30100350 SA Wine Magazine FA - Wines of South Africa

South African WineNorth AmericaAutumn Edition20051. One of the lodges at Grootboswith its contemporary styleappeals to the cosmopolitantraveler. Feel welcome at a trulyunique place where conservationand relaxation have found theperfect home.THE RIGHT WHALE (Eubalaene australis)was so named because it was consideredto be the 'Right' Whale to catch. There arean estimated 3000 - 4000 Southern RightWhales in the world, the majority of whichannually visit the South African coastlinefrom May to December.3‘If you don't smile from the heart,don't bother pulling your face– it must be for real,’ says RichardGosa, head barman at Grootbos.This simple and subtle commentclearly reflects the Grootbosphilosophy, instilled by owner,Michael Lutzeyer.Green futures for allGROOTBOS1.2.4.3.The fundamentals of this mentality arerooted in the very soil of this propertybecause Grootbos is a conservancy of1 768ha, protecting a unique part of theCape Floral Kingdom (CFK), with fynbosas the focal point. Lutzeyer has created adestination that encapsulates not onlybrilliant service but also an environmentof conservation and skills development.Grootbos is not only a reserve where a widevariety of indigenous flora is being protectedagainst property developments oragricultural eradication, it’s also a reserveof new discoveries - last year's researchrevealed no less than four previouslyunknown species of fynbos. The CFKcontains over 9 600 different plant species(this is more than the entire northernhemisphere) and has historically beenoverlooked and under-estimated. Botanistshave been researching plants in thefurthermost corners of the earth, whileacknowledgement of the WesternCape’s wealth of fynbos and renosterveldis fairly recent.Arriving at Grootbos one late afternoon inMay, we were met by possibly one of themost beautiful sunsets we've ever seenunder African skies. Even without adramatic sunset, the views sweep fromvast expanses of ocean, across to CapePoint and Table Mountain. On a clear dayyou can even see Southern Right Whales(season is May - December).It was announced that one of the activitiesthe next morning, would be a game drive.This is not the normal African game drivewith perhaps a lion-kill thrown in for addedexcitement, rather this is a drive aboutNature’s more subtle nuances, its aboutthe sugar bird, a rare tortoise and theindigenous plants that appear nowhereelse in the world. This is a whole differentexperience with highly trained guides, whospeak so convincingly about a flower thesize of a dragonfly that they unfold anunknown world to all who listen.‘Plants are not cute and cuddly, like babyseals; they serve as the global breathingsystem,’ says Lutzeyer. ‘We've ignored theimportance of plants for too long.’And beyond the reserve's borders? TheLutzeyer family's unselfish attitude to theirenvironment stretches into the surroundingcommunity. Grootbos is home to a school,where students are selected from thelocal township. Candidates are 18+, andcome from historically disadvantagedbackgrounds. Of 90 potential applicantsper annum, only 10 are selected to followa Life Skills course which includeshorticulture (plants are taught by their Latinnames), advanced gardening, computerliteracy, drivers' licenses at different levels,meals as well as a weekly allowance. It'stherefore no wonder that environmentaland social responsibility champions Valli2. The Cape Floral Kingdom is one of akind. Nowhere else is plant life morediverse. Grootbos Nature Reserveconserves 1 700 hectares of pristinefynbos, the Cape’s unique vegetationtype. The expert botanical guides willopen your eyes to the intricacies ofthe fynbos ecosystem including morethan 650 species of indigenous plantsfound on the property.3. Discover the fascinating relationshipsbetween the insects, birds, mammalsand flowering plants of this diverseecosystem. Young and old can explorethis natural wonderland on foot orby four-wheel drive vehicle.4. The cliffs of Walker Bay, right atour doorstep, offer the bestland - based whale viewing in theworld. Watch spellbound as cows,calves and bulls come to within 30metres of the rocky shoreline.Moosa and Kader Asmal support theproject. Grootbos is an excellent exampleof how the private sector is embracingblack economic empowerment (BEE),specifically on the skills transfer level.It is also not surprising, then, that theUK-based Eden Project commissionedGrootbos to manage and maintain theirFynbos Dome in London. Each year, thisproject receives three Grootbos-trainedguides to convey to visitors their homegrownpassion and knowledge of the CFK.Among others, this project has attractedthe interest and support of Princess Annand the National Geographic Society.