MY LIFE IN GLUTTONY: A CULINARY ADVENTURE

September 12, 2020 by evebushman

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FLA. (PRWEB) – Our fascination with food was confirmed on April 19, 1993 when Americans were introduced to the Food Network. Along with increased numbers of celebrity chefs and food-oriented reality television shows, there’s been an ever-growing demand for cookbooks and culinary storytelling.

In his latest book, My Life in Gluttony: A Culinary Adventure, Jeffrey Spear confesses “Living to eat is no longer an admission of gluttony or a problem with self-control. It has, in fact, become a badge of honor.” With this in mind, Spear gives readers a glimpse into his lifetime of culinary obsessions sparked by a willingness to eat just about anything and a job that takes him to some remarkable destinations around the world.

While his adventures in Malawi, Georgia, and Guyana are a bit off the beaten path, Spear also includes culinary encounters right here in the U.S. Readers will find Spear’s obsession with hot dogs in New York and flourless chocolate cake in Washington DC as compelling and engaging as his discovery of char-grilled mouse in Malawi and bunny chow in South Africa.

Over 306 pages, starting from his childhood home in Maryland to exotic destinations around the world including Ghana, Lebanon, Serbia, Hawaii, Paris, Russia, Montenegro, Buenos Aires, and Malawi (grilled mouse is a roadside treat), Spear describes the foods that made indelible impressions along the way. Including 96 crowd-pleasing and easy-to-follow recipes, from the familiar to the esoteric, this book is a gastronomic delight.

My Life in Gluttony is available nationwide on Amazon.com

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeffrey Spear is an accomplished visual artist, graphic designer, cookbook author, food stylist, television personality, journalist, and cook. He is also a globally recognized food marketing consultant working with growers, manufacturers, chefs, and restaurateurs on every continent except Antarctica; helping them develop and introduce a wide variety of ingredients and brands to buyers around the world. Along the way, he also writes about food for a variety of trade and consumer magazines and online publications.

It goes without saying that Spear is exceptionally well travelled. He has enjoyed countless exotic and intriguing culinary encounters, most recently in Palestine, Malawi and the country of Georgia. He derives his greatest pleasures from everything and anything associated with food. Whether he’s eating, writing, or talking about it, wandering the aisles in a grocery stores, or preparing lavish dinner parties, food is his idea of a really good time.

My Life in Gluttony – A Culinary Adventure is his third and most ambitious cookbook preceded by The First Coast Heritage Cookbook and Yum! Tasty Recipes from Culinary Greats.

When not engaged with food, Jeffrey can be found relaxing on the sand, reading a good book, swimming in the surf, watching the passing wildlife, and enjoying the sun in his hometown of Jacksonville Beach.

Second Annual International Canned Wine Competition Gives Gold to Aluminum

September 10, 2020 by evebushman

BOONVILLE, Calif. /PRNewswire/ — In the only event of its kind in the world, over two hundred canned wines flexed their aluminum muscles at the second annual International Canned Wine Competition held July 21-23 at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville, California. Seventy producers from around the globe sent in a total of 226 entries. Wines were submitted from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, and Spain as well as from many parts of the U.S.A. While California and Oregon producers took their share of honors, many of the 96 gold medals went to wines from less prominent regions.

Best of Show White Wine honors went to Archer McRae Beverages’ Joiy Wine “Savvy Society” Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. Best Rosé was Hall Wines’ BACA 2019 “Ring Around the Rosé” from California, and Best Red was Fourth Wave Wine’s “Take it to the Grave” 2018 Shiraz, Langhorne Creek, Australia.

Erosion Wine Co. from Napa took home five gold medals and a package design award for their exquisite jewel-like can designs. The Uncommon sent four wines from England; all four won gold medals and the series won package design recognition for their charming illustrations.

According to competition founder Allan Green, it was notable that 30% of the entries were Rosé wines: “Rosé has become so popular in the last few years, and it lends itself to cans: people take Rosé along for a picnic or drink it sitting by the pool.”

