APRIL GUILD EVENT

Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, the Speaker’s Wine of the evening - first in the batting order.

I had to pass over last month’s Guild event, seeing as how it fell on the second night of Passover (heh!)... but I’m much more interested in tonight’s winey dinner anyway. This time we’ll be at 10 Degrees South, a perfectly appropriate venue for a tasting that features the wines of South Africa.  It’s a country that I have never had the opportunity to visit, although Elder Daughter has traveled to Cape Town on business.  I wonder what she would make of this evening’s Bill of Fare...

Speaker’s Wine:
2011 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé*

First Flight:
2011 Buitenverwachting Sauvignon Blanc*
2011 Glen Carlou Chardonnay
2011 Spice Route Chenin Blanc***

Lobster Spring Rolls - Mild spicy lobster meat, served with peri-peri aioli

Second Flight:
2010 Leopard’s Leap Pinotage-Shiraz**
2011 Barista Coffee Pinotage***
1998 Meerlust Pinot Noir

Boerewors - Sliced lean beef sausage served with a side of tomato and onion sauce

Third Flight:
1997 Delheim “Grand Reserve” Red****
2010 Rust en Vrede Cabernet Sauvignon***
2007 Meerlust “Rubicon”**

Sosaties - Skewered beef fillet marinated and topped with a sweet apricot curry sauce, and served on a bed of yellow and white basmati rice

Dessert:
2011 Nederburg Late Harvest Riesling

Di’s Delight - Warm, moist fruit sponge cake served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Lagniappe:
1984 L’Ormarins Cabernet Sauvignon**

I am happy to report that Houston Steve will be joining me in tonight’s Winey Adventures.  As usual, I’ll update this post after the fact with my quick ’n’ dirty analysis of the evening’s offerings.

Update:
The sosaties were very nice, although their vinegary curry sauce tended to work against the wines.  Far better was the boerewors, with a mysterious spicy undertone that Houston Steve figured out to be cardamom.  As for the wines, there were a few very nice ones along with a clunker or two.  Among the older vintages, the 1997 Delheim displayed its maturity far better than the 1984 L’Ormarins and the 1998 Meerlust, the latter somewhat old and tired and showing a bizarre hint of smoked paprika at the finish.  And, surprisingly, I actually liked the Spice Route Chenin Blanc, despite its being a white wine.  Who knew?