‘Grootbos offers a unique experience,blending 5-star luxury with a world-famousfynbos reserve, slap bang in the middle ofthe Cape winelands, 15 minutes from thebest land-based whale watching in theworld,’ Lutzeyer continues.Logistically, Grootbos is a two-hour leisurelydrive from Cape Town International Airport,15 minutes from the burgeoning Stanfordwineries (Raka and Jackson's), half an hourfrom the Walker Bay wineries in the Hemelen Aarde Valley (which include internationallyacclaimed Hamilton RussellVineyards, Bouchard Finlayson and others).An ideal schedule would be to plan anafternoon arrival with a midday departurethe following day, which would offer ampletime to enjoy the region's wine farms,whale watching as well as the Grootbosexperience. Grootbos offers breakfast,lunch and dinner, nature walks, drives andeducationals. The Lodge is divided intoGarden and Forest sections, with a totalcomplement of 20 rooms.Visit www.grootbos.co.za for further details,visuals and on-line bookings.André MorgenthalWOSA Communications Manager

South African WineNorth AmericaAutumn Edition2005It’s coming up Wine and Roses in theRobertson photos kindly supplied by the Robertson Wine Valley marketing officeROBERTSON6VALLEYKnown as the Valley of Wine and Roses, Robertson also features warm hospitality and valuefor money. The valley’s wine producers have transformed this area from a region knownfor producing inexpensive everyday whites to one which is attracting national andinternational accolades for a diverse range of quality wines.MYRNA ROBINS ELABORATESThis fair valley forms the eastern end of the long, broad BreedeRiver Valley, of which wine region it is also part. Lying about 160km- almost due east and inland from Cape Town – it’s a warm, dryarea, with an average altitude of 181 metres. It’s also a zone thatbridges the gap between the verdant, populous Boland and thesemi-desert terrain of the comparatively isolated Karoo.Travelers taking the R60 from Worcester to Robertson will whizzalong a new highway where indigenous bush gives way to vineyardsinterspersed with paddocks and pastures, followed by orchards ofdeciduous fruit that march between groves of silver-leaved olives.For, while wine comes first, peaches, apricots and fine stud farmsall play an economic role here, with ostrich and dairy farms furthercontributing to agricultural diversity.The town of Robertson, with its backdrop of the mauve andmajestic Langeberge (long mountains) makes the central focus,with the villages of McGregor, Bonnievale and Ashton in the vicinity,all of which also look to tourism as a source of income.The wine district of Robertson is divided into 10 smaller productunits, or wards. There are around 47 cellars in all, comprising agood mix of long-established estates and co-operatives, large andsmall, along with several boutique wineries and a handful ofgaragistes. Across the region, rainfall averages range between alow of 150mm and a high of 321mm. Summer day temperaturesaverage 28,6ºC, dropping to 14,1ºC at night. In winter it rangesfrom a daytime high of 21,1ºC to a night low of 7,4ºC.For decades the Robertson valley has been known for enjoyable,easy-drinking affordable whites and good fortified Muscats,both red and white. Heat-tolerant Chenin Blanc and Colombardwere the most popular cultivars, delivering guava-scented, dryor off-dry wines. The best among them made – and still make– delicious summery aperitifs, meant to be enjoyed young.While the Breede river provides some irrigation, the building ofthe large artificial Lake Marais – known locally as the BrandvleiDam – over marshland near Worcester in 1923 improved theviability of wine grape cultivars. The capacity of the dam wasincreased in 1950 and a network of canals leads this life forcefrom the Worcester wine area into sections of the Robertson valley.The resurgence and expansions of the Cape wine industry since1990 were reflected in this region by developments that areproving far-reaching indeed. During the last decade of thecentury scientific plantings of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blancand some Gewurztraminer replaced some of the old workhorsecultivars of Chenin and Colombard. This investment led to aleap in quality that has placed Robertson on the vinous map asa producer of fine whites from classic cultivars, with SauvignonBlanc and Chardonnay heading the list. This was matched by amove to red, as farmers instigated intensive research on matchingof cultivar to suitable site before planting, using global expertise,including that of Californian fundis.Early releases are demonstrating that Shiraz is likely to be thenumber one winner here, with some Cabernet Sauvignons showinggreat promise, while Merlot and Pinotage are not far behind.Myrna Robinshas worked with the Cape Argusfor over a decade, contributing tothe wine and food sections amongothers. She has published four books inSouth Africa and one in theUnited Kingdom. Her most recent book,Cape Flavour, is a gastronomicmeander through 12 Cape wineregions, highlighting wine and culinarystyles, beautifully photographed.www.robertsonwinevalley.com

