“Wine, and especially additive-free red wine such as that produced at Manor Estate is good for your mind, and good for you,” he categorically states. “While it’s easy to recognise that excessive drinking is unhealthy, that’s not the way to enjoy wine. Good wine is for sipping, savouring, and relaxing. It’s not meant to be consumed in excess, and doing so would be something of a waste. If people are drinking wine to get drunk, they may as well opt for the cheap stuff.”

Lucid Thinking and Consolidation of Information Plus Stress Relief

Peter attributes some of the clearer thinking he enjoys along with his sundowner to simple relaxation. “It’s like a meditation,” he says. In his experience, stressful thought patterns seem to melt away. He stops “thinking in circles,” and answers to some of the issues that occupied his mind during the work day suddenly become apparent – without any real effort on his part.

There’s research to back these claims, and their conclusions aren’t new either. A 2013 study published by a University of Illinois psychology professor concluded that a little alcohol in the bloodstream seemed to help people to solve problems faster. Another study found that moderate drinking can inhibit taking new information on board, but that this also allows the brain a chance to process recently acquired information. A third study found that a glass of wine doesn’t just feel relaxing – it really does help one to let go of stress. 

Finally, a Yale neuroscientist found that just tasting wine in a way that engages all the senses helps to keep the brain sharp, even as we age. That would imply savouring an excellent wine. “Manor Estate wines are made for sensory pleasure,” says Peter. “There’s the rich colour of our reds, the delicious aromas emanating from the glass, and the taste experience that begins from the moment a sip of wine passes your lips and which continues to excite a pleasurable response from every taste bud all the way to the back of the mouth.”

All the scientific evidence agrees with Peter’s assertion that moderation is key. “You really can have too much of a good thing,” says Peter. Animal trials agree. While wine, especially red wine, can help to flush toxins from the brain, too much of it will be a blow to overall health.

Nice to Know, Better to Enjoy

“Don’t overthink this,” says Peter. “Unless you have a health condition that means you shouldn’t drink at all, just enjoy the pleasures of the vine. It’s nice to know that a glass or two might have benefits, but the take-home is that wine is a gift to mankind. It can be enjoyed in the knowledge that it has many benefits, and better cognitive performance could be one of them. First and foremost, it’s about pleasure, relaxation, and when you choose Manor Estate wines, it’s the enjoyment of a taste sensation that’s setting the world on fire.”

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Peter Cap on Ageing Wine at Home

“Many people think that ageing wine after buying it will improve it,” says Peter Cap, “but that’s based on the premise that wine will only improve with age. Most people will have seen the old movie storyline of a precious bottle of wine, maybe hundreds of years old, being opened, only for those who taste it to discover that it has turned to vinegar. While that’s an extreme example, understanding how the best wines are made, and why they are bottled and sold by a certain date will support the conclusion that it’s simply not worth trying to age wine at home.”

“At Manor Estate, we age our wine naturally. During that time, the vintner will test the wine at regular intervals to determine when it has reached its peak. When that day arrives, it’s time to bottle the wine and sell it. It’s possible to age a wine until its past its prime, and also possible to bottle it too young, when a few more weeks, months or even years of fermentation would have benefited it. It’s the winemaker’s task to use his or her skill and experience to choose the perfect timing.”

“As a result, a good wine is at its best when you buy it, and for some time following that provided it is in a sealed bottle – one of the reasons why porous corks are largely out of fashion these days and sealed, screw-cap closures are preferred.”

“Whatever the closure used, keeping a wine to age after it has reached its peak will generally not improve it. Even if the wine is young, emulating the conditions of a winery’s wine cellar would be expensive, and monitoring the wines inside the bottles is impossible. It’s better to buy a good wine, and drink it within 12 months than to try keeping it for years in the hope that it will improve. It probably won’t.”

Keeping Wine till One is Ready to Enjoy It

With the perfect temperature and humidity, exclusion of light, and elimination of vibration being among the prerequisites for a proper wine cellar, emulating its conditions would be difficult or costly for the average homeowner. At the same time, it’s nice having a selection of one’s favourite wines on hand so that the one deemed suitable for a specific occasion can be selected.

“Choose a cool place that is not exposed to direct sunlight. A cupboard is fine, but if you want to have your wine selection on display, keep it away from windows, harsh lighting, and any appliances that give off heat,” says Peter. 

“One of the advantages of screw-top wines is that the freshness is sealed in. When you open the bottle, the wine can be just as good as it was on the day that the vintner decided that the wine had reached perfection. You can also store the wine in an upright position which is a space-saver. Wines with corks, on the other hand, should be stored lying down, allowing the wine to keep the cork moistened. If corks dry out too much, they can crack, and the wine may become oxidised, or the cork snaps in half or crumbles during the opening process.”

