If you were not able to make last night’s wine tasting, here are the tasting notes of the Ken Forrester wines we showed (a portion of the wines shown last night).
What: Ken Forrester Wines
Region: Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa
The Petit Range:
Petit Pinotage- 100% Pinotage: It has all the hallmarks of a classic pinotage with apple-wood smoked bacon over crushed blackberries, charred embers, marionberry jam and hints of fruit-driven minerals. Huge dollops of ripe berry fruit on the nose, inky red/black colour with bright hints Soft and rich on the palate with a delicious fruit concentration.
On the palate it shows excellent restraint and has nicely concentrated cherries, the smokehouse wood, then a lovely structured red and black fruit medley. The midpalate is dense and full-bodied with ripe cherry fruit, more smoked notes, but balanced with supple yet ripe tannins and then a nice kick of cranberry juice.
I served the Pinotage with a Sweet Potato Mash blended with our Hot Pepper Raspberry Chipotle Sauce ( 3 lbs sweet potatoes, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/4 cup Hot Pepper Chipotle Sauce). An excellent pairing.
Petit Rose- 100% Pinotage: The Petit Rosé is made from grapes that are grown, selected and harvested for rosé, not as the run-off juice of red wine. The grapes were sourced from 10-year-old Pinotage vines planted on decomposed granite soils on northwest facing slopes in Stellenbosch. They were picked early in order to maintain optimum freshness.
The wine is crafted in the style of a crisp, refreshing white, with a hint
more structure and a soft pink hue. On the nose are hints of smokehouse wood but on the palate this wine is fresh, clean and eminently quaffable, this
charming rosé is brimming with bright cherry and red berry fruit. It is an excellent pairing with summer’s menu of seafood and barbeque.
I served this wine with a Spicy Shrimp Tropical Fruit Salad which was blended with our Roasted Pineapple and Habanero Dip. (1 jar of Roasted Pineapple and Habanero Dip, 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped cantaloupe, pineapple and honey dew melon).
Ken Forrester Range:
Ken Forrester Merlot- 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc: I have to admit, I am not usually a fan of Merlot however, this particular Merlot by Ken Forrester had me singing a very different tune. Matured for 12 months in French oak barrels (my favorite kind of oak) this Merlot is an inky black colour whose Cabernet Franc gives way to a bit more structure then one usually finds in a Merlot.
As for the taste, there were smoky undertones (a running theme with Ken Forrester) and hints of cherry and mint with a meaty, spiciness to it. It is a well rounded wine with balanced tannins and can be had alone but also pairs nicely with pork or duck. This is one of the few Merlots I have enjoyed and recommend.
I paired this wine with red beans cooked in our Bloody Mary Dip and served over white rice.
If you are in need of great wine, stop in and ask for Melixa or Jay at BullFish!
