South African Wines & Barbeques

This year has been, so far, a tumultuous one.

An iconic loss to the nation, huge dips in certain industries and with a shaky F&B sector, the local wine industry has been looking a little frail and a tad edgy. A cheeky reminder perhaps, not to take for granted, 50 years of independence that a nation has so painstakingly ground out.

Thankfully, this is also one of the years, where long weekends are aplenty, providing opportunities for travel, leisure, relaxation and most importantly, a great time to gather and rekindle bonds with friends and family.

I attended a Barbeque recently at one of these long weekends, where a jumble of international themes were going about. Slabs of US Ribeye and racks of soy glazed Babyback Ribs, Sambal Stingray with lemongrass and rojak flower, grilled Indonesian-styled squid in squid ink sauce (Cumi Masak Hitam) and Blackened Cajun Shrimps. Carafes of wine were placed around the table and when prompted on their origins, the host nonchanlantly exclaimed “Oh! It’s just some normal wines from South Africa.”

The words “South Africa” immediately perked me up, and took me back to one of the best Barbeques I ever had.

My South African buddy, Lee stood almost 6 feet tall at probably a hundred kilos. Watching him work a Braai (African Barbeque) was a tantalizing sight. It was one of those moments where food had a soul, and literally a pretty large one. And I remembered, the same scenario, with different food and people, that we were enjoying a generous deal of South African Wine that was relatively inexpensive.

That brings to question. Truly a humble, inexpensive wine. But “Normal?” I am not convinced that South African wines were merely “Normal”.

Braai is probably the most, if not most iconic of cuisine style of South Africa. Meats are the star of the South African braai. They typically include boerewors, sosaties, kebabs, marinated chicken, pork and lamb chops, steaks, sausages of different flavors and thickness, and possibly even a rack or two of spareribs. Fish and crayfish (kreef in Afrikaans) are also popular in coastal areas. The rubs, marinades and sauces all give throes of spice, herbaceous and even fruity notes to the ingredients used. Added with the charred and smoky flavors from wood and charcoal, give the sexiest profiles to food cooked on a barbeque.

Taking a look then, on South African wines, the diversity of styles and production will boggle even the fittest of wine connoisseurs and sommeliers. With more than 10 regions further divided into districts and wards, comprising almost 100 000 hectares of grapevines and 800 kilometres in length, “Normal” is once again, a tremendously loose word to use.

The coastal influences of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans contribute heavily to South Africa’s Mediterranean climate, marked by lots of sunlight and heat. This ensures the grapes develop rich and full flavors, deep colors, and a depth of phenolic compounds (like tannins) for maturing and potential development. This also means the genetic ability of the wines to stand up to intensely flavored food, involving generous amounts of rub and marinades and with intense cooking techniques to boot. In short – Barbeques.

To kickstart our adventure with South African wines and Barbeques, here are a few regions to know and how they can contribute in making your barbeque far from “Normal”:

1.  Constantia

On the southern slopes of the Table Mountain range and its world-renowned floral kingdom lies the historic Constantia valley, the cradle of winemaking in the Cape. This is where the first vines were planted in 1685 and home to the historic dessert wines of South Africa. Over here, the cool climate favours the production of white wines, notably Sauvignon Blanc, and where the tradition of producing remarkable wines continues.

Wine: Groot Constantia Sauvignon Blanc
Profile: Beautiful bright straw color with an emerald-green hue. The happiest nuances of passion fruit, rock melon, bright white flowers and hints of fresh cut grass. Summertime dances on the palate with wafts of stone fruit and fresh flowers. Vibrant acidity with a clean medium-length on the finish.
Good With: On its own pretty much. But eat with grilled crustaceans – shrimp, lobster, crabs and doused with fruit based sauces or slightly spiced sauces with cayenne pepper, cumin, curry even.  Bold flavors will work with this wine.



2. Swartland

Coming from the name “The Black Lands”, where the local Rhinoceros Bush takes on a dark appearance after rains during winter, Swartland is mainly well-known for its wheat and cereal production. One of the hottest and driest regions, Swartland makes some of the ripest and most fruit forward wines of the Coast. Port styled fortified wines are a star accompanied with several other cultivars like Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage and Shiraz.

Wine: Swartland Winery Contours Chenin Blanc
Profile: Pale yellow with a star-bright emerald hue. Fresh cut red apples, nashi pear and nectarines leap out of the glass and embrace you warmly. On the palate, apples and yuzu come forth with a middle palate of chrysanthemums and a touch of almond skin. Bright acid structure and good fruit. Slight waxy texture and a clean, easy finish.
Good With: Spice-driven barbeques. Local seafood favorites like sambal-laced squid, prawns and fishes. Tumeric or curry rubbed whole fishes will also work. Able to handle heavier fishes like seabass, tuna and swordfish that are not too chunkily cut. Slim cuts of pork or chicken with savory marinades or spice rubs won’t do too shabbily as well.


3. Walker Bay

Beautiful and one of the coolest maritime regions, Walker Bay is home to one of the biggest whale-watching locations in the world. The Hermanus Wine Route takes you one of the most closely watched regions in South Africa – The Hemel-En-Aarde Valley, where some of the most amazing Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs are being produced out of South Africa.

Wine: Newton Johnson Family Vineyards PinotNoir
Profile: Clear, crimson core with a bright cherry hue. Freshly picked red fruits come out of the glass, with raspberries and strawberries forming the core of the bouquet. On the palate, delicious red currant and cranberry join the assortment before opening up to a mid-palate of cinnamon dust and a touch of vanillin. Clean, crisp and focused. Definitely an eye-opener for Pinot lovers.
Good With: Grilled whole fishes (skin-on) like tuna steaks or salmon loin. Grilled pork or lamb sausages mixed with spices are brilliant. Lightly grilled soft cheeses would also work. Kebabs, Satay, Kushiyaki with the smaller cuts of meat would also do decently well.




4. Tulbagh

Tulbagh is a small district located in the high altitude valleys and surrounded by high mountains. Nights are cool with lightly warm days, producing wines that are cool, elegant but yet good fruit development. Some lovely sparkling is also produced here. White dominates but cool climate Cabernets and Shiraz are seeing some amazing results here over the last decade.

Wine: Klein Tulbagh Cabernet Sauvignon
Profile: Deep purple with a slight crimson hue. This wine screams sexy. Deep undertones of chocolate and cocoa beans get intertwined with blackcurrant and cassis like overtones. On the palate, lush and generous with layers of black fruits and baking spices before coming through with a refreshing blueberry –like acid structure. Touches of bitter chocolate and toffee notes linger alongside a creamy, vanilla like finish.
Good With: This wine calls for the classics: A 300gm striploin or a rack of herb-crusted lamb ribs. Slap on those meats on the grill, fire them up and give it that lovely char and caramelization. Rub meats generously with spices and watch them fall in love with the wine like long-lost lovers. Smoked Babyback Ribs or Brisket with sweet/savory glazes would also work.

So guys, pick up those wines, fire up the grills and enjoy what “normal” South African Wines have to offer. If this is normal, I could do and live normal anytime. Enjoy!”

Article by Gerald Lu