Finally, Peter notes that additive-free wines are more delicate than those preserved with sulfites. “Unless they were made with great care and stored under controlled conditions, additive-free wines should be consumed relatively soon after their purchase,” advises Peter. “Three months would be a cautious guideline for wines such as this.”

Wine is an Investment in Enjoyment

“Wine is made to be enjoyed in the short term, not stored in the longer term,” Peter concludes. “The notion of storing wine for decades to boost its value still exists, but most vintners would agree that storing a bottled wine that long means it isn’t really for drinking. It may be of historical interest or have sentimental value, but opening it and tasting it will likely not be the pleasure most people seem to believe it will be. Invest in enjoyment. Buy wine with the intention of drinking it.”

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Peter Cap, a McLaren Vale winemaker with a tendency to buck the system, weighs in on closures and concludes that although some traditional aspects of wine making are best done in the time-honoured way, substituting corks with caps is a real improvement. 

Why Australian Winemakers Rebelled Against the Cork

There are a lot of problems with corks – and they aren’t limited to the occasionally undignified and disappointing ritual of opening a wine. Most people will have experienced the sinking feeling one gets when a cork snaps in half or even crumbles. If one’s lucky, the bits don’t end up in the wine, but most people will recall situations in which they gave up the unequal struggle and simply pushed the stubborn thing into the bottle instead of pulling it out.

Screw caps are unquestionably convenient, but that’s not the reason why winemakers in Australia and New Zealand rebelled against the cork. “Corks are unpredictable,” says Peter, and how they affect wine is unpredictable too. “Cork taint is one of the nastiest problems that corks present. It’s a complex chemical interaction between the wine and the cork that ends up spoiling the wine with an unpleasant, musty flavour that has been equated with ‘wet dog,’ and other aromas you really don’t want in a wine.”

Of course, not all corks cause cork taint. Industry estimates hover at around 3 percent. But when someone has just prepared themselves to enjoy a favourite wine, knowing that there’s a three in one hundred chance that it’s going to smell and taste iffy isn’t appealing. “Cork taint was the main reason why Australian winemakers have overwhelmingly abandoned the cork,” says Peter. “You work hard to produce something that should be something akin to bottled heaven. You don’t want ‘wet dog’ ruining that for you.”

Other Issues with Corks

There are still folks who think that they can improve on the winemaker’s art. And Peter concedes that with very young wines, a little ageing can help. “In this instance, most people are looking at corks because they’re porous and admit oxygen. They’re hoping to smooth off the tannins and age the wine till it’s better than when it was bought. But here too, corks present problems.”

“The first, and most logical argument against trying to age wine at home is that you don’t know what’s going on inside the bottle. The only way to find out is to open a bottle and taste it. But, even supposing you’re ageing several bottles of exactly the same wine, each one may react differently owing to differences in the corks,” Peter explains.

“Although it’s understandable that some people see home ageing of wine as a hobby, they should also note that it’s possible to overage wines. It’s accepted knowledge that more wines are overaged than consumed too young. While five to ten percent of wines might improve if given another year, the rest won’t. Once we start ageing wine for five to ten years after bottling, only one percent of them are likely to improve. The rest change, but not for the better. So, choosing corked wines because corking allows you to age them isn’t a good argument. In most instances, it’s just a way to mess up perfectly good wine or make a bad wine even worse.”

Screw caps exclude oxygen, and that, Peter says, is a good thing. “If you chose a good wine, the sealed cap keeps the wine fresh and fruity – just as it was on the day the vintner decided that the wine had reached its peak.”

Screw Caps: Easy to Open Easy to Enjoy

In closing, Peter asserts that wine should be bought to be enjoyed, not bought to age. Enjoyment can mean that satisfying, ‘click’ as one easily break the seal on the cap, but the best part is certainly savouring your glass of ‘bottled heaven.’ 

Manor Estate wines are carefully aged under controlled conditions and the ideal time to bottle and serve is decided by Peter Cap, the winemaker. The cap (no relation to the man though it shares his name) keeps the wine poised at this level of perfection until its buyer is ready to break the seal and enjoy that perfect moment. “If you want good wine, buy good wine,” says Peter. “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and you can’t make good wine out of bad wine by letting it age under largely-uncontrolled conditions.”

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Peter Cap, owner of the gracious McLaren Vale wine-estate wedding venue, says it’s no surprise that newlyweds are remembering to visit online review sites to give Manor Estate five-star ratings. 

“Manor Estate spares no effort in helping couples to arrange dream weddings. They say what they want, and we make sure it happens. Over and above that, there’s the place itself: the gracious manor house, the trickling fountain, the stately pillars and garden statuary, and the carefully manicured gardens surrounded by magnificent trees. It’s a setting that’s made for romance.”