The competition judges came from academia, marketing and the wine trade. Professional judge Mark Bowery noted that he has, “been judging wine professionally for 36 years, but this was my first foray into the canned category. And I’ve got to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality, across the board. I was especially impressed by the varietal accuracy and deep satisfaction delivered in the Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc submissions.“

Handley Cellars’ winemaker Randy Schock said, “It was amazing to see the improvement in quality across the board compared to the first International Canned Wine Competition last year. Not just with the products oriented to the pop “seltzer” market, which were fun and refreshing, but the wines that expressed traditional bottled varietal expressions exceeded my expectations.”

Because of the Covid 19 virus, the organizers of the competition scheduled the judging over three days, with three judges on each daily panel socially distanced in a large exhibition hall. Judges had individual sets of glassware and bussed their own samples after each flight.

Plans are already in the works for the third annual International Canned Wine Competition, to be held in July 20-22, 2021. Competition director Allan Green promises it will be “aluminating!”

Complete results and photographs are available at www.cannedwinecompetition.com.

Wines of South Africa USA Marketing Manager Jim Clarke’s New Book on the Wine Regions of South Africa Has Been Released

August 29, 2020 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Wines of South Africa (WOSA) USA, the industry association that promotes the exports of South African wine, is proud to announce that Marketing Manager Jim Clarke’s new book, The Wines of South Africa, has just been released. Published by Infinite Ideas, it is the newest addition to its well-respected Classic Wine Library series of wine books.

“I’m excited to share my passion for South African wine in my new book, and am honored to be part of the Classic Wine Library series of authors,” Clarke notes. “The wine regions of South Africa are stunning, and producers are making world-class wines that deserve more attention. I hope that my in-depth research of this interesting, complex wine region will be seen as an important reference point for those to take a deeper dive into the South African wine industry.”

Pulling from his fifteen years of traveling to and working with the South African wine industry, in this project independent from his work at WOSA, Clarke covers the history of South African wine, the industry as it stands today, challenges facing winemaking in the region, as well as an overview of the major growing areas.

“Today South Africa is revealing its potential ever more rapidly. Since around 2008, more and more producers have been using the country’s terroir to represent itself unmasked and without affectation…The peaks of South African wine are higher, and the clumsy wines of the past are bygones…” writes Clarke in the book’s Introduction. “Today one can taste through the wines of South Africa and experience the expansive range of expression the Cape’s many terroirs are capable of … the industry is at a point where its right to a seat at the table is undisputed by anyone who has taken the time to taste. South Africa is making great wines.”

The book begins with the history of the Dutch bringing wine to South Africa, the establishment of Cape Town, and its rise to eminence as a wine producer. As it entered the modern era of its wine industry post-apartheid, there was recognition for the need of quality, terroir-driven wines as well as acknowledging the social context of wine production in South Africa. Clarke discusses the efforts being made by the wine business to address the issue of racial inequality, with education programs, worker empowerment initiatives, and land restitution all being employed to create opportunity and redress the balance. Additionally, there has been an increase in the variety of plantings in South Africa’s vineyards, reflecting the diverse terroir and climate that create the top- end wines of quality and character.

Finally, the wine regions are explored in detail, with references to the key producers as well as typical varietals and styles of wine to the area. The Wine of Origin system of Regions, Districts and Wards is also discussed. This is a must read for anyone that has an interest in modern South African wine.

The Wines of South Africa joins other prominent books on wine regions around the world in the Classic Wine Library. The series stretches back over fifty years, and has been published by Infinite Ideas since 2013. The books are written by experts on the topics, and serve as invaluable resources for students, sommeliers and others who work in the wine industry.

“Jim Clarke’s book is easily the most important work on South African wine to be published in recent years and a very welcome addition to our Classic Wine Library,” states Richard Burton, Publisher.

Clarke became interested in wine after moving to New York City in 2001 and taking a job waiting tables, training as a sommelier on the job and through classes with the American Sommelier Association. A writing competition led to an introduction to South African wine and the start of Clarke’s journalistic career. He has written for the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, World of Fine Wine, Beverage Media, and Fortune, among others. In 2013, Clarke took a position as Wines of South Africa’s U.S. Marketing Manager. He remains active as a freelance writer, covering wine, sake, and related subjects. He speaks regularly at a number of wine events and judges in several international wine competitions.

