents and communities to put a stop to the problem at the root, limiting underage children access to purchasing alcohol.

Children and teenagers are faced with a variety of difficult challenges while growing up, most importantly the effect of peer pressure and it is up to parents and communities at large to instill a sense of responsibility and awareness in their children so that they make the right choices when they are put in these situations.”

“The ARA acknowledges underage drinking as a huge problem. It is only with the assistance of the distributing outlets and by encouraging responsible behavior amongst purchasers that we can reduce the extent to which this is happening. While this campaign is targeted on the purchase of alcohol, we are continually focused on educating adults regarding awareness of the availability of alcohol within the home to underage drinkers” continues Botha.

The ARA is in the process of distributing their in-store point of sale material to various outlets over the next few months and look forward to working alongside store owners and retail employees to create greater awareness around their latest campaign.

So this festive season and on an ongoing basis, do your bit and take responsibility by alerting others to the issue of underage drinking and the extent to which children can access alcohol so that together, we may help curb this problem.

Welmoed supports the drink responsible efforts of ARA

 Read more…

Merlot food pairing is a simple task to master, you only need a few basic background rules. Number one, forget everything you hear about how only certain wines go with certain foods. Wine connoisseurs aren’t the only people who can enjoy wine, normal people can too and you don’t need a wealth of knowledge to do it. Here’s a few tips to get you started with merlot food pairing:

1. Choose your wine, then choose your dish to accompany it. This may sound backwards, however, if you truly want to match the finest of flavours, this is the way to go. Merlot is probably the most popular red grape wine in the world. There are many varieties and flavours to choose from. You will find wine with hints of robust plum and chocolate flavours to wines with hints of pepper and spice. Once you choose a wine, start creating your main course.
2. Match merlot wines with fatty or heavy meats. Perhaps this is the only supposed wine pairing “rule” you may want to adhere to. The full-bodied merlot is robust enough to stand up to heavy meats such as t-bone and porterhouse steaks, and you often see it paired with duck as well. Merlot and red meat food pairings go hand in hand.
3. Don’t shy away from pastas. Like heavy meats, merlot can also stand up to pastas with heavy sauces such as Alfredo and Bolognese. Think hearty foods when you practice merlot food pairing.
4. Think merlot and cheese. Yes, merlot food pairing extends to cheeses and fruits too. Again, think along the lines of heavy robust flavors like cheddar, brie, and blue cheese. For fruits try prunes, apricots, and red grapes. Fruits served in heavy syrup like pears work well too.
5. Try merlot with spicy ethnic foods. Pungent spices like cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper are great merlot food pairings. The bite of spice, with a swish of a dry, earthy merlot makes a brilliant pair.

A good rule of thumb with merlot food pairing is to try nearly anything once; you never know what flavours you might like thrown together. Try varieties from different regions and price ranges. Experimenting is the wine lovers’ game.

 Recommended wine: The Welmoed Merlot is a fantastic wine with  deep ruby red colour. Nose reminiscent of mulberries cassis and plums, hints of mint with underlying nuances of wood, spice and vanilla.  Medium to full bodied wine with well-integrated wood, balanced ripe fruit mid-palate, and a persistent, yet soft, tannin finish.

Source: mademan.com

The characteristics of some wines have been described in many interesting and sometimes unappetising ways.

Would you consider drinking a wine with one of the following olfactory descriptions:

• Dumb: Muted but promising, closed.
• Nutty : Found in mature White Burgundy and Amontillado.
• Wet Wool : When there is too much sulfur in the wine.
• Stewed : Like leaving a tea bag in your mug too long.
• Petrolly : Found in mature riesling.
• Cat Piss : Found in the varietal aroma of Sauvignon Blanc.
• Skunk : Do you need an explanation ?

The lovely Welmoed Voignier has lively tropical aromas of peach blossoms and lime with floral and perfume on the nose, which is very appetising when it is compared with the other/above aroma notes.

Source: greekwine.gr

The shape of a wineglass directly affects the flavour of the wine that is served in it, altering both its air exposure, and how the wine lands on the palate when it is sipped.

Welmoed has a wide array of wines ideally suited for all these glass styles.

From the Welmoed Charmat Brut Sparkling wine for the flute glass to the ever popular Welmoed Merlot for the Burgundy glass.

Source: ehow.com

Welmoed range of premium wines are already known for delivering great value for just about any occasion. These wines confirmed this status of ‘over delivering  for its price point’ by having three wines in Best Value Wine Guide 2012.

These three wines will feature in this guide:

Welmoed Chardonnay 2011

Welmoed Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Welmoed Sauvignon Blanc 2011

For more info about this guide visit winemag.co.za