Portuguese flair at Lydenburg’s Wine Guild
Lydenburg's Wine Guild had two busy winter months, studying, tasting and enjoying a variety of wine from estates and cultivars.
During its tasting on June 20, Toiné Schoeman of Varietals Wines challenged club members to revisit white and red blends.
She emphasised that blends are not an indication of inferior wine, using wines from three estates to prove her point. Groote Post’s The Old Man’s Blend white and red wines were compared with Zevenwacht’s The Tin Mine white and red wine.
Last on the list was Little Eagle Red from Eagle’s Nest in Constantia, selected as the wine of the evening, and the Lydenburg guild selected it as the wine with the best value for money, at R135 per bottle.
On July 18, members and guests learned to say ‘saúde’, meaning ‘health’ in Portuguese, instead of cheers, when Carlos Caldas from Dullstroom took them on a journey of Portuguese wines.
André du Preez, owner of Café Crust, where both tastings took place, hosted the guild members and obliged them with a delightful Portuguese menu of chicken livers with a mild peri-peri sauce, rump espetada, and pasteis de nata for dessert.
The very light Gazela green wine (vinho verde) was the first that was tasted. It was followed by a Mariana rosé, white wine and red wine. The Periquita Red 2021 scored highly, but the wine of the evening was the smooth Silk and Spice Red 2016.
The guild chose the Mariana Red 2019 as the best value for money, at R130 per bottle.
Portugal has at least 200 varieties of indigenous grapes and has long boasted one of the oldest and best wine traditions in Europe and worldwide.
Lydenburg’s wine lovers agreed this quick tour of the Portuguese winelands deserved a follow-up.
For more information about Lydenburg’s Wine Guild, WhatsApp Gerda Whitehorn on 079 515 7799.
Also read: University of Mpumalanga rugby team rising like the sun