Autumn Edition2005TRAINING THE TRAINERS7 8ROBERTSONVALLEYSOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYThe Wine Industry in Robertson tackles socialresponsibility issues with the same passion thatit pours into its wines. Among other programs,in 2003 a rural development program was startedin the valley, known locally as LOVE, which nameis derived from the initials of its official Afrikaanstitle, Landelike Ontwikkelsings Vennote. Thispartnership, between farm-workers, wine cellars,commercial farmers and municipalities embracesa comprehensive list of aims and objectives aroundoverall goals of upliftment and empowerment.Leaders among workers have been identified andthis resulted in the establishment of a number ofadult education classes, sporting fixtures andstocking of school libraries in the more isolatedareas. New day - care facilities are beingestablished, more health workers trained and theprogram is expanding rapidly.FIVE YEARS INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUMAND WHAT DO WE FIND?Statistics (published last year) reveal thatsome 44 370 000 vines cover around 12 770hectares, making Robertson home to about11,5% of the total area under vine in SouthAfrica. Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and CapClassique are the signature whites, withShiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon the top reds.In 2003 the percentage of white wine varietiesto red stood at 64,3% to 35,7%.CELLARS OF NOTEWhile it is always difficult to single out cellars from a diverse group whose personnelare passionate, dedicated and quality-driven, a few names that play exceptionalroles should be identified.Starting with bubbly, the right prelude to any significant event: Here GrahamBeck Wines is the undisputed star in the Robertson valley, producing successivevintages of superb Cap Classiques. The ’99 Blanc de Blancs, made from Chardonnay,made Decanter’s Top 20 South African list. The popular Brut combines Chardonnaywith 46% Pinot Noir. Winemaker Pieter Ferreira wears his nickname Bubbles withmodest pride and this ultra-modern winery is widely regarded as one of the fourmost exciting in South Africa.Springfield Estate, a long-established farm on the Breede river banks, is anotherof this quartet. Here Abrie Bruwer has expressed his innovative non-conformisttalent for winemaking since 1995 with a series of brilliant Sauvignon Blancs,Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons. Minimal interference, traditional methods,long fermentation using native wild yeasts and whole berry wine - making areamong processes tried and tested. The new millennium saw the release of a classicCabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot blend that hasattracted rave ratings from connoisseurs.The local ‘King of Chardonnay’ also resides in the Robertson valley – and hiscontribution to the industry and its people extends far beyond this cultivar. Daniede Wet of De Wetshof Estate startled the Gallic world when his ’85 vintageChardonnay was judged as the world’s best at France’s prestigious Vinexpo. Todayhe produces top quality Chardonnays in varying styles even as he continues to servethe industry in official and demanding posts at a time of huge political change.Chardonnay is also a wine not to be missed when visiting Weltevrede Estate andtheir sparkling wine is becoming a force to be reckoned with as well. This is anotherlong-established farm with present winemaker Philip Jonker following in his father’sfootsteps by taking a leadership role as chairman of the local tourism initiative.While good Shiraz can be tasted at many a Robertson cellar today, it was thevenerable cellar (and stud farm) Zandvliet that first produced exciting quality winesfrom this cultivar.Given the talent, dedication, passion and commitment of Robertson winemakers,viticulturalists, farmers and marketers, this warm and welcoming area seems setfor ever greater heights in the competitive New World of wine. Proprietor andwinemaker of Springfield Estate, (and pilot, passionate fisherman