From the Grand and Expansive to the Intimate

With multiple locations around the winery’s estate to choose as a wedding venue, Peter and his team are able to bring complete flexibility to the table. From small wedding parties with just a few guests to grand weddings attended by an extensive list of well-wishers, Manor Estate is ready to offer couples a wedding that’s packed with all the right ingredients. There are multiple options available, and the programme is open to full personalisation, so the possibilities are virtually limitless. 

Manor Estate, says Peter, is much more than just a venue. It’s equipped to handle a large part of the organising, leaving the happy couple able to focus on each other rather than having a million and one details to worry about on the big day.

Book the Manor and Let the Champagne Flow

When planning to solemnise their vows at Manor Estate, booking the honeymoon suite is an option that many couples can’t resist. But some parties take it to the next level, booking out Manor Estate’s guest suites so that the celebration can continue until the small hours of the morning with no need for guests to worry about the homeward journey. 

“It’s only about 35 minutes’ drive from Adelaide,” says Peter, “but if the champagne is flowing freely, it’s a great idea to let wedding guests enjoy the Manor’s hospitality overnight. After a peaceful night’s rest in one of our welcoming suites, and fortified by a good breakfast, they can enjoy a leisurely drive home the following day.”

Activities Galore

There’s no chance of getting bored at a Manor Estate wedding. Apart from enjoying a stroll around the estate to admire the gardens and the views, Peter and his team can organise additional activities for guests. A game of croquet on the lawn, for example, is in keeping with the stately home’s atmosphere but is sure to end up in fits of very unstately giggles. “Even royalty, which is what Manor Estate’s guests are for the day, has to have fun sometimes,” quips Peter. 

It all begins with a simple phone call or email. From there on, Peter’s team is ready to spring into action, helping couples to weigh their options, express their wishes, and get a made-to-order wedding at Manor Estate. “It’s not just an amazing backdrop, it’s about making wonderful memories,” says Peter.

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Read: McLaren Vale Winery Sparkling Shiraz Brut Wines Australian Wine Club Membership

Sparkling Shiraz with Spicy Pasta Provencal – or Dessert

There’s more to the range of foods that match Manor Estate’s famous Sparkling Shiraz – feel free to explore peppery, spicy dishes at will. However, this easy pasta recipe featuring cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, garlic, capers, Italian spices, red pepper and Parmesan cheese is a great way to get that VIP experience at home. Alternatively, it can be enjoyed with game and earthy flavours or it can be served up with a favourite dessert. Take time to admire the frothy mousse that the sparkling shiraz produces when poured – it’s Peter’s pride and joy!

Sparkling Brut with Grilled Fish Served with Green Olive Sauce and Pistachio

Most people will be aware that a sparkling brut can be enjoyed with any white meat or seafood. But special occasions call for special recipes. Serve grilled fish on a base of green olive sauce and top with coarsely chopped roast pistachios. It’s simple but undeniably a dish fit for a king. A little caviar on the side adds an ultra luxury touch and matches the crisp character of the sparkling brut. “Any salty delicacy is great with sparkling brut,” says Peter.

Shiraz with Red Meats and Veggies for Classic Enjoyment

Luxurious shiraz is a real all-rounder to go with red meats and veggies. Peter suggests making a red wine sauce – but not with his Manor Estate Shiraz. “Red wine reductions are fantastic, but you shouldn’t use your best wines for them. A regular bottle of plonk will do for cooking, but for serving, you should complement the meal with a naturally-aged, full-bodied, palate-pleasing shiraz. Theoretically, you could cook with it, of course, but it would be an awful waste.”

Cabernet Sauvignon with Red Meats or Portobello Mushrooms

Pairings for Cabernet Sauvignon are very similar to those that work with Shiraz, but Peter is eager to offer a vegetarian option. “With either Shiraz or CabSav, vegetarians will be looking for a meat substitute as a main dish, and portobello mushrooms fit the bill. Stuffed mushrooms are a fantastic alternative to meat when enjoying red wine with a meal. Spinach, tomato and white cheeses are great accompaniments to portobellos – or just grill and serve.

Read: McLaren Vale Winery Secrets Wine Club Wines Tasting Events Australian Winemakers

Chardonnay with Pasta or Seafood

The delicate nature of Chardonnay calls for equally delicate accompanying flavours. Seafood is sure to be a winner, but asparagus and pasta dishes with subtle flavours are equally successful pairings. For a real gourmet touch, try lobster thermidor, says Peter. It’s a great way of dressing seafood to impress, tastes amazing, and will pair beautifully with the wine.

“You don’t have to be rich and famous to enjoy fine food and wine,” says Peter. But once the flavours of paired foods and wines work their magic, you’ll certainly feel like an A-lister – even when it’s just a really special meal at home.” His top wine recommendations are an easy guess. He chooses Manor Estate Wines, the wines he nurtured to match or even beat some of the world’s finest.

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or to buy wine online, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.