Wine Wednesday Quick Quiz Answers

Here are the correct answers for the Quick Quiz:

QUESTION 1 ANSWER

What is considered a Cape Blend?

• A red wine that contains a minimum of 30% and maximum of 70% Pinotage
• A red wine that has less than 31% Pinot Noir and one other International varietal
• A red wine that is blended in the Western Cape
• A red wine blended with (in any proportion) Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah

There’s been a lot of discussion in South Africa about the subject of Cape Blends. These are red wines with a proportion of Pinotage blended with other grapes. What’s the big deal? Well, many see them as the Cape’s calling card – a signature style that is unique to South Africa. Of course, Pinotage is unique to South Africa, but in many circles this unusual variety is seen to be just a touch too idiosyncratic to act as an ‘ambassador’ wine style. But it does work very well in blends, where its individuality is toned down a bit and it adds personality to ‘international’ style wines.

The big debate has been around not only whether Cape Blends should be officially recognized and promoted, but also about the rules determining their composition.

There’s been much debate about what really constitutes a Cape Blend. Today, Pinotage has to form part of the blend, but we also include minimum and maximum percentages. Blended wine should contain a minimum of 30% and maximum of 70% Pinotage.

QUESTION 2 ANSWER

Which was the first Wine Farm in South Africa?

• Groot Constantia
• Muratie
• Meerlust
• Klein Constantia

Groot Constantia is the oldest wine estate in South Africa and provincial heritage site in the suburb of Constantia in Cape Town, South Africa.

In 1685, during an annual visit to the Cape, Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede tot Drakenstein granted the grounds of Groot Constantia to Simon van der Stel the VOC Governor of the Cape of Good Hope.

Van der Stel built the house and used the land to produce wine as well as other fruit and vegetables, and for cattle farming. Following Van der Stel’s death in 1712 the estate was broken up and sold in three parts: Groot Constantia; Klein Constantia; and Bergvliet.

In 1779 the portion of the estate including Van der Stel’s Cape Dutch-style manor house was sold to the Cloete family, who planted extensive vineyards and extended and improved the mansion by commissioning the architect Louis Michel Thibault. The wine cellar was added by Cloete in 1791. The house remained in the possession of the Cloete family until 1885, during which period the estate became famous for its production of Constantia dessert wine.

In 1885 Groot Constantia was purchased by the government of the Cape of Good Hope and was used as an experimental wine and agricultural estate. Following a disastrous fire in 1925 the house was extensively restored.

In the year 1925 the manor house completely burnt down. Funds were raised to reconstruct it to its original Cape Dutch splendour.

In 1969 the manor house became part of the South African Cultural History Museum, and in 1993 the estate passed into the ownership of the Groot Constantia Trust. The exhibition in the house is managed by Iziko South African Museum, and is particularly focused on rural slavery and the life of slaves during the early Cape colonial period.

Today, other estates have joined Groot Constantia to form the scenic Constantia wine route. These estates include Klein Constantia, Buitenverwachting, Constantia Uitsig, Steenberg, Constantia Glen, Eagles Nest and High Constantia.

QUESTION 3 ANSWER

Which is the most planted varietal in South Africa?

• Steen (aka Chenin Blanc)
• Chardonnay
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Muscadel

Steen is also known as Chenin Blanc. South Africa has more Chenin growing than anywhere else in the world combined and it is internationally regarded as South Africa’s de facto white wine.

The oldest Steen / Chenin vineyards are in Stellenbosch with the Mrs. Kirsten vineyard planted between 1905 and 1920 and Kaapzicht planted in 1942, followed by Robertson (1948), Paarl (1952), Olifantsrivier (1960), Swartland (1961) Breedekloof (1962), Klein Karoo (1965) and Worcester (1974).

QUESTION 4 ANSWER

What is the restaurant term for a corkscrew?

• Waiter’s Friend
• Coravin
• Pig Tail
• Popper

A waiter’s friend, also called a sommelier knife, a wine key or opener, is a corkscrew in a folding body in the same way as a classic pocket knife. The basic design of the waiter’s friend corkscrew was invented and patented by German Karl Wienke in 1882.

QUESTION 5 ANSWER

Why do you use a decanter?

• To aerate the wine
• To store the wine over a week
• To make the wine look expensive
• All of the above

A wine decanter’s primary purpose is to store (short period) and serve wine and allow it to breathe. An adequate surface area exposed to air is crucial to the oxygenating process. Sediment and crumbled cork are often found in red wines. Pouring into a decanter can help to filter and remove any unwanted residue.