The Wines of South Africa was released on July 20th, 2020 as a 322-page paperback book, and retails in the United States for $39.95. It is available online, including at Amazon Books and Barnes & Noble.

About Wines of South Africa
Wines of South Africa (WOSA) is the organization representing all South African producers of wine who export their products. WOSA, which was established in its current form in 1999, has over 500 exporters on its database, comprising all the major South African wine exporters. It is constituted as a not-for-profit company and is totally independent of any producer, wholesaling company or government department but is recognized by the South African Export Council. WOSA’s mandate is to promote the export of all South African wines in key international markets including the United States.

John Fearless Launches Online Shop With Global Hop Varieties And More

July 5, 2020 by evebushman

NAPA, CALIF. (PRWEB) – New aromatic opportunities are being offered through John Fearless for breweries that want to expand their brewing options. South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, USA and German hops are newly available to purchase online via JohnFearless.com. This expanse of inventory offers a much wider selection to the small, medium, and large-sized businesses that purchase beverage-making supplies from John Fearless.

As a leader in the beverage supply industry, John Fearless works hard to ensure top products are available to breweries, wineries, distilleries and non-alcoholic beverages. Quality and unique ingredients are important for craft beverages. In addition to hops, John Fearless also carries a range of products including, Muntons Malt, Brewshield, WineShield, Structan, WLT 150, Milne Microdried fruits, Humuflor Hop Essence, and used wine and spirit oak barrels.

Modern hop varietals with tropical, fruit forward aromatics have been added to the website and are now available to order 24/7:

A number of South African hops are currently available including: Southern Passion, African Queen, Southern Star, Southern Tropic and Southern Sublime New Zealand hops sold by John Fearless include: Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, Taiheke, Wakatu™, Riwaka, and the soon to be released Hort4337 and more.
A wide selection of USA hops include: El Dorado, Azacca, Zappa, Centennial, Cascade and more.
Three hop varieties are available from Germany: Ariana (which offers a blackcurrant, grapefruit, geranium and vanilla aroma blend), Callista and Huell Melon
Ella™ is the flavor hop varietal available from Australia via JohnFearless.com, and it’s highly versatile while containing floral aromatics (a common feature in noble European and Australian hops)

With a focus on finding unique options for small, medium, and large sized brewing companies, John Fearless is excited about their new options for hop varietal sales. Craft brewers can explore aroma profiles from around the world to find the right fit for their beer styles. Detailed information on sizing and pricing for orders is currently available on the John Fearless website on the individual products page.

About John Fearless Co: John Fearless is dedicated to bringing specialty hops, malts and more to the small brewing community. Items sourced from all over the world are brought directly to small businesses looking to craft bold flavors, complex brews and heady aromas. With over 20 years in the beverage industry, John Fearless offers specialty hops, hop aroma, malt, beer and wine stabilizers, finishing tannins, liquid flavor extracts, quality aged barrels, MicroDried® fruits and more.

South African Wine Harvest Report 2020: Great Season, Remarkable Wines

June 4, 2020 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – South Africa’s 2020 wine grape crop will bring exceptional wines to consumers, following favorable conditions throughout the season. This according to the South African wine industry’s annual Wine Harvest Report 2020.

“Although it’s always important to take our diversity over 10 wine grape growing regions into account, the industry had a very good season overall, which we believe will bring great quality wines to consumers,” says Conrad Schutte, consultation service manager of the wine industry’s representative body Vinpro.

The 2020 wine grape crop is estimated at 1,487,991 tons, according to the latest estimate of industry body SAWIS (South African Wine Industry Information & Systems) on April 24, 2020. It is 8.2% larger than the 2019 harvest.

Weather conditions were favorable in general and the bunch numbers looked promising early in the season, but windy conditions during the set and sensitive berry growth stages resulted in smaller berries and a lighter crop. The season was also characterized by great variation between and even within the same vineyard blocks in areas that experienced dry conditions.

The Stellenbosch, Swartland, Cape South Coast, Paarl and Breedekloof regions all harvested more wine grapes than in 2019, with the Olifants River region almost returning to its normal production levels after being one of the regions hardest hit by the recent drought. The Klein Karoo region still struggles with the ongoing drought, also experienced in certain parts of the Robertson region, while frost damage resulted in great crop losses in the Northern Cape.

