Jane's Weekly Wines from the Atlanta Wine School PRINT AND GO VERSION April 27th, 2006 On the Road in South Africa *************************************************************************************** RETAILERS WHO SUPPORT THIS COLUMN AND HAVE HAD THIS LIST OF WINES IN ADVANCE. Pearson's Wines of Atlanta, 3072 Early St Nw Atlanta, GA 30305 -- 404-231-8752 Corner Wine & Art, 1402 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30306 -- 404-875-8810 Home Town Wine & Spirits, 4856 Hog Mountain Rd, Flowery Branch, GA --770-965-6058 The Colors of Wine, 2355 Cumberland Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30339 -- 770-432-2828 Sigman Bottle Shop, 425 Sigman Road - Conyers, GA 30012 -- 770-929-8797 Shiraz, 675 Pulaski Street, Suite 400, Athens, GA 30601 -- 706-208-0010 Windward Beverage, 12915 Hwy 9, Alpharetta, GA 30004 -- 678-566-3301 IS YOUR WINE SHOP NOT LISTED HERE? HAVE THEM CALL 770-668-0435 *************************************************************************************** Ken Forrester Petit Chenin 2005 Stellenbosch Medium-bodied off-dry white wine; medium pale yellow. Aromas of honey, honeysuckle, and freshly cut summer fruits. Flavors reach for melon, hint of banana, and honey (its taste, not its sweetness). Clean, crisp, palate-refreshing finish, thanks partly to good acidity (.6). Surprising alcohol (14.5%). Sweet but not cloying. Grape: 100% Chenin Blanc. A refreshing quaff for summer entertaining. Not a keeper; this is for dinner tonight. Forrester also produces a more serious Chenin Blanc, which shows great complexity and depth of flavor. Try both. Asian-style appetizers; sesame-crusted fried chicken; roast pork loin with baked Japanese sweet potatoes; mild peri-peri marinatead chicken (dining on same as I write this); baked stuffed Vidalia onions; Malaysian-style seafood or fish dishes; mildly seasoned Thai or Chinese seafood and chicken dishes United Distributors $10 88 ************************************************************************************* DeWetsof Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2005 Robertson Medium-bodied off-dry white wine; medium greenish straw. Fresh, clean scent of lime and green apple, with ripe peachy, green apple, citrus flavors. Residual sugar helps to round out the mouthfeel and balance against substantial acidity (6.9). These calcerous grave-rich soils supply good minerality. All done in stainless steel, with lees stirring to enhance complexity and richness. Serve moderately chilled, about 55 degrees in tulip-shaped white wine glasses. Rich appetizers, seafood (although not lean enough for oysters), baked fish or chicken with a creamy sauce, chicken pot pie, calamari with lemon aioli, roast chicken with bread stuffing, fried chicken, Asian fare with moderate spice Atlanta Wholesale Wine/ NDC $13 91 ************************************************************************************* Amani Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Stellenbosch Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium yellow. Aromas and flavors of Cape gooseberry, passion fruit, pineapple with a touch of banana. Bright natural acidity runs through the flavors; delicious long finish. None of the typical green characters (bell pepper or asparagus) often found in South African Sauvignon Blanc. Source vineyard close to Atlantic Ocean and False Bay. Very slight residual sugar (.2) supplies a silky texture. Moderately chilled, about 55 degrees, in tall tulip-shaped white wine glasses. Amani Vineyards is American owned. Oysters; grilled scallops, prawns or other seafood; grilled vegetables, fried catfish, Asian-influenced fish and shellfish; light composed salads (fried chicken or fried oyster Caesar), Asian-influenced fish and chicken dishes (but not spicy hot) Big Boat Wine Co. $13 89 ************************************************************************************* Mulderbosch Rosé 2005 Stellenbosch Medium-bodied dry rosé wine; intense red-hued fuschia. Aromas of watermelon, candied apple, cotton candy. Luscious flavors of strawberry, pomegranate, and red raspberry, suggestion of grenadine. A nice thread of acidity keeps the finish long, dry and clean. Slight sense of tannin. Residual sugar low, on the dry side of about .5. Grape types: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Serve moderately chilled, about 55 degrees. With appetizers and antipasti, salamis, Serrano ham, grilled sausages. All manner of sosatis (skewered grilled foods South African style), chicken marinated in mild peri-peri and grilled, wings, Chinese barbecue, wings, fried chicken, roast pork tenderloin, Malaysian fare (meat-filled pancakes called roti especially good and make a great appetizer). National Distributing Company $15 92 ************************************************************************************* Fairview "Goat-Roti" 2003 Western Cape Big, full-bodied dry red wine; deep inky dark purple red. Big aromas of luscious, dark berry fruit, emphasis on black currant and plum. Flavors key in on dark fruits, some spice. Juicy fruit and easy fruit tannins. Mid-palate initially a bit shallow, but develops if decanted. Finish a bit short. But altogether tasty work. Grape types: Shiraz (90%); Mourvèdre (9 %) and Viognier (3%), from Paarl & Malmesbury (Swartland), thus designated Western Cape. Young still, with five-year additional keeping potential. Goats do Roam is the largest brand imported from South Africa into the U.S., at more than one million cases annually. Decant, as when wine evolves, it acquires complexity, with a nice dried herb note. Fairview does great cheeses, hopefully soon to be in the States, and this works well with creamy blue-veined cheeses, aged firm cheeses and mild goat cheese, but pass with really stinky cheeses. Exotic dishes, sweet Malaysian curries (not spicy hot), roast duck with blackberry jam glaze, mild peri-peri basted pork tenderloin; lamb; ox tails cooked in red wine; grilled ham steak. Not a good steak wine. Empire Distributing $18 88 ************************************************************************************* Paul Cluver Pinot Noir 2003 Elgin Full-bodied dry red wine; translucent dark cherry red. Initial aromas of dark cherry with a touch of vanilla; but as the wine, if decanted, opens, acquires coffee notes and some spice. Dark cherry flavors evolve into wild dark berry fruits, as the coffee notes stay in the background. Velvety fruit tannins. French oak, new, second and third fill, so not crazy with oak. With good cellaring, another 5-7 years could be the reward. Decanting essential for maximum pleasure, then serve in Burgundy glasses at cool temperatures to temper the alcohol (14.5%). Keeps well for second-day drinking. Cool to about 55 degrees, with fairly assertively seasoned Indian food, such as lamb rogan josh, chicken massala, Malaysian fare, sweet curries. Also with roast chicken; wild mushrooms, braised ox tails, game birds. Winery suggests fish, shellfish, game fish, if slightly chilled to say 55 degrees. A bit warmer (about 60 degrees) for grilled beef, game, poultry, roasted vegetables and firm assertive cheeses. Quality Wine & Spirits $30 92