Acid attack

In the name of wine I drink all sorts of liquids that claim they were once grapes. Today was no exception. As Spring draws ever closer threatening Winter with its milder climate, I find myself reaching for the lighter things in life. That big blustery Shiraz stays in the wine fridge at work stays put and out comes the Sauvignon and Chenin Blancs. Unfortunately the pickings were slim at the office and myself and a team of experts (I use this term loosely for fear of their being a qualification war) were supplied with the following, of which we give our honest assessment:

These descriptions may offend but, we were ‘under the influence’.

D’aria Music Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Sprightly and gay was what I wanted, insipid and lack-lustre was what I got. Less fresh grass and more raw courgette. Less fresh exotic fruit and more ‘made in China’ plastic fruit.

Fort Simon Chenin Blanc 2009

I find that wine has the ability to bring out my more descriptive of expressions and my first thought was ‘this tastes like my dead Grandma’s Arctic Fox  fur stole.’

It was beautifully golden and there were hints of pineapple and the potential for a special late harvest but it proceeded to produce moth balls that clung to your tongue preventing the ability to understand anything those who sat next to you were saying.

It’s something you’d find in a retirement home behind a glass case that has never been opened because some old dear lost the key in her bed pan.

Hoopenburg Chardonnay 2011

If I had fillings, they would have melted. There was enough acid in it to strip a tank and possibly the bodies inside it. As we each tried to compose ourselves and prevent our stomachs from curling up and dying, we could all taste Cod Liver Oil and no not the healthy ‘take one a day’ tablets, but the oil of a viciously slaughtered cod-fish.

I strongly believe that had I been in possession of a bottle of this wine when I was repainting my house, I would have used it as thinners.

Mooiplaas

Every so often, one finds a hidden gem amongst the Winelands and Mr H and I were fortunate to do just that. Hidden down a bumpy gravel road and shielded from the world by oak trees and vines, Mooiplass stands just waiting to be discovered by wine lovers. The tasting room itself dates back 300 years and the trees are perhaps older still. The greeting you get is friendly and warm but the knowledge that our tasting room assistant demonstrated was mind-blowing. I could have stayed there for hours listening to her as she described the types of soil that is used for each grape variety, the pairing suggestions and the history of Mooiplass. The tasting is R10 per person and that includes as many wines as you wish to pair, I'm not joking. That is one of the reasons why I don't remember the lady who helped us *cough* I was a little, teeny weeny, tiny, bit tipsy.

The wines are lovely and the variety is huge. I never realised that most of their wines have won awards, even double golds.

For wine lovers out there, you must try this estate especially as they have a wonderfully meaty and smokey Pinot Noir that screams "Middle Ages" at you as well as a Cabernet Franc that has the aroma and initial taste of chilli peppers!

Bilton wine and chocolate tasting

South Africa is home of amazing wines and food experiences. If you've never had a mouth orgasm then you need to relocate to Cape Town and "get some!". I got some when I headed to Bilton wine estate.
Bilton has not been in my good books. The first time I went there was for their wine and chocolate tasting about a year ago and it was so disappointing that I felt like bottling my vomit and sending it to them. You see, chocolate is difficult to pair with wine because of the sweetness and the tannins which don't match. However, I am a big believer in second chances and so I let my senses be subjected to Bilton's new chocolate tasting course. Boy do I stand corrected!

Chocolats Marionettes (check out the delicious offerings here) is now on the menu and it is possibly the best chocolate you have ever tasted and the wines go perfectly together as if angels pooped them out. The pairings were:

Cabernet Sauvignon and Espresso chocolate
Shiraz and Cape Malay milk chocolate
Merlot and 65% Venezuela chocolate
Sauvignon Blanc and Lime infused white chocolate

I don't want to explain too much about the magic that erupts in your mouth when you combine the chocolate and wine because I need you to go and experience it for yourself and a little bit of mystery is very, oooh, sexy.

Rupert & Rothschild

Wayne has been moaning at Brett and I to go to Rupert & Rothschild for aaaages. He should have pushed us more. It is such a stunning winery! The rolling lush green hills and the hints of blossom on the trees make for one of the best locations to taste wine.
We had been told/ordered to sample the Chardonnay, Baroness Nadine. You know me, I'm not a Chardonnay lover, they are usually too harsh and vomit-like....this was the most beautiful Chardonnay I had ever tasted. As Wayne put it, I'm pretty sure that angels drink this on a regular basis. The flavours are divine, subtle, sweet and fruity with hints of nutty nougat. This is going to make its way into our collection.
We then tried the Classique which is a Cab/Merlot (obviously Brett was happy). It's such a palatable wine without the fussy airs and graces of other expensive labels. It's got a slight earthy undertone and can be rather drying but the hints of berries is rather lush.
Our third wine was the Baron Edmond. We were supposed to be able to taste coriander but all I got was the cigar aftertaste, not that I am complaining. Granted, it was smokier than the Classique, but it is still so easy to drink that you fall in love with it.
It was such a lovely afternoon spent in the company of gorgeous wines and beautiful views.