Cape Discovery has been making wine in Bali since 2010.
The grapes the company uses are imported from Australia, France and New Zealand, and are blast frozen at the moment they are harvested in order to maintain their quality and integrity and prevent fermentation from starting. Once thawed under controlled conditions, the conventional winemaking process begins. The freezing process is in no way harmful to the grapes or the winemaking process, in fact, particularly in the case of red wines, the freezing process is actually beneficial. Because the skin of the grapes remains in place longer prior to fermentation, the texture, colour and flavour of the wines are improved, and many of the less desirable elements extracted during the traditional fermentation process are reduced. The result is rich, intensely aromatic and naturally rounded wines, with excellent varietal character. Cape Discovery adopts international winemaking standards and protocols throughout the entire production process.
Over thousands of years of careful husbandry wine has developed to become an integral part of life and culture for people all over the world. From the time of the ancient Greeks, poets, scholars and writers have heaped praise upon wine as a source of joy, and celebrated its social influence, noting that drinking wine is an experience to be savoured and shared, not merely a means to an end in easing inhibitions. The Greeks considered wine a privilege of the wealthy, whereas the Romans took it to every corner of their empire and made it available to the masses, while establishing many of the famous wine-growing regions that are still in existence today. Grape varieties were developed and refined according to tastes, and the wine culture that we still enjoy today was born – the ritual selection, uncorking and testing, then the sharing of the wine within along with the time-honoured techniques with which the whole process is accompanied. The experience of drinking wine with friends has become as much of a joy as the wine itself, and the bottles and their labels have become signature works of art, giving hints and insights into the nature of the producer and the delights that await within.
Wine has endured through the ages because of its adaptability and its wide appeal. There is a wine for every taste and every occasion, with or without a meal, and every age group can choose something to suit their palate from more than ten thousand varieties of grape. There are white wines, red wines, sparkling wines, sweet wines, dry wines, rosés and almost infinite subtle variations of all in between, making wine a unique alternative to other types of alcoholic drink.
It is not surprising that wine is fast becoming the number one choice for that most elusive and hard-to-please of market segments, the millennials. Research has shown that millennials are more inclined to spend money on experiences than on material things, and they have discovered that drinking wine with friends is exactly the type of experience they seek. It is more than just “drinking”, it is a cause for celebration, it is a means of celebration and it is, in itself, a celebration of friendship.
The right choice of wine for the right occasion speaks volumes about the person making the selection. The wine you take to a friend’s dinner party will probably be different to the choice you make for a formal business dinner. But at the end of the day, the right wine for the occasion is always the same – it’s the one most people will like. If possible, just ask. For example, if most people say they drink more Pinot Grigio than Sauvignon Blanc, you want to go on the light side with the white. If most say Chardonnay, go heavier. If it’s awkward to ask, you will be pretty safe with a Sauvignon Blanc for the white and a Shiraz for the red. They are both popular choices and are almost certain to be well-received by the majority of your guests.
Discover the joys of wine by visiting Cape Discovery Wines at www.capediscovery-wines.com. They offer a selection of wines produced in Bali from grapes sourced from some of the world’s leading vineyards and they will be happy to offer any advice you may require.