Wine For Beginners

Most of us started drinking sweet wines using the approach of the “the sweeter the better”.    Four Cousins, Robertson Rose, Grunberger and so forth , these are the usual for new wine drinkers. There’s nothing wrong with these wines however if you are wishing to cross over or explore your wine palate then you definitely  must move away from the strictly sweet wine phase.

 That we live in a country that is a major contender in the production of the world’s finest wine, it would be such a waste to not explore the diverse wines the garden route has to offer.

  Here are some of the wines that I recommend to those that want to discover their palate, bearing in mind that palates are different and so there isn’t one type that will be loved by all.

Red varietals.

Most reds have flavours based on the these undertones ; tobacco, berries and cherries.

Merlot:  Spier Signature 2013 Merlot is a winner both in flavour and price. At R54,this wine is great for drinking on its own  or for pairing with food. Merlots are very gently on the palate and seeing that winter I just around the corner, this is perfect to unwind after work or to enjoy with your dinnerl.

Blend:  Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot:  Rupert and Rothschild Classique 2012.  Blended with Merlot, this one is a little more exciting and luxurious in flavour with “fresh raspberry aromas, plum blossom and ripe fig nuances”.   At R130 a bottle, it’s still very accessible in comparison to other blends from this vineyard. I love to enjoy this with chocolate as part of me time …those days are on pause for now thanks to a little somebody inside me.

Blush /Rose

These are typically lower in alcohol, range in colour from light red to sexy salmon which I associate with  lazy summer days. Taste wise, they are known to be crispy and slightly sweeter.

Rose:  Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage.  Boschendal’s The Rose Garden “A vivid flourish of raspberry, cranberry and red cherry aromas with discreet roast nuts on the nose. Greatly priced at R50 a bottle.  

Blush (Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay): Pierre Jourdan Tranquille.  From a reputable estate,  this blush is low in alcohol, dry and crispy. At R44 a bottle its simply well priced quality. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t appreciate this blush.  The colour suggest summer time but  I used to enjoy this throughout the year especially when entertaining (lower alcohol volume means you stay “together” for a lot longer).

White Varietals

White wines are characterised with; spice, citrus fruits, apples, honey and pears

Chardonnay: Fat Bastard.  “A rich, golden yellow colour with complex aromas of vanilla and honeysuckle layered with subtle nuances of oak. On the palate, this wine has a full body with an eruption of tropical fruit flavours that develop into a long, toasty finish”.  This is definitely one of my favourites throughout all seasons!  The name is very cheeky and  it’s so fitting, this chardonnay is bursting with flavour. I love its subtle woodiness!  This one is another great quality wine at a great price for R70.

Savignon Blanc: Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc 2014. One of the most popular types, Sauvignon Blanc is characterised by these flavours;  lime, green apple, passion fruit and white peach. I was with a friend over the weekend that is also new to drinking wine, she very much preferred this over the Chardonnay.  This vineyard also produces my favourite Chardonnay. At R120 a bottle, it’s very friendly compared to other varieties produced by this estate.

*all wines available at Tops or Pick n Pay or http://www.carolineswine.com/. Quoted sentences sourced from www.bestvaluewineguide.com.

Cheers! 

by MamaKaSkhafthin AKA Sandy AKA Masendana

The Billboard Music Awards

{PICS}…….                                            

We never have these type of articles here, so I decided to attempt one.

The 2015 Billboards Music Awards were held on May 17^th at the MGM Grand Garden Avenue eLas Vegas. So here are a few pictures of the rich and famous who graced the event. If you want a list of the winners, then google…..

Jlo…. I want to look like her when I turn 45! She is such a hot mama who is so head over heels with Ben10’’s.

 The Empire family came to support! Hot after 9 boys!

Taylor Swift with new bae, Calvin Harris. They look so good together! She is glowing…The power of the D!

Izzy Azalea brought her  fake boobs and bum..

Rita Ora serving some skin! No panty on sight…

Umona phansi, Bruce Jenner has fresh seeds…look at what he produced! The Jenner sisters…

uGogo Mariah Carey was there accompanied by orange peel and amafutha! Atleast we are not alone on this struggle.

Serayah from Empire! I love her skin tone….

Chris Brown and his Royalty.Are those Mazda or Hyundai Timberlands?

Dencia the Naija girl who came up with that skin lightening cream, Whitenicious! Yes..she is a celeb now.

