Zaràfa Pinotage (2007)
November 18, 2007 — Tom & Melody
This Zaràfa Pinotage 2007 from South Africa is full bodied, lively, full of berries, smoke, and pepper, with notes of bananas and pineapple. Long lasting on the tongue. We are finishing this bottle, which we opened the other night.
We have had a fabulous weekend getting ready for Thanksgiving. Guests bedrooms are fresh and clean, groceries are purchased, candles are everywhere — we are ready!
Tonight I have made a very simple meal of goulash. I browned hamburger and onions in the cast-iron skillet, added beef broth and chopped tomatoes, brought to a boil, and then added elbow macaroni. We will have this with steamed broccoli. It just seems like an appropriate meal for the Sunday prior to our Thanksgiving feast.
November 18, 2007 at 9:00 pm
What wines will you be having for Thanksgiving?
I’m looking at your tag lists and it seems you nearly almost always drink reds. Do you have any whites that are favorites?
November 19, 2007 at 7:00 am
Hi Leslie, yes, as you can see by our tags we almost always stick with reds.
At past Thanksgivings we felt unconventional having reds with turkey, but we see that Dottie Gaiter and John Brecher, the wine writers at the Wall Street Journal, cover all the bases with their recommendations for Thanksgiving wine: they suggest both whites — riesling, pinot gris, and chardonnay — and reds — pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119455905419487060.html.
We’ll probably have cabernet sauvignon with our turkey. We’ll also have a California chardonnay and some Michigan whites ready for our guests.
If we were going to pick up a white at the store, we’d probably go for a Casillero del Diablo white from Chile. We’ve heard good things about them, they’re under $10 and a good value, and we love their reds.
November 19, 2007 at 5:47 pm
We often have a reisling and a pinot — gris and/or noir with Thanksgiving, too. Back in my younger days, I preferred a more “manly” cabernet, but I think I’m getting soft in my old age because the sweeter wines appeal more to me now. LOL.
Hey, if you’d like to write a little post about Thanksgiving wines, it would give me a good excuse to link to your blog from mine!
December 12, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Tried Zarafa Pinotage from Trader Joes after reading your review. Thanks…..best wine I’ve had under $5 Think I must try the Zarafa Sauv Blanc now!!
December 12, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Howie,
YEA!! SUCCESS! Please let us know how you like the Blanc, okay?
January 11, 2008 at 11:11 am
I’m jealous that you can get a South African pinotage for under $10 in Michigan. Up here in Quebec, the cheapest bottle is about $18.
I just love this varietal. It works so well with a strong tasting meat dish such as braised lamb.
January 12, 2008 at 8:57 am
Hi Richard! I didn’t realize the vast price differences in wine between Quebec and U.S. Yet another of the many things for which I will count my blessings!