Wine In The African Bush

In the past I have written about the wonderful food on safari but what about wine?  I have had the pleasure of traveling with clients who really know their wine and they have helped educate my amateur palate.

There are some great wines from South Africa and you can find them while on safari.  Nothing like a delicious meal served with a Pinotage (bred in South Africa in 1925, it is a cross between Pinot noir and cinsaut red wine grapes, known there as Hermitage) after a day of game viewing.  It really helps to give you that “Hemingway” experience!

One of my clients writes a blog called “ Vine Divine.”  It is a wonderful newsletter with wine reviews and some other useful information.  I was pleased when in her latest issue she wrote about gift ideas – “Sometimes, the best gifts are those that reflect something unique about the recipient or that evoke a shared memory between you and the recipient. It could be a wine that reminds them of their heritage, such as Nero d’Avola for a Sicilian or Grüner Veltliner for an Austrian. Perhaps, a South African Chenin Blanc brings back memories of a safari you and the recipient enjoyed together.”  What a wonderful idea!  If you would like to read more go to http://www.vinedivine.com/.  The site is still under construction but you can go there to sign up for the newsletter.  You can also find it on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vine-Divine

The one thing you should not do is drink Tanzanian wine – at least, not the one that one of my wine connoisseur clients ordered one night! The wine list said this brew was made by an order of monks.  We were not sure we could even use it for fuel for our safari vehicle. We joked that now we know what kind of wine would go best with warthog!

Afya! (Cheers in Swahili).