Woolworths Taste – August 2019

TABLE TALK

I go weak at the knees for a proper
German Riesling (there’s something
about the kerosene aroma I can’t get
enough of – it’s a thing). Riesling is also
known for having a slightly sweeter side,
which is balanced perfectly by its naturally
higher acidity. When it comes to reds,
I’m relishing Grenache. It’s called the “poor
man’s Pinot Noir” because it’s just as light
and easy-drinking as Pinot, but much
moreaffordable.

A rising star in the wine biz is Charla
Haasbroek of Sijnn Wines. She’s one of the
most down-to-earth, hardworking women
I know. And that’s saying something,
considering she is currently eight months
pregnant and still running a cellar team
outinMalgaslikea boss.

As someone who is still discovering
(and we all are), I think single-varietal wines
are a great way to learn about a grape’s
characteristics and figure out what you like.
But the true art of winemaking is the
blending skill of the winemaker – it’s
no easy feat to determine the exact
percentages of different varieties to create
a wine that’s more enjoyable than the
varieties on their own. That’s where the
magic happens. Blends are typically better
withfood,butthat’sforyoutodecide.

If you’re ever left with a bottle of
unfinished wine after a quiet Tuesday
night in, pour the remaining wine into an
ice tray and pop it into the freezer, ready
to use the next time a recipe calls for some
wine. If you really want to store an opened
bottle, be sure to cork it with its original
cork or with a tight-fitting bottle-stopper.
You want to prevent oxygen from getting
into the bottle. The time frames vary

dependingonthetypeofwinebutI would

saydon’tkeepit formorethantwodays.

Myfavouriteglobaldishis

melanzaneallaparmigiana. Myhusband

andI caneasilyeattheentirethingwhile

sharinga bottleofCabernetFranc– the

hightanninsandfullbodyofthewine

cutthroughtherichnessofthedish.

Thereareneveranyleftovers!

goshco.co.za

THESOMMELIER

ANDRESTAURANT

MANAGER

Penelope

Setti,Chefs

Warehouse

Myloveofwinewassparked

whenI workedatanItalianrestaurant

calledLaGalleriainGrahamstownjust

afterfinishinghighschool.I’dhave

conversationswithmybosswhereshe’d

say:“Youcan’tsellsomethingunless

youknowit”.Soshepouredmemyfirst

properglassofwine:theAnthonijRupert

TerradelCapoSangiovese(availableat

WooliesforR99.99).I sniffedandsipped

andI justlovedit.I washooked.

There are so many misconceptions

about this job, especially if you’re a black

woman from a conservative background.

People think you’re just sitting drinking all

day. But there’s a lot you have to know –

the theory involves so much studying and

you’re always learning something new.

I’ve completed the Wine & Spirits Education

Trust (WSET) Level 3 and am starting the

diploma in August. I want my diploma

tosay“Look,see”.It’sa verification.

The great thing here is that I report

directly to restaurant owners, Jan and

Liam Tomlin. They have stepped back

and said “curate the wine list”, which is

not something sommeliers often get

to do. The idea is to showcase as many

producers as we can, so we don’t have

more than one wine from the same

farm on the list. And we don’t have any

international wines – most of our clientele

is foreign, so why do that when there

aresomanygreatlocalwines?

To be honest, I don’t really like

pairings. Your experience of what you’re

drinking will be different to mine, so

I rather ask “What do you like to drink?”.

Describe what you enjoy and I’ll then

do the pairing to suit both your personal

tastes and the food. It’s possible to drink

a very nice red wine with fish, for example.

Yes, there are some clashes, so I will gently

suggest an alternative if necessary.

I want you to have a great experience

and,perhaps,tolearnsomething.

The most versatile wine to see

you through a multi-course meal

is Sauvignon Blanc. It goes exceptionally

well with our Asian-inspired food at Chefs

Warehouse, which needs something light

and bright with citrus. Almenkerk’s are

nice and crisp and will usually go with

everything. If you prefer red, try a light

Cinsault,GrenacheorPinotNoir.

If you want to start collecting wine

find out which vintages were good – for

example 2009, 2015 and 2018 – and try

finding wines from those years. And then

certain varieties age better, so never age

Sauvignon Blanc unless it comes from

Sancerre in France. Certain wines are

made to be drunk now. Reds tend to age

better but it does depend on the year

and variety. The bigger the wine and

its tannins, the better it will age.

@whatablackgirldranklastnight

TASTE AUGUST 2019 45

THEFIZZISREAL

Here’saninsider’ssecret:theSteenbergSparklingSauvignonBlanc

availableatWoolies,R109.99)maynotbelabelledasa Méthode

CapClassiquebutthebubblesinthebottleareproduced–

accordingtothetraditionalChampagnemethod– bysecond

ermentationinthebottle.“Wewanttopreservethefreshnessof

heSauvignonBlancflavours,sothebasewineonlyspendsa short

imeinthebottle,”explainswinemakerElundaBasson.Theresult

s a light,fresh,affordablebubbly.Becausesummeris coming.

T H ( C a f t t

is

“I go weak at the knees

for a German Riesling

• there’s something
  about the aroma”