Announcement: CMBO Invitational PBEM Tourney of "Stars"!!

[WineCape]

Here's my and Treeburst155 (Mike Meinecke's) offer:

We are both going to sponsor a Combat Mission Invitational Tourney, it will run over a 7-8 month period (even longer), all at a leisurely PBEM pace, considering that some of the Invitational participants might go away for holidays, work related etc. Yes, we know that most of you have a life outside this forum, and some don't!

First and foremost, the Invitational will be a FUN tourney, but obviously serious too as participants will compete for the prizes we will put up.

Ahhh….The prizes:

I will forward to the winner6 bottles of the best wine that South Africa has produced the LAST DECADE. Period. All from my cellar. I'll post some pictures with a background of the wines here later ….

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Treeburst155 will sponsor a US$50.00 cash bonus prize, not necessarily for the winner!

My wine value will amount to roughly $220.00, postage included (again, currency being US, not Zimbabwean! )<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The invitees:

We will invite 20 people, and only 20 people. Who? Well, all I can say at the moment is that these participants, well… they will be our "Stars" in the Invitational. "Big" names, "small" names, grogs, non-grogs, historians, brilliant pbem players, so-so pbem players, even confessed addicts of CMBO - in short, from all walks of the forum. --->And yes, the Peng thread will nominate among themselves their "ambassador" to participate in the Invitational. There, I said it….. "PENG", hehe.

When will the Invitational start?

First half in July 2001. Keep an eye on your e-mail box for the invite! Those invited that reply with a "yes", will be posted here as we sign them up. PS: There are many people in the CM community here who DESERVE an invitation to the tournament but the unfortunate fact is we can only handle TWENTY players.

Sincerely

Charl Theron

Proprietor, Stellenbosch Wine Export Centre, South Africa

[Soddball]

The man's trying to get the whole forum addicted to south african wines

For those of us not playing, will there be AAR's and stuff for us to dribble over?

[WineCape]

For sure Soddball! Treeburst155 will be the tournament manager. He will keep us updated with points standings, AAR (via participants if they so wish) as well as all other tourney related issues.

The tourney would be more or less an ongoing CM community event that will eventually end in a worthy winner.

Kind regards

Charl Theron

[Soddball]

Excellent. When can I reserve my box?

(Worthy *BUMP*) :cool:

[WineCape]

I'll keep this an ongoing feature, putting down the background of each of the 6 bottles of wine and its background here over time.

First up, a true Cape classic/masterpiece, voted 5/5 stars in the "John Patter: A South African Wine Guide " -- only 15 out of 6000+ SA wines rated there received this honour.

Bottle #1: Vin de Constance 1996, from Klein Constantia (SA most famous dessert wine)

In the 18th/19th centuries, the "sweet, luscious and excellent wine of Constantia" was recognized as one of the great wines of the world. The story of this legendary wine started in 1685 with Simon van der Stel, the Dutch Governor of the Cape of Good Hope. Before selecting a farm of his own he set men to work, digging up basketfulls of soil all along the southern slopes of the Cape Peninsula. Samples sent back to the Netherlands showed that the valley facing False Bay had by far the best potential. Calling his vast estate Constantia, it was not until 50 years after his death that Hendrik Cloete, a descendant of an early German settler who bought the farm, that the Governor's dream came to a reality of producing world class wines. The vineyards were prepared and planted with Frontignac, Pontac, red and white Muscadel and little Steen. Taking a brave decision, Hendrik Cloete did not shelter behind accepted names like Sauternes or Madeira (some of these wines were blended with Cape wines!), but kept the name of the "Constantia" - plain and simple.

"From these Elysian fields used to come one of the very greatest wines in the world - the legendary Constantia" writes Hugh Johnson. "Constantia was bought by European courts in the early 19th century in preference to Yquem, Tokay, Madeira …"

Louis Philippe sent emissaries from France to fetch it, Napolean drank it on the island St. Helena, finding solace in his lonely exile there, Frederick the Great and Bismarck ordered it and in England the Prime Minister made sure consignments from the Cape were delivered to Buckingham Palace for the King.

