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Gemaak en Gebottle by Oorsprong
Gemaak en Gebottle by Oorsprong is Afrikaans for “Made and Bottled at Origin”. Have you had wine from South Africa? Your taste buds and your wallet will be pleasantly surprised! South Africa has been producing wine for over 350 years, however their physical isolation as well as that related to the time of Apartheid left the region relatively unknown for wine. However, over the last twenty or so years, small producers have flourished and have spent much effort increasing quality of the grapes as well as the level of winemaking. Today, you can find many very nice wines from the region, often at modest prices for the level of care and quality of what’s in the bottle. Not necessarily cheap, but good value. Typical grape varieties you might see on the bottle include: Chenin Blanc (locally called Steen), Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinotage (a cross of Cinsault and Pinot Noir). If you see a sparkling wine labeled “Cap Classique”, buy it! It’s South African traditional method sparkling wine. Every one I ever tried has been an excellent value and delicious.

Wine Pairing Weekend Group Explores South African Wines
This month, our Wine Pairing Weekend blogging group is exploring wines from South Africa paired with dishes to match. Take a look toward the bottom of this post to see all the great wines and foods to go with them!

South Africa wine map courtesy of winefolly.com

Longridge Wine Estate
Longridge Wine Estate, one of the leading estates in organic and biodynamic winemaking in South Africa, is situated in the Stellenbosch region (bright red area on the map above) on the slopes of the Helderberg mountain range. The estate is 50 hectares in size, with 25 ha (55 acres) under vine. The climate is Mediterranean, with cooling breezes from the ocean in the afternoon and from the mountains at night. They farm using organic and biodynamic processes, meaning grapes are grown without the use of artificial pesticides or herbicides. Geese and cattle are on the farm to provide natural pest and weed control and organic material for compost. In the winery, they use less sulphur dioxide and no commercial yeast, enzymes, fining agents, stabilizing agents, filtration etc.

I’ve never been to South Africa. If you get there before I do, put Longridge Estate on your visit list. They have tours, tastings and a restaurant on site!

Longridge Chenin Blanc 2015 ($20 at France 44 or online here) 13.5%abv
The Longridge Chenin Blanc was fermented and aged in French oak barrels. Native yeasts were used with no additions or other adjustments.

Eye: Clear, pale lemon-green. Slow to form legs.
Nose: Clean, medium intensity. Initial impression is citrus, lemon pith. Barely ripe pear, beeswax. A bit of mineral, wet sidewalk after a rain.
Mouth: Dry, medium intensity. Medium+ acidity, medium body with a nice creamy texture. Medium alcohol. Flavors echo the aromas with citrus – lemon, pear, beeswax and a bit of mineral. Pear and beeswax linger in a nice medium+ finish. Ready to drink now, but will continue to improve for 3-5 more years. The wine was nicely matched to our Shrimp with Turmeric Mojo Sauce, with clean flavors and bright acidity, it was a nice partner but let the food flavors shine.

Grilled Shrimp with Turmeric Mojo Sauce and Longridge Chenin Blanc
I used a recipe from the current Bon Appetit, here.  Being a mild mannered Minnesotan, I substituted jalapeno for the habanero pepper called for in the recipe. In addition, the jalapeno peppers available were on the large side, and I find they are less intensely spicy. The marinade gave an impression of intense freshness with just a bit of spice, perfect for our Chenin Blanc.  The meal was simple to prepare, and worthy of making for company. We’ll be using this one again!

Wine Pairing Weekend South Africa Wines and Pairings

Take a look below at all the great ideas for food pairings with your South African wine. We’d love for you to join our chat on Saturday June 8 at 10am CDT. Just look for #WinePW on Twitter and join in!

• Camilla from the Culinary Adventures of Camilla offers A South African Braai (Rhymes with ‘Fry’) + A Trio of Chenin Blancs.
• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm features Grilled Chicken Caesar paired with a South African Chenin Blanc.
• Lori of Dracaena Wines is Unlocking the Marvels of Nature ThroughWine.
• David of Cooking Chat shares South African Chicken with Chakalaka and Chenin Blanc.
• Deanna of Asian Test Kitchen features South African Chenin Blanc Paired with Vietnamese Food.
• Gwen of Wine Predator writes 3 Summer Wines from South Africa Shine for #CheninBlancDay #RoseDay #WinePW.
• Nicole of Somm’s Table shares A South African Pinot Feast Hamilton Russell, Tesselaarsdal, and a Glazed Pork.
• Sarah of Curious Cuisinere features South African Chutney Chicken and Chenin Blanc Pairing.
• Cynthia and Pierre of Traveling Wine Profs writes A Celebration of Wine Industry Upgrading Paired with South African Food Truck Takeout.
• Pinny of Chinese Food and Wine Pairings is sharing Spier Pinotage/Shiraz from South AfricanPlus Sliced Lamb as Wrappers.
• Jeff of FoodWineClick! features Gemaak en Gebottle Oorsprong: We’re Not in Kansas Anymore.
• Linda of My Full Wine Glass highlights Golden Wine from a Golden Land – South Africa.
• Jill of L’Occasion writes Making a Meal with Wine from South Africa.
• Cindy of Grape Experiences features A Family Affair: South African Chenin Blanc with Scallops, Tomatoes and Pesto.
• Jane of Always Ravenous writes South African Chenin Blanc Paired with Shrimp,Scallops, and Mango Salsa.
• Michelle of Rockin Red Blog is sharing Wandering into June with Lubanzi Wine and #WinePW.
• Jennifer of Vino Travels is featuring Zucchini Quiche with Raats Chenin Blanc from South Africa.