Whilst on Safari in Africa, we visited the small village of Mto Wa Mbu in Tanzania. The village houses people from 120 different Tanzanian tribes and is a unique mix of languages and customs. The fertile soil of the village also supports agriculture, and more specifically, over 30 different varieties of bananas. They use old tribal techniques where they clean, mash and ferment ripe bananas with natural yeast to produce ‘Banana Wine’. A very interesting concept to see firsthand, however, we are very happy with the Igna wine that we produce, and so are not planning on planting any bananas anytime soon.
Tanzania and Kenya also provided a great opportunity to taste a range of South African Chenin Blancs, both Dry and Cap Classique method (sparkling), along with Pinotage, the red wine that is synonymous with South Africa.
The Chenin Blanc paired easily with a variety of different dishes. Generally speaking, the wines were well balanced with a lighter body than a Chardonnay but were more floral and crisp and worked well given the warm weather.
Pinotage is a grape variety that was specifically made in 1925 by crossing Pinot Noir with Cinsault in order for the variety to be able to be grown in the hot South African climate. Pinotage can be made in a range of styles including light, fresh and fruity but also very full-bodied when made from old vines. We had the opportunity to taste both styles and can appreciate the importance of pairing the wine style specifically with what you are eating.
