Friday, August 27, 2010
Is Franc the Future for Cape Wine?
August 26, 2010 Marston
© Cape Times Friday 27th August 2010
For many winelovers, Cab is king. But after an incredible tasting last week, I think that the real question we should all be asking is – which Cab are we talking about? Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most well-travelled grapes in the world, happily putting down roots in both Northern and Southern hemispheres, making wines in practically every winemaking country there is, oomphing up Chiantis and spicing up Cape Blends. But behind every great grape, there is an even greater one and in this case, it's a variety called Cabernet Franc. And that was the focus of our tasting at the Cru Café in the Cape Quarter last week.
DNA tests have now proved that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the love child of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Both Sauvignon and Cabernet Sauvignon have enjoyed massive success over the years (if you want to try a few, then head for the Wine Concepts Seductive Sauvignon Festival tonight at the Vineyard Hotel. Call 021 671 9030 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 021 671 9030 end_of_the_skype_highlighting for tickets) but Cabernet Franc has rather languished in the shallows of obscurity. It is used in Bordeaux and makes all the red wines in the Loire Valley, but hasn't really achieved the success of its more famous child.
Last week's tasting set out to prove that all Cab Franc needed was a new country in which to showcase its talents, and various top wine Twitterers and twittering winemakers convened to discuss the topic. We were joined online by internationally-acclaimed wine guru, Jancis Robinson, along with another celebrated UK journalist, Tim Atkin, both adding their 10c to the discussion. Leading the tasting and towering over us all, both literally and vinously, was Bruwer Raats of Raats Family Wines, widely considered one of the finest Cabernet Franc winemakers in the world.
The tasting covered Bruwer's wines and another Cape Cab Franc legend from Warwick Estate, and included newer entries to the market such as Haut Espoir's fascinating versions made from high-altitude vineyards in Franschhoek (these were barrel samples and will only be released in a few years time – get yourself on the list now!). The Signal Hill Cab Franc from new vineyards in Kalk Bay – only 86m away from the sea – was particularly interesting. Owner/winemaker Jean-Vincent Ridon explained that there was so much salt on the grapes, he originally thought he would have to wash them before foot-stomping, but eventually decided to leave them as they were, creating a perfumed wine which perfectly expresses its terroir.
One awesome wine followed another, each one showing style, individuality and elegance, each one confirming our growing opinions that Cabernet Franc has got an amazing future in South Africa – I was glad that I'd booked those lovely drivers from Goodfellas (www.gfellas.co.za) to take me home because there was very little spitting going on anywhere around the table! Everyone was passionate about this variety either as a single cultivar which is what Bruwer and Jean-Vincent believe or as part of a blend such as Warwick Trilogy – Neil Moorhouse from Zorgvliet is punting Cab Franc/Merlot blends as ones to watch so remember where you heard it first!
For those of you who've never tried a Cabernet Franc, it is fairly similar to a Cabernet Sauvignon in that it generally has lots of dense, dark black fruits and sturdy tannins, but Cabernet Franc also has a spicy green edge to it which can manifest itself as herbal, perfumed and aromatic giving multiple layers of flavour and complexity. If you want to give it a go, then entry-level priced ones include L'Avenir at R50, Zorgvliet at R65, Eikendal at R70 and Signal Hill Constantia Cab Franc also at R70. And if, you've already been converted to Cabernet Franc then you can do no better than a bottle of Warwick at R235, the fascinating Signal Hill Kalk Bay at R250 or the Raats Family at R280. Give one of them a go this weekend – I've tasted the future, and the future's Franc!
Cathy is wine editor of www.Food24.com. For more information visit www.cathymarston.co.za or follow her on Twitter @CathyMarston
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Zelma Long & Anya Gallaccio present 'Motherlode' wine project in Healdsburg, California
August 25th, 6 TO 9 PM
SlaughterhouseSpace is proud to present Motherlode, an extraordinary living art event drawn directly from Mother Earth by world renowned artist Anya Gallaccio.
Well known for her sculptural investigations of nature, Anya Gallaccio has exhibited extensively including the Turner Prize Exhibition, Tate Modern, the Sculpture Center in New York, and Camden Arts Center, London. Questioning how to create artwork in response to landscape, Gallaccio's project is a unique attempt to produce a picture of Sonoma County using only material of its land: the soil and fruit. In collaboration with Zelma Long, one of the first women winemakers in California, the two produced this series to distill the essence of Sonoma County. Through five Zinfandels, they chartered the terroir of five different appellations stretching the breadth of the county. A sixth blends the regions into a portrait of Sonoma.
Our presentation of this project will feature flights of their handiwork paired with locally produced cuisine by Sonoma county's own Tara Wachtel. Tara has worked for over a decade directly with wine producers to construct perfectly balanced pairings and is currently sous-chef at Zazu Restaurant, a hub of local sustainable cuisine. The wine pairings have been crafted to realize a representation of this place: the colors, textures, and feelings expressed through this experiential artwork.
Anya Gallaccio has achieved a complex and vibrant work of art that truly needs to be experienced with all the senses. The artist and winemaker will be in attendance and curator Lee Plested will present a talk about the historical context, development, and realization of this conceptual project.
