South Africa Wines Need Us

<p style="-qt-block-indent: 0; text-indent: 18px; margin: 0px;"> <img src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/46773/Photo_Jan_30_3_03_54_PM.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="267" /></p> <p style="-qt-block-indent: 0; text-indent: 18px; margin: 0px;"> <!--StartFragment--><span style= "font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt;">The first time I had a South African wine I didn’t know what to expect. I remember it clearly, it was a Sauvignon Blanc from the Stellenbosch region. I liked it so much I went and ordered a case. That was years ago and frankly, I don’t think I’ve tasted many since. I am very eager to learn more about this wine-producing country.</span></p> <p style="-qt-block-indent: 0; text-indent: 18px; margin: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt;">I got invited to a South African Wine Zoom on Saturday from Red Wolf Imports and set out to find some South African Wines to taste during the seminar. Just so happens that I received a wine club shipment from Somm Select Tuesday and there was a bottle of David & Nadia Wines “Aristargos White Blend 2015 from Swartland, South Africa. That bottle went right into the fridge. Off I went to the liquor store. I was shocked at the small shelf space for wines from South Africa. I’m talking choice of 6 bottles. No Sauvignon Blanc, No Chenin Blanc, No Pinotage, and none of the producers that Alyssa suggested I purchase. I did come home with a bottle of Wolftrap and</span> <span style= "font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt;">Indaba Mosaic Red Blend.</span></p> <p style="-qt-block-indent: 0; text-indent: 18px; margin: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt;">While we are here in our bubble, we really don’t have any idea of what is going on in other countries. In South Africa they have had a very challenging time. The government has shut down wine sales in the country three times. The first time they banned exports and domestic alcohol sales for 6 weeks in the spring when the pandemic began. Then a month after they allowed the sales, t