When driving from Beaune to Montelimar, the
Pinot and Chardonnay vineyards would gradually make way for those of Syrah as
the days get a little warmer on your journey south. Although it would be
interesting to see how the Rhone valley would perform with Pinot, that
arbitrary curiosity would soon make way for serious wonder when sipping on the
first Côte Rôtie of your trip.
It really is the same with all human
indulgences. Food lovers don’t travel the world to experience the difference in
taste of a basketful of products seasoned with a handful of spices; music
lovers don’t limit their collection to the music of one instrument... you catch
my drift.
It’s this diversity in food and wine that
we love to tap into when doing our utmost to enhance the dining experience of a
guest in our restaurants. A marriage of food and wine can transport the taster
on a sensory tour of South Africa, but only with the use of seasonal local
produce and honest, terroir driven wines. It is unlikely that a good
degustation menu would precede a Stellenbosch Cabernet pairing with another
Cabernet Sauvignon from a different region, but how about a fresh, bright,
medium bodied Pinotage or Rhone style blend?
We don’t produce too many red wines from
early ripening varietals that are suitable for sipping with lunch in our
summers, and the mantra of holding out on reds until dinner (or even worse,
winter) is outdated and limiting. On some days, I can’t think of a better Al
fresco companion than a slightly chilled, crunchy Cinsaut or Grenache Noir from
Provence; Nero d’Avola (Sicily), Sangiovese (Tuscany) or Tempranillo (Valencia
/ Rioja) to name but a few. There’s just something about the drying, appetising
effect of fine tannins on a light, chilled red that I find more refreshing than
many whites. All of these varieties are registered plantings in SA, by the way.
The point is that these wines are not reserved to European climates. They have
developed rather due to demand as a result of the dining habits of the
consumers, and can very much have a very successful home in South Africa too.
Although we have legendary pioneering
spirits in every district experimenting with different techniques, varieties
and blends, pushing the limits, and in doing so changing the very landscape of
brand South Africa in the global market, I would very much like to see a
broader change in offering at the low to medium price points and larger volume
end of local production.
It is true that these larger volume, higher yielding regions are mostly driven by the sale of wine in bulk, and that the return in crop / price per litre for the ‘noble’ varietals may be higher and thus a safer play than a lesser known Mediterranean varietal that still has to establish legitimate shelve space. I realise also, that it seems naive to talk about changing the components of an agricultural product as though it was a choice of colours on a painting with disregard for the economical implications of replanting the vineyards.
But the point is that we have to start
somewhere. The reason is simple – the market is maturing and consumers expect wines
of interest and charm at every price point.