Looking for a wine experience with a difference? Allow Slanghoek Winery to sharpen not only your senses, but also you palate.
The Slanghoek ”Blend & Bottle” session has been created especially for those who dream of making their own wine. The only difference is you don’t have to plant the grapes, crush them into juice, wait for them to ferment while you hope for the best. Slanghoek winery provides participants with a combination of three red cultivars straight from the vat to work with as well as plastic graduated cylinder for measuring purposes.
On the day of our visit the cellar master of Slanghoek, Pieter Carstens, guided us through the blending and bottling process, providing us with some handy tips. It’s important to taste the different cultivars in order to define their individual characteristics. Identify the positive aspects of each wine, decide what you like, and then choose a combination that will bring out the best of all three cultivars once blended. The final blend should not be one dimensional otherwise you won’t be able to discover the different layers each cultivar offers.
Pieter Carstens, the cellar master of Slanghoek Winery, in action
After carefully listening to Pieter’s advise, it was time to taste the wines on hand and start shaking things up. The 2012 Merlot was soft and elegant with rasberry aromas which carried through onto the palate. The 2012 Shiraz showed notes of blackberry and white pepper on the nose with nice and strong fruit flavour that lingered on the palate. The 2012 Pinotage was much bigger and bolder compared to the other two, with notes of cherry and dark chocolate on the nose.
It took about 3 attempt to please Pieter’s palate and in the end I decided to leave the flat fruit-bomb and settled with a 75% Shiraz and 25% Merlot blend. After bottling it was time to put a cork in my precious, and without a doubt, award-winning wine, which I christened, Spit or Swallow.
Apart from the ”Blend & Bottle” experience the Slanghoek tasting room offers visitors a string of wines to taste. There’s no doubt that these guys produce wines that caters for everyone’s palate. The wines are not only tasty but extremely affordable, to such an extend that a case of 2009 Slanghoek Private Collection Shiraz will cost you less than R230.
At Slanghoek Winery you will find award-winning wines at very affordable prices.
The ”Bottle & Blend” sessions take place only on Saturdays and bookings are essential. Corporate or private groups can however book a session during weekday mornings. The price is R40 per person which includes a tutoring session with one of Slanghoek’s winemakers as well as one personalized bottle of blended wine. An absolute bargain!
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To check available dates and make a booking contact +27 (0) 23 344 3026 or email [email protected]