Mr & Mrs John Legend love her Ncane cheeks

Britney…looking round and fit

Shim looking flawless and sexy! Larvene. Bruce is in good hands. Shim started as a boy…and now it is here…

Yeezus..Jesu…Bokone-Bophirima’s dad..whatever he calls himself..performed and apparently his performance was cut short. The smoke over powered his performance… All people could see was smoke on the stage..

by Aisha

What your drink says about you

1. Champagn
Personality Type: You stand on the outside of crowds and observe. People approach you to ask your permission for various things. You receive calls about moving large sums of money around, business you dispatch quickly and in a quiet voice. You don't eat much; you don't sleep much. Your preferred party position? Above it.

Signature Drink: Champagne. For those of us who don't drink champagne all that often, it is a celebratory, special occasion drink. For those who choose to drink it all the time, it is a signal to others that your whole life is a special occasion and you simply don't have time for them.

2. Martini
Personality Type: You can hold your liquor, and you want others to know it. You once tried to write a novel. You would say you are more head than heart. Your preferred party position is at the bar regaling others. You are the type to use the word 'regale.'

Signature Drink: A proper martini. No less than three ounces of straight gin will do for you. Proper gin martinis are for lifelong, professional drinkers. It is the signature drink for the intellectual set; it was both Dorothy Parker's and Winston Churchill's drink of choice, after all.

3. Whiskey, Neat
Personality Type: You manage to somehow act fancy without putting on airs. You might wear jeans and button-up shirts every day, but they have a crispness to them — as if you walked out of a catalogue. You were voted "Most Likely to Succeed" in high school. Your preferred party position is arriving late and leaving early.

Signature Drink: Whiskey, neat. The more expensive, the better. Because everything in life should be straight-up.

4. Wine
Personality Type: You feel generally happy and dissatisfied at the same time. You are ambitious but don't feel lucky. You would call yourself jealous because you are also very self-aware. Your preferred party position is talking late into the night.

Signature Drink: Wine. It's the drink that's easiest to refill.

5. Beer
Personality Type: You are generally happy and a tad lucky. Things tend to work out for you. Sure, you have some regrets, but who doesn't? You work hard, but don't necessarily want to work that hard. You buy lottery tickets and contribute to your 401K. Your preferred party position is whatever's nearby.

Signature Drink: Beer. It's readily available and unassuming. No one has ever been criticized for ordering a beer at a bar or drinking one at a party. Beer just doesn't make a fuss.

Source: http://www.refinery29.com/signature-drinks#slide

By Lufuno

TOLAH cares

The past few months have been amazeballs here at TOLAH. It first started with the mood swings then came the ugly cries. As if that wasn't enough, there were sudden bouts of "sicknesses" that were neither here nor there. Then, after being fed up, we advised these trolls to "just pee on a stick already". True to that, it was revealed, The Lord has blessed this house with the most precious of gifts.Lou's having a baby, Zesty's having a baby, Sandy's having Skhafthin, Cherry's having a baby, Love Child's having a baby and for a while it looked like everyone was having a baby. (I hope you read this in Oprah's voice.) The stork will be overworking within the next few months we will be welcoming new additions to the family. 

 

To prepare the soon-to-be mommies, TOLAH ladies decided to come together and do our bits to help welcoming the little miracles a little bit more special. So we put together some pennies to get them nice things. It was nice to see everyone was keen to assist and some even went an extra mile.

 

The mothers are very grateful for this gesture. On behalf of TOLAH, I would like to thank those that have contributed. Your good hearts and show of love go a long way. I was emotional all day Saturday when I realized just what it means exactly to be part of this group. I love you guys and hope we only get toghter and more loving and supportive.

 

By Queen Troll

Weekend round up....

My Weekend in one paragraph

 

Happy Monday, I hope we are all rested and ready to make some money. I had quite an eventful and clumsy weekend shem. Here's what I got up to:

 

Friday night I went out with the girls minus Bubbles; she needs to explain herself that one. We were to go to some daddy chilling spot. Arrived at the place just to find it was filled with old people with vans and Toyota's parked outside, eeuw! We then moved to a different venue; Social Link; and fun was had. Partied until early mornings of Saturday. After sleeping for 3 hours I attempted to go to a funeral; headache, hangover and tiredness intact. Had no idea what the details were and completely got mixed up when Anga told me thedetails over the phone. Soooo, I did what no other person ever did before, I went to the wrong funeral. Yep!!!! After that I went and met Lollington (such a beautiful being, pretty too) and with her in tow we eventually made it to the correct funeral on time for lunch. We then attended to some TOLAH responsibilities. I was so done, I missed my hair appointment and am proud to announce I am fiercly rocking a basic "straight together" or what the hair chick called the "Thandaza". Anyway, the re-bae nursed me out of tiredness and hangover.

 

What did you guys get up to?  

To the BBM FANS, lets say this together now, QABANATION!! NTOMBACE!! I am sooooo excited, i cried.... (Lufuno)

 

By Queen Troll