Quiz Night #2

Triumph.

For the March Quiz night, James was my partner and brought me from dead last to first place. Victory has never tasted so sweet, (especially since the prize was a collection of dark chocolate truffles.) Also, it must be said, that the section we dominated was "Top Chef." In this particular section, you had to taste cheeses, then chocolate bars, and then a custard and identify types, brands and ingredients. Glad to know that we both fully value our commercial candy bars.

South African Roads and Visas, aka hell

And thus ends my day of South African beaurocracy and automotive stupidity.

I am fully convinced, now, that some people will perish in the lead up to the world cup. It's not as you would think—that people will fall prey to crime and/or violent, nationalistic fanaticism—it comes down to the simple problem of South African conceptions of car speed and consular matters.

Car speed: On my way out of Cape Town today I witnessed two very near traffic disasters. The first, involved a closing of lanes that the driver was alerted to only 10 feet beforehand. No signs had been erected to warn the driver that the 3-lane, major highway was pairing down to two

lanes. There was a man waving a red traffic flag, but by the time you caught sight of him, you were already pretty much in your neighbors lane. Screeches all around, but miraculously, especially given the state of most vehicles here, the people managed to accommodate this spontaneous lane shift and slam to a stop.

Relieved to have missed this close call, the cars were chugging along again, at a comfortable cruising speed, very aware of the red cones and the closed lane on the right, when the screech of burning rubber filled the air once again. Immediately in front, the bulldozer that had been working in the closed off-lane, decided to take off across the two open lanes of traffic, (that were almost up to full speed at that point.) The bulldozer was literally jackknifed across these lanes, just watching as the traffic splayed to avoid hitting his giant digging machine.

The funniest thing about this situation was you look at the guys on the side of the road, flabbergasted, and they look back at you with a look of utter blankness, unable to believe that there could be anything wrong with the way that they are sagely directing traffic. And in some ways that is probably true, they really don't understand where their automotive choreography has turned disastrous.

Over the large highways in the country, there are major over-crossings for pedestrians contained by a metal fencing all the way around. People continually wonder why, if these safe, convenient modes of crossing exist, you still see many people chancing their luck to run across 6 busy lanes of traffic. I used to balk at the people's fool-hardy irrationality until I heard a dual explanation that made me blush at my prior judgement. First, many of these bridges are patrolled by thugs, and just like your proverbial troll on the bridge, they exact high tolls for crossing. Secondly, and more pertinent to my recent experience, many of these people have never, ever ridden in a motor vehicle. They know that a vehicle goes faster than they can run, but they just can’t quite conceptualize the magnitude of the speed increase. So when they see cars barreling down the highway, they think that the mechanical boxes can stop as easily and as quickly as a human running at full speed.

This, I would say, is part of the explanation for the flagrant lack of preplanning for the road construction. It is quite possible that some of the guys, namely the guys in charge of sporting the flags, don’t fully comprehend the distance needed for a car to come to a full stop. As the ultimate manifestation of this incomprehensibly lax attitude, as I was leaving the work zone, I saw one of the other flag guys… asleep, under the bridge, with his warning signal draped languidly over his stomach. Great safety precaution he is!

Consular matters: I can and will complain a bit, but to be honest, the South African Home Affairs isn't that much worse than your usual consular service. Much, much dicier and less organized, but certainly no worse. So perhaps that is an over dramatization to say some may perish in these matters of state, but this place is hectic, perhaps even hectic enough to give certain predisposed people a frustration-induced heart murmur.

First off, when you walk into the South African Home Affairs office, you are dealing with a real diaspora. The guy in front of me was from Angola, in back of me from India, and then all around were those hailing from African countries as far north as Ethiopia and as far west as Ghana. Like I said, the people were all nice, but the system was hopeless. There were no tracking systems, no queues, and no numbers, so the only way to keep your spot in line was to shimmy your way up the seats in a sort of consular musical chairs. It was quite comical; every time someone went up to be served, 4 whole rows of people would simultaneously rise up and slide over one seat to assume their new waiting position.

