Grape Thinking » South Africa

Passion on the Vine – a review

Ruarri — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:00:41 +0000

When one looks at a vineyard – you’re not looking at it in the same way as you would look at an orange orchard. Instead one sees a multitude of experiences past and of moments yet to come – moments of intimacy, memorable occasions, conversations and treasured friendships. Since time immemorial, vineyards have not only been the touchstone of certain regions, but have often been the lifeblood of local communities and the cornerstone of entire generations of families. Every vineyard contains a family, a history, a culture and a purpose. This was at least, the sentiment I had before embarking on a mission to New York City, where I would promote and sell wine’s connected to my family in some ways, and more importantly – wine from my country. During that time – having spent much time in preparation for the mission, I left with those stories and sentiments of culture and family fresh in my blood. But with every sales-call and wine event I began to feel further and further from the vineyard. Soon it was about laid in cost, case-discounts and what kind of Point of Sale material was on offer. I travelled the country in a rental car with a case of wine, a corskrew and a power-point presentation along the way having people from Westchester Wine Warehouse cruelly spit wine on my shoe after having left me waiting for an hour, sitting in cold-rooms of cellars in Maryland, helping do stock-takes in Ohio, presenting to Wholefoods buyers in North Carolina and pushing on-premise retail in Atlanta: and with every step I became a bit more confused and lost the focus of what I was doing. Having believed that wine was so important to my country and stepping into the States to tell the story of South African wine, it was very dispiriting to suddenly be faced with the fact that no one really cared so long as they could make a profit.

Step in Sergio Esposito‘s Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine and Family in the Heart of Italy – which from the first page pulls one directly into the rental car of he and his brother Sal at the end of an epic 60 winery tour of Italy. Sergio, an Italian born New York wine retailer has embarked on a wine-buying tour of Italy with his brother who got him into the business in the fist place – and within the first pages of reading you are situated within a remarkable life, which I was utterly compelled by because suddenly the retailer I had been up against was given a face. I completely sympathise with the opening sentiments of having a job that on the surface sounds glamorous but in reality can be very gritty – however one quickly learns that Esposito has been doing this for 3 months every year for nearly 2 decades. From my part I was around the East Coast, Mid West and West Coast pushing wine to restaurants retailers and country-clubs tasting wine from 8:30 in the morning to 1am sometimes 6 days a week – and within two years I have more stories than I care to remember. For Sergio and his brother they’re diligently working through 10 wineries a day tasting through varietals and enduring long-drives in hot weather – often what sounds glamorous, and would seem like the setting for a series of Sideways style misadventures through a foreign country ends up being a lot more like work than anyone else could ever imagine. One has to take their hat off to such dedication even though amidst the work it is interspersed with tales of seductive winemakers daughters, raucous Italian weddings and personalities you’re unlikely to forget.

Passion on the Vine is an insight into a life less ordinary from one of the world’s leading wine consultants who can be found on the pages of the Wall Street Journal to the Times to the Wine Spectator itself. Esposito brings the innate raconteur nature of Italian New Yorkers, combined with a mellifluous writing style into a memoir that goes to the heart of what it means to be an epicurean. He illustrates so perfectly how passion, love and romance can go a long way to carrying someone throughout life. Ultimately this is a romance between one man and an entire region which will make you fall in love with Italy; and paints the picture of a dying breed – wine-men who actually love wine, men who excel in their jobs for more than money and people who add value not only to their families but pay their dues to those who have helped them over the years. Esposito’s is a poignant picture of optimism and love in a marketplace that is primarily having the life squeezed out of it by soulless critters.

Esposito re-introduced me to a feeling I nearly lost, and in his words I remembered a part of myself. When one is up against Little Penguin – it’s difficult to find the actual stories and vines and passion in a fuzzy cartoon character. There is no doubt that much of Western Philosophy was built on the back of wine-fueled sentiments; and from the foundation of Western culture there is no doubt that Italians built New York and have made the culture (together with the Irish) what it is today. Esposito, in a tale filled with adventure, comedy and energy has staked his claim to not only being a philosopher, a wine lover and a great New Yorker – but being an advocate and an inspiration to future wine millenials, showing that there’s no real substitute for loving what you do.

Cheerz.

Special thanks to Dianna Tingg from Italian Wine Merchants who has reached out to so many of us on the wine blogosphere, and has shared this wonderful book with us. It is a priveledge to have been given the opportunity to review such a great book.

10 Degrees South, Atl, Ga

Mu — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:08:02 +0000

This so far is my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Incredible representation of South African cuisine and atmosphere. Part of the restaurant is an outdoor awning with design style very close to a restaurant on the Cape Town coast. Very rustic and breezy. I had the Kingclip fish, indigenous to South Africa, and it was nothing short of amazing – I’ve got to rate it up there with salmon as one of my favorites. My gf had ostrich, which seems like a stretch, but it was equally as tasty. Very fresh concept with exotic food – Love it! The Ferraris usually parked out front don’t hurt either — *****, $$

Caveau Wine Bar, Heritage Square, Cape Town

Ruarri — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:13:31 +0000

Caveau is a good escape from Long Street’s chiaroscuro of either uber-pretentious or super-scummy dives… I swear I will never set foot in Miam Miam again but Marvel also grows a little old once you tire of becoming a human bolus being masticated against the gyrating bodies of every tourist and pick-pocket in Cape Town.

Caveau is a breath of fresh air for the city centre, with an urban-rustic feel to it, combining class and elegance with a laid back environment. The design, lay out and mood leave you feeling like you’ve stepped out of Cape Town and discovered a more modern Franschoek. On the three occasions I’ve been there I’ve shared a bottle of their 2004 Spice Route Mourvedre. Accustomed to the Cape’s usual Noble varietals it’s amazing to see how well other cultivars benefit from the Cape’s rich soils. This is a nice big red that has a faint bloody-Maryesque note on the nose. It’s great to see how this Spanish wine has done – bring on Tempranillo!

