The city of Dar es Salaam’s annual wine festival celebrated its tenth birthday in style with another outstanding occasion at Southern Sun hotel this year. As always, it was impossible to sample all the wines on offer, but let me share the highlights of the festival that attracted over 300 people.
My new discoveries from the festival were a white and red. The Kapuka Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand) is a crisp, refreshing wine bursting with the flavours of green apples and citrus fruits. For the red, Vina Albali Reserva (Spain) is a juicy, snappy wine made from the Tempranillo grape. It has a dry feeling with a peppery tasty finish. A good example of a traditional Spanish table wine. 
The best values wines that stood out were the TDL’s Dodoma range that is really transforming the taste of Tanzanian wine and certainly attracted positive feedback at the festival this year. Equally appealing are the Frontera wines, described by the winemaker as ‘fruit-forward, versatile, and simply delicious!’ The range from the Central Valley of Chile is well-priced and certainly worth trying. 
There were several outstanding wines for me this year. Bellingham The Bernard Series Small Barrel S.M.V (South Africa) is a successful blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Viognier grapes from the Paarl region. The result is a full-bodied red wine with the aroma of berries and oak. It has a spicy taste which would pair well with red meat. My next commendation goes to Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Rosé (France) ̶ a distinctive wine from the Loire valley made exclusively from Pinot Noir grapes. It has a delicate strawberry flavour and a long, dry finish. This is perfect for sundowners or the ideal accompaniment to tuna, salmon, pork and poultry. Treat yourself or a loved one to this fabulous wine.
One of the most appealing parts of the wine festival is the surprise discoveries. This year my delightful find was the Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile). This full-bodied red from the Andean foothills has an amazing aroma combining cherry, blackberries, cedar wood and smoke. The flavours are concentrated while the texture is silky and finish has a lingering quality. Gorgeous! This is a splendid wine for red meats, bold cheese and other rich treats.
Finally, my ‘Star of the Show’ was certainly the Chris Ringland North Barossa Vintners Shiraz (South Africa). This masterpiece of red winemaking from the North Barossa Valley is aged in French oak barrels for three years. The result is a rich, powerful, complex wine. This ‘fruit forward’ wine with a long finish is really for lovers of full-bodied reds. It was perfection for me! Such a bold wine should be enjoyed with very robust cheese (like Parmiagiano) and is a natural partner for red meat. 
As the largest wine event in the country, the Dar Wine Festival offers everyone a very special opportunity to sample an astonishing array of bottles, learn from visiting wine makers, discover new arrivals from brand managers and hopefully make more informed buying choices in future.
This annual, wine-filled wonder has matured over a decade to become a solid fixture in the social calendar of the city. It has been cultivated for ten years by the firm support of participating wine suppliers in addition to the professional services of the ultra-efficient team at the Southern Sun hotel. The hotel’s general manager, Adam Fuller, deserves special mention as one of the biggest driving forces behind the occasion always being delivered with organisational precision and lots of fun.
Congratulations to all involved in the 2016 Dar Wine Festival. Swahili Coast Foodie was once again delighted to be your official blog sponsor. Happy anniversary and Cheers!
