Wine lovers and producers alike are increasingly looking for more meaningful interactive experiences; hence the Wine & Whatever Experience supported by Vodacom.
It’s a simple fact of life that the more you understand something, the more you will appreciate it. Enjoying a glass of wine is no exception.
Grapes from different regions are grown on different soils with different climates. Different cultivars thrive in different conditions, and even then, they produce wines with different characteristics. Understanding the history and characteristics of the different cultivars and why they produce wines of different colours, flavours, alcohol- and tannin levels on different soils and under different climatic conditions, enables connoisseur wine lovers to experience the joy of an almost limitless feast for the senses. A feast that, sadly, most never experience.
The Wine & Whatever Experience aims to remedy that. The organisers will place a significant emphasis on informing and educating consumers in order to increase the appreciation and enjoyment of future connoisseur wine lovers.
The marketing landscape has evolved dramatically and continues to do so at an ever-increasing pace. The wine industry is no exception.
Wine producers have reported a diminishing return on their investment into trade shows, wine festivals, wine pairings and the like. Consumers are demanding a more personal experience when it comes to buying. At the typical wine festival, producers have all their products on display at a single event. Often this leaves the palate under stress, unable to appreciate the finer nuances of the wines as well as a number of fairly shallow interactions between the producer and the consumer.
The Wine & Whatever Experience aims to remedy that too. The format of the events will be to explore, in depth, a single cultivar from multiple producers at each experience. The organisers believe that the consumers’ demand for a more meaningful interaction and the obvious passion that producers have for their trade is a match made in heaven – wine heaven. A large selection of good food will be available to complement the wines.
The first Wine & Whatever Experience will be held on 8 August 2019 when Augusta Grill & Patisserie in George will host the Bryan Adams Tribute Show. The show starts at 18:00 for 18:30. Tickets are R150 pp or R1500 per table of 10 and are available at the link below. Bring own picnic basket or order from Glenwood School.
Bryan Adams Tribute Concert https://www.ticketrush.co.za/event/bryan-adams-tribute-concert
The second Wine & Whatever Experience will be held on 9 & 10 August 2019 at Fancourt’s Conference Venue.
We will explore the 2018 wines, a year of extreme drought that has produced exceptional wines. Connoisseurs will certainly be investing in a few bottles to lay down and let age. You may want to consider doing this too.
The event will run from 11 am to 6 pm on both days and tickets are R70. Tickets are available from the various Vodacom outlets listed below, or online (which are a little cheaper).
- Vodacom Shop 34 York Street, George 044-8741667
- Vodashop 4U – Garden Route Mall
- Vodacom Shop Garden Route Mall – George 044-8870145
- Vodacom Shop Oudtshoorn 044-2720338
Wine and Whatever https://www.ticketrush.co.za/event/wine-and-whatever
To begin your journey, here is some terminology to get you started:
- A vintage wine is one made from grapes grown in the same year.
- A varietal wine is one made exclusively or (in some cases) predominantly from one cultivar.
- A blend is one made of a combination of cultivars.
- A wine of origin is one made from grapes grown in one area.
- Bouquet is a term that refers to the complex aromas in aged wines.
- Dry is the taste sensation often attributed to tannins and causing puckering sensations in the mouth; the opposite of sweet.
- Sweet wines are ones with perceptible sugar contents on the nose and in the mouth.
- Tannins are organic compounds in wines that leave a bitter, dry, and puckery feeling in the mouth
In the next article, we will introduce the most popular red wine followed by the most popular white wines. We will feature the fascinating story of Pinotage – a proudly South Africa creation now popular all over the world.
You’re invited to join us on a journey, educate yourself and your palate so that you too can experience the joy of an almost limitless feast for the senses.
