South Africa
Indaba
Sauvignon Blanc
$10.99
Indaba was first marketed in the United States in 1996, shortly after the end of Apartheid. Indaba, which means “a meeting of the minds” in Zulu, and is intended to celebrate the democratization process in South Africa and the new direction of the country, according to the company’s Web site.
This 100 percent sauvignon wine is a blend of wine made from early, less ripe grapes and later, riper grapes. The result is an interesting layer of flavors. Although Indaba has distinct citrus flavors, they are not the dominant taste. The wine has a 13.5 percent alcohol content, which is higher than that of many other sauvignon blancs from other parts of the world.
The wine goes well with salads, grilled vegetables and seafood with citrus. I had the wine with a lemony chicken dish, and it was very good. It was on sale for $8.99, but now is $10.99 and still an excellent buy.
Juno
Cabernet Sauvignon blend, 2007
$9.99
Juno comes from grapes grown in the Western Cape of Good Hope area of South Africa and is a blend of 50 percent cabernet sauvignon, 30 percent Shiraz and 20 percent merlot.
Each of Juno’s blending wines is fermented separately, and once the individual varieties are mixed, the blended wine is aged in French oak barrels for six months.
As a result, Juno is a very dark, almost black wine that is slightly tannic. In fact, the Juno winemakers say that although it is ready to drink now, the wine will soften as it matures over the next two years.
I had Juno on two occasions. Once with an extra sharp Vermont cheddar and other appetizers and another time with a spicy meatloaf. It went extremely well with all the foods, and the tannins fell into the background and added to the wine’s complexity.
Juno is an interesting wine from an emerging wine region, and an excellent bargain.
The Wolftrap
Syrah blend, 2007
$9.99
The Wolftrap comes from grapes grown in the Western Cape of Good Hope area of South Africa, and is a blend of 60 percent syrah, 39 percent Mourvedre and 1 percent viognier.
The Wolftrap syrah is fermented on the white grape viognier skins and stems only, and then is blended with the Mourvedre. The blend is matured in French oak barrels for nine months.
The Wolftrap is softer, a bit more flowery and lighter than many syrah wines — perhaps that’s the influence of the viognier - but it is still a bold red wine that holds up to most hearty meals. I had the wine with fragrant, dry-rubbed grilled pork tenderloin, and a second time with wood-fire roasted turkey, chili and coleslaw. It was a terrific match on both occasions.
The Wolftrap, named after an ancient wolf trap found on the vineyard property, is made by Boekenhoutskloof. The estate has roots that go back to 1784, but the vineyard has young owners and young talented winemakers that bode well for South Africa’s future.
This is an interesting wine from an emerging wine region in South Africa, and it’s an excellent bargain.
Sebeka
Sauvignon Blanc 2006
$6.99
Sebeka
Shiraz 2006
$6.99
Sebeka
Chardonnay 2006
$6.99
The Sebeka wines are some of the new international wines being produced in partnership with E&J Gallo, although they seem to be keeping the arrangement secret. The wines were launched in February 2007 with a great marketing campaign. Look for the $2 off at the register coupons, which would bring the price down to $4.99. The price also floats up to $9.99 on occasion.
Great marketing or not, the partners in the Sebeka deal have delivered on the wine — at least on three in the line. The sauvignon blanc has a clean, fresh citrus aroma. It has a crisp, balanced taste with long flavors of grapefruit and lemon with a soft green apple finish.
The shiraz also is very good. It has a very clean aroma, slightly tannic, but balanced with long cardamom, cinnamon, dark chocolate and cherry flavors. The Chardonnay is crisp, very oakie with a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors. It’s not as dry as the sauvignon blanc.