A grape personality...

Anyone who knows me well knows that I LOVE wine. And that in itself is probably an understatement...and possibly a sneaky reason why we haven't had any babies yet - could you imagine going more than 9 months without the stuff????? The best thing I ever learnt at university was wine - how to taste it, appreciate it, and of course, recover from indulging in it! It provides me with a balanced diet (5 fruits a day, or five glasses, same thing right?) and turns me into a fantastic comedian, cook, and lover snorer...

Wine is not for everyone though, which is fair enough and I'm not too fussed about this as it means that there's even more for me :) However, people have more in common with wine than they realise, as I did just the other day. Although you may not partake in drinking the glorious stuff, everyone I know reminds me of a specific type of wine, and I thought I would share some with you....where do you fit in? ;)

Let us start with Rose (rose-ay). These are proper girly girls - pink and light-bodied, with nuances of strawberry (blonde) and a flirtatious character. More often than not, these wines are a blend of multiple varieties of wine, which can lead to a bit of an identity crisis...Not to be taken too seriously, or indulged in deep, meaningful conversation, but lovely company around the pool on a hot summer's day.

Then you get your Sauvignon Blanc's (saw-veey-nyaw-blunk)- dry, slightly fruity, and can be quite green, depending on which region they come from, (though don't take them for granted as they can pack quite a punch!). Often not everybody's cup of tea as they can come across as quite acidic or even tarty, these people are bold and outspoken. You either like them, or you don't - no skin off their teeth (or yours!) either way...

My favourite white wine, Chardonnay (shaar-don-neigh), is the most complex of the lot. Full-bodied, an absolute honey, smooth and buttery, they are regularly underestimated and shunned due to their bold unique flavour and style. A real hand-full, but worth every moment!

Moving onto the reds: the most common, Merlot (mer-louw)(NOT pronounced exactly the way it is spelt, as is often the case with our friends north of the Traansvaal River) is a good combination of down to earth and spicy, yet can still surprise you out of nowhere with a hidden complexity! The soft character of this wine often makes it an excellent partner for Cabernet Sauvignon as it tends to soften the edges of that variety. These people prefer warmer climates and have soft tannins making them easy to engage and always fun around the braai on an Autumn evening.

Cabernet Sauvignon (Cab-ber-neigh, saw-veey-nyaw) on the other hand, is a huge, powerful wine with upfront, in-your-face fruitiness. Whether blended or solo, this wine is a fan of red meat and pairs well with Indian cuisine. It's the socialite of the lot - making a bold entrance and lingering in flavour - and always trying to hook up with merlots, rose's and sometimes even shiraz's. A real jack of all trades...

Finally, there are the Port's, sweet, fortified wines that end off a good meal. Often overlooked due to their super sweet nature, these wines are great friends on a cold winter's evening or when paddling around a dam in the middle of June during duck shoot, and will never complain about being the afterthought of an evening. Always happy to participate in any adventure, and on-call 24hrs for those last minute plans, they are the coup-de-grace of any friendship circle.

All in all, variety is the spice of life, and you don't just have to stick to one wine - why not try them all?? (Best not to do this all at once though, unless you want to know what it feels like to be reincarnated - because you will DIE a slow hangover death)... Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go pour myself a super sized glass of one of the above and wallow in a hot bath.

Ciao Bella xx

“Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.”
― Paulo Coelho, Brida   




PE Wine Show 2011

Bestie Jessica Jane, and I



Hubby and I on one of the many wine tasting
adventures of our university days...

Diane (sister) and I enjoying a wine induced chuckle