Space is very limited so reserve early to assure your participation in this unique Sonoma County event. Tickets are $75 per person and include flights of the 6 wines paired with 6 delectable courses for a full art / dining experience. For more information about this once in a lifetime event,please call Lee Plested at 415.336.2827 or email pat@slaughterhousespace.com
We are deeply honored to host this project and wish to thank Anya Gallaccio for her generous participation.
SLAUGHTERHOUSESPACE
280 CHIQUITA RD
HEALDSBURG, CA 95448
707.431.1514
www.slaughterhousespace.com
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
A REPORT ON THE FOOD & WINE BLOGGERS CLUB MEETING LAST NIGHT
Written by Chris van Ulmenstein and posted to her blog www.whalecottage.com/blog/
Free-lance writer and second-most read South African food blogger Jane-Anne Hobbs, writing the Scrumptious South Africa blog, described food bloggers as “desperate for attention” at the Food & Wine Bloggers’ Club meeting last night, and their genre of writing can be called “vanity publishing”, she said. The bloggers present felt that this description probably applies to bloggers across the board!
The Food & Wine Bloggers’ Club was started earlier this year, and “pairs” a different food blogger and a wine blogger every month. The wines of the Wine Blogger are tasted, and Warwick/Vilafonte’s Mike Ratcliffe brought along his Warwick Professor Black, the unique Warwick Blue Lady without vintage, and Vilafonte Series M 2006 (the highest rated Merlot blend according to Wine Spectator), for the bloggers to taste. Food was served by Cafe Max. Meetings are informal, and questions are answered during the two-hour meeting, encouraging fledgling bloggers to obtain input and tips from more experienced bloggers.
Jane-Anne said that through social media, “opinion has been democratised”, creating a serious threat for traditional media, with their short lead times in publishing restaurant reviews, or food information, compared to traditional magazine and newspaper publishing, and this is leading to tension between the two media types. She started her blog three years ago, and it reflects her love for cooking and for developing recipes. While one may not get financial reward out of a blog, especially if one does not accept advertising, which is Jane-Anne’s policy (nor does she accept freebies), she feels that she is adding value to her readers, and she herself receives emotional, intellectual and entertainment satisfaction from writing her blog. She advised that food blogs must focus on accuracy in terms of ingredients and method of preparation, but also in terms of spelling and grammar.
Online integrity is vital, and one must trust one’s palate in expressing what one experiences, even if it is not the popular view, one blogger said. One should track one’s performance, and Jane-Anne advised that referring to, and tagging, names of chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson and Gordon Ramsay leads to increased web traffic. She also advised that one “should find one’s voice” through the blog, and allow one’s readers to “get to know you”, and one’s personality should come through, whatever one’s communication style might be. While content is king, a “yummy and descriptive” headline is vital in attracting readers into the content, and photographs should be of a “reasonable quality”. Jane-Anne feels that it is sad to see so many young people’s idea of food and cooking being shaped by chefs and cookery book writers such as Ramsay, Lawson and Oliver, without them having exposure to a more classic cooking culture. With her Scrumptious blog, Jane-Anne hopes to broaden their cooking knowledge.
Mike Ratcliffe is probably the most experienced social media marketing wine marketer, and impressed with the different tools he referred to and uses: Blogging, Twitter, FourSquare, Twideo, Google Maps Latitude, and Nice to Meet You. He has opted out of Facebook, due to the lack of control. He writes a Vilafonte and a Warwick blog, being the Managing Partner of the former brand, and the Managing Director of the latter brand. Vilafonte grapes are grown near Sante Wellness, between Paarl and Franschhoek, and the wines are made in a state-of-the-art venue at Bosman’s Crossing in Stellenbosch, while the Warwick wines are made the traditional way by Mike’s mother Norma on their farm. Her 25th vintage celebration will take the Warwick wines around the world with 40 dinners, at which 10 vintages of their wines will be tasted. Mike is an irregular blogger, as he travels a lot, and finds he has more time to blog when he travels. He “leans to controversy” in what he writes, he says, yet he will not pick a fight, and will step back in a fight. He complimented www.wines.co.za for their platform on which he is encouraged to write, creating huge exposure to their 40000 unique readers per month.
Mike advised bloggers to be responsible in their blogging, as one influences views. One must check one’s information sources, and not use a blog as a platform for retaliation. If one disappoints one’s readers, they will no longer follow the blogger. A blog is successful when one is passionate about one’s topic, and about writing. Twitter is on a growth trend, he feels, and positional tweeting (crowdsourcing) will be introduced soon. Mike uses traditional marketing communication media too, such as advertising and PR, and the 2000 members of the Warwick Wine Club are an important testing and tasting ground for new wines developed. He claims that his marketing is spontaneous and dynamic, but one gets the impression that Mike Ratcliffe knows exactly what he is doing in marketing his brands, and is acknowledged by his peers in this respect. He was praised by a fellow blogger as a professional.
The next Food and Wine Bloggers’ Club meeting is on Wednesday 18 August, and will “pair” Sam Wilson of Food24 Blogs, and Rob Armstrong of Haut Espoir in Franschhoek. Bookings can be made by e-mailing info@whalecottage.com
Saturday, July 17, 2010
The most beautiful Winter morning at Warwick Wine Estate
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe
Sunday, July 11, 2010
On the train to Soccer City - the world Cup final vibe is awesome
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe
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