and occasionalphilosopher) Abrie Bruwer sums up Robertson’s achievements like this: ‘Our valleyhas broken free from its former cocoon of isolation thanks to just one fundamental– exceptionally good wine, which has become the pride of all. Our success wasearned the hard way, but now the future is ours – this is just the beginning.’WOSA embarks on a new programPeter HellmanOne recent evening, I went to Aquavit,on Manhattan’s East Side, for theintroduction of a new ultra-premium redwine from one of South Africa’s finestwineries. The wine was splendid. My onlyproblem was that, try as I might, I couldnot properly pronounce the winery’sAfrikaans name. Its three aspirantsrefused to roll off my tongue. Orrather, out of the back of my throat.I don’t raise the pronunciation issue to suggestthat any South African winery adapt toAmerican tongues, any more than that theirBurgundian or German counterparts ought to‘streamline’ such vineyard names as Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet or Karthäuserhofberg. It’sour problem, not theirs, and unease withforeign languages is practically an Americanbirthright. But naming issues are a jumpingoff point to suggest that it’s not enough forSouth Africa’s wines to be competitive and insome categories superior, to other wines in acrowded market place. Too many consumersremain unfamiliar with South Africa’s placeon the globe, its wine country and its recentpolitical history. In short, they don’t knowSouth Africa. Neither do most retail salespeople,waiters or for that matter, distributors’ salesstaff who are charged with selling the wines.It’s a problem of education.Enter now, on behalf of Wines of South Africa,Robin Kelley O’Connor, former apprenticewinemaker, current president of Society ofWine Educators, long-time emissary ofBordeaux wines and master communicatorof wine values to the trade. O’Connor hasaccepted a mandate from WOSA to providenationwide educational seminars beginningin late summer, called ‘Training the Trainers.’‘The goal,’ says O’Connor, ‘is to put SouthAfrica into the consciousness of the trade,restaurant wine staff and culinary schoolstudents. We want to start to educate thetrade to understand that South Africa is aplace with real wines, real people and a realquality agenda.’ That knowledge can thenbe transmitted ‘downstream’ to retail wineshop managers, salespeople on the floor,restaurant servers and finally to the consumer.Why not ‘train the consumer’ directly?‘Because, we just don’t have enough time inthe year to be in as many places as thedistributor’s staff can be,’ answers O’Connor,who spent two weeks in South African winecountry earlier this year. ‘In the long term, ifyou offer a modicum of education to thesales staff, they will be our greatestambassadors. With just a little knowledgeand a few key facts in their pocket, thesepeople can spread the gospel that SouthAfrica is a country on the march. So the basicmessage is, jump in while prices are right andbecause the quality is really good.’Other emerging wine-exporting nations mighttrumpet a similar message, but South Africahas particular reasons to be heard from. ‘Abig challenge is that hardly anyone knowswhere South Africa actually is,’ says Ken Onish,president of importer Southern Starz. Onething training the trainers can do is to makesome corollaries between South Africa andCalifornia. When Americans learn that SouthAfrica’s wine country is the equivalent ofbeing between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara,that makes them feel better.’‘One of the things that was painfully obviousto me when I started out,’ says importer PeterMorales, president of 57 Main Street WineCo., ‘was that South Africa was one of theareas of the world producing the best wine,and yet it was totally omitted from theliterature due to the political situation thatexisted then. Even though new texts rectifythat, there is still a great gap.’Robin O’Connor started a Bordeaux educationprogram in the late 1980s, a time when hesays, ‘three quarters of the sales force werewhisky salesmen who were forced to sellwine. Several of the top 10 nationaldistributors went out of business becausethey couldn’t get their salespeople to learnthe wine story.’ O’Connor feels that it’s notthat way any more. ‘At the distributor level,’he says, ‘anyone who is thinking about gettingahead is pretty keen on education. So I feelI can get in there and start establishing someallies for South African wines.’Peter Hellman writes for The New YorkTimes, Wall Street Journal, Wine Spectator,Food & Wine and other publications. Hiscolumn ‘Urban Vintage,’ appears everyWednesday in the New York Sun.

