Wine Review - KWV Chenin Blanc 2015

The Braai Oak

So I've never written a post of this kind before and I doubt it will be a regular subject. Recipes and cooking aren't exactly my forte or passion. Don't get me wrong, I do cook for my son and I, and we are still alive, awesome, and I'll pull off the Don Juan moves by cooking a romantic meal for that special lady, although I will intuitively and smartly use my charm and wine, to somewhat distract said special lady from the meal in order to place the emphasis on the ambiance... (Ssshhh, if the women's network finds out about this, I may experience future challenges).

Lets face it though, wine and food pair, and I've been known to enjoy standing around hot coals and braai, aka barbecue. 

So why is braaing cool?:

• Man make fire, arrr - boost to manliness and ego; 
• You have wine in hand - need I say more?; 
• Braaing is a healthy form of cooking as the fat from the meat drips away through the grill; 
• You're outdoors, who hoo - increase vitamin D intake and finally 
• It's sociable and you get to talk and be silly with your mates. Ps. Invite some mates.

So here's my attempt at a braai and wine pairing, a vegetarian braai I will add, which is extremely unusual for me as I am a carnivore of note.

What you will need:

Large mushrooms

Asparagus

Mielies

Peppers (Red, green and yellow)

Cheese

Butter

Olive oil

Vinegar

Garlic

Coarse salt

Wine, lots of it (Chenin blanc will go down well)

Preparation (Let me reiterate that I am not a chef! So use your own initiative for better preparation and presentation skills): 

• Have a sip of wine
• Turn the mushrooms upside down and drizzle with olive oil, stuff with garlic, butter and cheese. (Mushrooms add meatiness to a vegetarian braai).  
• Drizzle the asparagus and mielies with olive oil and coarse salt.
• Have a sip of wine

Braai:

• If you have a braai such as a Weber or a gas braai with a lid, you can cook the mushrooms in such, if not, bake the mushrooms in an oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese has melted and mushrooms are warmed through.
• Put the mielies and asparagus on the grill and turn occasionally until grilled. 
• Put the peppers on the grill and ensure there is a a slight flame to enable the outer skins to burn and blacken slowly all over. Once this is done, allow the peppers to cool down slightly and then place the peppers into a plastic shopping bag. Then tie a knot in the bag and rub the peppers all over with the plastic bag until the outer burnt skin has been completely removed revealing the flesh of the peppers. Rinse slightly with water if there are still pieces of burnt skin on the peppers. Dice the peppers up and together with the seeds, add vinegar, salt and olive oil to create the best damn pepper salad ever!
• Have some more wine.

If you eat fish, add tuna stuffed tomatoes:

• Mix tuna with mayonnaise, chopped onion, salt and pepper. It was suggested to me, thank you to you know who ;) to add lemon zest, dill and a touch of fennel to the tuna which sounds delicious.
• Cut the tops of the tomatoes off, hollow it out by removing the flesh with a spoon and then fill the cavity with the above tuna mixture.
• Get your glass of wine and yes, you know what to do...

So what did I pair this all with?

The trick to pairing wine with food is that both should compliment each other and neither should dominate the other.

I paired the food with Chenin blanc as there was no red meat and therefore a dry white would work well with the vegetables and tuna. The 2011 Simonsig Chenin Blanc was fruity and complimented the food well with its full body which stood up to the "meaty" mushrooms. Chenin blanc is a versatile varietal and can range from fresh and fruity to rich and ripe. See more detailed information regarding Chenin blanc in a previous post I wrote: http://www.thewineoak.com/2011/09/to-screw-or-to-cork-chenin-blanc.html 

Happy Braaing!

Ps. Have another sip of wine...

Poll Results - November 2011

Interesting to see that there is no clear winner when it comes to the white varieties, with the regular ones all competing well against each other with close results. The most common or recognized 5 varieties all came in at 1st or 2nd place. Here are the results:

• 1st: Riesling and Viognier with 18.5% of the votes each
• 2nd: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc with 13% of the votes each
• 3rd: Pinot Grigio with 8% of the votes
• 4th: Gewurztraminer and Semillon with 5% of the votes each
• 5th: Pinot Gris & Blended white wines with 2% of the votes each
• 6th: Colombar & Muscat, shame poor lads scored 0% each

Here are a few characteristics of the top 5 varieties and most likely why they are the winners. Obviously these common characteristics of the varieties are generalizations, as wine making techniques and terroir do affect the characteristics of wine:

Riesling: Very aromatic, can be slightly sweeter with rounded acidity. Generally not wooded and has good ageing potential. Older Rieslings can have kerosene or honey like characteristics. 

Viognier: In a nutshell, pleasing floral aromas and very aromatic.

Sauvignon Blanc: Crisp, light, fresh and refreshing with high acidity. Good on its own on hot summer days. generally not wooded. 

