There’s a school of thought that dictates certain wines should be taken with certain meals – red wines with steaks and red meats, white wines with white meats and seafood, etc.
Others, however, are happy to mix things up a bit. Rule breakers, if you will. Which one are you?
If you fancy yourself a little of a rebellious adventurer when it comes to your wines, novice or aficionado, then wine festivals, wine tourism and indeed wine tastings are where you need to be, offering the chance to indulge in the most celebrated wines on the market and sample multiple of possibilities.
Sometimes ideas or stories take on their lives of their own; innocent wine lovers become unwitting believers in what are the wine equivalents of urban legends or so called “rules.” It’s easy to fall into, watching those who sip, sniff and swirl with the confidence that exudes a sense of all-encompassing knowledge.
The truth is, however, there are no real rules, only preferences. Even the most wine savvy will tell you that wine tasting is a personal, intimate experience, and no experience is the same for any individual. Hence, the wine festival promises to de-bunk all myths wine lovers may have had about wines in general and educate at the same time.
Festivals such as these abound in South Africa, with the Soweto Wine Festival, the Vaal Wine Festival, and so many more. However, for those looking for an in to try that experience on a local scale, a taste of South Africa’s finest wines is brought to our very doorstep in the form of Kalahari Wine Tasting Festival sponsored by Stanbic Bank association with Fine Brands, Yarona FM and Mmegi Newspaper on 1st and 2nd August 2013.
The curious newbie and the experienced wine savant both have the opportunity to enjoy the best names and trends in the wine industry paired with scrumptious foods. The festival promises to bring connoisseurs from all over the region for a lesson in etiquette and exquisite vintage.
Botswana’s wine culture has proven to be growing. If the increasing popularity of wine festivals attended across the border as well as the ever increasing interest and anticipation for local festivals such as the Kalahari Wine Tasting Festival are anything to go by, it is a clear testament to the fact that Botswana has an appetite for the sophisticated wine culture that these festivals speak to. It isn’t simply a gathering, but an opportunity to share such uniquely insightful experiences which are at once able to transport us to the lush vineyards of the Cape Winelands, to immerse ourselves in the journey of the grape from vine to vintner and truly savour the bounty of wines.
So are you a “good food, good wine” pundit? Or would you just satisfy your curiosity and find out what all the fuss is about? Either way, throw caution to the wind about urban legends and so called wine rules and regulations as you re-discover the familiarity of your favourite bottle of wine or embrace the mystery of a newly discovered blend.