South African WineNorth AmericaAutumn Edition2005John Frederick Walker writes on wine, wildlife and adventuretravel for Saveur and National Geographic Traveler among others.SYRAHIThe new red on the blockBy John Frederick Walkerconfess I'm a late convert to South AfricanSyrah (or Shiraz, as some like to label it).I've always been a fan of the grape andadmittedly, the best examples I initially cameacross on visits to the Cape were full of theripe, berry-like fruit and peppery spice thatare hallmarks of first-class Syrah. So whatwas my problem? I persisted in thinking theywere one-offs, exceptions, stunt wines - notthe harbingers of what may ultimately turnout to be South Africa's best red.Wine journalists like to keep thingsunderstandable. If they can get a handle on awine region, they can explain it to their readers.I wasn't purposely trying to pigeonhole theCape as a wine region but on my first tourI found other grapes that seemed to bestexpress that wonderful tension of fruit andminerality that gives South African wines theirspecial style. Among whites, I was drawn tothe tart, pinpoint brilliance of numerousSauvignon Blancs and among reds, the Médoclikeproportions and suppleness of the bestCabernet-based blends. I also developed apassion for the intensely brooding, barelytamedcharacter of better Pinotage.So when winemakers would press a glass ofanother varietal in my hand, I was curious butoften a bit dubious. You can't do everythingwell, I'd think. None the less, I encounteredexamples of old bush vine Chenin Blanc thatforced me to scribble superlatives in mynotebook. And the handful of startlinglyseductive Pinot Noirs I came across instantlycaptivated me (there's never enough PinotNoir produced in the world, so of courseI was happy to find another source).But Syrah? South Africans were going to excelin that grape too? I listened to the ambitionsthat Cape winemakers had for this ancientgrape and their assertions that their Syrahswould turn out to be competitive with topexamples from anywhere. I knew why theywould want to make Syrah. The grape hasbecome wildly popular. Its original homelandis France's Rhône Valley but these days it'sgrown in California, Washington State, Australia,Chile, Argentina, Italy, Spain and New Zealand,and for one simple reason: it makes amouth-filling red full of spicy, fruity flavor that'sgreat with grilled meats and all sorts of heartyfoods - roasts, stews, pâtés, cheeses. MostSyrahs are burly enough to age for 10 yearsor more, although often they're best enjoyedin their lusty youth.No wonder South Africans went on a plantingspree. In 15 years Syrah had gone from lessthan 1% of the country's vineyard plantingsto nearly 8%, making it second only toCabernet Sauvignon among red cultivars.By then, its emergence as a serious Cape redwas almost inevitable and today there areenough knock-out examples of Syrah that itsimply can't be ignored as a category. I know.I've tasted them, and yes, I should haveseen it coming.It says something when winemakers likeChris Williams and Mike Dobrovic turn to Syrahto make their biggest red-wine statements.Williams, the new winemaker at Meerlust,draws on fruit from Stellenbosch and Paarl forThe Foundry, the small label enterprise heco-owns. His 2002 Syrah is a splendid,mouth-filling, fine-textured red, with inky, ripeberryfruit, piquant flavors and subtle oak.Dobrovic, famed for his Sauvignon Blancwizardry at Mulderbosch and his penchant forplaying classical music in the cellar, produceda tightly-furled, smokily-rich Stellenbosch-based2002 Shiraz at his new family-ownedSanctum Wines.It's not just boutique producers who areembracing Shiraz. When wine giant KWVneeded an icon wine to crown its product line,it sourced the grapes from the unirrigated OpDie Berg (top of the hill) Syrah vineyard plantedin 1970 on top of Paarl mountain. Coolerconditions there make for slow ripening andconcentrated flavors, ideal for a deep, layered,plush and plummy red with American oaknotes. Only two vintages have so far beenreleased: the 1996 and the 1998.But Stellenbosch and Paarl aren't the onlysources of super South African Syrahs. Severalyears ago in a ramshackle corner of hisMalmesbury cellar in Swartland, maverickwinemaker Eben Sadie splashed out a purple,glass-staining, smack-of-the-earth barrel samplefor me as evidence of his passion for Syrah.His latest, the 2002 Sadie Family ‘Columella,’is all smashed berries and lingering whiffs ofviolets and tar, round and graceful in spite ofswashbuckling power. Another Swartland Syrahof note is the 2002 Fairview ‘Jakkalsfontein,’a dark, juicy-textured product of bush-vines,with a smashed-berry intensity that masksits 14.8 alcohol.At Graham Beck in Robertson I discoveredtheir splendid single-vineyard ‘The Ridge’ Syrah.I sampled it in a space-age tasting