Hello from Lozärn Wines
We come bearing gifts! It’s our commitment to country hospitality but also to shining light on how well vineyards thrive around our home village of Bonnievale.
Included in this newsletter is the gift of an easy and delicious winter recipe that goes extremely well with our Carménère Rosé; plus a link to a special discount on wine.
Both point to our love for the Carménère wine grape, a rare variety in South Africa and once a big hitter in Bordeaux, France, but now completely at home in Chile.
Plus, you’re the first to get the heads-up about some exciting events happening at Lozärn in the near future!
What’s all this about Carménère?
The variety’s spiritual home is the Médoc region of Bordeaux. Since then, it has spread to many other famous wine regions. In South Africa, Wikipedia specifically names Lozärn Wines as “the champion” for Carménère.
“The first time I tasted Carménère, I was smitten,” says winemaker Salome Buys-Vermeulen, “but I could find no South African producer at the time! Doornbosch, home of Lozärn Wines, was perfectly suited for it.”
The road wasn’t easy. After planting Carménère in 2014, the Smuts Family that own Lozärn discovered among the reasons the grape remains in limited production is the attention it demands and the low yields it produces. Pinot noir may be known as the heartbreak grape. Carménère is even more merciless.
“For me it was about the rarity of the grape and wanting to make something very special,” she says. “Given what it needs, the fruit delivers a wine that is simply next level.”
Doornbosch Farm is ideal for Carménère, which thrives at higher altitudes that experience long, warm summers. “Very much like the other Bordeaux cultivars, it produces methoxypyrazine, which can easily overpower the wine. Warmer sites reduce this possibility, which is why the Robertson Wine Valley and shale hillocks around Bonnievale, are a great fit.”
It's the reason Carménère is the foundation of the Lozärn portfolio, which also includes Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, the rosé and Kay’s Legacy – a Bordeaux-inspired blend that pays tribute to a family matriarch.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Here’s what everyone needs: a simple recipe, easy to prepare and tastes awesome that takes just 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook. Plus, it tastes even better the next day too. The reason it works well with the Carménère Rosé is the meeting of spice aromatics prevalent in both and the wine’s balanced acidity and notes of juicy berries.
Recipe: Prawn, coconut and tomato curry
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsn olive oil
- 1 tbsn tomato purée
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 200 ml vegetable stock
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed or sliced
- 200 ml coconut cream
- 1 green chilli, deseeded and sliced
- 350 g raw prawn
- 3 tbsn curry paste
Method:
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the onion, garlic and half of the chilli for 5 mins or until well braised. Add the curry paste and cook a minute or so more. Add the tomato purée, stock and coconut cream.
- Simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes, then add the prawns Cook until you can see the prawns turn opaque. Scatter the remaining chillies over.
- Serve with risotto, brown rice or cauliflower.
Parting shot
As mentioned, big things are afoot at Lozärn and we’re sure more special deals are on the way in coming months. So, keep your eyes peeled on @lozarnwines on both Facebook and Instagram. Please share with your friends too!
Remember, we offer free delivery for online orders from South African residents that amount to over R1 500!
For information, email sales@lozarn.co.za or call 082 576 8093. Lozarn Wines is located here, but open for wine tastings by appointment only.
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