Monday, September 21, 2026

Tasting the Stars at the 2026 Siris Vintners trade wine showcase

Always a trade tasting to look forward to
Siris/Morvino has some very interesting wine farms in their portfolio and it is usually very busy

Lourens van der Westhuizen of Arendsig had his Blok A10 Sauvignon Blanc grown on the banks of the Berg River
It has lovely texture and lovely fruit and is unwooded; fermented in concrete tanks

The Arendsig 2024 Shiraz block 22 is spicy on the nose, incense oak, a full on red fruit salad,
layers of dark and berry fruit with dark wood on the end, long flavours

Good to see John  and Karen Loubser,
owners of Silverthorn in Bonnievale who were showcasing their Cap Classiques
The 2023 Green Man Blanc de Blanc is complex, crisp and delicious with lime and citrus and great bubbles,
long flavours, so good for a celebration
The NV River Dragon Cap Classique is pure Colombard and barrel fermented
It has a lovely prickle on the palate, extra crisp and satisfying. It must be the first Colombard Clap Classique

So good to see the Bruwer Family from Quando
The flood wreaked havoc on their farm; we know they have been through hell,
especially as they had replanted after last year's inundation
Good to taste the 2026 Sauvignon Blanc, classic green nose with crisp green fruit following
The 2026 Mourvedre Rosé lived up to our expectation, Rose petals on the nose with clean crisp notes,
very much a red wine on the palate, succulent and full of red berry notes
Always one we favour

Winemaker Fanus, Estelle and Viticulturist Martin Bruwer of Quando

Bevan Newton Johnson pouring a tasting of his family's 2024 South End Chardonnay
a hint of smoke, lots of quality grapes, so good on the palate, food calls
Then the 2024 Albarinho, so suited to higher temperatures in the vineyards
A joy on the palate this wine leads you by the nose and palate to Mediterranean food
It is different and delicious

And, finally, a revelation
The 2023 Falkirk Grenache. Incense wood and smoke with intriguing fruit, red berries, pomegranate and rose!
Rounded on the palate with a real kick of alcohol, followed by floods of wonderful fruit and chalky tannins
There were another two Grenaches tasted from other farms, both excellent, but this was the leader

Some vegetarian canapés topped with cream cheese and roasted butternut

Singed baby tomatoes on good basil pesto toast

Caramelised onions on goats' cheese and crisp toast

Two favourites from Groote Post
The 2026 Sea Salter, lived up to expectation with that great crisp Sauvignon Blanc and salty minerality
Ditto their 2025 Pinch of Salt Chardonnay, initially shy with minerality and a good chardonnay nose,
which follows through on the full palate, so enjoyable and food calls...

The full range for tasting.  We had to taste the 2025 Top Merlot again, Lynne got it right in the competition
It is classically made, fruit nurtured and layered by the winemaker Lukas, its also very friendly to food

Winemaker Lukas Wentzel and owner Nick Pentz, of Groote Post

The Groot Phesantekraal Durbanville 2023 Berliet Pinotage has more Pinot on the nose, some cassis,
and rose perfume on the nose
Dark berries, blue and black with plum, long flavours  

Doolhof Winemaker Rudger van Wyk and marketing manager Wimpie Borman
The Doolhof Estate Reserve Malbec has spice, rhubarb, aniseed and richness on the nose
Chewy with lovely sweet and sour fruit in balance, long flavours. The perfect wine with lamb...

Megan Mullis of Domaine des Dieux in the Hemel and Aarde
The Award winning 2021 Claudia Cap Classique is, as expected, clean, crisp and long with a good mousse and is very French in style

Their range

Good to see Anura Vineyards sales manager Emil Kanstinger and winemaker Stander Maass
We tasted the Arpeggio, a Rhône style blend made in older oak barrels
Lovely berry fruit, juicy with nice tannins and chalk, enjoyable



These red wines tell you they will last forever!
The 2024 Conclusion, a Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
has a classic nose, full flavour on the palate, everything is in concert:
fruit, grapes, wood, tannins and chalk. A big recommend

Nico Van der Merwe wines shown by
Nico and Petra van der Merwe, with their daughter Andrienne
The  Cape Elements in the Robert Alexander range is a blend of Shiraz and Grenache
from the Bottelary region of Stellenbosch
Another Wow for Grenache. Spice and class, sweet fruit in layers with quality, quaffable. Another good food wine

The Raats Chenin Blanc is wicked, full with layers of fruit. It draws you in, no faults at all
The Cabernet Franc, a long time favourite of ours, is complex as only Cab Franc can be
Clean, with smoky layers of savoury fruit and chalky tannins. We need some
It needs time. Of course it will age, put lots down

Respected members of the wine trade!
Rui Blanco with Tony de Almeida of Constantia Wine and Craft and Ezra Benjamin of Liquor City, Claremont

Chris, Sam and Rob Boustred of Remhoogte in Stellenbosch
The Sir Thomas Cullinan is a Bordeaux style red blend of Merlot 60%, Cabernet 30% and Cabernet Franc 10%
The Cab Franc nose dominates; it is elegant and layered on the nose. Liquorice and salty minerality,
tight tannins and sour black cherry release long flavours. It is expressive and a food wine

Three more wines impressed Lynne  
The Rickety Bridge Regina Loca 2024 Paarl Cinsault has a good fruity nose, light berry fruit on both nose and palate
with long, complex sweet and sour flavours

Vriesenhof 2023 Jan Boland Coetzee Bordeaux Blend
It has a classic nose and on the palate you can taste all the fruit components with dark oak,
very nice tannins and chalk. It is well made and will age well

The 2022 Vriesenhof Grenache joins the other two impressive Grenaches tasted on the night
It has a phenomenal dive-in nose, its wearable, almost floral. Roiling on the palate, good juicy fruit is very much present - cherries, plums and berries, tight tannins teeth closing and some wood on the end. Cant wait to see how it ages

This was quite a tasting, the wines just get better and better
Our journey back from Robertson took a little longer than we anticipated,
so we arrived about an hour later than expected
There were several wines we would have loved to feature here, but time ran out...