roomoverlooking the vineyards but the flavorinstantly transported me to the parched, rockyhills beyond. The wine, from a low-yieldingSyrah vineyard on the eastern slopes of theRooiberg, is characteristically deep, smoky, spicy,and fine-grained in its latest manifestation, the2002 vintage. It may come from relativelyyoung vines but it has the concentratedtaste of an old-vine wine.Now that it's clear that Syrah indeed hassomething to say in South Africa, it's alsoevident that Cape Syrahs aren't clones of whatyou find in a bottle from France's northernRhône or for that matter the Barossa valley ofAustralia. Yes, you will find South AfricanSyrahs that recall the peppery terroir flavorsand inky, violet-scented elegance of top Rhônessuch as Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, St.Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. At the sametime there are those bottlings that clearlyemulate the thick, ultra-ripe fruit-in-your-faceAustralian style, right down to the leather-andlicoricenotes and sweet vanilla scent thatcomes from aging in American oak. The finestexamples so far seem to be steering a middlecourse between these two styles and aimingat subtler flavor notes - mulberries and mocharather than simple jam and dark chocolate andeven that exquisite hint of orange peel yousometimes find in truly classy Syrah.Clearly, it's too soon to think of where Syrahmight do best in South Africa - that will taketime and experimentation. Meanwhile, as anewly-minted Cape Syrah enthusiast, the onlycomplaint I'm likely to have is that the bestwill probably remain in short supply.10

South African WineNorth AmericaAutumn Edition2005Rooibos Wins Legal Battle in USA10 years and a million dollars later, Rooibos Ltd earned the rights to the use of thegeneric term ‘rooibos’. A US - based company placed a trademark on the name in the90s, which will now have to be cancelled after a settlement was reached. ‘The recognitionof the word ‘rooibos’ as the generic name and the fact that it is commonly used to describethe Aspalathus Linearis plant internationally, confirms that ‘rooibos’ is public domainand can not be patented by individuals,’ states Martin Bergh, Rooibos Ltd MD.Jim Clarke is a freelance writer basedin New York City. He serves as theWines and Spirits Editor for the onlinemagazine StarChefs and writes for theNew York Times and Wine Spectator,among others.De Oude Kraal’s Biltong & Avocado Mousse11 12taken from Delicious Travel,Gwynne Conlyn250 g mascarpone100ml beef stock with herbs15ml gelatine dissolved in water1/2 cup powdered biltong1/2 cup thinly sliced biltong250 ml avocado pulp300 ml fresh cream375ml red winesugar to taste50ml cornflowerMix mascarpone with the beef stock.Add more if required. Dissolve gelatineand add to the mixture. Mix thepowdered biltong and avocado.Whip cream and fold into mixture.Pour into cups.Boil together red wine, sugar andcornflower to make a thick red wine sauce.Serve as an accompaniment to the mousse.Garnish mousse with sliced biltong.in the Good Old USA!When homesick South Africans walk into therestaurant Madiba New York, they stop and stareat the wall on their right. Then, more often than not,they have a ‘Eureka’ moment, rushing forward withboth hands for a packet of rusks. Or the monkeygland sauce. Or Mrs. Balls chutneys. Somethingthat reminds them of home.Main picture, opposite page:• Rooibos fields – the plant native tothe Cederburg area; the Khoisanhave been fermenting it into teafor generations.This page, from left to right:• a delicious traditional LambBredie (Casserole)If you consider how many different cultureshave contributed to South African cuisine,you can imagine what a find that must be.On top of the native cultures, severaldifferent groups of Europeans have foundhomes there, eventually bringing workersfrom Asia – notably India and Malaysia –with them. Remarkably, as a national cuisinedeveloped, no one was left out.Nor was local wildlife. Biltong is spiced,air-dried meat – traditionally game likespringbok or kudu – and is the nation’ssnack food of choice. An American mightsimplify and call it jerky; Jeremy Dreyer ofAA Biltong, an American biltong producer,says when he first arrived in the Statessomeone offered him some jerky; he tookone bite and threw the packet away.Biltong is air-dried, without the added heatthat goes into making jerky, so it’s moretender. At the moment all USDA-approvedbiltong is made from beef, which is lessgamy and slightly fattier. Coriander is theprimary spice used but a variety of flavorshave become common in recent years.Purists will probably be alarmed to learnthat Texas-based producer The Biltong Boxoffers Tabasco, Cajun, Rhodesian, Hoppin’Jalapeno, Garlic and Texas Hot Steamin’Chili flavored biltong.Biltong is used in omelettes and sometimesblended into cheese but most often enjoyedby itself; Dreyer says, ‘You give a piece tothe dog and eat the rest yourself.’ It is derigueur with a rugby game and someapparently feel it gives a burst of brainpower; he gets a rash of orders from overseasat exam time each year as mothersbuy their kids studying in the US somethingto get them through their finals. Biltongwas made to travel; if you have time to stopand cook, you pull out some boerewors –‘farmer’s sausage.’ No braai – a South Africanbarbecue – would be complete without it.Like biltong, these beef sausages are spicedwith coriander; they have a mild but distinctflavor, reminiscent of Middle Eastern meatsbut less pungent. Boerewors are traditionallyserved with pap, a firm maize-based porridgeand can also be found in a dried, meat stickform called droëwors.Americans may not have caught on to theIQ benefits of biltong but rooibos tea hasmade some waves for its naturally caffeineand tannin-free, high antioxidant qualities.Rooibos – ‘red bush’ – is a plant native tothe Cederburg area; the Khoisan, a Bushmantribe, has been fermenting it into tea forgenerations. When brewed it has a rich,mahogany-red color and a full body – ararity for herbal teas. American tea companiesoften gild the lily by using rooibos as a basefor all sorts of other flavorings; Hugh Lamondof Rooibos Ltd. says it’s particularly good forchai teas. He adds that many South Africansuse rooibos in stews or soups where water iscalled for; it adds a rich color and flavor.Sausages, indigenous plants... where doesthe Asian influence come in? In the saucesand recipes. As with many Indian meals,a variety of condiments – called sambals –are served on the side so one can customizea dish. Instead of just salt and pepper, dinershave atchar, peri-peri sauce, chutney andchaka-laka – among others – to choose from.They vary in texture and consistency but whatthey share in common is an interplay ofsweetness – often from a fruit component– and hot curry or ginger spices. Mangoatchar, for example, is pickled mango withginger and other spices. At Madiba NewYork they serve it with Durban samoosas,adding a juicy, fruity heat to the small,meat-filled pastries. Many recipes bring thesweet and spicy combination into the dishitself. Stews are popular, such as ‘potjie bredie,’traditionally cooked in a three-legged pot.Bobotie looks like the offspring of a meatloafand a shepherd’s pie but the curry andchutney keep it moist and not too heavy.You can find these dishes at Madiba NewYork and now also at Madiba Miami, openingthis July (www.i-shebeen.com). The wineliststays true to the experience, featuringexclusively South African wines. AA Biltongruns the South African Food Shop, based inNorth Carolina; their online shop is a greatsource of all sorts of South African foodstuffs(www.southafricanfoodshop.com). And onthe West Coast, check out The African Hutin Laguna Niguel, California(www.africanhut.com).By Jim Clarke• Rooibos tea is not simply arefreshing drink, it has alsobecome sought-after for itsnumerous health-giving properties.• Peppadew – another native SouthAfrican fruit. It’s a sweet piquantepepper grown in the north regionsof South Africa and adds a bit ofsweet and sour zip to any dish!

Late summer is a perfect time to visit the exquisite winelandswhere harvest will be in its final stages.The fourth Cape Wine event will be held againfrom April 4 – 6th 2006.Over 300 wineries will exhibit at the trade - only event andit is a unique opportunity to meet all the winemakers andleading industry players from South Africa, which isincreasingly gaining recognition for its authentic and excitingpremium wines.This year the two-day trade exhibition is preceded by a firsteverWine Diversity Conference; a conference that will bequite unlike any other wine conference. It will addressdiversity in the South African wine industry as well as thecontroversial issue of fostering the diversity of wine in aglobalising world. International speakers include GarrettOliver, Partner & Brewmaster from The Brooklyn Brewery,Tim How from Majestic Wine Warehouses and JamesHerrick from Wineprophet.The Cape Wine event is held every two years. In 2004 theevent attracted over 1 000 international buyers who enjoyedthe distinctive wines, beautiful vineyards and the warmhospitality for which South Africa is so famous.Cape Wine has developed a reputation for great parties and2006 will be no exception. WOSA will be hosting the firstever regional cuisine event and this will be held in thehistoric gardens founded by the Dutch East India Companyin 1652, at the foot of Table Mountain. WOSA will also beorganising trips to visit the vineyards and winemakers.For more information go to www.capewine2006.co.za orspeak to Rory Callahan in New York on (212) 505 1616or Laurel Keenan in Toronto on (416)698 8112.