Represent Review: Soweto Wine Festival
The Matrix get’s his first shot at wine-tasting and find’s himself seduced by the sensuality of it all. Sounds like something you don’t want to miss next year! Sharpile Reuben for always Representin’ – particularly when your assignment is so awful *wink*. See some pics here.
This weekend Soweto was encased in charcoal roasted casks fresh from the Mother City as Cape Town’s best and not so best wine cellars eagerly perspired and promoted, hoping to gain favour with the pockets of the wealthy, novice, bargain hunters and the enthused! On Saturday night the Standard Bank sponsored grounds of the University of Johannesburg in the heart of Black Diamond economy were sprawling like a fishermen’s Mediterranean village at the Standard Bank Soweto Wine Festival 2007.
Wine connoisseurs from all over the Rand sipped the fine, bold and crystal liquid as famous Stellenbosch cellars like Kanonkop (Canon Hill) Wine Estate served their best of the best. Kanonkop wine is gently and slowly fermented and aged to perfection in fire roasted-wooden casks for more than two years in order to give it it’s smooth full-body and the fervent after-taste that just makes you crave even more of their famous Cabernet Sauvignon.
For me, the night was too young and choices too many for one to be over-indulging in just a few samples of cape liquid gold, especially when I took into account the number of Wine Estates represented at the event and all that tasting that still needed to be done. I wanted to have a well balanced and well informed cask (Pun intended!) of the entire event… and thus I prepared myself for what was inevitable with the task at hand – a heavy babalas!
Representahs! I don’t know about you, but my knowledge of wine (before Saturday that is) was limited to what I saw on the store racks and the self-crowned cook shows on BBC-Food. However, right now i believe that i’m in a more informed state to “school” you all about the age old art of distillery that is Wine Making. Okay, now (what did I jot down…okay here it is), apparently, wine unlike beer or spirits can’t be fermented (this is wine jargon for crushing grapes and filtering the liquid with a mixture of other stabilizers in huge wooden barrels called Casks, more like those in the Jack Daniels Ads on TV, Ah…you see not so difficult is it?), at just any location and not all vines are suited for Wine making or rather superior quality wine making. I was also informed that you specifically need Mediterranean weather in order for the fields to yield delicious grapes, hence the Cape’s winter rainfall being well suited for South Africa’s thriving wine industry. Although i`m not so sure about the names given to the brands (They all sound so French!): Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage, etc.
Fact: Wine that qualifies to be classified as a Cape Blend needs to have 15% or more content of Pinotage vines which are uniquely South African grapes!
Of the numerous Estates that were represented at the Wine Festival, two caught my attention with the utmost intent – Groot Constantia and Leopard’s Leap. The former has come a long way since falling from its glorious days in the 1600’s and being the only wine estate owned by the people of South Africa through the Government – Groot Constantia is indeed the First Estate, charged with the responsibility of bottling the Master Wine Making skills assault of Mzansi to the rest of the world (Viva Groot Constantia!), the estate’s brands include: full bodied Chardonnay with distinct citrus flavors and Gouverneurs Reserves – which when placed on the nose a lot of ripe, rich flavors dark chocolate, ripe plums and hints of cigar box slightly charred fascinates one’s sense of smell.
Leopard’s Leap on the other hand was the darling of the Wine Festival, this I confess with such strong conviction, not just from the fact that this wine estate was the only one in the upper levels of the VIP lounge, but admittedly from the brand’s smooth, well balanced and so very distinct taste, Leopard’s Leap captured many a follower. The Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (le Francais!), is the most mellow, rich and mildly sweet wine I’ve ever sipped. At R158.00 for a bottle of their finest, you can be guaranteed of enjoying the best – this at a fraction of the R600.00 bill you would foot for a gulp of Don Pérignon.
I, being a novice and all, seriously recommend the Annual Soweto Wine Tasting Festival to any aspiring wine collector. The myriad of aromas and the continuous tinkling of wine glasses will surely cause your tongue to uncontrollably reverberate for more of the Cape’s liquid Bling!
Bon Appétit !
Reuben-the Matrix-Malema