In Edwin Drood, Charles Dickens tells of the "support embodied in a glass of Constantia and a home-made biscuit", while Jane Austin recommends that her forsaken heroine try a little Constantia for "its healing powers on a disappointed heart". While German poet Klopstock devotes an entire ode to the pleasures of this wine, Baudelaire transform it into a sensuous image for his great brooding poem Les Fleurs du Mal

Towards the end of the 19th century the dreaded disease phylloxere arrived at the Cape, causing devastation in the vineyards and bankruptcy among the winemaking families. Groot Constantia was sold to the Government as an experimental wine farm and the Cloetes moved away. "The old order changeth, yielding place to new", and with it went the famous sweet Constantia wines which had brought delight and pleasure the world over.

Now, a century after the disappearance, comes the renaissance, started in 1980 - Vin de Constance - made in the style of the old Constantia, from vineyards which once produced this legendary wine……

The farm is situated here….

An old bottle, dated 1883….

The Klein Constantia homestead/vineyards near the foothills of Table Mountain, Cape Town…

[Capitalistdoginchina]

Oh boy another tourney, sign me up man...i mean send me the invite, i may not be the biggest personality on this forum but i can add a touch of the mysterious orient to the tourney. To be one of the magnificent 20 would be an honour

CDIC

PS. Damn i knew i should have contributed to the Peng thread....

[PawBroon]

Winecape.

Go take a dip in the Pool page 7.

Good Luck...

[WineCape]

Pawbroon, Treeburst155 will approach you Pengers in your cesspool with a formal invite soon.

Regards

[Treeburst155]

Yes folks, WineCape is sponsoring yet another tournament for which I will be the manager. Invitations to the tournament will be sent out within 48 hours.

There are many more people who deserve and invitation than the tournament could possibly handle. WineCape and I compiled a list of over 40 CM community members that we had to choose from and I'm sure we forgot many more worthy folks completely.

The reason we can accept no more that 20 participants is that the tourney is designed to accurately determine the skill of the participants relative to each other. The drawback to a tourney like this is that you can't start with a wide field of participants at the beginning. The event would simply be too monstrous to manage.

Each player will play one game against each of the other participants. The victory point totals will accumulate from game to game with the highest total at the end being the winner of the prize wines.

My $50 US bonus prize will be aimed at those who are not doing so well as the tournament progresses. For example, Steve Grammont (I wish) may be winless after 5 games. I might put up a $50 cash prize to Steve if he can win his sixth game. If he fails to win his sixth then the bonus prize would be offered again at a later date to some other struggling player. One way or another the bonus prize will be won by somebody before the tournament's end.

As the invitations are accepted the names of the participants will be posted here. There will be an interesting mix of players involved. It is our hope that this will be a fun event for the community to follow for the next several months at least.

Treeburst155 out.

[ 06-07-2001: Message edited by: Treeburst155 ]

[Username]

Since I am actually a "Super Star" , I may not qualify for this. But I am easily lured by Money and Alchohol.

Lewis

[WineCape]

Ok gentleman, rumour has been confirmed as fact by our Tournament Manager that the first reply received for the Invitational Tourney of "Stars" is ................

FIONN KELLY

St. Patrick himself will be pleased

[Col Deadmarsh]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by WineCape:

Ok gentleman, rumour has been confirmed as fact by our Tournament Manager that the first reply received for the Invitational Tourney of "Stars" is ................

FIONN KELLY

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Never heard of the guy...

He any good?

[WineCape]

As promised, the second wine and its background, constituting part of the 1st prize of the "Stars" Invitational.

Bottle #2: Vergelegen 1998 -- Helderberg, Somerset-West (a Cape Blend, 75 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 % Merlot & 5 % Cabernet Franc)

The first vines on Vergelegen (Dutch, meaning "situated far away") were planted in 1700 by the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, Willem Adriaan van der Stel. (His farther was Simon van der Stel, the 1st Governor of the Cape and the founder of the town Stellenbosch were moi resides ) 6 years later the fruitful yield from 500 000 vines planted on 61.5 "morgen" was 55 "leaguers". The vineyards flourished under a succession of owners and in 1993, under Anglo American Farms, 100 ha of vines have been planted following intensive climate and soil tests.

