Life is a Cabernet at The Star Wine Theatre
Warm up to the intricate wonders of wine in a winter WINEDERLAND
If you’re looking to get to grips with tasting, evaluating and scoring wine, or the effect of cold climes on trendy ‘cool wines’, or maybe just want to lose yourself in the heady deliciousness that is the best bubbly, then step right up and in to Winederland!
Wine in all its glory takes centre stage at the free The Star Wine Theatre at the TOPS at SPAR Wine Show, and you, the audience, are invited to star in a leading role as you explore the ins and outs of wine with some of the country’s top winemakers.
Tinus van Niekerk hosts the TOPS at SPAR sessions, featuring Olive Brook Wines from the SPAR Private Collection Portfolio. Look out for edutaining presentations on wine enjoyment, including pairing wine and food, and debunking the humbug about wine appreciation; the importance of terroir (how a particular region’s climate, soil and terrain affect the taste of wine); different types and styles of wines; and the wood treatment of wine.
Are you a hypertaster? Find out when Tinus dips into the issue through sighted and unsighted tastings.
Four SPAR Private Label wines are in the spotlight in each day’s tasting session, including dry whites, rosés and reds, and natural sweet moscato styles; Champagne from France; and single varietal and blended wines from different vintages.
If you can’t get enough of the bubbly following Tinus’ Champagne session, then you’ll definitely want to visit the Café Cru Sparkling Wine Bar, hosted by Tsogo Sun’s award-winning sommelier Miguel Chan.
As group sommelier for Tsogo Sun, Miguel is responsible for overseeing wine development across the group’s portfolio of hotels. He is also a wine location specialist, accredited by the Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (CIVC) – the official, international Champagne body based in France.
Miguel invites Winederland guests to ‘discover the magic of sparkling wine’ in his sessions of the same name as he takes participants on a journey through the different styles of sparkling wine. He details exactly how to recognise these styles from their individual appearances and distinctive tastes.
What makes cool region wines so cool? Find out in the fascinating South Hill Wines sessions, presented by Kevin King. South Hill Wines hail from Elgin, South Africa’s coolest climate wine region, where the grapes take a little longer to ripen on the vines.
Kevin explores exactly how climate affects the flavours in your glass, and presents innovative pairings that illustrate the vineyard’s fruit purity point. He will also host lucky draw prizes and offer special discounts, exclusive to visitors attending these sessions.
Just as climate influences the flavours of wines, so does terroir. Over the centuries, French winemakers have evolved this concept by observing the variations in wines from different regions, vineyards, or even different sections of the same vineyard.
Hermanuspietersfontein Wine Cellar from Hermanus will host ‘A sense of place’ – a collection of sessions aimed at unpacking this concept.
It features three single varietals from different origins and demonstrates the exact effect terroir has on the final product. Expect to taste Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz.
Stellenbosch Vineyards brings wine lovers an exciting and interactive wine theatre session called ‘Unusual varietals and the ash trend’. Seen as the ultimate food and wine pairing, one-of-a-kind single varietals such as Verdelho, Grenache and Petit Verdot are paired with a selection of dishes influenced by the latest trend – cuisine incorporating ash.
The sessions are hosted by Abraham de Villiers, a winemaker at Stellenbosch Vineyards, who says the deep smoky flavours of charred vegetables and beef, work well with more complex or aged single varietals, as guests will experience first-hand at this informative session.