When the character Miles in the movie Sideways emphatically shrieked to his crony,
“I am NOT drinking any f*cking Merlot!” I almost gave the screenwriter a standing ovation. I wholeheartedly agree.

It seems that Merlot is the good old standby for the masses. It’s safe. Merlot doesn’t shock, doesn’t have a lot of drama surrounding it, and is not known for producing head-banging hangovers. But is safe luxurious? I think not. Let’s venture outside of the box, shall we?

I was once at a party where a lot of scrumptious grilled food was being served. The hostess served the most exciting beverage: a sparkling Shiraz, from Australia.

But wait - it’s RED. Dark red. Not some wimpy rose or pinky blush nonsense. This was real red wine…with a bubbly, peppery kick to it! And it was slightly sweet, with a light cap of effervescent froth.

I heartily scarfed down my wood-fired pizza and gourmet grilled burger with a newfound zest and zeal for what I thought was never possible: sparkling red wine.

Peter Rumball is perhaps the most elite of the Australian sparkling red wine makers. Since I lost my sparkling red virginity to Rumball (and loved every minute of it, I might add!), I am forever loyal to it. Rumball is a great celebratory wine; a nice alternative to champagne. It pairs happily with casual foods like grilled meats, pizza, even curries.

Peter Rumball also makes a sparkling Merlot, but I’m not holding it against him.

As for plain old Pinot Noir, who needs it when you have South Africa’s scintillating Pinotage! According to the Pinotage Association:

“Good Pinotage goes well with most good food. The medium-bodied, ‘lifestyle’ Pinotage pairs particularly well with a freshly-caught game fish or a hearty winter bean soup. Try it also with sashimi and sushi. Bobotie, ratatouille and curry also taste better with a glass of Pinotage next to the plate. Full-bodied Pinotage is better suited to venison, spare ribs with a rich barbecue sauce, oxtail or osso buco.”

Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget to finish off your palate with a nice Amarula cocktail. Amarula is an African liqueur, most notably called Amarula Cream; it is produced from the Marula fruit.

The Amarula web site has loads of exotic recipes for relishing their awesome concoction. I dig their recipes for spicy fish, bittersweet Amarula drumsticks, and African beef stir-fry.

They also feature lip-smacking dessert recipes that call for Amarula Cream, such as a ginger-white chocolate cheesecake laced with Amarula, and dessert fondue.

Here is a Kilimanjaro, made with Amarula Cream, Creme de Menthe, and crushed peppermint candy. Mmmm:

Want to know more about the world of African wine and spirits?
African Tradition is a very comprehensive site on the world of South African wines and liqueurs.

Gifts International makes delightful gift baskets with South African wines, liqueurs, and delicacies. These would make a nice gift for me…er, I mean someone. ;-)

Enjoy!