Monthly Archives: January 2013

… And discover the wonderful world of Pinotage.

This week I had the pleasure of trying 2 very different Pinotage wines from South Africa.

The first one is Cafe Culture Pinotage from the Western Cape region.   It was recommended by a colleague of mine at work.  Thanks Anthony!

Talk about your flavor.  I didn’t have to lift the glass to my nose before the aromas of Mocha, Chocolate, Coffee, and Oak hit me.  And it was quite powerful on the palate as well.  All those flavors listed above are almost trying to compete for dominance with one another.  The winemaker himself, Bertus Fourie, was quoted as saying “is the most controversial style of Pinotage wine in the world. Most people crave it”.  

That’s an interesting statement to make.  I asked my friend Gary if he had ever tried it, and he said “About a dozen times, and I still don’t know what to make of it”.  It is one of the most interesting wines I have ever tried.

Now, if the “in your face” kind of flavor is not your thing, and you like all those flavors in a more subtle glass, I have the Pinotage for you.  My friend Sue recommended this.

This is the Ja-Mocha 2011 Pinotage , also from the Western Cape region of South Africa.  I loved this wine.  All those flavors of coffee, Mocha, chocolate, oak – in a more subtle wine.  Soft tannins and very well-balanced, I found it both extremely pleasant on the nose and on the palate.  I enjoyed it immensely both before the meal and after the meal.

Both are great wines.  Like all wines, it a matter of personal preference.  I think what I loved about these two wines the most, is that they are guaranteed to be great conversation starters.

I would like to take a moment to thank each and every one of you that read my blog.  The week before readership hit an all-time high, and last week we blew that record out of the water.   I am extremely grateful for the Shares and Retweets on social media, as it has allowed me to share and receive from people all around the world.

Thanks again, till next week, Cheers!

Darlene

Well, as we are almost at the half way mark in January, and I have some great wines to help keep you toasty warm this winter.

When you’ve had one of those weeks, and you need a treat – I have the treat for you.

This is the 2005 Resalte Ribera del Duero Crianza.  It was voted the Number 1 Spanish wine in the world in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines of 2010 and #26 on the list.  And let me tell you it is spectacular.  For those of you that have been reading this wine blog for a while, you know I am a huge fan of the Marquis de Riscal Rioja wine.

With its gold netting, it’s a nice looking bottle, and a great wine with tastes of cedar and plum.  A great smooth Spanish wine.  Well, you can’t buy the Marquis de Riscal in Nova Scotia.  But I feel I have found one just as good.  Leave it my friend Susan from the NSLC to come up with a great tasting Tempranillo.  A crianza has to be aged 6 months in oak, this spent 15 months in French and American oak, so you can taste the oak.  It’s smooth, but it has 15% Alcohol content, so it’s robust and powerful and can deliver a punch.   Ripe red fruits with hints of oak and smoke.  Perfection.

At $27 a bottle here in Nova Scotia, it’s a treat, but worth every penny.  I thoroughly enjoyed it with a stuffed butterfly pork chop, stuffed with feta cheese, bacon and jalapenos.

Till next week, in vitro veritas.  In wine there is truth.  At 15% Alcohol, maybe too much truth.

Enjoy

Darlene

Happy New Year to friends far and near, fellow bloggers and wine lovers!  Well, we survived 2012.  It was a year of some great times, and great wines.   It was a year of big change for me, as I moved to a new province.   And moving to a new province allowed me to try some great local wine, as well as new offerings from the NSLC and independent wine stores.

What better way to start the New year than with a great deal!!  Many people are a little cash strapped this time of year, but that’s no reason not to enjoy fine wine.  Am I right?

This is Talamonti Tre Saggi Montipulciano D’abruzzo.  It’s a mouthfull to say – and a great mouthful of wine!  Tre SAggi, which means three wise men, is a terrific wine at a great price.  $16.99 here at the NSLC, it was given 90 Points by Wine Enthusiast magazine and in 2007 was awarded the Gold medal at the Mnidus Vini Great International Wine Awards.

It was spicy, oaky, lots of fruit flavor and I found it great with food (I had pork that evening) and I found it easy to drink all by itself.  Great dark color that looks good in the glass and tastes good on the palate.

I am always looking for new wines to try and write about.  Please please please, if you have a favorite, I would love to try it.

Thanks for reading and until next week, Cheers!

Darlene