The COVID-19 scurry

Although the harvesting season kicked off around two weeks earlier than usual, the unexpected announcement of the COVID-19 lockdown, in effect from March 26, 2020, created a scurry among many producers to harvest the last grapes of the season and complete winemaking processes in cellars. Wine-related activities were initially prohibited, but Government made a last-minute concession which allowed for the harvesting and storage activities essential to prevent the wastage of primary agricultural goods during the lockdown. At the time, around 44,092 tons still needed to be harvested.

“With uncertainties during the announcement of the lockdown some producers decided to harvest the grapes without prejudice just to get it to the cellar, while others waited for optimal ripeness to ensure exceptional quality,” Conrad says.

Wine quality exceptional

“We are excited about the exceptional wines that will flow from the 2020 wine grape crop, with Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay leading the pack,” Conrad says. “The early cultivars showed very good acidity, and the color and tannin analyses in the red wines promise full wines with concentrated flavor profiles.”

The 2020 wine harvest – including juice and concentrate for non-alcoholic purposes, wine for brandy and distilling wine – is expected to amount to 276,377 gallons at an average recovery of 204.7 gallons per ton of grapes.

Ready to take our wines to the market

Following restrictions on both local sales and wine exports during South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown, the industry was relieved that Government allowed for the export of alcoholic products from May 1, 2020, including transport to ports and airports, as well as related activities to prepare wine for exports such as bottling and labeling.

“As an industry we are grateful and relieved to be able to resume exports. This finally enables us to showcase our exceptional new 2020 vintage wines to trade, media and consumers around the world,” comments Siobhan Thompson, CEO of Wines of South Africa.

She continues, “We would like to thank all of our international networks of agents, importers and friends who have never wavered in their support of our wine and our people, despite the challenges we’ve faced as an industry.”

South Africa is the ninth biggest wine producer worldwide and produces about 3.3% of the world’s wine. The wine industry contributes $1.95 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employs nearly 300,000 people.

2019/20 Growing season

Most regions experienced a better post-harvest period than previous years. The leaves fell around the same time or later than usual, vines were healthier and producers had access to post-harvest irrigation water.

Sufficient cold units were accumulated during the winter to break dormancy, while rainfall varied across regions but was mostly below average.

With spring came mostly favorable conditions, which contributed to a somewhat earlier but even budbreak. The early growing season was especially known for good, homogenous shoot growth.

During summer, temperatures were moderate during the ripening period, with the absence of characteristic heat peaks. These conditions particularly bode well for the flavor retention in the grapes. Rainfall during the ripening period relieved pressure on water resources in some regions, while it resulted in a surge in diseases (downy mildew, sour rot and botrytis) and necessitated proper weed control in other areas.

Overview of regions:

Breedekloof
Slightly larger crop than in 2019, mainly driven by the occurrence of wind during berry growth, which had a negative effect on flowering and set.

Cape South Coast
Better yields than the previous season, thanks to favorable climatic conditions, the implementation of Guyot pruning systems, utilization of chemicals to break dormancy and amendments to fertilization programs.

Klein Karoo
Yet another small crop due to the ongoing drought and a shrinking area under vines.

Northern Cape
Lower than expected production, due to severe frost experienced at the end of October in the lower lying areas east of Upington.

Olifants River
A great year as vines are recovering well following the drought and the region had better water supplies than during the previous season.

Paarl
A better crop than in 2019, owing to beneficial post-harvest conditions, sufficient water for irrigation and moderate temperatures during ripening.

Robertson
Smaller yields due to water shortages in certain parts of the region, as well as smaller berries caused by wind during set, a decline in new plantings and the occurrence of botrytis and sour rot following rain in January.

Stellenbosch
A bigger wine grape crop than in 2019, thanks to good reserves being accumulated in the post-harvest period, rain during critical berry growth stages and moderate climate throughout the growing season.

Swartland
Bigger yields than in 2019, characterized by good bunch figures thanks to good post-harvest and winter conditions. Soil profiles were also supplemented well through late winter rainfall.

