the juice...
Below is a brief explanation of some of the major grape varieties available. This is just a brief snapshot of the grapes and is by no means a definitive explanation. If you would like to see more varieties featured, email the winepom.
grape of the moment...gamay noir (red)
Gamay Noir is really Pinot Noir's ugly cousin. From the same region (Burgundy), Gamay Noir is used to produce the earliest bottled wine in the northern hemisphere, namely Beaujolais Nouveau. The grapes are picked and left in their bunches in concrete vats. The grapes are left to their own devices and start fermenting inside the berry. After a time, the weight of the grapes combined with the pressure of the fermentation cause the berries to explode and the juice, aka wine leaks out. This process is called carbonic maceration and is probably the laziest way to make wine possible (although I am oversimplifying the process). A characteristic of the carbonic maceration method is that the wine hardly spends any time on the skins which means a very light wine is produced and the tannins are low. Hence the Japanese go nuts for it beacause its a bit like drinking Manga cartoon blood. Or something like that. Try it chilled, its a thoroughly rewarding experience.
What to look out for: fresh raspberry, bubblegum, red berrym light in colour and tannins with crisp fresh acidity...
What to look out for: fresh raspberry, bubblegum, red berrym light in colour and tannins with crisp fresh acidity...
the reds...
cabernet sauvignon- world famous and part of the grape aristocracy and a key component in Bordeaux blends. Cabernet Sauvignon is a small grape with thick skin - this high skin to pulp ratio means that CS has high tannins.
What to look for: blackcurrant (cassis) flavour, minty freshness (think eucalyptus or blue gum tree), big tannins, medium to high acidity and its ability to marry well with oak (vanilla spice).
shiraz - originally named after a small town in Iran - the French and the pretentious called it 'Syrah'. Similar to Cabernet Sauvignon in that it tastes and smells of blackcurrant & blackberry, occassionally you will also find it blended it with a small percentage of Viognier (a white grape) to make an ultra smooth blend.
What to look for: blackcurrant, blackberry, white pepper spice, liqourice, smooth juicy tannins, medium acidity and alcohol.
merlot - a solid grape variety, orginally used by the Bordeaux possé to add flesh to the bony structure of Cabernet Sauvignons. By itself, it produces plummy, fruity wines with soft subble tannins and can with stand some ageing in oak.
What to look for: steady grape which has medium flavours of plums, dark cherry, damson fruit, minty freshness, medium acidity, medium, soft juicy tannins, medium alcohol...medium everything really.
pinotage - a frankenstein of a wine, pinotage is a man made crossing of Pinot Noir & Cinsault (also known as Hermitage) and is peculiar and popular to South Africa, in the same way Kurt Darren is.
What to look for: Soft and fruity, dark forest fruits (think blueberry & blackberry), smokey notes, dark chocolate & coffee. Pinotage has medium tannins, medium alcohol, body and acidity. This coffee flavour has been enhanced, originally pioneered by Diemersfontein, using a special charring treatment of the American oak barrels. Love it or like it, its here to stay.
pinot noir - a simultaneously glorious and frustrating grape - good Pinot Noir can have you floating on air whereas poor PN can have you gagging for the toilet. In its mature old skool form, PN can smell of poo (rotten veg and farmyard) whereas in its youth typical notes include strawberry, raspberry, light tannins and high acidity.
What to look for: lighter colour, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, light tannins, lower alcohol and high acidity.
malbec - relatively unknown in South Africa, this red grape originates from the south west of France and produces juicy, tannic reds which are pretty unremarkable. Despite this, the Argentineans have adopted it and turned it into a sultry smooth latin lover of a wine...can South Africa do the same? Early signs look positive.
What to look out for: violets on the nose, plums, bramble fruit, soft medium tannins and just above average acidity. Try it with steak - you won't be disappointed!
What to look for: blackcurrant (cassis) flavour, minty freshness (think eucalyptus or blue gum tree), big tannins, medium to high acidity and its ability to marry well with oak (vanilla spice).
shiraz - originally named after a small town in Iran - the French and the pretentious called it 'Syrah'. Similar to Cabernet Sauvignon in that it tastes and smells of blackcurrant & blackberry, occassionally you will also find it blended it with a small percentage of Viognier (a white grape) to make an ultra smooth blend.
What to look for: blackcurrant, blackberry, white pepper spice, liqourice, smooth juicy tannins, medium acidity and alcohol.
merlot - a solid grape variety, orginally used by the Bordeaux possé to add flesh to the bony structure of Cabernet Sauvignons. By itself, it produces plummy, fruity wines with soft subble tannins and can with stand some ageing in oak.
What to look for: steady grape which has medium flavours of plums, dark cherry, damson fruit, minty freshness, medium acidity, medium, soft juicy tannins, medium alcohol...medium everything really.
pinotage - a frankenstein of a wine, pinotage is a man made crossing of Pinot Noir & Cinsault (also known as Hermitage) and is peculiar and popular to South Africa, in the same way Kurt Darren is.
