Flowers and Bubbly

On a warm Saturday morning, 1 September 2018, wine lovers gathered in the lovely outdoors at the Sammy Marks House Museum in Bronkhorstspruit for a celebration of Spring!  Symbolic of the new season, flowers adorned all the tables where tasty treats were consumed, including quiche, apple crumble and, of course, bubbly. If you didn't join us, you definitely missed out.


No less than NINE sparkling wines (including one actually named Mensa) were tasted and graded by our discerning members. The tasting started with the still wines, the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Once some of the aromas and flavours were identified, they were tried together in a blend, seeing how the balance and impact of the whole was more impressive than the parts. 
Then, the same blend fermented a second time into a 'champagne' was tasted. It was wonderful tasting the way each change enhanced and developed the wine.


After a light lunch, the Villeria Tradition Brut, Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel, and Pongeacz champagnes were tasted, ending with the Pinot Noir. Either green apple or apple pie was present on the nose and palate of each. The Chardonnay showed lemon, lime, and grapefruit. As the Pinot Noir quantity increased, hints of liquorice, brioche, strawberry, and shortbread were revealed.

To cap off the tasting, the sweet Krone Night Nectar Rose was drunk as the sort of 'pudding wine'.
It was a wonderfully fresh and refreshing wine tasting, in more ways than one, proving once again, that flowers and bubbly make a great combination.