Worcester
Varying yields throughout the region, with producers recording a somewhat larger crop than in 2019.

See https://vinpro.co.za/ for the full harvest report per region.

500+ Wineries Add Augmented Reality to Labels en Masse

December 22, 2019 by evebushman

GEELONG WEST, Australia /PRNewswire/ — Augmented reality and artificial intelligence are propelling more than 500 wineries across the globe into futuristic marketing that cleverly connects wine-labels with millennial wine-lovers.

Winerytale is a groundbreaking app and platform that lets every winery and wine producer create, manage and market an augmented reality experience for their own labels via a smartphone app.

See AR wine demonstration video

App creator and Winerytale founder Dave Chaffey said 524 wineries from across the world were already part of the trial and accessing the marketing potential of a marriage of artificial intelligence and augmented reality.

Chaffey said in the past few years a handful of wine producers have created augmented reality apps for their specific brand. Winerytale aims to blow the augmented reality door open to any winery in an inexpensive and easy way.

“I don’t believe anything like this has been done to this level before – bringing together artificial intelligence, augmented reality, clever technology, 500 different wineries with different visuals and branding, as well as different languages,” Chaffey said.

“This platform is purpose-built for mass adoption and accessibility to any winery wanting to take advantage of a brand marketing and sales future that will undeniably involve augmented reality.”

The technology behind the App is designed to work on any wine label, using artificial intelligence to scan and recognize labels, and augmented reality to showcase the wine’s backstory by beaming it from an imaginary space inside and outside of the bottle.

Through that technology, multimedia branding content comes alive including winery tour videos, wine tasting notes, food pairing suggestions or nearby stockists.

The Winerytale team has also created a “fanwall” for every wine label. Through the use of augmented reality, the fanwall appears to be inside the wine bottle and – driven by hashtags – displays images of the wine’s biggest fans inside the bottle.

Given this potential, field testing of the Winerytale App has attracted world-wide interest and a selection of leading wine producers are on board from across Australia and New Zealand, as well as from wine regions in South Africa, France, North America, Canada, Croatia, Lebanon and Mexico.

Chaffey said the wineries involved in testing the beta version of the App are small to mid-level where the App has the ability to help them reach a broader market, boosting brand recognition and sales.

“Current world consumers – millennial or not – live their lives through their phones and being able to give them the information they need, in a way they want, influencing the choices they make and harnessing that purchasing power is a no brainer,” he said.

“When you switch the Winerytale app on, it becomes instantly activated on every bottle. And having every bottle activated is like having thousands of marketing machines all going to work for these wineries.

“The app allows them to tell their story, and through the App’s connection to social media, gives insta-obsessed customers their own virtual connection to the brands they love to love.”

Through the App field trials, Winerytale is also rolling out location-based services (where the wine bottle in your hand knows where it is and adapts the content) with self-translating wine bottles to follow in 2020. For example, a European traveler in Asia, could easily view information about a wine, which changes if they are within a winery’s boundaries, in a language they can fully comprehend.

“Through Winerytale, the wine industry is becoming an early adopter of technology that has the potential to be used across multiple industries like pharmaceutical and grocery,” Chaffey said.

“It will just build on our current internet-based consumer habits. Want to know something about a product? Ask your artificial intelligence and augmented reality-powered App!”

Download the App

The World of Fine Wine in association with Gaggenau, announces the 2019 World’s Best Wine Lists Awards winners

October 20, 2019 by evebushman

London – the World’s Best Wine Lists in association with Gaggenau have been announced, with Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient, receiving the honor of Wine List of the Year, Best Hotel Wine List in the World, and Champions’ League World’s Best By-the-Glass Wine List 2019.

Stock photo, not associated with event.

The World’s Best Wine Lists celebrated its sixth anniversary with a prestigious judging panel. Chaired by Neil Beckett, World of Fine Wine Editor, and featuring writer and broadcaster, Andrew Jefford; award-winning sommelier, Andreas Larsson; publisher and writer Ch’ng Poh Tiong; wine writers Elin McCoy, Francis Percival and Alder Yarrow; sommelier Luciana Girotto; and wine writer and lecturer Anne Krebiehl MW. They assessed over 1,000 of the world’s best wine lists to determine the shortlist. The nominees and winners are based on a range of criteria including breadth, depth, interest, quality, value, clarity and accuracy.

