It’s no secret that I am a wine enthusiast. When I discover new wines, I enjoy sharing great finds with others. Lately, I find myself gravitating towards South African wines that feature a blend of white wines, so I have decided to share a few today:
The first is Angels’ Tears by Agusta Wines, a white wine blend of 65% Chenin Blanc and 35% Muscat Alexandrie. Muscat grapes are the same type of grape used to make Moscatos. This particular wine is drier than a Muscat or Moscato, but still as a fresh and fruity taste. This is a great wine for spicy or Asian cuisine. Many African dishes are rustic and vegetable based, with spices adding bold flavors. This is a great wine to compliment those flavors.
The next wine is an intriguing mixture of Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Muscadel and Riesling from Nederburg,South Africa’s largest winery. Muscadel, as the name implies, is another variety of Muscat grapes. While still slightly sweet, this wine is perfect for appetizers. It will also compliment chicken or pork dishes, but could also work with a sweet-tart dessert with fruit.
The final and by far the most exciting is a Late Harvest Gewurztraminer from Robertson’s Winery. Late harvest are some of my favorite wines, as is Gewurztraminer, so I was incredibly excited to see this offering and it did not disappoint. This is a great wine to drink on its own, but like most Gewurztraminers, it is also great with Asian cuisine and other spicy foods.
Late harvest wines are made from grapes left to ripen on the vine longer than usual, which results in a sweeter wine with richer flavors. As you may imagine, late harvest wines are usually only available from late fall through winter. Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, like most other South African wines, is a bargain at under $15 a bottle.
If you are looking to dabble in wine from South Africa, my recommendation is the Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, though from my experience any of the white wine blends are a pretty good bet as well. In general, white wine blends are a crowd-pleaser and even non-wine drinkers can enjoy a glass.
This offering is Sweet (but not too sweet) and very tasty. Cheers!
*Please drink responsibly – drinking and driving is not Sweet at all*
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