Exciting news from the vineyards of Tanzania Distilleries Limited in Dodoma came to the 2016 Dar Wine Festival held last weekend. Erik Schulnz, the company’s master wine maker who arrived in Tanzania some sixteen months ago, reported that expert cultivation and wine-making techniques were yielding outstanding results. This included a new practice for bottling wines to order at the winery. “We are able to bottle the wine to order,” explained Erik, “the wine is stored at optimum conditions at the winery in Dodoma and when an order is received it is promptly bottled and delivered within 5 days.” Adopting such innovations has helped the 150-hectare vineyard improve the final product that is delivered to the customer. Wine lovers in Tanzania should note that Dodoma Wine has yielded impressive results from TDL’s commitment to raising the quality of their wines.
Dodoma dry red is the best-selling Dodoma wine and is perfect with the local delicacy of nyama choma. The Dodoma dry white made with the Chenin Blanc grapes is an impressive, full-bodied wine with fresh citrus flavours. It is going into my list of go-to wines. And for sweet wines lovers, the natural sweet white with its intense scent of tropical fruit and flowers would be a delight. More developments will be revealed in the coming year by TDL that has been producing wine in Tanzania since 2007. This includes the introduction of Dodoma Rosé.
TDL’s 18-strong team at the Dar Wine Festival showcased a total of 24 wines at the event. Prominently displayed was the award-winning Nederburg range from Distell, the South Africa-based producer of wine and spirits with a portfolio of almost 100 brands which owns a 35% stake in TDL.
No wine festival stand should be complete without a sparkling wine, and Nederburg had a perfect bottle! The Nederburg Première Cuvée Brut: refreshing, fruity and a perfect partner to any celebration!
The Nederburg Foundation Range offered softly-styled wine, great for everyday drinking. Nederburg really seems to offer something for everyone.
Nedeburg’s premium wines are in the Winemaster’s Reserve range. It is always a pleasure to taste the award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Baronne from this range which were available at the Festival.
Also at the stand was Nederburg 5600 Chenin Blanc and Nederburg 5600 Cabernet Sauvignon. These are very smooth but juicy wines, bursting with fruit flavours. They are very respectable wines at an affordable price.
Other South African wines served at the stand included Autumn Harvest Rosé and Autumn Harvest white. Obikwa, the fun-loving range of palate pleasing wines also made a showing.From the Western Cape came the Two Oceans wines. The meeting of the Indian and Atlantic oceans creates special weather conditions that affect the inland vineyards of the region. Bubbly came in the form of J.C. Le Roux, South Africa’s first cellar devoted solely to the production of sparkling wine located in Stellenbosch.
TDL, long-standing supporters of the Dar Wine Festival, welcomed attendees with platters of cheese from Brown’s. “The Festival is a fantastic opportunity for interaction and intimacy with our customers.” explained Erik Schulnz, who returned to the vines of Dodoma after his visit to Dar’s celebration of the grape.