Hidden in the Crocodile River Valley in the lush Francolin Conservancy, Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient is one of South Africa’s finest luxury hotels – featuring one of the country’s best loved and most respected restaurants, worthy of its supreme praise and three top recognitions at the World’s Best Wine Lists Awards 2019. The creative cookery of Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient is well matched by a superb modern wine list containing over 5,000 selections. Described by our judges as “a phenomenal list that is a joy to explore”.

The awards are renowned as the Michelin Stars of the wine list world and include a number of best-in-class category winners including HIDE for Best Spirits List in the World; The World Residences at Sea for Best Cruise Ship Wine List in the World; Nº5 Wine Bar for Best Wine Bar List in the World; Air France for Best Airline Wine List in the World and for the sixth year in a row, Pix Pâtisserie for Best Champagne & Sparkling Wine List in the World. The night was also a celebration of new restaurants, with Chicago’s The Purple Pig being awarded Best By-the-Glass Wine List Without Coravin® in the World; and Lake Buena Vista, Florida’s Wine Bar George taking Best Micro Wine List in the World.

Best Long Wine List in the World 2019 – Geranium, Copenhagen

Best Medium-Size Wine List in the World 2019 – Sager + Wilde Hackney Road, London

Best Short Wine List in the World 2019 – Blue Hill, New York

Best Micro Wine List in the World 2019 – Wine Bar George, Lake Buena Vista

Best Regional Wine List in the World 2019 – The Yeatman, Vila Nova de Gaia

Best Champagne & Sparkling Wine List in the World 2019 – Pix Pâtisserie, Portland

Best Dessert & Fortified Wine List in the World 2019 – Antica Bottega del Vino, Verona

Best Spirits List in the World 2019 – Hide, London

Best By-the-Glass Wine List Without Coravin® in the World 2019 – The Purple Pig, Chicago

Best By-the-Glass Wine List With Coravin® in the World 2019 – Nº5 Wine Bar, Toulouse

Best Wine Bar List in the World 2019 – Nº5 Wine Bar, Toulouse

Best Hotel Wine List in the World 2019 – Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient, Pretoria

Most Original Wine List in the World 2019 – Terroir, New York

Best Designed Wine List in the World 2019 – The Restaurant at Meadowood, Napa

Best Airline Wine List in the World 2019 – Air France

Best Cruise Ship Wine List in the World 2019 – The World Residences at Sea

Wine List of the Year 2019 – Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient, Pretoria

Best Sake List in the World 2019 – Saké, The Rocks, Sydney

Champions’ League World’s Best Wine List 2019 – Eleven Madison Park, New York

Champions’ League Best Champagne & Sparkling Wine List 2019 – Eleven Madison Park, New York

Champions’ League Best By-the-Glass Wine List 2019 – Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient, Pretoria

Champions’ League Best Dessert & Fortified Wine List 2019 – Robuchon au Dôme at Grand Hotel Lisboa, Macau

Champions’ League Best Spirits List 2019 – The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Tennessee

The full list of winners will be announced soon.

Vintage Eve Circa 9/2016: Black Vintners Wine Experience

September 24, 2019 by evebushman

Hello Eve, An increasing number of wineries in South Africa are engaging in transformation through the production of socially sustainable wines made by a new generation of Black winemakers…and with that I was invited to attend a “Black Vintners Wine Experience” hosted by the South African Consulate-General and the Wines of South Africa USA.

What I already knew about South African wines I learned long ago from my WSET and COC Wine Studies instructor DiMaggio Washington. They were known for their Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, the latter being a grape variety that is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault grapes. Both became my favorites as their expressions were unique in my opinion.

Fast forward nearly a decade and both the Wine Spectator, and the Marketing Manager for Wines of South Africa USA, Jim Clarke, report that those wine varieties – specifically Pinotage – are no longer in fashion.

I had no doubt the fashion calls for Bordeaux blends and Sauvignon Blanc, the big sellers in new world wines (new world areas include the U.S., Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Chile and South Africa) and the wines we were to taste incorporated those varieties and others as well.

