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| Importers Vishal Kadakia of the Wine Park and Sanjay Menon of Sonarys with somellier Magandeep enjoying Cape Kontrei |
Recently concluded Cape Wine Show 2008 in South Africa was a big Wine Party that gave the foreign journalists and buyers an opportunity not only to taste some excellent wines and meet the producers and wine personalities but also gave a glimpse of the future of South African wines which appears to be bright and growth-oriented despite problems that the South Africans admit have been plaguing the industry with a history of 350 years of wine making with only 14 years being the post-apartheid period. Their progress sheet indicates running a marathon as if it were a sprint.
Wines of South Africa (WOSA), the association that promotes the export of wines from South Africa played a perfect host, apart from doing a commendable job as the organisers of the bi-annual show which is all about South African wines, which attracted serious international interest despite the lurking gloom in the world economy.
Kick-off at Waterford
The mega party week was kicked off at the Waterford winery in Stellenbosch on Sunday, September 21st. Waterford exports only 30% of its wines, including India through The Wine Rack owned by Neetu Sheth. The soft-spoken and humble producer, Kevin Arnold and his team left no stone unturned to make it a memorable pre-show get-together that saw over 100 importers and journalists from several countries including UK, Scandinavia, Canada, USA and of course India. There were a number of South Africans including producers and winemakers at hand to help the guests discover their wines.
Kevin Arnold who is participating in the IEE-India wine show in December is very upbeat about the Indian market. Talking to delWine, he said, 'I am very excited about your market. I know you have high tax problems but every country has its own. I am sure that with an active importer that we have, we have a bright future ahead in India.' Needless to say, he loves India -a pre-requisite for a long-term presence in the Indian wine market.
Cape Kontrei Mega Party
A celebration of typical contemporary Cape cuisine was held on the lawns of Groot Constantia, the oldest wine-producing estate in South Africa, the next day. At Cape Kontrei Cuisine, 16 of the Cape's finest chefs prepared exciting regional and fusion dishes which were paired with wines from different regions while the a local jazz band enthralled those who wanted to sit and relax, enjoy the cuisine and simply soak in the atmosphere .
The evening started with the Cape sparkling wines, Sauvignon Blancs and Shirazes amidst the constantly dropping temperature. An advance warning from the organisers to bring warm clothing had not been of much help. Mercifully, just as the teeth were about to start chattering, the guests were herded up the hilly path on to a hug marquee, entering to the welcoming chorus of African singers that sounded like gospel.
Inside was an impressive show with 18 large table, each with a tent behind, and signage indicating the chef, cuisine and wines to match a particular dish to be served. Each guest was provided a plastic tray-like dish with a slot to hold a wine glass to last the whole evening.
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| Chef Harald Bresselschmidt with Jeanette of Springfield Estate, Robertson |
My glass sliding out and splintering on the very first table where Chef Harald Bresselschmidt, owner of Aubergine, one of the top restaurants of Cape Town, was an indication that this was a trick by the organisers to mark people who were too drunk for the inauguration of the show next morning.
Mousse of Kudu and Grapefruit Confit prepared by Chef herald was delicious, the flavour accentuated by the 2005 Chardonnay from Springfield Estate in Robertson, being poured by my friend Jeanette Bruwer, who co-owns the estate with her brother Abrie. There were 4 other producers to select from the same region.
Other regions represented at various tables were Paarl, Stellenbosch, Constantia, Franschhoek, Hermanus and Elgin of Walker Bay, Durbanville, Swartland, Wellington, Olifants River, Tulbagh, Kleine Karoo. Elim, Darling and Breedekloof. It was a bit early and a bit late depending upon what state of float you were in, to really think about the confusing regions, districts and wards of South Africa. You had to let your hair down and enjoy the evening like the rest of 500-600 people in the marquee did, rushing from table to able, trying to see if they could finish the race of tasting all 16 dishes with at least one wine.
After tasting and writing notes for 8 dishes including the crispy pig's ear that the Pinotage barely helped me push it down my gullet, I had given up- but not before enjoying my favourite dish of the evening- Cannelloni of Truffle , Parmesan and Celeraic Porcini Vinaigrette prepared by Chef Margot Janse from Franschhoek. Although I felt that it could go well with Pinot Noir as well, she felt that the truffle aromas would be too powerful; she had selected 5 Semillons to go with making a great combination.
I had no energy left to try out the Tempura Shitake Roll with the home-base wineries from Constantia pouring Sauvignon Blanc. Saute of Sweet Breads had to be given a miss but it was difficult to resist the Pinot Noirs on the table no. 15 from Walker Bay, which we had visited for a guided Tasting at Dave Johnson's winery Newton Johnson in Hemel-and-Aarde Valley (ward) in Hermanus, a couple of days earlier. Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak, Hamilton Russell, Newton Johnson and Sumaridge Pinot Noirs were the other lovely cool climate reds to enjoy at this table.
