Presenter and producer Talia Sanhewe

Presenter and producer for CNBC Africa, Talia Sanhewe has interviewed a myriad heads of state, celebrities and businessmen. With a background that included time on Top Billing, CNN and working for The Oprah Magazine, she has developed a love for Pinot Noir and copious amounts of pasta.

 

What was the first bottle of wine that made sense and why?
It was a chilled bottle of Haute Cabrière’s Pinot Noir, enjoyed with friends in Kalk Bay. It was a day of lounging on sunbeds and eating delicious food which we paired with rose-kissed glasses of Pinot Noir. It made sense because, in drinking it, all of my five senses were tickled.

What was your most memorable wine experience?
A wine-tasting experience in Stellenbosch with friends, which led us to Ernie Els’ wine estate. The service was impeccable, the wine was fantastic and I could finally identify the full-bodied taste of wine, with all its complex elements. It was by all accounts a ‘Eureka!’ moment.

What wine that you have not yet tasted do you most want to?
Waterford Wine Estate’s The Jem by winemaker Kevin Arnold.

What was the last wine that you bought?
A really good red estate blend from Woolworths – practical and functional.

How big is your wine collection and where do you store it?
At this stage my collection is still in its infancy – it currently sits on top of a kitchen cupboard that suffices as a suitable storage facility – for now.

Which are your favourite South African wine producers?
They are Bouchard Finlayson, Waterford Estate, Delaire Graff Estate, Tokara, Haute Cabrière and Mont Rochelle.

What was your most embarrassing moment to do with wine?
The odd glass too many has often led me to bouts of drowsiness mid-conversation.

What do you like least about wine?
The fact that my lips turn crimson red after a good few glasses of red wine! Busted.

What is your favourite meal?
Any type of Mediterranean tapas. I love the juicy texture of delicious finger foods, olives, dips, chunky Italian bread, spiced and cured meats, French and Italian cheeses.

What are your favourite restaurants in South Africa?
Jardine, Minatos Sushi Restaurant, Azure, at the Twelve Apostles Hotel, and Ocean Basket on Kloof Street, all in Cape Town. Also Reuben’s in Franschhoek and Grande Roche in Paarl.

Which three people would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?
My mom – she passed away last year – and all my closest friends.

What are your most treasured possessions?
My salvation, my voice, my passport, my passion and a photograph of my mother.

What is your greatest extravagance?
My car, a ruby-red Mini Cooper!

Who are your favourite writers?
Malcolm Gladwell, the author of The Tipping Point, Blink and The Outliers.

Who are your favourite musicians?
I recently discovered an incredible Italian jazz singer by the name of Mario Biondi – the voice Barry White with a fresh Italian twist – wonderful. Nina Simone is an all-time favourite – in my opinion her work is timeless. I am also a huge fan of swing, jazz and funk.

Where did you spend your last holiday?
Cape Town! I decided to spend three weeks discovering Cape Town, from the art galleries to the restaurants to the region’s wine estates. I hiked, read and carried everything I needed in a backpack.

What is your favourite city in the world and why?
New York! I think Alicia Keys says it best: “In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there’s nothing you can’t do – now you’re in New York, New York, New York…”

What is your idea of happiness?
Being loved unconditionally and eating copious amounts of pasta without consequence in Naples.

Talia lives in Cape Town and holds a BA in film and media.