Tasting – aromas and flavors separated by ;

Seven Sisters “Twena” Pinotage Rose 2015

Strawberry, yellow peach and wet stones on the nose; then flavors of strawberries dipped in sugar, fruit cocktail with a low acid. 88 Eve pts.

Fairvalley Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Green grass, cheddar cheese and limeade; lime, lemon with a medium acidity. 88 Eve pts.

Solms-Delta Chenin Blanc 2015

Pear, lemon, white pepper, grapefruit; bright, tingly, refreshing, peach and pear. 88 Eve pts.

De Bos “Sure Lie” Chenin Blanc 2014

Powdery, slight earthy notes, crisp apples; nice balance of fruit and acid, easy to drink, subtle fruit. 89 Eve pts.

Fairvalley Pinotage 2014

Plums, black licorice, grilled meat, mushroom, eucalyptus; dry, tobacco, dried plum, black pepper. 89 Eve pts.

Solms-Delta Syrah 2014

Black cherry, milk chocolate and green peppercorn; young, black cherry, dry with firm tannins. 90 Eve pts.

Suo Red collection #2 2014 (Bordeaux Blend)

Black fruit, mint, black pepper; big, dark fruit, blueberry, blackberry. 91 Eve pts.

Mvemve Raats MR de Compostela 2014 (Bordeaux Blend)

Barnyard, earthy, dark chocolate, plum and smoke; brighter fruit in the mouth than the nose indicated, yet still tannic, dark and dusty. 90 Eve pts.

Average retail prices: The whites were all less than $20, the reds ranged from under $20 to $35 on the Suo Red to $65 on the Mvemve Raats. These wines may or may not be available all over the U.S. so please check you local retail outlets. If you don’t see South African wines represented – please ask for them!

From Marketing Manager for Wines of South Africa USA, Jim Clarke:

The winemaking area of South Africa is a small region, about 245,000 acres, located in the Western Cape near Cape town.

South Africa is the seventh or eighth largest wine producer in the world.

Ninety-five percent of the wineries are certified sustainable.

South Africa is the largest producer of Chenin Blanc.

The World Cup put attention on the region.

South Africa has always been a “beer and brandy” drinking area, now there is a new culture that enjoys wine tasting.

Pinotage wine production have gone down from 12 percent to seven percent, however, those making it are serious about doing it well.

The wines of South Africa are more diverse than before.

From more than one member of the consulate:

I asked about the promotion of Black South Africans, specifically vintner scholarships and assistance in winery start-ups.

(The programs) are a good motive for the government to assist Black winemakers…and to get all involved in the country.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Vintage Eve Circa 8/2016: The Plunder from Down Under

August 27, 2019 by evebushman

Once again the organizers at LA Scotch Club put together a mighty tasting. This time it would be whisky from Argentina, Australia, Tasmania, South Africa and New Zealand. And if trying whisky from these areas wasn’t unique enough, they took it one step further and decided to pair the EIGHTEEN samples with regional food.

I was not at the event as press, so it wasn’t until I got home that I smacked my forehead and thought, “gee, that was something to write about.” So my notes are brief, just a little of what I thought was remarkable. However, at the event, all of us had a grand time describing the aromas and flavors we found. I can recollect that my descriptors included banana peel, toasted marshmallow, praline almond, cream, vanilla, chocolate, smoke, cigar and many others.

Invitation

This is the event that we have been waiting for two years for. The LA Scotch Club will be turning the whisky upside down in more ways than one as we head to the other side of the world to experience the whiskies of Argentina, Australia (and Tasmania), New Zealand, and South Africa. There has never been another whisky tasting like this anywhere in the world. Many of these bottles had to travel the continents in suitcases to arrive here as they are not sold outside of their home country…

During the whisky tasting of 18 different pours (20 for LASC members) we’ll enjoy the cuisine and music from the countries we are visiting. Argentine steak, empanadas, South African Boerewors and more will be shared as we bbq over wood coals.