Vineyards:

The grapes were entirely sourced from the Rondekop vineyards. These vineyards were selected for the concentration of the fruit, low yields and the soil type (granites with a clay base). Harvested at Balling between 24 - 25.5 °.

Winemaking

The Cabernets were fermented in open tanks and punched down every 3-4 h. The reason for using open tanks is to maximize colour and tannin extraction. After completion of fermentation, the Cabernets were left on the skins for 3-4 weeks. The wine was racked (fancy word for pumping wine over) 4 times from barrel to barrel in the first year. Merlot was only pumped over in a closed system without aeration every 4 hours. This was done in order to preserve the fruit flavours. The wine was matured for 22 months in 225 l French Oak (100 % new wood). Egg white fining (used as it does not strip flavour of the wine excessively), 2 eggs per 100 h/l with 0.5 % salt solution. Hey, you even get a breakfast!

The wine is deeply coloured, shows rich spicy and minerally flavours with strong hints of cherry. It has a fine acid balance and the potential of age will enhance its stature. La-la-la, suffice to say this won the John Platter: A South African 5 star wine price in 2000!

Maturation:

Can be enjoyed now but will improve in the bottle for at least 15 years. Mind you, this wine drinks *very* well now!

The Majestic 300 year old Camphor trees in front of the homestead, planted between 1700-1702..

The Vergelegen winery is unlike any previously designed in South Africa. The design of the winery mirrors the octagonal walled garden laid out by Willem Adriaan van der Stel in 1700. Situated high up on a hill, the octagonal structure commands sweeping views of the property, the town of Somerset West, and the breathtaking expanse of False Bay.

The winery on top of the hill with the top building (pic1), the cellar tanks (pic2) and the barrel cellar (pic3) beneath. Only a single level is visible above ground. Three working levels lie buried in a tower configuration which allows for gravity flow and gentle handling of the wine.

André van Rensburg, the best winemaker in South Africa, IMHO

I saw this place with exceptional pleasure,

since everything there

was laid out wonderfully finely

-- Reverend François Vanlentijn

Nov 1700

Kind regards

Charl Theron

Charl Theron

[Ales Dvorak]

voooooops, wrong post.

[WineCape]

Next up, one of my favourite wines, ultra scarce and probably the only SA wine that I will fork out the equivalent of US$50.00 or more (on a consistent basis) to get this beauty in my cellar (being in the wine trade has its privileges! )

Bottle #3: Veenwouden Merlot 1998 -- Paarl

The reasons for South Africa's lack of international "cult" wines can be debated endlessly. What is not disputed is that most of South Africa's finest wines come from relative newcomers to the Cape wine scene (and mostly from their re-planted vineyards). Veenwouden is one of these gems, attaining true "cult' status in South Africa, and now it seems abroad too, as their wine is getting so scarce (because of exports) the we as traders have to fight to get a small allocation each year! Veenwouden is situated on the northern side of Paarl (30km from Stellenbosch) with views over the Klein Drakenstein Mountains…

Owned by Deon van der Walt, the wine is made by his brother, Marcel. Deon van der Walt is an international opera singer, based in Switzerland, while brother Marcel was a professional golf player before he joined the family in the early 90's as winemaker. BTW, South African International golfers David Frost and Ernie Els are also in wine farm partnership here in the South Africa. Seems to me that golfers swop some of their clubs for battonage! -- another fancy Frenchy word for stirring the wine/lees through the barrels' bung hole to get better flavours.

Marcel, on the left, Deon on the right + their Vivat Bacchus (a blend) label….

Their respective international travels often saw them meeting up on the right bank of the Gironde in Bordeaux — enjoying the wines they loved most. Marcel’s golf clubs now spend most of the time in the cupboard/cellar as he dedicates 100% of his time and energies to the vineyards and cellars. The first vintage was completed in 1993 with assistance from Meerlust’s Giorgio Dalla Cia, still a mentor.