Despite inefficiencies and inconveniences, it all worked out. After a full three hours of seat-shifting my way to the front, I was finally able to leave with my receipt in hand. As I was leaving this place of mayhem, the one thought that kept occurring to me was-- Thank God I didn’t go through here when my visa was expired. Everyone was very pleasant, but I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to be on the wrong side of that line, the slightly dilapidated room seemed as if it could have had any number of dicey containment cells branching from it...

"Cool" Wine Tasting Group

Remember long ago, in those foregone days of yesteryear, when I wrote one of my first blog entries about a Champagne tasting in the valley? I described the seriousness of the setting, the carrying cases of the tasters, and the inordinately expensive bottles of bubbly. Well now, almost 5 months later, I have just attended my second "Cool Wine Tasting Group" event, and though the element of erudition and fuddy-duddy remains, this time around, it was a whole new ball game at which I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

The first glaring difference that made this time unique to that tasting long ago, was that I finally know the others in the group. I can still remember walking into that first tasting, and feeling that I was 10 years too young and 10 shades too green to take part in this very classy affair. Almost all the other participants were (and are) wine producers in the valley, and I felt like like the impostor/oddity who didn't deserve to sit at this "insiders'" table. This time around, however, the intimidation factor was gone and people were no longer their brands, but themselves. While I accept that I am much younger and more ignorant in the typical "wine-schooling" way, I felt at home with my Valley neighbors, (many of whom are my friends parents.)

The second positive alteration arose from the tastings' location, which, conveniently, was Highlands Road Estate. While there was clearly the home-y factor and the home-court advantage, our farm also created an indisputably relaxed vibe that cut through the normal snobbery of the event. Mary did a serve-your-own dinner with delicious olive/caper/prune chicken and cous cous followed by a cheese platter, all of which lent the feeling of a casual french garden supper, (thank you Mathé,) tasty and elegant, but without any great fuss.

The third unique aspect, and probably the most important, was the way the tasting itself was run. Unlike before, where at the end of each flight everyone had to go around the table and rate the wine from 1-2o, (from which a spreadsheet was made analyzing the overall numeric averages to determine the "best" wines from the tasting,) this time around, the guy presenting simply asked to raise your hand to vote for whichever wine was your favorite. In my mind this is an infinitely better system. The only wines that matter are the ones you love, and there is just no need to assign arbitrary numbers to mediocrity just to show that you can differentiate between a 13 1/2 and 15.2 wine, (which, of course, in reality, you can't.)

This tasting also just proved that any dumb plebian can get lucky and become a "wino" for the night; after all, when the stars align... anything is possible... The fun challenge of the first flight was to match each of the five wines with the 5 main wine regions of France: Alsace, Loire, the South, Burgundy and Bordeaux. Pretty confident that I had NO idea which wine came from where, I decided, hell, I might as well just go for it. Knowledge be damned, by pure chance, when the regions were revealed, I had managed to slot all five correctly. Given my admitted geographical/direction incompetence and my true ignorance with French wines, this just goes to show how trivial this "wine knowledge" can be; if I could get it right, then ANYONE could. I think the trick was, quite simply, that I didn't care. I knew I was doomed, didn't really care what anyone else thought, and committed to simply enjoying the wine, not tasting for an answer. If I smelled something like Eucalyptus or a fresh bread roll, fine. I wasn't trying to prove that "x" or "y" existed in the wine, I was just coming up with personal associations so that I could come back to wines, differentiate between them, and, ultimately, find my favorite. From now on that is how I will do every tasting-- for myself and myself alone.

