Hedonist - Watch out

I'm part of a very special club. If you're reading this then so are you...

Foodies. We're quite a strange bunch aren't we? We get genuinely excited when we talk about food. We pick up vegetables and cradle them like they're puppies. We devour cookbooks and grab the latest copy of the Taste magazine as if our favourite celebrity crush is lying naked in the centre-fold. We plan weekends away around restaurants and we list eating out as a necessary item instead of a luxury one when sorting out our finances. We're basically nerds but instead of Dungeons and Dragons we eat and drink. The best part about being a foodie though? Meeting another one...

This happened to me the other day when I bumped into a fellow blogger who is now making his own wine. He left me with a bottle from his first batch and I sat down last night for ONE glass. It was always going to be one glass. I didn't really need it but in the name of research I thought I would just have one. It was raining outside...perfect weather for one glass of wine. ONE. 

45 minutes and an empty bottle later, I was left speechless. What a cracker. Now, it's no secret that I am no wine expert. I don't pretend to be. What I can do though is tell you when something tastes good and when something tastes shit. This one was the former. Strong hints of black pepper and dark cherries were offset beautifully by a smoky aftertaste. The feeling in your mouth was smooth and elegant but the wine held its shape just long enough to coat all the right places before you swallowed. All in all, I found it sexy as hell. 

The wine is an unusual red blend made up of syrah, grenache, carignan and viognier (which I found particularly interesting) grapes from the Swartland area. The end result is fantastic in my opinion and I love the passion these guys have. In a similar vibe to The Real Beer campaign, the focus seems to be on selecting the highest quality grapes and concentrating on smaller volumes. Less clients. More personal attention. Very Jerry Maguire.

The wine is called Hedonist by the way. As far as I know the only place it is available at the moment is &Union. I'm pretty sure that won't be the case for long but next time you're there keep it in the back of your mind. I know it's tough not to order a beer straight away but hey, it's always good to keep your options open. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who