ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, June 26, 1996 TAG: 9606260010
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 10 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: THE WINE LIST
SOURCE: BETH CRITTENDEN
South African wines have been a hot topic in culinary circles ever since 1994, when South African President Nelson Mandela raised a glass of his nation's wine in a toast to defeated political rival F.W. de Klerk.
Now, Southwest Virginia is getting its first taste as a new company begins importing a selection of South African wines, wholesaling them to local wine shops, grocery stores and restaurants.
Roger Brall, president of Chapman's Peak General Trading Company Inc. in Boones Mill, said that he and his family discovered the beauty of South African wines while living for 10 years in Cape Town, where the wine industry is based.
"The wineries were so close to us," Brall explained. "We would visit them regularly, bringing home bottles of the wines we enjoyed. The wines also were easy to find in our grocery stores at prices that were quite reasonable."
"Cape Town is the best city in the world," he continued. "We have the sea and mountains, the weather is pleasant year-round and 90 percent of the country's wineries are within a 60-mile radius of the city."
Known as the eighth-largest wine-producing region in the world, South Africa boasts almost 5,000 growers cultivating 250,000 acres of vines. It is traditionally a white-wine producing country, with acres of Steen (a local name for Chenin Blanc), Cape Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and other lesser-known grape varietals taking precedence. However, with increasing worldwide demand, plantings of Chardonnay are on the rise.
Red varietals include Cinsaut, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage (a grape created by crossing Pinot Noir with Cinsaut), Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Most of the juice is sold in bulk to France and Australia to be bottled as domestic "bag-in-a-box" wine. But South Africa's premium wine industry has come into its own as its quality and value are discovered. South African vintners are beginning to hit their stride as world-class wine producers after being stifled by the past trade embargo. Now that sanctions are lifted, South African wineries are getting daily inquiries in search of more and more of their products.
The Bralls moved to America about four years ago, after the South African government made a small number of U.S. visas available. They had to list a U.S. address as a destination and called on the hospitality of family friends in Blacksburg. Once settled in Southwest Virginia, their desire for a business of their own and their love of South African wines led to the creation of Chapman's Peak General Trading Inc. in September1995.
Brall represents three lines of South African wines: Nederburg, Sable View and Zonnebloem, with several varietals from each. Nederburg produces about 735,000 cases of wine annually for local and export sales. Winemaker Newald Marais has begun incorporating the use of oak in the aging of his white wines, resulting in a rich, almost yeasty Chardonnay. Another Nederburg white is the Stein, which is known almost as a national institution in South Africa. Stein is an off-dry, lighter-styled wine made primarily from Chenin Blanc with a little Rhine Riesling and Muscat blended in.
Sable View produces everyday wines for export and features a briefly oaked Pinotage with hints of raspberry and ripe cherries. The winery also is recognized for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
Zonnebloem is known for easy-drinking reds, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. These wines usually are aged four years before release, producing a softer, more approachable style.
These wines, and more from these three producers, can be found in many wine retail locations throughout Southwest Virginia. People interested in learning more about and sampling a variety of South African wines can attend Thursday's Roanoke Valley Wine Society tasting/meeting, where Roger Brall will be the featured guest speaker. The tasting is 7-9 p.m. in the Upper Room of Corned Beef & Co., Roanoke. Admission is $12. Reservations are not necessary. Cheers!
SOUTH AFRICAN SELECTIONS
(Average cost $10 or less)
Nederburg Chardonnay
Sable View Pinotage
Zonnebloem Merlot
Zonnebloem Shiraz
Nederburg Stein
THE WINE LIST runs once a month in the Extra section. Beth Crittenden is a local wine wholesaler, educator, writer and founder of the Roanoke Valley Wine Society, which meets for wine-tasting programs on the fourth Thursday of each month. If you have a wine-related question, or would like more information on the society, call 992-3285.
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