Chardonnay: Wooded most of the time and therefore full bodied. Citrus flavours and creamy. Stands up to food and has good ageing potential. 

Chenin Blanc: The most versatile of the lot. Can be wooded or unwooded, fresh and fruity, rich and ripe or sweet. Described as a tropical fruit salad and has a slight bitterness at the back of the throat (that's not a bad thing) 

With all this talk about white wine, what will you be drinking today? 

To Screw, Or To Cork & Chenin Blanc Versatility

Chenin Blanc Association Lunch - 26 August 2011

Spring is a week early as I enter Thomas Maxwell Kitchen in Parkmore and the weather is perfect for sipping on a range of quality Chenin Blancs. The room is a buzz with conversations of social media and Chenin Blanc by Andy Hadfield, creator of Real Time Wine and a few true industry leaders of the Chenin Blanc Association whom are hosting the lunch.

I was invited along with Andy as a guest from Real Time Wine, to hear about new developments in South Africa’s great white varietal and to talk a bit about social media and Real Time Wine’s funky, versatile and “Top Gear” approach to 140 character wine reviews.

From the get-go, the hospitable Jeff Grier of Villiera, places a glass in my paw and fills it up with a cool refreshing Chenin Blanc, which is very much appreciated after the dreaded bumper to bumper trip on the N1 from Pretoria. Jeff, introduces me to Zakkie Bester of Riebeek Cellars, Richard Kershaw of Mulderbosch and Ken Forrester of Ken Forrester Wines. Luckily all the testosterone in the house is dissected as the cheerful Jenny Ratcliffe-Wright, Editor of Winestyle Magazine arrives, followed by Lyn Woodward, a Cape Wine Master, Kim Hoepfl from Woman and Home Magazine and Katy Chance from Business Day.

We are presented with an interesting and delicious menu, with various diverse options to pair with and try the great versatility of Chenin Blanc. I start off with a bowl of fresh mussels, simmering in a white sauce, lemon, garlic and parsley cream, followed by Free Range – pan fried duck breast served on a cauliflower pomme puree and finished off with a champagne Beurre Blanc. Compliments to the chef!   

As I devour my duck, feathers are stirred by a highly contentious topic, “Screw Cap Versus Cork” and the legendary Ken Forrester firmly stands his ground favouring screw cap as a superior form of closure for wine bottles. It seems the general consensus is confirmed around the table, although comments are made by some that there is a time and place for cork. Ken points out that it is a misconception that cork is involved in the ageing process of wine and says its sole and only purpose is for use as a closure, full stop. It’s actually the oxygen trapped within the bottle that causes the ageing effect on a wine, as a good quality cork is not meant to be porous. There is a less possibility of a wine being contaminated by a screw cap and being “corked.” Additionally, screw caps allow wines to be stored vertically as it is not necessary for the wine to be in contact with the screw cap, as is the case with a cork, in order for it to remain moist to prevent it from contracting and allowing excessive oxygen contact with the wine. Richard explains to us that constant temperature regulation, which is ideally around 13 degrees Celsius, has a stronger influence on the ageing effect of a wine.

It is agreed that cork definitely has an influence on the purchasing characteristics of consumers, as a wine is perceived to be more premium and expensive, so to say, if its closed with such.

The quick thinking Andy quickly posts on Facebook and tweets a poll to the Real Time Wine Followers:

“Would you buy a premium wine with a screw cap? Yes or No.”

The response is somewhat surprising. Screw cap wins 14 - 3!

We continue to discuss the versatility of Chenin Blanc and the various styles from Fresh and Fruity, Rich and Ripe to Sweet and even Sparkling. Chenin Blanc is South Africa’s champion wine and the most recognised white wine varietal globally and at home in SA. It is the largest cultivar in production in South Africa, accounting for almost 30% of all white wine production and 20% of overall production (SAWIS). Distracted by all the conversation, I don’t even realise I’m on my fourth Chenin Blanc as it complements the food so well. Let me trace back a few steps…

Andy, Ken and I scored one of the Chenins:

2009 Villiera Traditional Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc.

I said: Its Austin Powers: its nutty. Its also creamy but goes down under, like Australia… Rich but easy. 8/10

Andy said: Smells like nutty sour yeast. Thick with a slightly sweet aftertaste. Subtle, not powerful. 7/10

Ken said: Expecting: Traditional. Smell: Bakery vanilla waft. Honey/ koeksister taste. Main course wine. 8/10

Other Chenins we tried:

2010 Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc Steen Op Hout – I think its well balanced with a lime characteristic and easy drinking.

2010 Kasteelberg Chenin Blanc (Riebeek Cellars) – I find it smoky, buttery and full bodied.

2009 The FMC (Forrester Meinert Chenin) – Its rich, elegant, complex and a special occasion wine.

We end off with dessert and I opt for a crème Brule to accompany the 2009 “T” Noble Late Harvest. A sweet tooth I don’t have, but what a good decision, yum!