Marquee Selections is proud to announce we have signed on Backsberg Estate Cellars from Paarl, South Africa to add to our green portfolio of outstanding wineries! In this episode of InTheCellar Michael Back of Backsberg joins Bonnie Rabicoff & Christopher Cribb in an informative video session to learn about the wines and vineyards of South Africa. South Africa has a wine history that goes back hundreds of years; the sad fact remains that through and after apartheid most of the world has not seem the best of their wines. Join us as we taste through both the reds and whites of Backsberg and see how South Africa is tying the string between "New World and Old World Wines"!
The idea of balance is a key to the Backsberg culture and it is brought to the consumer through seamless wines; wines that are in harmony between acids, tannins, power, and acidity. We begin our tour of South Africa by tasting the Backsberg Premium Series Chenin Blanc, a light white wine with balanced acidity, fruit driven with a touch of residual sugar. Green apples fill the mouth, with a touch of pear and notes of hay with honey, a lovely tasting wine. The grape, Chenin Blanc, finds its original home in the Loire Valley of France, but was an early addition to the wine history of South Africa, making its way to the Cape region in the 1600's!. Chenin Blanc also goes by the name 'Steen' in South Africa where it is the most widely planted varietal in the country. Delving deeper into the white wines from Backsberg we find they also produce a light, bright and fresh Backsberg Premium Sauvignon Blanc, the Backsberg Reserve John Martin Sauvignon Blanc that spends time in oak barrels akin to many barrel aged Fume Blanc's from California. Finishing out the portfolio is the charming, fruit driven Backsberg Kosher Chardonnay, and a small amount of the floral grape, Viognier in the Backsberg Reserve Hillside Viogner..
For the second tasting selection of the day we go to an award winner for Backsberg, the Backsberg Reserve Pumphouse Shiraz! Awarded 90 points from Wine Spectator as a great buy for the money, one taste of this elegant beauty and you will know why; rich, dark mulberries, milk chocolate, with hints of spice and an extra smooth finish make this wine a show stopper! To round out the range of wines produced by Backsberg in the Marquee portfolio we have the Backsberg Premium Pinotage, the Backsberg Kosher Merlot & the Backsberg Kosher Brut. Pinotage is a South African specialty; a hybrid cross between the Pinot Noir grape and Cinsault developed in 1925 by Abraham Izak Perold, the first Professor of Viticulture at Stellenbosch University. With dark skins and tastes of smoky, brambly fruit, the Backsberg Pinotage is fruit forward and delivers a touch of sweetness to the palate. For production of Kosher wines, Backsberg has fulfilled a promise, not to just make wine that is Mevushal Kosher, but to make GREAT wines that happen to also be Kosher. When time comes to produce the Backsberg Kosher wines, the winemakers at Backsberg in conjunction with a Rabbi from Cape Town and his helpers
take over physical production of the wine once it has arrived in the
cellar. Overseen by our winemaker Guillaume Nel, the Kosher processes are followed as directed and the resulting wines display the Kosher symbols, letting the consumer know that our wines have
been approved as Kosher by both the Cape Town Beth Din and the OU of the
United States.
Backsberg has become the first wine producer in South Africa and one of only three in the world to gain Carbon Neutral status by sequestrating its carbon emissions. Proprietor, Michael Back, who joined the family business in 1976, is passionate about the environment, believing that each generation is the custodian of the land for a limited period of time only. "Care for the environment means care and concern for succeeding generations. As custodians of the land, it is our duty to understand and recognize potential threats, and to mitigate against them for the benefit of the next generation," says Back The foundation for success at Backsberg is rooted in tradition, but driven by innovation. In addition to the Carbon Neutral status Backsberg has been a pioneer in the use of the PET - Hard Plastic bottle with the introduction of their 100% recyclable bottle / series, Tread Lightly. Marquee Selections is proud to have the Tread Lightly Sauvigon Blanc and the Tread Lightly Merlot in our global portfolio. One box of 12 bottles of the Tread Lightly wines weighs twenty pounds lighter than the same juice in traditional glass bottles!
Backsberg currently has around 271 acres of vineyards which are located along the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountains, mid way between Paarl and Stellenbosch; some 40 minutes from Cape Town, South Africa.. The region has wonderful climate; full sunny days in the summer and cold wet days in the winter -- a great location to 'grow' wine. The South African wine industry benefits from the maritime effects of the convergent South Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. Vineyards at Backsberg rise into the higher elevations on the Simonsig Mountains with a targeted approach to grow white wines at higher elevations therefore allowing the wines a slightly cooler climate.
Marquee and InTheKitchen give a big "thank you" to Michael Back and the Backsberg Winery for joining us on InTheCellar - more information about Backsberg is available on their website http://www.backsberg.za!
In the Kitchen and Marquee sends out a special thank you to our friends at Wines By Jennifer Boutique wine shop in Parkville, MO http://www.winesbyjennifer.com/ for participating in this exciting show and transporting us back to the vineyards and fields of South Africa from a quaint house along the Missouri river! Sharing the knowledge of culture, atmosphere is always great with Jennifer and I highly suggest if you are in the Parkville area, stop in for a visit, they always have great wine selections open on the tasting table and a helpful staff to pour and chat with!!
Marquee Selections has partnered up with the award-winning chef focused program " In The Kitchen with Bonnie" (http://inthekitchenwithbonnie.com) to produce an exciting new wine segment entitled "In the Cellar" with Marquee Selections . During each episode we will unravel the wine world one grape at a time! Each week we invite you to join us for an engaging conversation for our food and wine lovers to see why wine has been a worldwide tradition for centuries and how learning more about it can help bring the stories and flavors to life. Learn more about exciting regions, new wine types, varietals, how to pair wines with food, decanting, proper serving temperature, what wine goes best with pizza and more!
A great 10 minute break from your day to learn and "wet" your taste buds for more"!
Cheers!
Christopher J. Cribb, CSW
Marquee Selections - Green, Global, Grapes
