quote:

Originally posted by augusta:
Thanks Missie, I appreciate that. Keen to get to the Barossa and the Clare Valley one day. Shiraz is one of my favourites (even called one of my cats by that name).

augusta ~ One of the best Shiraz I have ever tasted is Rockford's Basket Press, (Barossa Valley) extremely expensive in restaurants but reasonable at the cellar door, although it is only available for a couple of months a year, usually March to June and you are limited to 6 bottles.

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:

quote:

Originally posted by augusta:
Thanks Missie, I appreciate that. Keen to get to the Barossa and the Clare Valley one day. Shiraz is one of my favourites (even called one of my cats by that name).

augusta ~ One of the best Shiraz I have ever tasted is Rockford's Basket Press, (Barossa Valley) extremely expensive in restaurants but reasonable at the cellar door, although it is only available for a couple of months a year, usually March to June and you are limited to 6 bottles.

HMMM. Thanks for that!

Augusta ~ Missie ~ ever tasted RSA wines?? Hmmm ... exquisite!

quote:

Originally posted by dalene:
Augusta ~ Missie ~ ever tasted RSA wines?? Hmmm ... exquisite!

dalene ~ I will send you my address.

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:

quote:

Originally posted by dalene:
Augusta ~ Missie ~ ever tasted RSA wines?? Hmmm ... exquisite!

dalene ~ I will send you my address.

Missie ~ our cabernet/shiraz 2005 won gold medals at the Michelangelo Int Wine Awards.We loved the red wines in Italy and in France.

quote:

Originally posted by dalene:
Augusta ~ Missie ~ ever tasted RSA wines?? Hmmm ... exquisite!

Yes indeed Dalene. My husband used to sell them in NZ many years ago. He also visited several Stollenbosch wineries in 2003, alas I was not lucky enough to go but at least he brought me home some to try. 'Nearly' bought me a big diamond too but thought I would growl at the expense!! Oh dear, that'll teach me to set budgets.

We are able to buy South African wines, they are very reasonable in price. We also have a friend who lives in Cape Town and when we saw him in May, he gave us 2 bottles. I haven't drunk them yet but probably will soon.

My favourites: the Spier white wine and Alto red wine collection - both from Stellenbosch. I see that the Australian, American and South African wines are competing strongly against the French wines.

Caitie, I am a wine drinker and I can tell you that wine tastes very different in France and Italy than it does here. I didn't know why until we were told at a wine-tasting that it is because of the all the added sulphites that they must put in the wine when they export it to North America. They said it was our governments' requirements. Wine goes down much smoother and it doesn't give you a headache without all the added sulphites.

I haven't brought any wine back on my tours but I do always travel with lots of bubble-wrap for breakables.

Jeannie: Thanks for the explanation. Are sulphites just a preservative? What other reason could there be for requiring them? Do local wines have to have as much sulphite content too, or does it only apply to imports?

quote:

Originally posted by Caitie:
Jeannie: Thanks for the explanation. Are sulphites just a preservative? What other reason could there be for requiring them? Do local wines have to have as much sulphite content too, or does it only apply to imports?

Catie ~
Sulphur dioxide is the key preservative present in wine.
When we went to Europe for the first time and had wine we didn't get headaches. We thought it is because the European wines are sulfite free. Apparently it is not true. From what I've heard all wines made everywhere have sulfites in them.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: dalene,

quote:

Originally posted by Caitie:
Jeannie: Thanks for the explanation. Are sulphites just a preservative? What other reason could there be for requiring them? Do local wines have to have as much sulphite content too, or does it only apply to imports?

I am not a wine expert but I believe sulfites are present in all wines to a certain extent. Extra is added for preservation purposes.

Many people are allergic to wines mainly red because of the presence of too much sulphites. My DIL father (Italian) makes his own wine, my SIL can drink his wine because there are no sulphites.

Sulphite is used in many foods and preserved fruit, your own body makes a certain amount of sulphites. It is trial and error as to how much sulphite your body can stand.

Well you learn something every day. Apparently sulphites occur naturally in wine.

www.morethanorganic.com/sulphur-in-the-bottle

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:

quote:

Originally posted by augusta:
Thanks Missie, I appreciate that. Keen to get to the Barossa and the Clare Valley one day. Shiraz is one of my favourites (even called one of my cats by that name).

augusta ~ One of the best Shiraz I have ever tasted is Rockford's Basket Press, (Barossa Valley) extremely expensive in restaurants but reasonable at the cellar door, although it is only available for a couple of months a year, usually March to June and you are limited to 6 bottles.

Speaking of Shiraz (my favourite red), my darling has just brought me home shiraz infused chocolate!! I am in heaven, I love chocolate way too much.