‘Busy day?’ asked my wife when she found me in the kitchen surrounded by 7 opened bottles of wine.
I did worry that her eyebrows would hit the ceiling, as I tried to explain, that I was in fact helping to save the black and white Rhinoceros threatened with extinction.
Let me explain…
Darren Gough, renowned cricketer, who together with his wife, are ambassadors of the Rhino Sanctuary, chose World Rhino Day (September 22nd) to launch an exciting range of charming South African wines.
You can easily identify the wines by the beautiful labels which feature a Rhinoceros and not just any Rhinoceros, Odin and Arthur, named after two of the Rhinoceros who are currently resident in the Wild Rhino Sanctuary. Each label is a work of art, but then again so is the wine.
The Care for Wild Wine Collection will be available to purchase online from 22nd September, 2020 on www.slurp.co.uk after which a launch is planned with the major UK grocery and On Trade chains. Twenty percent of all the profits from sales of wine from this range goes directly to the Save the Rhino Sanctuary in South Africa.
Now, it is at this point, I have a confession to make. I have spent years dismissing Rose wine, and I was already convinced that Pale Rose was not going to be to my taste. Instead, it became my damascene moment. It was glorious, a hint of raspberries but not sickly sweet, this was clean fresh and delicate with good acidity, ideal for summer by the pool, in garden or at a picnic, though I can’t promise to wait until next summer. Priced around £10.00 – £12.00.
The whites were no less impressive beginning with the crisp Sauvignon Blanc, priced around £7.00 with soft citrus and tropical fruit and a hint of gooseberries on the palate, an easy drinker, which would go well with chicken or fish at a very affordable price. A South African wine which would give New Zealand wine a run for its money.
Staying with Sauvignon but this time, a zingy wine blended with Semillon to offer tropical fruit flavours with subtle mineral notes. The wine is smooth and satisfying and priced around £10.00 – £12.00 this over delivers, and one could easily pay another £5.00 for this wine and not feel short changed.
However, if I was going to treat myself, I would be plumping for the Chenin Blanc, which should be served fridge cold, not ice bucket cold if you are going to fully appreciate the apricots and peaches on the palate. A perfect accompaniment to Dover Sole or Pea Risotto and even with a good cheese. This wine is priced at £20.00 – £25.00 a bottle so something of a treat but we all deserve a treat from time to time.
Having sampled some delicious whites I hardly dare think what the reds might deliver.
Red Blend is a versatile blend of Pinotage and Shiraz which benefits from 20 minutes in the fridge before serving. Great with Chicken and Fish or perhaps a tomato- based pasta. It’s not pretending to be complex, but priced at £7.00 a bottle, this is a great everyday wine.
The Syrah Viognier is a deliciously complex wine made up of 97% Syrah and 3% of Viognier which is just enough to soften out the Syrah, gifting the wines with soft tannins and a pepperiness and red fruits on the palate. The wine would keep for a year or two and continue to improve, but why wait when it is drinking so well? Priced at £10.00 – £12.00 and to be honest I would pay another fiver for this wine and still feel very satisfied.
The Shiraz 2018 had me smacking my lips and at 14% packs a punch, delivering much for the money. It’s a wine of great refinement that could take on the best of Australian wines, offering good length with a soft velvety finish, packed with powerful fruit flavours.
This is a serious wine which would pair well with rich meat dishes, but also strong cheese. Priced at £20- 25.00 this is worth every penny and indeed much more.
I think that it is worth repeating that twenty percent of the profit on each bottle will go towards the Rhino Sanctuary which rescues, rehabilitates and releases orphaned rhinos back into their natural habitat, which is protected from poaching and other threats.
Money is needed to upgrade their perimeter fences, purchase high quality winter gear for their dedicated anti-poaching unit and ensure that there is a stockpile of milk for all the orphan rhinos in their nursery.
This is a fantastic opportunity to drink delicious, superb wines in aid of a good cause and even my wife raised a glass rather than an eyebrow
These wines are available from Slurp www.slurp.co.uk and currently have a special offer so these wines can be bought even more cheaply until early October.
The Super Premium wines feature Odin the Rhino and the Premium Wines features
Arthur the Rhino – to find out more about their stories please click on the links below.
Website: https://www.careforwild.co.za/