LAscotchclub.com

DINNER

Vacio (flank steak) cooked over wood coals – Argentina
Assortment of Empanadas – Argentina
Boerewors (sausage) – South Africa
Billatong jerky – South Africa
Australian Potato Salad – Australia
Kiwi fruit – New Zealand
Pavlova – Australia

(I found the sausage and jerky too gamey – dry and darkly spiced – for my tastes but I could see how it could complement the whiskeys. The potato salad, empanadas and fruit were very yummy. My favorite dish was the Vacio flank steak, especially when I covered it in sauce.)

WHISKY (My favorites – before bottle fatigue set in – are noted as #FINDMORE)

Argentina

La Alazana Patagonian Single Malt

Mainland Australia

Lark Distiller’s Selection
Smith’s of Angaston 14yr #FINDMORE
Limeburners Single Whisky (cask M97)
Starward Wine Cask

Tasmania

Tasmanian Heartwood – Four Corners of Ross
Sullivan’s Cove Small Batch French Oak Casks #FINDMORE
Sullivan’s Cove Cask Strength Bourbon Cask #FINDMORE
Overeem Port Cask #FINDMORE
Cradle Mountain 18yr Cadenhead’s

New Zealand

Waitui Manuka Mead Barrel
Old Hokonui
Lammerlaw 10yr
Thomson Two Tone Release #FINDMORE
Milford 10yr
South Island 21yr

South Africa

Draymans Solera Reserve
Three Ships 10yr
Bain’s Cape Single Grain Whisky

LASC Member-Only Bottles

Bakery Hill Doublewood
Tasmanian Heartwood – Four Corners of Ross

Surprises At Our Local Bev Mo

June 28, 2019 by evebushman

Whenever someone messages me looking for wine of course I suggest our local wine bars and stores as we all support locally owned businesses. However, if they are looking for a larger selection then they simply must go to BevMo. There really isn’t any other option for us locals. And lucky us we have two to choose from in the Santa Clarita Valley. I happen to choose the one in Stevenson Ranch, on the Old Road, as I’ve been successful finding what I need there from spirits to wine.

Lucky me again when fellow wine writer, Carl Kanowsky, invited me to join him for a tasting with store manager Brian Ilvento and Wine Specialist Doug Characky a few weeks ago. They promised to expose us – and our readers – to some of their broad selection, and specifically to lesser known wines that they carry.

Our invitation read that we would be doing a tasting of “… wines that are a bit under the radar… (and are) considered ‘undiscovered’ and ‘hidden gems,’ as well as some from other regions.”

Characky, a local who had taken the wine studies program offered by Elizabeth Schweitzer and DiMaggio Washington at College of the Canyons, said they are seeing a lot of wine from up and coming areas that include Chile, South Africa and Greece. He also noted the popularity of Spanish Cavas and kosher wines from Israel. He commented, “I think this is a place where people that love wine will find paradise.”

Ilvento, who keeps staff trained with tastings among other things, said that everyone in the store can help shoppers find what they’re looking for. He added, “We’re here to find the perfect drink for every glass.”

We had six wines in our tasting lineup, most hovering about $20 and a couple toward $40. These are my tasting notes with the aromas and flavors separated by ; and, I enjoyed them all:

Honig 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley: Green apple, fruit cocktail, flint; same flavors as on the nose with a mouth coating viscosity and medium acidity.

Burgans 2017 Albariño, Spain: Crisp citrus fruits, wet pebbles fresh fruit, crisp, medium acid and stainless steel.

Frog’s Leap 2016 Chardonnay, Napa: Butter, oak, bruised apple and white flower; then that same oak and butter, popcorn kernel and almond.

Hahn 2016 Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands: Dark cherry, stems, cigar, mushroom and wet earth; same aroma profile for the flavor as well.

Michele Chiarlo Il Principe Langhe 2015 Nebbiolo, Italy: Barnyard blew off within a couple of swirls, then came toast, chalk, hard grape candy, and Characky also noted lots of cranberry and pomegranate that I had to agree with; noted much more of that red fruit Characky had found, a bit tight (so decant this one) and a long length.

Quilt Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, Napa Valley: Ilvento explained that he liked this wine for its six-Cabernet blend and winemaker Joe Wagner. Aromas of dark fruit, spice, black pepper, perfumy; balanced and smooth, pepper and fruit working perfectly together, a wine that’s good to go now.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 15k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.