We asked chief KWV Winemaker Richard Rowe, to show us how to open a bottle of bubbly correctly, turns out, it really isn’t too tricky.

2009 has been a stellar year all-round for KWV Wines. The Mentors 2006 Chenin Blanc walked away with a Gold award at one of the globes most prestigious competitions, the International Wine Challenge, held in the UK in May. Our 2006 Shiraz also scooped a Gold medal at the Shiraz du Monde and both the Mentors 2006 Shiraz and the Cabernet Franc 2006 each won a Gold at the Michelangelo International Awards.

Our Lifestyle and Reserve ranges have also collectively received 15 medals during the course of 2009, three of these being awarded with Gold. Johann, our senior white-winemaker is particularly excited that the 2008 Reserve white blend which received a Gold at the German competition, MUNDISvini International Wine Awards, as this is a new addition to the Reserve family and a lot of hard work and effort went into producing this wine.

For the full low down on all our awards see here, here and here.

Whatever your plans for Christmas lunch are, whether its a, traditional turkey or a barbeque (for those of you like us in the Southern hemisphere), our KWV Wines range has a great selection of delectable choices to accompany most Christmas fare. We asked two of our wine makers Thys and Johann for their suggestions on what to pair with your X-mas feast.

If you live up in the chilly North and are planning a traditional meal with turkey, roast potatoes and vegetables, Thys recommends a KWV Reserve Shiraz.  The wild black-fruit aromas and black pepper spice of the Shiraz will pair perfectly with roasted meats that might include a sweet sauce.

For those living or holidaying in the South over the festive period who might prefer to enjoy a lighter meal, Johann suggests the KWV Reserve Chardonnay. This is a well-structured wine that complements pork, chicken and fish dishes with its buttered oak overtones to the fresh fruit flavours of apple, pear, citrus and melon.

And finally, if you are looking for a fresh wine to complement your appetizers, vegetarian dishes, creamy sauces or fragrant salads, Johann suggests the KWV Lifestyle Sauvignon Blanc. A light-to-medium bodied crisp and refreshing white wine which offers a wide range of flavours and will ensure a unique wine tasting adventure.

In case you’re wondering, both Thys and Johann will be braaing (that’s a South African barbeque) their lunches, as usual on Christmas Day.

KWV Wines is looking for three couples, from some of the different countries in which our wines are enjoyed, to join us for an exclusive dinner party among the vineyards in Paarl, South Africa in  November 2010. We’ll bring the couples from all over the world to sunny South Africa to share their stories, culture and experiences over some of our finest wines and a gourmet South African dinner, cooked by Shane Sauvage, a South African chef renowned for his authentic cooking style and fun-loving approach to food.

We’ll also host winners up for a week in Paarl, our home in the heart of the Cape Winelands, to enjoy a Spring holiday in the South African sunshine.

To enter, send us a photo of you and your friends, family or partner enjoying a dinner party that you feel represents the culture of your homeland. We’d also like to know who was at the party, what you served and what you talked about.

Click here to enter.

The most interesting and entertaining stories will be shared on the blog and each month we’ll also send the best entry a cookbook from one of South Africa’s leading celebrity chefs, Shane Sauvage. Winners will be chosen in July 2010. Good luck!

Welcome to the KWV Wines blog. Here you’ll get a behind-the-scene view of life at KWV Wines and hear from some of the people that make our wines a global success. We’ll be following the team (at a safe distance) during the upcoming harvest and throughout the following seasons. We’ll also be tackling some of the questions we’re commonly asked about, such as environmentally-friendly winemaking, sustainability, the impact of climate change on South African vineyards and how we support the communities around us. So if you enjoy our wines and want to know more about how they’re made and who makes them, then this is the blog for you!

You’re welcome to ask us to cover anything you’re interested in, so please drop us an email at KWVWines@kwv.co.za or leave a comment below.

 Also keep an eye out for some special competitions on the website. Our first one is to win a place at the KWV Wines global dinner party which takes place in our vineyards in the Western Cape in November 2010. Read further to find out more.

And to celebrate our launch we’re giving away 200 cookery books from South African chef, Shane Sauvage to the first people to sign-up for regular updates. So hurry, these are going to go quickly. You’ll find the details here.

Dan, Tessa and Anika (the KWV Wines bloggers)