A chance meeting in 1994 with Pomerol winemaking consultant, Michel Rolland, developed into a close friendship and led to Marcel spending time in the cellars of Château le Bon Pasteur absorbing their scrupulous cellar hygiene practices and insistence on only the cleanest and finest ripe fruit. Marcel has no oenology degree, but his wines outclass many made by fellow winemakers with top qualifications. The winery is ultra-focused and specialised: just 3 reds produced commercially at the moment.

The wine:

Made in a more opulent Merlot style, this wine has been matured in 80% new and 20% second fill 225 Nevers barriques for 24 months. It has a small dash of Cabernet Sauvignon. The Veenwouden Merlot 98 has a rich saturated, black/purple colour and unbelievable textures and richness. Magnificent palate, ripe cherries and raspberries with a hint of mocha/chocolate. The thick juicy concentration has a smooth, velvety texture and ripe tannins. It ends with a layered palate and a long, beautifully proportioned finish.

This wine won a Gold Medal in Tokyo at the Vinexpo this year, and a Gold Medal at the prestigious International Wine & Spirit Competition in London, the Preteux Bourgeois-Air France Classic Trophy in France, a Veritas Double Gold in South Africa's (highest award for a bottled wine), as well as 4,5 out of 5 stars ("Excellent, fine wine of distinction") in the SA WINE Magazine, voted among 4 others there also as the best Merlot produced the last decade in South Africa. -- In short, you are in bloody good company with this wine! --

This then, one of the 6 bottles for the lucky winner of the Invitational PBEM Tourney of "Stars"

More to follow here later…

Regards,

Charl Theron

[WineCape]

Gentleman,

It seems that Mike Meinecke (Treeburst155), our "Stars" PBEM Invitational Tourney Manager, is having problems with his cable internet access as well as his mail address posted here on the Forum.

If you have received your Invitational invite from Treeburst155 and have replied in kind, please reply again to this AOL account @ RCMein@aol.com .

[Treeburst155]

The first round of invitations has gone out. The invitees have 7 days to respond. I expect many, if not most, to decline the offer for one reason or another. I suspect most of our "stars" are very busy people. In 7 days another batch of invitations will go out. Fortunately, there is an abundance of "stars" in the CM community. We will have the tournament filled before mid July, which is when I want to start it.

In the meantime I am making BALANCED custom maps for the tournament. They are nothing special but the human touch is evident. No player will see the same map twice.

Treeburst155 out.

[Trooper]

I object!

Some of us are far to dedicated to playing CM than to spend time being public on the boards here!!!

Manic Moran.

More of a TacOps guru though.

(Note, this post in humour)

[ 06-09-2001: Message edited by: Trooper ]

[Treeburst155]

SuperTed and Michael Dorosh have agreed to participate along with one other less visible star who was invited because of his extreme reliability and quick turn-around in PBEM games, not to mention his sense of humor. If you've PBEMed him you know what I mean. Announcing the ultimate PBEM opponent anyone could ever ask for, it's Mick_OZ!!

Thank you SuperTed, Michael, and Mick

[Mick_Oz]

Thanks, Treeburst. I'm sure no one will hold me to any of that!

And I'm going to need a sense of humour taking on opponents of such high calibre. I somehow suspect that I'll be penning a large number of eloquent AAR's....

[Treeburst155]

Many invitees I've talked to so far have expressed some concern over the number of games that need to be played, especially if we get 20 players (19 games for each player).

Rest assured this tournament can go on for as long as it takes. I want the players to enjoy their games, not feel like they have to go to "work" on their tournament games. Think of this tournament as a mini-ladder that will come to an end. If you're at the top at the end you are more than likely the best Combat Mission player of the group.

A steady, comfortable pace is all that is necessary for these games, "steady" being the key word.

Treeburst155 out.

[WineCape]

Next up, the most famous Pinotage in the world. The estate, Kanonkop, although they did not bottle the world's first Pinotage, is without doubt the world's leading authority on this grape variety.

