Chronicle Editor
Peter Matika
SO, this week we came across quite a quirky, but interesting sentiment shared among avid lovers of wine.
It goes a little something like: “There is more to wine than cheap boxed wine.”
These were the sentiments of wine enthusiast, 23-year-old Kimberly Chisiri who also happens to be a sommelier and chef.
She took us on an intriguing and insightful tour of a little wine shop: the Cheese and Wine Shop in Ascot, where she happens to work.
There, she showed us a variety of wines, cheeses, seafood, meats, deserts and spices that can be consumed with a good bottle of wine.
For this summer season, Kim, as she preferred to go by, said the best wine to drink was ELGIN, manufactured by a company called Old Road Wine.
“It’s a South African pinot noir. It is made in one of the coolest climates of that country and is distributed in a beautiful shaped bottle. It’s crispy and fresh on the taste buds, has sweet floral scents on the nose and is rich with earthly tones, which consist of roses and potpourri,” says Kim.
The wine contains 13,5 percent alcohol, which makes quite a light drink especially for those who do not possess a strong alcohol palate.
It goes down well on a chilled quiet evening shared between two over a plate of pork belly slices.
It’s a cocked wine and stores for up to at least three to five days in the fridge after opening (why would you keep it in there for so long after opening anyway?).
“It has to be kept in a horizontal position of course and before it is even opened it has to be stored in a cool and dry room, with minimal movement as that could spoil the process of fermentation,” says Kim, and Kim knows best — she is a sommelier after all.
This is a great wine to sip on especially if you are new to wine. This wine is also great with cocktails because of its light alcohol percentage, as well as its floral scents, tones and hue.
Kim, after our brief wine lesson then taught us of a new, well, not so new cocktail — the Sangria.
“This is a great cocktail and you can make it on your own. All you need is orange juice, brandy, orange and apple slices, blueberries, strawberries and tonic or sparkling water. You may concoct this in accordance with your taste buds, as well as your palate,” said Kim before bidding us a farewell after “the lesson in wine”
While at the Ascot Shopping Centre, and before we made off, we decided to step into another establishment — Picanha Steak House for a quick sip of their signature cocktail.
Named the Picanha Mango Daiquiri, the melange is a good drink to sip on, especially if you are on a date and want to leave a good impression on your partner and not get drunk.
Picanha barman Prince Mugadza shared his recipe, of course not entirely: “You first add two cup servings of ice in a blender, four snifters of mango daiquiri and of course two thimbleful of white alcohol.
Then you blend until the contents produce a yellow, flaky and slushy beverage. Once done, serve it in a cocktail glass that is of course rimmed with white sugar. For our garnish we add an orange slice for a citrus scent and mint leaves and berries to add colour as well as to add an exciting flavour,” said Prince.
Tell us what you think of these drinks if ever you get a chance to taste them or if you have an establishment and think your drink has what it takes to be profiled send an email to [email protected]
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