Wine & Spirits Magazine's Top 100 Symposium
The Wine and Spirits Magazine put together an incredible Symposium that showcased the top 100 wineries from around the world. Attendees were able to try the best of the best while enjoying incredible cuisine. We explored the venue, trying absolutely everything that was offered to us.
One of our top picks from the festival was a 2017 Vintage Straw Wine from Mullineux Family Wine. Andrea Mullineux and her husband Chris Mullineux established their winery in the Swartland region in 2007. Due to its delicious taste, Mullineux Family Wine quickly became one of South Africa’s most celebrated brands. Andrea is the owner and winemaker, and we were delighted to speak to her about the process of making such an exquisite wine.
If you are unfamiliar with what straw wine is, don’t worry because at first we were too. After speaking to Andrea we discovered that sweet wine is made differently depending on the environment it is grown in. After the grapes are cut they are laid on straw mats where they dry for three weeks. This method is used to concentrate the sugar, the flavor, and the acidity, giving it a complex taste. When the dried out grapes are pressed, it takes twenty four hours to press out the honey like juice from the grapes. It is then put into barrels where the fermentation process is started naturally. Andrea informed us that “the longer and slower the fermentation, the more complex and the more depth the flavor,” which is why she leaves it to ferment for eight to ten months.
We were also drawn to Catena Zapata’s booth because of the intricately designed label. After tasting the delectable Catena Malbec Argentina we spoke to Pablo Piccolo and learned about history behind the new label and about the winery itself. Catena Zapata was one of the first to bring European techniques to Argentina when they founded in 1902. The beautifully illustrated label which was released in 2015, and tells the story of the birth, death, and rebirth of the Malbec. The label starts with an image of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Queen of France and England. Next to her is a woman representing all of the immigrants who brought the vines from Argentina to the new world. As you continue to turn the bottle you can see Phylloxera, who killed most of the Malbec living there. Then sitting next to her is Bodega Catena Zapata, symbolizing the reemergence of the Malbec.
We loved learning about the history behind the wine! The vineyard is located in Medosa Catena, and it is one of six vineyards in Medosa owned by Catena Zapata. After trying a glass we quickly understood why they are so well known for their wines.
After trying so many incredible wines back to back for hours, we got a little hungry. Luckily several restaurants had booths showcasing their extraordinary dishes. One of our favorites was Junsik’s Bossam. Bossam is pork belly with ssamjang aioli. Jungsik is an incredibly well known Korean restaurant with two Michelin Stars.
Another dish we were salivating over was the Yuzu Cheesecake with Kishu Mandarin from Bâtard. The scrumptious mini cake paired perfectly with a sweet dessert wine. The cake was amazing on it’s own, but the Royal Tokaji 2013 Betsek wine really enhanced the flavor.
The Wine and Spirits Symposium is the perfect event for those in the wine industry, wine enthusiasts, and anyone who just likes to drink and eat. We can’t wait until next year so we can have more of the best wines in existence.
Photos from Wine & Spirits Magazine