Bottle #4: Kanonkop Pinotage 1998 -- Simonsberg, Stellenbosch

The name "Kanonkop" derives from a "kopje" (cannon hillock), from which a cannon was fired (no CM pun intended! ) in the 17th century, to warn farmers in outlying areas that sailing ships plying their trade between Europe and the Far East had arrived/entered Table Bay for a stopover at Cape Town.

The entrance to the farm…

The farmers would then load their wagons, hitch their oxen and set off to Cape Town Harbour to barter their produce, mainly fresh fruit and vegetables, to the sailors and travellers who had spent many months at sea. Thus preventing scurvy, which was a prevalent sickness among sailors due to Vitamin deficiencies.

Mention the word "Pinotage" and one name immediately springs to mind – Beyers Truter, winemaker of Kanonkop. Beyers Truter was once quoted as saying he could easily marry Pinotage…

He’s the "Prophet of Pinotage" and follows his red wine calling with missionary zeal. Winner of the Robert Mondavi Trophy as the International Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in London in 1991 for his 1989 Pinotage, and winner of the 1994 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Trophy, he retains his modest perspective.

At a recent Pinotage tasting he admitted to me that he had just broken the delicate Mondavi Trophy, made of glass – but wasn’t too upset about it. "I guess I’ll have to get a replica made." With his distinctive balding pate he almost looks as though he would be at home in the brown robe and sandals of a monk!

Pinotage is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut (called Hermitage then, hence the name) effected by Professor Izak A. Perold in Stellenbosch, 1926. A robust grape and a heavy bearer/earlier ripener on the vine which extends the harvest for growers who wishes a higher yield tonnage per hectare (and thus more pocket money!), it was regarded as a good blender and not responsive enough to receive expensive French oak treatment or American oak. That viticulture opinion has changed the last 15 years with the most expensive cooperage now reserved for wine estates top Pinotage's due to better/improved wine making techniques. SA oak grows too fast and are not well "grained" for the making of oak barrels to mature Pinotage in. American oak pairs well with Pinotage to give it an almost sweetish impression, though still dry on the palate. Most estates uses both Am/Fr. oak though.

Flavour association of Pinotage in general:

In general, Pinotage is a substantial (read: "robust") -- as it received nothing of the delicate genes of Pinot Noir in its original Burgundy form -- flavoursome, very individual, fruity grape -- specially when oak-matured -- which it rarely was until the last decade or two.

Nose/Smell:

Berries, strawberries, raspberries, typical banana flavours on nose/palate, ripe plums (more pruney in older wines), even "candy floss" or "star toffee" plus obvious smells via assimilation of wood (ie. oak spice/vanilla).

Taste/flavour:

Sweet berry fruit (but ends bone dry), cloves, pine, "boiled sweets", bon-bons. If not well made, it will have a harsh acetone taste - We call it here "the paint-stripper" taste, to be avoided!

The Kanonkop Pinotage 1998 is regarded by Beyers Truter the best he's made in the 1990's. Certainly the accolades received by this wine is prove of this, to wit: Voted 5/5 Stars in the John Platter: South African Wine Guide ("Superlative. A Cape classic!"), Veritas Double Gold in SA, South African Airways 1st Class Selection for International flights, ABSA Bank Top Ten Pinotage out of 59 tasted, Michaelangelo Gold Medal as well as SA WINE Magazine 4/5 Stars ("Excellent wine of distinction. Recommended for special occasions and cellaring")

Tasting notes (John Platter): "Magenta purple colour, penetrating aromas of ripe plum/damson, sweet banana, gutsy mineral interweave; massive, complex layered with seriously delicious ripe choc-cherry, cinnamon and clove, opulent lanolin-like creaminess. Firm but fine tannins for good 10 year keeping. Can be drunk now."

If you have not tasted a *quality* Pinotage yet, then just win the PBEM tourney of "Stars"!

Kind regards,

Charl Theron

[WineCape]

Latest gentleman to join us for the PBEM Invitational Tourney of "Stars" is ....

ARI MAENPAA + FUERTE

Welcome onboard!