Kudu Coffee, Charleston, SC

Mu — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:01:30 +0000

This place rocks, South African vibe, outdoor patio, indoor chillin with lounge in the back — wireless access. Fans flowing in unison and friendly staff serve awesome teas and coffee from around the world. They also serve a few wines by the glass from South Africa to take the edge off. Great soul and r&b music always playing, with a touch of African folk. Overall awesome place, if ever in Charleston this is the place to come to chill and work – ***** (5 stars)

Warwick 2003 Three Cape Ladies

Ruarri — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 14:00:53 +0000

The Pinotage required to make this a Cape Blend offers spontaneous combustion of fruit profiles with undercurrents of sweet spice from the Merlot and a good gripping firmness from the Cab. Pinotage and Cab are the front-row of red fruit, delivering a patriotic and powerful mix of South African splendor. This wine is a super-trooper and drinks gloriously.

Zevenwacht 2004 ‘Tin Mine’

Ruarri — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 14:00:03 +0000

Super ripe and plump with tropical fruits, touches of oak and a dose of spice, viognier is really a genius addition to Chardonnay, and if I were a winemaker I’d be sure to steal the tactic because a bit of spicy intensity really revs it all up whilst adding a distinct floral character, and to finish the whole thing off, there’s Sauvignon Blanc, which brings some ooh-la-la to the whole blend making for compulsive sipping. This wine is running back and sure to score some trys and definitely a few conversions for South Africa.

Kanu 2004 Wooded Chenin Blanc

Ruarri — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 14:00:16 +0000

I first tried Kanu at the Whitehall Hotel in Chicago whilst on a business trip and at the time, having not heard much about it was very off hand. To my surprise I loved it, in fact, I found it both transcendent and incredible value for money and felt as if I’d made some remarkable discovery. However, upon research I found out that I had made anything but a discovery as Kanu is a multi-award winning label, and their Chenin Blancs are especially lauded.

The wooded Chenin is fantastic, brilliant straw colour, honeysuckle and green melon aromas. The palate is full bodied, supple, fresh and full. This is a wine for any oenophile’s repertoire and acts as a great ambassador and player for South Africa.

Bellingham 2005, The Maverick Viognier

Ruarri — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 14:12:06 +0000

Rich straw colour with a bouquet of fresh cut nectarines, tinned peaches, dried fruit and perhaps even a touch of ginger spice, leave this wine in the back-line with plenty speed, lively character and yet a sharp and tough character. Both tropical and spicy with bright acidity, refreshing fruit and a full bodied palate, this is a perfectly integrated wine, which is greatly educational if, like me, you haven’t had much Viognier as a predominant varietal. A great ambassador, and a definite player on the South African side.

Backsberg Elbar, 2005

Ruarri — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 14:00:29 +0000

Anything associated with ‘Back’ be it Charles Back, Backsberg, Fairview, MAN Vintners or Senga Wines is tipped for greatness. I’m out of my league drinking such a wine, as it runs circles around my 5 year old palate being predominately Malbec, with lashings of Shiraz, a dollop of Mourvedre, essences of Sangiovese, a taste of Petit Verdot and smatterings of Zinfandel and Viognier. This wine is a melange of wine in one wine and thus is one to drink with intrigue and wonder, a wine of such integration is a symbol of the new South Africa and a pleasure to drink.

Kiwi Chablis?

Ruarri — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:00:08 +0000

I have to say I never thought I’d enjoy getting naked so many times in a blog event, but these naked Chardonnays have been a really pleasant sent surprise. Stopping in at my local wine dealer I picked his brain about winning unoaked Chardonnays. His eyes lit up whilst he turned on his heal and walked to the corner piping ‘I’ve got just the thing.’ Immediately I thought I had been misheard because he walked over to the ‘New Zealand’ section – and we all know that New Zealand is waisting its time if it tries to make Chard, right? Well that’s what I would have thought til last night when I was presented with a bottle my merchant referred to as ‘Kiwi Chablis’ (Kiwi being antipodean slang for a New Zealander.) The store has one of those cool little flash-chiller’s for white wine, so I frosted the sucker up and walked home with a spring in my step (mainly because of the news that the the ring leader of the Texas Mafia, Karl Rove, is voluntarily getting his corrupt power-grubbing ass out the Whitehouse…) but also because I was excited about my new acquisition.

So without much further adieu I’d like to introduce the Grape Thinking’s Tuesday contender for Wine Blogger Wednesday: Te Henga Unoaked Chardonnay 2006. This wine has made me realize what a serious competitor New Zealand is going to be in the World Cup of Wine, because it shows the sheer scope of wine-making ability the vintners in New Zealand have – and with that, all of their wines are of a superior status, making them very hard to compete with in the white wine and Pinot Noir category. I think South Africa has a chance because we do Reds really well. But of course there’s France that does both red and white like no other – but heck, lets get back to WBW for now.

Chablis is to be enjoyed with Oysters – as its minerality and bone-dry profile compliment the texture and briney nature of fresh shucked oysters. Last year, Greg Sr. and I sat in Grand Central Oyster bar, slurping down Widow’s Hole oysters with Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc and it was simply magnificent. However – Te Henga Chardonnay is another serious oyster wine. The wine has been crafted by Joe Babich, and its as smooth as drinking chard will ever be – the flavor profile can be described as no less than immaculate, and puts many white Burgundy’s to shame with its grace.

It’s clean, fresh and dry, with an oyster-shell/ sea breeze minerality. This is a wine to buy by the case, and an even finer wine to see the back of Mr. Rove with.

Grape Thinking » South Africa

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