From Norse Myths to South African Sips - Elgin Eternal Nights of Syrah
- The goddess of apples now makes wine
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I tasted wines from the IDUN winery several months ago at an industry tasting. IDUN is a winery in South African’s sub-region of Elgin. It is about 1 hour (70 km) southeast of Cape Town – South Africa’s oldest city. You may recall my article on Cape Town’s super cool wine history!
Chenin Blanc is South Africa’s top grape, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz/Syrah are the top two red grapes (in that order).
South Africa’s Western Cape has five wine regions, namely:
· Olifants River
· Klein Karoo
· Coastal Region
· Breede River Valley
· Cape South Coast
The Elgin sub-region is found in the Cape South Coast Wine Region of South Africa. You see it in purple on the map below.
At the tasting, IDUN winery’s wines stood out for their quality. That is my number one goal during wine evaluation; high quality with consideration for cost… and these wines certainly were a great quality for the money.
Check and check!
The bonus to this winery is the story behind it, bringing me back to all the Viking shows I watched during the pandemic.
Dark times …I loved how all these shows’ main characters were God-like …
Good segue!
In Norse mythology, Idun lived in Asgard the home of the Gods. She was wife to Bragi, the god of poetry, she was the goddess of spring and fertility, but more importantly she was the keeper of the magic apples of immortality.
Give me THEM apples!
Yup!
The gods had to eat these apples to maintain their youth.
Aren’t Gods immortal by definition?
Not Norse Gods!
Idun was once kidnapped by the Giant Thiazi who wanted access to the magic immortality apples. BUT the gods would not have it and convinced Loki the trickster God to save her. Loki transformed himself into a falcon, and Idun into a nut. They both escaped … and the rest is, as they say, his-story…
Or her-story…Psst. Excuse me, Eveline. This is supposed to be an article about wine … So … what does this have to do with wines in South Africa??
Okay back to Idun winery and the sub-region of Elgin then!
Elgin’s conditions are favorable for whites such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Riesling, as well as Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Shiraz/Syrah red wines.
Isn’t it warm in South Africa?
The Western Cape has a warm Mediterranean climate. Most wine regions will therefore have some cooling influences, but Elgin is considered one of the cooler sub-regions with cooling Atlantic Ocean breezes and cloud cover.
The featured wine is a Syrah from Idun.
I still don’t get why the winery name was chosen, what do Norse Gods and apples have to do with wine!
Elgin is renowned for its quality apples.
Aaaaah!
Enter the Rousset family.
When Albert and Joanne Rousset and their four children visited South Africa, they fell in love with the Elgin Valley, known for its apple orchards and vineyards! They decided to start winemaking.
(as you do!)
This fruitful valley made the Roussets link Idun’s fertility aspect and apples, and of course eternal life, to the Elgin Valley!
(as one would do!)
It is even more fitting that the featured wine is called Nuit Éternelle, which translates from French to eternal night. Keep reading to learn more about this delicious wine!
YES!
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Idun Nuit Éternelle Syrah 2019 from Elgin, South Africa
Style: Full Body Old World Red Wine
Varieties: Syrah
This wine has finesse with its violet perfume, red cherry, strawberry, kirsch, blueberry, and black cherry flavors with the complexity of menthol, thyme, milk and dark chocolate, and meat. An elegant yet bold wine with ripe slightly grippy high quality tannins, moderate intensity, and a very persistent finish.
Best pairings: Grilled lamb chops (flavored with rosemary and garlic!), Venison, Boeuf (Beef) Bourguignon, Ratatouille, Grilled Portobello mushrooms (stuffed with feta, lamb and herbs,) Aged cheddar, Gruyère, or Manchego.
Serving Temperature: 16-18 degrees Celsius
Serving Tips: Pour into a decanter and serve immediately.
Price: ~$32 Cdn
If you're in Alberta and want a one-on-one wine curation experience, please reach out! I am also booking private shop appointments June 14 an 15. No commitment or minimum purchase required. You will have Calgary’s Cork Fine Wine store in Bow Valley Square to yourself! Interested? Please reach out!
If you live in Edmonton - I am here for you too! (No, contrary to the rumours - Cork is NOT opening a store in Edmonton BUT we want to deliver to YOU!)
A huge thank you to my paid subscribers—your support helps cover the costs of creating these weekly articles.
Love my wine recommendations? Enjoy my personal wine curation service? If you find value in my writing, consider upgrading to a paid subscription to help me keep sharing the world of wine with you!
I have compiled all my wine recommendations in one place. I will do my best to keep this up to date. I also include the link(s) to the article in which the wine was featured.
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SOURCES:
Harding, J. and Robinson, J. (2023) The oxford companion to wine. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Idun (2024) IDUN. Available at: https://idun.co.za/ (Accessed: 05 June 2025).
Idun (no date) Encyclopædia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Idun (Accessed: 05 June 2025).
Idun :The norse goddess of youth and Spring (no date) Greek Mythology. Available at: https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Norse/Idun/idun.html (Accessed: 05 June 2025).
Information & Statistics (no date) SAWIS Home Page. Available at: https://www.sawis.co.za/ (Accessed: 05 June 2025).
MacNeil, K. (2022) The wine bible. New York, NY: Workman Publishing.
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (2021) D3: Wines of the World - An accompaniment to the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines. Version 1.2. London: Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
Wines of South Africa - maps. Available at: https://www.wosa.co.za/Multimedia/Maps-Links/ (Accessed: 06 June 2025).
Zarhouni, Y. (2021) The rare tale of idun and her golden apples, Odin’s Treasures. Available at: https://odinstreasures.com/blogs/norse-tales/a-rare-tale-idun-and-her-gold-apples (Accessed: 05 June 2025).
Wine and Norse Mythology - an unconventional pair, but it works
Great timing! I’m in South Africa now and can attest the wine is delicious (as is the gin).