On this note, it was a pleasure to be able to sip on such fantastic wines, and I was able to find some real favorites. Normally shy of French wines, (as a usual proponent of the "new world" style,) this was a really unique opportunity for me to sample the variety that France has to offer. From the Alsace riesling to the Loire Chenin,

(which was from Vouvray, a wine region I visited with Mathé and Gérald,) there was so much more than the big oakey chardonnays that I have come to expect from France. Throughout the wines, there

was a funkiness that came through, one that you simply don't get in the new world wines. The noses on these things were amazing-- anywhere from a sort of metal or charcoal to a mint or nettle. You kept feeling like you were either in a workshop or a barnyard, and yet, you wanted to be there. These strange noses somehow seemed exciting and natural, and, surprisingly, weren't incongruent when it came down to the tasting. My favorites were the 07 Huet Vouvray Le Mont Sec and the Chateau 06 Olivier Sauv Blanc (Bourdeaux,) not that I will be able to remember those long-name toungue-twisters down the line. It turns out that I really disliked the Burgundy Chardonnay in this line up and the Southern France Grenache Blanc, both too heavy and weighty for me.

Building off the Burgundian Chard from this regional flight, the second flight dove into one region to provide 5 examples of Burgundian "excellence." Since I've never been a chardonnay fan, and I really disliked the Burgundian chardonnay from the first flight, I was pretty confident that I might was well chunk out all of these next wines. How wrong I was! Turns out that the two Burgundian wines that finished off the tasting were probably two of my favorite whites that I have ever tasted. Once again to prove how much crock normally enters into these overly self-aware and self-concious tastings, right after the second flight had been poured, one of my neighbors exclaimed loudly, "number two is the best, undoubtedly the flagship of the group." Though no one outwardly responded, it was clear that everyone had heard his authoritative comment and was making a note to themselves that in case of uncertainty, go for #2 as a sure bet of quality. The poor young Aussie sitting next to me, who has just arrived in Elgin, was pointedly asked only a minute later, by the self-same man, which was his favorite wine of the four. Not surprisingly, the poor boy responded that #2 was far and away the best, what else could he do? Then, as an extension of this little interaction, when the tasting concluded and a show of hands was requested to show personal favorites, over 70% of the people voted for #2. Turns out it was my 3rd choice wine of the group, so I and one other voted for the wine #4. Nothing wrong with the consensus, and it is possible that everyone truly thought #2 was the best, (it was made in a more new-world style which would be the most familiar to everyone present,) but does make you wonder how much of it is just trying to vote for the "right one."

Surprisingly, my favorites of this grouping were by far the most old-world of the lot. I always thought that I liked the new world styles, but these wines had a funk to them that was simply amazing-- I've never tasted anything like these. Probably my favorite was Jayer Gilles, which comes from a random part of Burgundy. Nestled in the hills above, these vines are separated from mainstream Burgundy by a huge forest. This specific location is a lot cooler than the rest of Burgundy below, a fact which allowed the wine maker to do a blend instead of a straight Chard, (a reason I probably liked it a lot better.) But I'm telling you, this wine was something else, with one of the most interesting noses I have ever found on a wine. My other favorite, and more of the archetypal Burgundian Chardonnay, was the Lequin-Colin Charlemagne Grand Cru. I hate it when I have expensive taste, (I much prefer it when my preferences correspond with a camper's pocketbook,) but in this case it was unavoidable.

Grand Crus are always a pain in the pocketbook and this one was no different, coming in at around R900 a bottle. Still, to be perfectly honest, for what you're getting in this, it had more personality, verve and lingering potential than any Napa wine I've tried at the same price (which certainly isn't a lot but...) While a lot found this wine too young and not yet "integrated" I thought it was fantastic-- so, so unique and what it lacked in "integration" or "balance" it more than made up for with a singular spunk that, one day, could turn into a most incredibly unique and perfect wine for all those stuck on structure. Sometimes I like a little fault in my wine, I look for the subtly weird, different, and unusual, and this wine had it all for me.

So what is my overall take-away from the tasting? I need to get myself over to France and give this place another try, and I really really like prune/caper/olive chicken. Yum...

Constantia Fresh

Setting the standard of what an industry show should be, Constantia Fresh is, undoubtedly, the coolest wine show that I have ever attended. Set on the lawns of Buitenverwachting, (one of South Africa's most famous wine estates, located in the middle of Constantia,) it was a cool, casual event that showcased the best of South Africa's Sauvignon Blanc to the best of South Africa's Sauvignon Blanc.