What to look for: Soft and fruity, dark forest fruits (think blueberry & blackberry), smokey notes, dark chocolate & coffee. Pinotage has medium tannins, medium alcohol, body and acidity. This coffee flavour has been enhanced, originally pioneered by Diemersfontein, using a special charring treatment of the American oak barrels. Love it or like it, its here to stay.
pinot noir - a simultaneously glorious and frustrating grape - good Pinot Noir can have you floating on air whereas poor PN can have you gagging for the toilet. In its mature old skool form, PN can smell of poo (rotten veg and farmyard) whereas in its youth typical notes include strawberry, raspberry, light tannins and high acidity.
What to look for: lighter colour, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, light tannins, lower alcohol and high acidity.
malbec - relatively unknown in South Africa, this red grape originates from the south west of France and produces juicy, tannic reds which are pretty unremarkable. Despite this, the Argentineans have adopted it and turned it into a sultry smooth latin lover of a wine...can South Africa do the same? Early signs look positive.
What to look out for: violets on the nose, plums, bramble fruit, soft medium tannins and just above average acidity. Try it with steak - you won't be disappointed!
the whites...
sauvignon blanc - wow! South Africa LOVES Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvie Blanc comes in all shapes and guises, sometimes shy & muted with grassy, herbaceous notes and at other times the wine lets its hair down, with its passion fruit, guava, gooseberry and lime freshness. But at its best it's somewhere in between.
What to look for: pale in colour, limes, gooseberry, grapefruit, grenadilla and high acidity.
chardonnay - the prom queen of white wine royalty, the grape has had its Brittany Spears-esque bad hair days in the 80's and 90's with its overdose of oak. Having been through re-hab, Chardonnay is making a resurgence. Its adaptability to a wide range of climates and styles is why it is adored by the wine world.
What to look for: parading naked in its purest form it displays pineapple, peaches, green apples and apricots. Dressed up with a oak it radiates vanilla spice, butterscotch, baked apples and cab have tremendous longevity.
chenin blanc - also known as Steen, this is South Africa's hidden gem. Much maligned, this wine is super versatile, being able to produce elegant dry wines, off dry beauties and dessert wines to die for. The best thing about Chenin Blanc is its voluptuous body, a bit like drinking a liquid Oprah Winfrey.
What to look for: fuller body, medium alcohol and above average acidity. Flavours of honey, peaches, pineapple and orange blossom.
viognier (Vee-On-Yay!) - viognier is the enfant terrible of the wine world. Hugely temperamental, difficult to grow and if ignored can result in some alcoholic and flabby wines. However when it is pampered, massaged and manicured it leaps out of the glass and your nasal cavity is filled with PEACHES, PEACHES & more PEACHES. Did I mention the PEACHES?
What to look out for: Peaches, fuller body, high alcohol and low - medium acidity.
riesling- is the winepom's secret sin. Riesling's spiritual home lies in the deepest darkest depths of Teutonic Germany. Racier than an Audi TT, Riesling's rapier acidity allows it to produce wines as dry as Gandhi's flip flops, off dry, sweet and dessert wines with easy efficiency.
What to look for: fresh flavours of green apples, limes, lemons, honey, high in acidity and relatively low in alcohol and when more mature a touch of kerosene to ignite your senses! Can have some sweetness to it.
What to look for: pale in colour, limes, gooseberry, grapefruit, grenadilla and high acidity.
chardonnay - the prom queen of white wine royalty, the grape has had its Brittany Spears-esque bad hair days in the 80's and 90's with its overdose of oak. Having been through re-hab, Chardonnay is making a resurgence. Its adaptability to a wide range of climates and styles is why it is adored by the wine world.
What to look for: parading naked in its purest form it displays pineapple, peaches, green apples and apricots. Dressed up with a oak it radiates vanilla spice, butterscotch, baked apples and cab have tremendous longevity.
chenin blanc - also known as Steen, this is South Africa's hidden gem. Much maligned, this wine is super versatile, being able to produce elegant dry wines, off dry beauties and dessert wines to die for. The best thing about Chenin Blanc is its voluptuous body, a bit like drinking a liquid Oprah Winfrey.
What to look for: fuller body, medium alcohol and above average acidity. Flavours of honey, peaches, pineapple and orange blossom.
viognier (Vee-On-Yay!) - viognier is the enfant terrible of the wine world. Hugely temperamental, difficult to grow and if ignored can result in some alcoholic and flabby wines. However when it is pampered, massaged and manicured it leaps out of the glass and your nasal cavity is filled with PEACHES, PEACHES & more PEACHES. Did I mention the PEACHES?
What to look out for: Peaches, fuller body, high alcohol and low - medium acidity.
riesling- is the winepom's secret sin. Riesling's spiritual home lies in the deepest darkest depths of Teutonic Germany. Racier than an Audi TT, Riesling's rapier acidity allows it to produce wines as dry as Gandhi's flip flops, off dry, sweet and dessert wines with easy efficiency.
What to look for: fresh flavours of green apples, limes, lemons, honey, high in acidity and relatively low in alcohol and when more mature a touch of kerosene to ignite your senses! Can have some sweetness to it.