It's Just Not Fair (But I Like It)

Leaving an estate up in the Helderberg after a fine tasting recently I was struck, just for a minute or two, by the unfairness of it all.
I mean  there we were,  departing with a box of the good stuff purchased at cellar door price, having spent a couple of hours taking up the precious time of the winemaker himself, having left no tasting fee and paid no charge for enjoying the stunning surroundings. We left behind a tasting room needing some re-stocking, a fireplace needing more wood, an empty olive and biscuit tray and a winemaker’s wife who got to see less of her husband that day than she expected (like every other day, I suppose.)
Through the vineyards we drove, without having to consider spraying or pruning or harvesting or irrigation. A quick wave to a group of farm workers but no thought about their wages, their housing or the community upliftment programmes so essential today in the winelands. And then on through the gates and into our world where South Africans in general have still not really taken to wine, and many who have still refuse to pay more than R35.00 for a decent bottle of red.
And this is what I mean about “the unfairness of it all”. We are welcomed as guests to these magnificent estates, soak up the hospitality and then leave at our leisure, often without having paid fair price for the experience or considering the footprint we have left.
But then this is what wine is all about, isn’t it? Those who make the wine are proud of what they have achieved and want to share it with others. When we find ourselves in possession of a good bottle we immediately seek out others to share it with, don’t we? And so I would encourage others to take the opportunity to travel the winelands and engage with the good folk who run these establishments.
It is a rare pleasure and privilege indeed. Oh, and buy a box when you leave ...

The Swig Tests for the Wineplebs

The news is that we now have our very own resident wine expert, The Swig (see above) who will be tasting a variety of wines for us in future editions.
Tonight he will be commenting on the newly released Obikwa Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 which was rewarded with a 4 star rating in the latest Wine Magazine - despite having a shelf price of only R28.00! Naturally to keep the Wineplebs from exploding into a feeding frenzy and rushing off to Checkers, we thought we had better get our expert to check it out first.
Some say that he can tell the difference between Meerlust Rubicon and Four Cousines Rose blindfolded, and that he is campaigning for all crash helmets to come with a straw ... All we know is that he's called The Swig!
And he's off, raising the glass to his visor to take note of the nose - all ripe red fruit.
Then its onto the palate where the frutiness is complemented by some characteristic Cabernet cigar flavours. The mid palate seems to lack some weight but The Swig seems satisfied with the mouthfeel.
Quickly on to the finish, and here again this is a satisfying Cabernet that leaves a few lingering flavours but overall just cannot compete with some of the great Cabernet's around at the moment.
However, at less than 28 bucks a bottle, lets not get all ponsy and snobbish.
So, the final verdict is - a great wine to bring out at the braai and one which will stand up to a lot more expensive stuff. Outstanding at the end of a long evening when your mates are calling for nothing but the best.

Kanonkop Goes Big

Firstly, a word of advice. Never presume, for as we all know, presumption is the mother of all f... ups.

It all started innocently enough with an invitation to Kanonkop for a tasting of their recently launched Black Label Pinotage. Just for interest sake, this bottle of ox blood retails at around R1, 200.00 a bottle and can only be sourced through a select group of merchants (hence the growing friendship with Wade Bales - but that is a story for another day.)

And so I left suburbia on a Monday evening to rendezvous with a fellow Pleb at the top farm. The first indication that this would be no low-key affair was the loaded cannon on the lawn, manned by a guy in a hat with matches who looked like Lord Nelson, not to mention the welcome table handing out Villiera Tradition Brut and some other white and red stuff I never got a chance to sample.

As usual we were the only Plebs there, my mate looking like Farmer Brown in his khaki shorts and two-tone shirt and me looking only slightly better in a faded jean pant and badly ironed top. Then things went slightly pear shaped as Lord Nelson let off the cannon while we were focused on downing the bubbly, scaring the crap out of us and leaving Farmer Brown with a classy wet patch where his bib should have been. Once the car alarms had been turned off and the heart attack guy removed from the lawn we were invited to move into the tasting area.

The formalities were mercifully brief, limited protocol and no array of guest speakers. First up was the Black Label 2006, for us the pick of the bunch, tons of fruit on the nose, beautiful feel in the mouth, moer of a complicated tastes going on and then a finish as long as the queue at a Steve Hofmeyer concert in Boksburg.

This was followed by the 2007 and the 2008, all top drawer and none tasting anything like the Pinotage the Plebs and I are accustomed to, all rich raspberry, leather and a touch of mocca (I got those words from the label on the back of the bottle...) And then, as the last drop left the glass, we resigned ourselves to the coming thanks and farewells. But no, Kanonkop had other ideas.

We were then directed to the art gallery and cellar for vertical tastings of Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon and Paul Sauer Bordeaux-style blend, some going back to 1988! It was a smorgasbord of the very best of Kanonkop, a feeding frenzy, as Farmer Brown remarked as his eyes glazed over. The collection of nectar was the best I have seen, we wandered between tables like two schoolboys at a cheerleader's convention.

Then, surely it must be over ... But no, we were then directed onwards to a famous Kanonkop snoek braai with homemade breads and konfyt, and ordered to enjoy ourselves by the management. Yes sir, said Farmer Brown as he headed for the drinks table and yet another selection of Kanonkop's finest.

It was a night to remember, some of the best wines I have ever had the pleasure of tasting and some solid Afrikaans hospitality. We even managed to strike up a chat or two with the snobs but they seemed to lose interest when I said I would not be ordering a case of the Black Label due to a problem I am having with my Pep Stores account.

Anyway, my thanks to the crowd at Kanonkop for a top class evening. And for the fellow Plebs out there, I suggest that every now and then you throw a bit of spare cash at a bottle of their Pinotage or maybe even a bottle of Paul Sauer if you are feeling flush. Which brings me back to the issue of presumption that we started with. Never underestimate the level of hospitality in the winelands and never presume that you will get home early and sober on a Monday evening ...