A block-buster 2009 Shiraz named after champion filly Igugu and produced by Avontuur winemaker Jan van Rooyen from the Stellenbosch Estate’s award-winning grapes, was launched in Durban on Thursday night by Mike de Kock, currently South Africa’s most successful trainer.
The launch event which took place just before the country’s premier horse racing event the Vodacom Durban July, was attended by the crème de la crème of the SA racing fraternity, with current Miss South Africa Melinda Bam posing with the man of the moment, when de Kock unveiled the wine.
“When Mike approached us to produce the wine for him to commemorate this great performer, I had a discussion with our winemaker as we had to firstly take into account Mike’s love for the Shiraz varietal and produce a wine which would honour this female athlete. We therefore didn’t want to go for an over-wooded, massively masculine wine, and I think we created an elegant but typically South African full-bodied Shiraz here,” says Pippa Mickleburgh, Avontuur GM.
The wine is available from the Estate’s tasting room at R100 per bottle or from the Mike de Kock Racing website and will suit any robust red meat dish, but pairs exceptionally well with venison and lamb comments winemaker Jan van Rooyen.
