Boozy News – The November Edition
Hey Boozy Friends – I thought I will do a mini newsletter giving some highlights, products to look out for and what you can expect over the next few months. The 24th of November marks our 1 year anniversary.Can you believe that My Boozy Kitchen is one years old! What a fantastic journey it has been! I certainly can’t believe a year has passed.
Wine flies when having fun!! Firstly, I just want to thank all my loyal followers. There are dozens of wine and food blogs out there. The fact, that you are following me, I am truly humbled and honoured. From the bottom of my wine bottle, I THANK YOU for taking the time out to read, comment and share.
So don’t go anywhere, as I have a year’s supply bag of tricks. As a massive token of my appreciation and gratitude, I will be giving a bottle of MCC away to one lucky subscriber. So keep a watch on my Facebook page for the announcement of the winner.
Well I am excited for the next year to come. There are so many topics I want to cover and recipes that I want to test. Just to wet your appetite boozy chewy chocolate brownies, beer beef ribs with roasted butternut salad, booze infused ice-cream, wine slushy, cocktails and so much much more.. so don’t go away.
BOOZY NEWS #1:
TOKARA MCC Brings Elegance to Any Special Occasion:
For a MCC that ticks all the right boxes, look no further than TOKARA’s ultra-elegant Méthode Cap Classique. Let the maiden 2011 vintage, available in a slick black gift box, add a touch of style to any occasion.
This 100% Chardonnay is crafted from cool climate grapes grown on TOKARA’s prized Elgin property. The Blanc de Blancs owes its elegance and finesse to the more than four years the wine matured on the lees. These spent yeast cells that remain after bottle fermentation to create the vibrant effervescence, impart texture and complexity to the wine.
The fine, consistent mousse interplays with aromas of freshly baked brioche, fresh apples and a hint of lemon blossom typical of Chardonnay. Delicate bubbles explode in your mouth upon entry leaving you with mouth filling flavours of toasted almonds, freshly buttered toast and notes of lemon and lime preserve.
This dashing MCC is set apart by its unusual Butterfly bottle, specially designed to lend gravitas and sophistication.
The depth of flavour is extraordinary and well worth the cellar door price of R650 including the stylish gift box. For more information, visit www.tokara.com.
BOOZY NEWS #2:
Put an Extra Sparkle in Summer with a ‘Mischievous’ Bubbly
After years of planning and tweaks to the final blend, the award-winning Ridgeback Wines in Paarl has released their highly anticipated “mischievous” bubbly. A delicate blend of tropical Sauvignon Blanc and daring Viognier, the Ridgeback Mischief 2018 is now available.
Lush canopies, carefully controlled irrigation and night harvesting ensures the integrity of the delicate tropical flavours which form the core of this delicious sparkling wine.
The Ridgeback Mischief 2018 offers a fresh, upfront, tropical array of lime, pineapple and green guava which evolves to hints of orange blossom and citrus on the palate and a flinty minerality lingering on the aftertaste, adds Wessels. “It is ideal for any form of celebration and suits lighter dishes, summer salads and sushi or grilled, lightly seasoned white fish.”
The Ridgeback Mischief 2018 is dry and has an alcohol content per volume of 12,5%. It sells for R95 at the Ridgeback tasting room.
For more information about this and other wines in the Ridgeback portfolio, please visit www.ridgebackwines.co.za.
Please
keep an eye out for my article on Ridgeback Wines and our amazing day
we spent with the team as well as my review on the brand new Ridgeback
Mischief Sparkling. I can’t wait to write about it.
BOOZY NEWS #3:
Finally, a less than 0.5% Almost Zero alcohol ‘wine’ option!
It’s here – an exciting, new drink for summer! And it’s just perfect if you’re looking for a delicious everyday drink with virtually no alcohol and lower in kilojoules. Made by Van Loveren, Almost Zero is crafted from Sauvignon Blanc wine with alcohol removed.
Almost Zero is crisp and tasty, with less than 0.5%alcohol – the same as the alcohol-free beers on the market. Better yet, it has 75% less kilojoules than a normal glass of wine. Now, you can enjoy a glass of vino, literally to your heart’s content and without the worry. Almost Zero is definitely the healthier summer option.
On the palate, Almost Zero’s bracing kiss reveals flavours of apple, litchi and a little citrus and will be a highlight enjoyed by itself on a hot day or alongside any summer fare like seafood and salads. Almost Zero is always at its best when served chilled.
For more information about Almost Zero, or to place your order and have it delivered to your door, contact Annaliza at the Van Loveren Wine Club on email winehub@vanloveren.co.zaor tel 023 615 1505.
The wine sells for R65 and will soon be available in retail stores countrywide.
Once again – keep a watchful eye on my blog in the next few weeks as I will be doing a honest review of this wine. I am excited and curious at the same time – I mean who and why would you want to not drink wine that has no Alcohol – well stay tuned!
BOOZY NEWS #4:
Fine Wine – Fabulous Food With Bouchard Finlayson & The Twelve Apostles Hotel And Spa
Food and wine devotees will relish in The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa’s final paired dinner of the year on Friday 30 November 2018. With Executive Chef Christo Pretorius and Sommelier, Gregory Mutambe in perfect step with BouchardFinlayson winemaker Chris Albrecht, current vintages will be partnered and presented with an exquisite three-course menu in Azure, the property’s fine-dining restaurant with magnificent views over the Atlantic Ocean below.