What took the cake was table no. 8 in a corner diagonally opposite the entrance on the right, competing with the neighbouring Table of Fortified. Stocked with Ernie Els '04, Hartenberg Mackenzie , the iconic Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2004, Meerlust Rubicon '04 - the protagonist at lunch with H Mybergh earlier in the day at his estate,and the Waterford Jem '04 which was scarce at the Waterford winery the previous night. Jem was still slightly closed, but that did not matter this night where wine and food were synonymous with fun.
By the time the event was over around midnight, well past the 10:30 ETD , a princely 1.5 million Rands had been spent to hear a majority of the 800 estimated guests exclaim they had never been to such a unique fun event at a wine show.
African Cuisine at Nyoni's Kraal
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| Kumkani Dinner blessed by the 'high priestess' (r) |
The' Company of Wine People' who fill in the recently launched Kingfisher Bohemia bottles in India with a red and a white, hosted a Kumkani (Regal) dinner at Nyoni's Kraal(which means Corner), a unique South African restaurant in Cape Town.
Modern African cuisine served with award-winning Kumkani wines at this uniquely South African restaurant with Marimba band in attendance would convince anyone that Indians have definitely influenced the South African cuisine.
It also demonstrated that the 'Company of Wine People' has a wide spectrum of wines starting from the low-end Bohemia that they are supplying to the brewery division of Kingfisher, to the top-end award winning wines like Kumkani range.
To make the evening interesting and authentically African, there was an African Priestess who blessed the winemaker in true African style with voice so powerful and language so incomprehensible and scary that I could not resist telling her, sitting at my dinner table, later that I hoped she did not bless her husband too often!
Boschendal Gambling Party
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| Enthralling musicians at the Boschendal party |
What followed the dinner was a party of a totally different kind. Boschendal had organised a gambling evening on the top floor of the Westin Grand. With funny money handed to the guests, roulette and blackjack tables were crowded with people betting heavily, drinking several wines from this beautiful, historic estate from Franschhoek.
A popular mail singer belted out nostalgic numbers from the late sixties. He alternated with four beautiful, tall and shapely girls playing violins, flute and what looked like an electronic viola; absolutely ravishing with the glittering lights in the tall buildings around the hotel giving a European and American slant to the proceedings. I could have sworn I had seen the girls modelling at the Nederburg Auction a few days earlier!
The dance floor was filled with capacity, once people in the 'casino' realised that all their winnings were worthless and only one of them would be the winner of 5 cases of free wines to be delivered anywhere in the world.
Who would pay the duty on arrival and how they would clear the Indian formalities was the question that crossed my mind and I did not want to put the hosts in any embarrassing situation. No adrenaline flowing, one focussed on tasting glassfuls of the Brut, Sauvignon and Chardonnay instead, till well past midnight.
Grape Minds
A few of the new generation of serious winemakers have joined hands to form an informal association called Grape Minds. They had invited a group of importers and media persons to a Coast-to-Coast dinner at a winery owned by Constellation , the big daddy. As we approached the old and dilapidated looking building located in what appeared to be a warehouse district, we told our coach driver to come back in a couple of hours as we did not expect much excitement there.
As we entered the wineries through the side alley, converted into a small reception area till the expected rain made us run for cover inside, we found who's who of boutique winemakers waiting to welcome us, and we knew it would be a delightful and another memorable party.
An elegant 1999 Methode Cap Classique (MCC) produced by Bruce Jack had been arranged specially for a warm welcome (I hope I remember his name correctly). Several boutique producers were present from different regions but who strongly bond with each other through the common philosophy of quality winemaking using the concept of terroir to the full.
These cutting edge producers including Ataraxia, Raats Family Wines, Flagstone, Paul Cluver, Slowine, De Toren, the Winery of Good Hope and Sadie Family Wines, had jointed hosted this extremely interesting evening. The cuisine was the brainchild of Chef Pete Geoffe-Wood who had been one of the 16 celebrity chefs at Groot Constantia at the Kontrei party.
An interesting feature of the evening was the rotating winemakers/producers from table to table after every course, giving an opportunity to every guest on the table to discuss wines and the philosophy with one of them during that course of the dinner. One was able to interact with 4-5 such experts during the course of dinner.
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| At the Grape Minds Dinner with Charles Metcalfe (l) |
Charles Metcalfe, the famous English journalist, author and Chairman of the International Wine Challenge who was taking serious tasting notes for all the wines served on our table said, 'I think these boutique producers are very passionate about their winemaking and are giving a direction to the South African wines that is enviable. A very well thought of and organised event, this.' Another person who seemed to enjoy the evening at our table was Christian Eeades, Editor of the Wine magazine, a popular wine magazine in South Africa
Echoing this line of thinking, Paul Cluver said, 'These events are about getting the right calibre of people who are attracted by brands with individual appeal being grouped collectively,' admitting, 'It's hard to measure value.'
Culvert may be right in admitting that it is not easy to measure how much of the time and amount spent on the parties at Cape Wine 2008 would result in actual sales. But they certainly enhanced the image of South African wines and the passion of several winemakers and producers to exploit the terroir of their land for a brighter future for their wines. The sales usually should follow.
Subhash Arora
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