[Gyrene]

A tournament of stars without Eurowarrior and Paton_Returns? I smell a sham!

Gyrene

[ 06-11-2001: Message edited by: Gyrene ]

[WineCape]

Continuing the 6-bottle Tourney of "Stars 1st prize, here the second last bottle of the line-up.

Bottle #5: Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 -- Simonsberg, Stellenbosch

Couldn't find a '97 Cab label, so the one above will have to do. Gorgeous modern Cape Cabernet, a New World star, hugely admired locally and internationally for its sheer deliciousness and Thelema signature: dense blue/black colours, supple, velvety texture, rich mulberry and blackcurrant flavours; the whole imprinted with a ripe, distinctive Thelema mintiness. It's diamond-edged acidity maybe too overpowering for fanciers of harder vinosity, but each year the "Sold Out" sign goes up earlier when released, just over 4 weeks in 2000!

In a handful of vintages - he made his debut in 1987 - Gyles Webb, co-owner/winemaker has transformed Thelema from a obscure fruit farm into a showpiece vineyard with an ultra-practical modern winery, devoid of frills but not without aesthetic appeal in its clean, unadorned simplicity.

Why is Thelema, which buys no advertising, has no Cape-gabled homestead, and is a very new player in an old and very tight wine business, always short of wine? Gyles is a modern winemaker who has profiled his drinkers, the busy but not undiscriminating buyers who pop a bottle into the shopping basket for tonight's dinner. They are without vast cellars or big cheque books. They are not interested in pricey wines, which need to hibernate expensively for years before to be opened and become approachable. Such drinkers know wines, but they are unintimadated by the conventions which pass for connoisseurship, old customs which hold no red is worth the cake unless it's long in the tooth, strapped down by leathery tannin and dripping with avoirdupois.

Gyles Webb's wines fit their bill. Classics - he grows only classic varieties - which are friendly, affordable and immensely drinkable. Today. And a few years down the road too. This is their triumph; modern classics for now and later, but perhaps not too much later, which don't fall apart after a few year in the bottle. Today's smart winemakers know they're playing to wine drinkers more than wine talkers, that their last vintage is the only one which counts.

Few vineyards are so meticulously tended as those at Thelema. The slightly shabby roadside pillars …

… contrast vividly with the neat, healthy vines and the back drop of the famous Simonsberg Mountains.

In 1991 and 1992, Thelama's vineyards was judged the best-managed vineyard in Stellenbosch. Little fanfare accompanies this award, but among winemakers/growers it's perhaps the most prestigious of all. Canopy (leaf) management and careful, constant summer/winter pruning to control/concentrate vine growth and trim yields are the most important activities at this estate, supervised personally by Webb, a hands-on man.

Completely unlike most winemakers I know, he is NOT out to make the best wine in the universe! Conventional wisdom seems to have it that if you don't aim for the stars you'll make second-rate wine; and if you don't blare it's the best to the world, no one is going to do it for you. Webb's aim is simply "an absolutely honest, clean, not too heavy, well-made, straight from nature, user-friendly food wine, which you don't get tired of drinking after the first glass"

Professor Robert Schrire of Cape Town University is an academic with a palate as acute as his tongue. (He told the nation on national TV to mistrust ALL politicians, always. He teaches politics. :grin) Passionate about top-drawer Californian wines - he studied and lectured at Ivy League colleges in New England - said the following: "I was always hand-carrying more Californian wines than it was decent or patriotic to be seen with." The ordeal is less necessary now: " I can buy wines with the same taste right here in South Africa. Like Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon"

Some accolades received: Diners Club International Winemaker of the Year 1994 and 1996

South African Airways Trophy for best red/white wine in '94, '95 and '96, Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of the World selection in 1995 and 1999. Thelema is also 1 of only 3 South African wine estates invited to participate in the yearly prestigious New York Wine Experience. SA WINE 4,5/5 Stars. Voted there as the best Cab of all 1997's tasted.

Jeez, this has made my mouth dry/parched. I'll open a bottle while doing battle with my PBEM opponents now…

Sincerely,

Charl Theron