For starters, Garden Pea Pannacotta is partnered with the estate’s crisp, tropical-toned Sauvignon Blanc 2018. The mains feature a choice of locally sourced:
- Yellowfin Tuna teamed with Bouchard Finlayson’s crisply clean unwooded Sans Barrique Chardonnay 2017;
- Free-range Guinea Fowl with the estate’s lauded Missionvale Chardonnay 2016;
- Grilled Beef Rump Cap, teamed with the delicately rich Galpin Peak Pinot Noir 2016.
Dessert is a decadent Dark Chocolate Pate a Choux paired with Bouchard Finlayson’s Hannibal 2016. This unique and intriguing blend of Italian varietals – Sangiovese, Pinot noir, Nebbiolo, Shiraz, Mourvédre and Barbera, combine to achieve a harmonious orchestra of flavours, resulting in a lingering finish and complex mouthfeel as the climax to the lavish dinner.
Finishing the year on a high note, the final food and wine dinner at The Twelve Apostles promises to be a truly magnificent gastronomic experience for food and wine lovers alike, so early booking is encouraged. The cost of R595 per person includes food, wine, water and gratuity.
For more information and to book, contact Restaurant Reservations on 021 437 9029 or restaurants@12apostles.co.za
BOOZY NEWS #5:
Treasured Terroir Bouchard Finlayson Releases its 2017 Sans Barrique (Unwooded) Chardonnay
The 2017 vintage of the Bouchard Finlayson Sans Barrique Chardonnay has recently been released and is now available at the cellar door (R151 per bottle) at leading wine merchants.
The wine is produced from grapes originating from the Estate, combined with those sourced from a unique Overberg vineyard site amongst the mountains behind Villiersdorp in the Elandskloof valley. Weather conditions helped to produce atop quality 2017 vintage. This has produced a well-structured, crisp, white Chardonnay. Immediate hints of clarity and spritely fruit capture the clean palate feel and taste of this wine, while a host of perfumed reminders of apple, gooseberry, guava and sweet melon tease the taste senses.
The organic compliment of lees tones adds complexity to assist with excellent aging potential – another signature characteristic of Bouchard Finlayson wines.Winemaker Chris Albrecht declares the wine a ‘shell fish delight’, perfectly paired with sushi, summer salads and all fruits of the sea.
Seniorwine judge and founding member of the South African Sommelier Association (SASA) Higgo Jacobs says: ‘Chardonnay has been on the bottom of plenty local wine aficionados’ shopping lists, and justifiably so for its clumsy oak and buttery flabbiness of decades of yore. But ignore it further at your own peril! South Africa is producing some of the best expressions in the New World, and the variety is popular almost globally. For those still stuck in the ABC (anything but Chardonnay) mind space, I suggest buying a good bottle of unwooded Chardonnay and ask someone to hide it in a line-up of some of your favourite whites and see what happens. These light, yet wonderfully complex and appetizing wines show the charm without oak support, and serve as a wonderful introduction to the king of white wines.’
BOOZY NEWS #6:
Savour summer for longer at Constantia Glen.
Take advantage of extended summer opening hours and indulge in fine cool climate wines and delicious taste partners at Constantia Glen, the picturesque boutique wine estate in South Africa’s oldest wine growing region.
The Constantia Glen tasting room is open daily from 10h00 until 20h00 for the holiday season starting on 7 December.
As the addition to their perfect foil for balmy sunny days, tender kudu carpaccio, seared tuna niçoise, and creamy burrata mozzarella caprese have made a come back at the Constantia Glen tasting room in popular selection of generous platters and cracking Flammkuchen.
These moreish summer specialities pair perfectly with Constantia Glen’s fine selection of wines.
Framed by majestic mountain views, the tranquil Constantia Glen setting is the ideal backdrop for a sensory summer indulgence, whether you prefer to kick start your day with a vivacious Cap Classique breakfast, enjoy a laid back lunch or watch the sun set over outstretched vineyards.
The burrata caprese and seared tuna niçoise are available at R180 each, while the cost of the kudu carpaccio is R125. There is a wide selection of wine tasting options to find you ideal summer favourite. All wines are available by the bottle and can be purchased by the glass from R60.
Known for exceptional cool climate Bordeaux-style red and white wines, Constantia Glen’s dryl and vineyards are farmed without any irrigation. The tasting room is open seven days a week from 10h00 till 20h00 from 7 December 2018 until mid-January2019. Booking via http://www.constantiaglen.com is highly recommended. The tasting room will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
BOOZY NEWS #7 :
Survivor Pinotage gift pack comes to the rescue at Makro!
Survive the mad holiday rush and head straight for the wine aisle at your nearest Makro to pick up a Survivor Pinotage gift pack courtesy of this free-spirited range of quality wines from the Swartland.
he perfect gift for wine lovers, the gift pack comprises a bottle of hearty Survivor Pinotage 2016 and two trendy stemless wine glasses. The pack depicts the legendary Nguni cow that jumped off a bakkie and chose as its new home the Rust’s Constantia farm near Malmesbury where the Survivor grapes are grown, declaring: “The cow stops here!”.
Firmly rooted inlow-yielding dry land Swartland vineyards, Survivor Pinotage is enjoyed for its structure and fullness. This is a fruit driven wine with rich flavours of prune,plum and cherries complemented by elegant notes of spice and cedar. The wine was barrel-matured for 18 months. This home grown wine variety is a perfect fit for an authentic South African festive season braai of sweet barbeque ribs, boerewors and steak.
The Survivor gift-pack is available exclusively at Makro stores countrywide at a festive price of R169.
Once again – Thank you to all who take the time to read and makes comments. I look forward in the next year, there is so much happening so stay tuned! Don’t forget to subscribe so you can win a bottle of MCC!