When I showed up on Saturday, I was impressed by the array of farms taking part in this show. Primarily from Durbanville, Constantia, Elgin and Hermanus, the event attracted undoubtedly the top Sauvingon Blanc producers in the country

along with a sprinkling of compatriots from New Zealand and France. The name of the show was Constantia Fresh: For the Love of Sauvignon Blanc, and the whole day was geared towards showcasing this singularly celebrated South African varietal. Using the specific and specialized platform of Sauvignon Blanc allowed the show to take on a unique air of industry knowledge, passion and experience. People came because they really wanted to know more about Sauvignon Blanc and the producers came because of their passion for the grape. Where as usually for these shows, you get underlings that come and pour for the "bigger guys," almost every wine farm was represented by the owner, the wine maker or both. On the Elgin table, virtually every wine farm was represented by their owner, and even Paul Cluver, known for never wanting to be caught dead at a wine show, was pouring happily away.

The intimate involvement of the wine farms created a very convivial intra-industry vibe that allowed winemakers to share the best of their crop with people who would truly appreciate it. In this spirit, winemakers pulled out their private reserves for the tasting, bringing out truly unique wines that they usually hold back for themselves and special guests. While the array of wines were truly impressive, some definite standouts for me were the 2002 and 2003 Newton Johnson Sauvignon Blanc and Diemerdersdal's eight blocks. The first from Hermanus and the second from Durbanville, I had never gotten to try these famed Sauvignon Blanc houses and they certainly lived up to their behemoth reputation. The kiwis were also a nice surprise and offered up something very different from the rest, but, at the end of the day, if truth be told, my heart still was caught up in the Elgin wines. Though I'm clearly biased, there is just something about the wines in this valley, some subtlety, elegance and soft pizazz that has me hooked!

And I'm not alone in this estimation; the Elgin table proved to be a stand-out attraction throughout the day. There were six Elgin Valley vineyards represented-- Highlands Road, Elgin Valley Vineyards, Iona, Paul Cluver and Oak Valley-- and they represented the greatest number of labels from any one region. This concentration of fantastic wine farms truly made an impression on people, and the crowds were eager to finally get to sample the "buzz" of Elgin. For the whole of the show, the "Elgin" table was filled with curious wine enthusiasts and our corner of the lawn remained the busiest stretch of green all day long.

As much as we appreciated the crowd's response, I also believe everyone at the Elgin table equally relished the chance to share this experience with their neighbors. There truly is a comaraderie that exists in the valley, and I think that people enjoyed the set-up, when it was just the producers shooting the shit, as much as they enjoyed the show itself. Part of this intimacy stems from the size of the valley, (in which the other producers truly are your neighbors,) but part of it also stems from the nature of Elgin's reputation. In the past few years, Elgin has rapidly been gaining recognition as the up-and-coming-top-wine-region, and people quickly realized that the more great wine farms that are in the area, the more the Elgin name gets put on the map. In this way, we have a unique business scenario in which both coordination and teamwork are rewarded. Everyone benefits from everyone else's excellence, and, since Elgin's repute is our own, the more attention and buzz we can draw to the valley, (by pointing to the superb quality of wines all across the area,) the better it is for us all.

While the wines were certainly the attraction of the evening, the quality of the food was not to be undersold. Each of the regional wine tables were set up to include a chef in the middle who was offering food pairings. From sauteed scallop on a half oyster shell, to plum drizzled duck, to sesame crusted trout and scallion squares, the food was phenomenal and offered a fantastic complement to and respite from the endless row of wines. All of these tasters, however, proved only to be a prelude, as the big picnic at the end rolled out onto center stage. The night culminated in a large BBQ that provided endless fillets of Beef, grills of brats and skewers of fish. Showgoers and exhibitors alike lined up to fill their plates, and then all headed to the grass to enjoy the delicious spread with a glass of wine. The atmosphere was completely relaxed as people lounged on the lawn, and a live band provided the perfect acoustic accompaniment to an already sublime evening.

All in all, Constantia Fresh was one of the most amazing wine events I have ever been to; when the night came to an end, it was all I could do to pack up, jump in the car and leave this little Sauvignon Blanc Eden.