Wine on Wednesday

Before we get ready to go on another trip, we wanted to quickly report on a wine event that we attended this Wednesday. Our local wine bar hosted the founder of Juno Wines (South Africa) and its American distributor, and they presented four of their wines: a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Shiraz blend, Shiraz, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Both the founder and the distributor went around to each table to introduce themselves and talk more about their wines.

Some things we learned: South Africa has been making wine for over 350 years, and Napoleon and Marie Antoinette are said to have enjoyed South African wines. The Juno brand is only 2.5 years old, and so they are working hard to get the brand sold in the States - those attending Wednesday's tasting were one of the first groups in the U.S. to try these wines!

We tasted all four wines, plus two of their higher-end boutique wines (sold under a different label). The Sauvignon Blanc was delicious...light, citrusy, and refreshing. It reminded us of a Marlborough, which is saying a lot, as New Zealand SB has always been our favorite. The Chardonnay was pleasant, as was the Cab blend. We both loved the Shiraz; the distributor pointed out that it was made differently from Australian Shiraz, which tends to be very bold and spicy. Juno uses French oak to mature this wine, and the result is underlying creamy toffee and caramel notes. It was something we had never tasted before in a Shiraz, but it was excellent! Kath noted that she could picture having a glass of this on its own, whereas a strong Australian Shiraz really needs to be paired with a steak or burger.

At around $10, Juno's wines are a true value. Keep an eye out for them as they expand their U.S. market!