Seidelberg Estate releases their fourth pink wine
Monday, 3 November, 2008
Seidelberg Estate
The theory that wine is subject to the whims of fashion has never been more convincingly illustrated than by the increasing international popularity, since the turn of the millennium, of pink wines of all hues and quality. In the UK, a category that, ten years ago, accounted for barely one percent of sales now stands at eight percent. Recent figures show that the number of regular wine-drinkers who 'drink pink' has risen by over 60% in the last three years.
The movement to pink is not entirely novel, but there are differences this time around, however, when compared with the pink revolution of the seventies, when the Portuguese pink, Mateus Rosé, took Europe and the USA by storm, driven, in all probability, by women wine-drinkers as a result of the new wave of feminism. Then, there was just one iconic brand leading the way. Now, a movement that started in the USA earlier this decade has spread across multiple brands in many winemaking countries. Furthermore, the quality spectrum has improved, and with it, pink wines with lower and lower sugar concentrations are appearing on the market.
South Africa caught on pretty quickly and pink wines have proliferated massively in recent years. Seidelberg Estate has kept pace with the trend from the beginning and has extended its number of pink wines to four, in accordance with consumer demand. Seidelberg Estate must surely be the first wine farm in South Africa to have four pink wines currently on the market.
They recently released their Seidelberg Shiraz Blanc de Noir 2008 nationally, after only having sold the limited release 2007 off the farm. This wine carries the name 'Blanc de Noir' because it is the driest in the range - traditionally Blanc de Noirs are drier than Rosé's. Made from 100% Shiraz grapes, the Seidelberg Shiraz Blanc de Noir 2008 displays floral aromas, nasturtiums in particular, on the nose, and peppery flavours (typical of Shiraz) on the palate. Like all pink wine, it is the ideal lunch-time wine or summer evening aperitif. This wine retails at approximately R49 including VAT.
The other pink in the Seidelberg range is the slightly drier Seidelberg Rosé 2008, produced from Red Muscadel (85%) and Malbec (15%).
The remaining two in the quartet reside in the De Leuwen Jagt range. This range bears the original name of the wine farm: German-born Roland Seidel changed the farm's name to Seidelberg when he bought the property in 1997. The De Leuwen Jagt Rosé 2008, a light easy-drinking wine with flavours of raisins and honey, is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) and Muscadel (10%).
And completing the 'pink range' is the De Leuwen Jagt Sparkling Rosé, which is a blend of Shiraz (85%) and Red Muscadel (15%).
Widely available nationally, why not enjoy a glass or two while lunching at Seidelberg Estate. Pair a Rosé or Blanc de Noir with one of Cass Abraham's Cape Malay dishes at the celebrated De Leuwen Jagt Restaurant. Alternatively, relax in true Mediterranean style - soaking up the majestic view, while reposing on the lawns under the pergola - and treat yourself to Piadini (Italian flatbreads), furnished with a myriad of Mediterranean toppings.