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- Simonsig Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch South Africa, 2006
- Graceland Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch South Africa, 2005
- Beyerskloof Pinotage, Stellenbosch South Africa, 2006
- WineScores.ca
- Oracle Shiraz, Western Cape South Africa, 2005
- Graham Beck Brut, Western Cape South Africa, NV
- More wines of South Africa
- Regional Hero - Yarra Valley
- The Tasting Room
- Taste this!
- Gimmick or Godsend?
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Summer may be approaching here in the northern
hemisphere but for those down under in Australia and
South Africa winter is up at bat.
In BC we celebrate
the wines of South Africa in a special thematic focus
at the BC Liquor Stores - and I have 20 reviews for
you -
although a few are only available in private wine
stores .
Also, on WineScores.ca an article on
an Aussie regional hero from Yarra Valley - Punt Road
and Little Rebel - wine reviews included.
And on
The Tasting Room Radio this weekend I talk more
about the
wines of South Africa...
Are you thirsty yet?
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Gimmick or Godsend?
Ravi Wine Chiller
I was a bit skeptical when I had to read the booklet of
instructions on this made in Quebec invention. Called
the Ravi Wine Chiller it claimed to chill wine
40x faster
than any other product available on the market. The
concept is that red wine is generally served too warm -
most cork dorks agree with this statement - as
room
temperature is much warmer in most modern homes
than the suggested 18 degrees at which full-bodied
red wines should be served.
So, I took apart the
three
piece Ravi, washed it as recommended and left it to
dry. After an hour I put the clean inner tube into the
freezer to
freeze. Several hours later with some friends over I
took it out, put all three parts together, attached it to the
top of a fresh bottle of wine and began to pour.
Stop here. Reread the instructions carefully.
I began to pour waiting for the wine to trickle
through the frozen tube (apparently this would chill the
wine instantly). Instead of the wine coming out the
pour
spout it trickled out the air hole = mess.
I hadn't let
the rinsed inner tube dry long enough and obviously
the water remaining inside froze, creating a blockage
which forced the wine out of the airhole
instead.
My
bad.
Rinse, dry overnight and repeat.
This
time the
Ravi worked as suggested. The wine in the glass was
chilled - although if I were to use it for a room
temperature white wine I wouldn't be happy with the
temperature - it would need to be colder.
Does it
work? Yes. But you must read the instructions very
carefully
for every step of the process.
Personally I can chill
down a
bottle of warm bubbly in a bucket of full of ice
with 1/4 cup of salt and water - in a mere 5-10
minutes, so I find this cumbersome. But I think it has
its place as a gift for the wine geek with everything.
They'd get a kick out of it. And, if you are smart, rinse
all
the parts of the Ravi, dry them overnight and simply
leave the central tube in the freezer for when you need
it....
You never know when you
might.
About $50
check them out online
at RaviSoulution.com
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Coming Next!
Fresh new BC
reviews & new BC releases.
More, oh yes,
more on Italian wines.
Pink and Cheeky...
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