During the Apartheid era in South Africa, one of the fiercest advocates of equality was Johnny Clegg, a white South African singer. Perhaps his most famous song is The Scatterlings of Africa. This song celebrates the fact that we all trace our roots back to Africa. And so it is, that the roots of new world wines can be traced back to that continent, and in particular to 1685 with wine made at a vineyard called Constantia, near Cape Town, and in particular, a wine that is now recognised as one of the greatest in the world, Vin de Constance.
We have not seen much South African wine in New Zealand until recently, and then only in limited quantities. This has all changed and we now have companies such as Planet Wines who can introduce us to the whole range of wines being made in South Africa, from the traditional pinotage and chenin blanc, through to wines that challenge the most refined palate.
It is with much pleasure therefore that our next function will be held at the Seafarers Club, above Ostro, and will be a tasting of South African wines presented by our new member, Jemma Grobbelaar, from Planet Wines along with tasty South African morsels to match the wines, prepared by the chef from Ostro who also hails from South Africa.
This is an event not to be missed and will be one at which you will perhaps reacquaint yourself with the tastes of Africa or perhaps find something new and different. We will of course be tasting Klein Constantia, the wine that started it all back in 1659 and established new world colonies as the homes of outstanding wines.
The wines we will be tasting are:
- Pierre Jourdan Belle Rose 2010 Sparkling
- Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc 2015
- The Sadie Family Palladius 2013
- Morgenster Lourens River 2000
- Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2011
- Kanonkop Pinotage 2014
- Beeslaar Pinotage 2013
- Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2009