Thank you Clark and Terence

All the stories we have produced since 2012
can be opened from the archive list near the top of the column on the right of this page


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A Weekend in Robertson - Weltevrede and lunch at Kapokbos

Kapokbos restaurant is on Weltevrede wine estate in Bonnievale 

Weltevrede's "Oupa se Wingerd" (Grandfather’s Vineyard)
refers to an iconic, historic 1926 bush-vine vineyard planted by Klaas Jonker Weltevrede
It is recognized as the first vineyard in South Africa to be declared a Conservation Worthy Property / National Monument by the National Monuments Council

The old vines are now planted in large planters in front of the winery and tasting room

We had heard such good things about the Kapokbos Restaurant and wanted to visit and sample its food
We were lucky to get a booking at very short notice and arrived for lunch on a chilly, damp day
Summer on the terrace will be wonderful

It is not a large restaurant and they like it that way, which is why bookings are essential

It is co-owned and run by husband and wife chef team Juan Fourie and Samantha Morris-Fourie

An open kitchen and great, attentive service by the staff, including Samantha,
who also doubles as one of the chefs with her husband

Weltevrede wines bedeck the wall
but their wine list features noteworthy wines from other South African areas 

Warm from the oven was a small round loaf with a lemon and herb cream cheese quenelle and a crisp crust

The starter menu
We had a discussion with Sam about waterblommetjies as Lynne had recently discovered how good they are steamed
when they resemble artichoke in taste and texture
She suggested we share a dish of the KFW Fried waterblommetjies. How could we resist? 

The main course menu was easy, John chose the Dening Vleis (slow-cooked shoulder of Lamb)
Lynne could not believe her luck, the special of the day was fresh trout, a favourite
It has been years since we have had it so fresh and that was probably in France

We did not need a dessert!

The wine list, naturally, features Weltevrede's excellent Cap Classiques, Chardonnays, Shiraz, Cabernet and dessert wines
and a good selection of other varietals from producers in several Cape areas

Lovely views across the vineyards to the far mountains
and in our small table vase, a branch of aromatic Kapokbos, the South African rosemary




The flowers turn into a fluff when finished,
hence the reference to Kapok and, yes, it was used for mattress stuffing in the old days

We ordered a glass of the Weltevrede Chardonnay to go with the fish
It has richness on the shy nose, a hint of oak smoke
Melon and citrus follow through beautifully on the full crisp palate, layered with minerality, peach, apricot, lime and wood
with a long finish
And for the Lamb, a glass of Weltevrede 2021 Collectables Shiraz
Red velvet nose with dark mulberries, blackcurrant and cherry fruit with spice
Long fruit flavours, long deep flavours follow with the dark wood support, tobacco on the end
We shared them - both were excellent

The crisply battered and deep fried Waterblom in a suring and buttermilk sauce, with chive oil
Suring are those yellow flowers on the plate, nicely sharp
It is one of our most abundant spring flowers from the oxalis plant, with tangy, edible stems with a lemony taste
The waterblom were delicious, as was the sauce

Lynne's main course, the perfectly cooked trout fillet, crisp skin, moist, flavourful, flaking fish beneath
The fish was topped with tangerine, orange and grapefruit segments, crisp asparagus spears
and dollops of mustard seeds, set on a crisp potato rosti in a Beurre blanc sauce
Just superb, perfection, and one of the best dishes she has had in a very long time
We may live by the sea, but we get such poor fish in Cape Town, where our waters have been horribly over-fished
The hunt is on for fresh trout. We do have trout farms in SA but they seem to smoke most of it

John's Dening Vleis - lamb shoulder cooked for ages and falling apart
It was on a round of samp - Traditional, revived, dried white maize flavoured with turmeric and herbs, in a good bone jus
The generous portion of lamb had been sliced and compressed
then topped with prunes, pomegranate arils, mange tout and mustard seeds
A little fatty, but tender with great flavour

Our bill came to R1,060 with service 

An immaculate vineyard with geometrically aligned rows of vines
Lovely to see the vines in bud break and so healthy and green

You park in front of the winery and walk through to the restaurant


Hedged rose beds and an arbour on the way back to the parking

All the stories we have produced since 2012
can be opened from the archive list near the top of the column on the right of this page

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Chelsea Flowers in Stanford 2026

 

We enjoyed this spectacular flower show so much last year, we had to go again
and it was (sort of !) on our way to Robertson, where we had planned a weekend away

A great innovative display in the entrance foyer 

Talented Plantsman Leon Kluge and his team won not only the award for Best Exhibit in the Great Pavilion

but the Gold Medal from the Royal Horticultural Society of Britain

This was the first day of the Exhibition. We arrived relatively early
after a nearly two hour rather wet and foggy drive from Cape Town, and the venue was filling up rapidly

The annual bush fires in the Cape Floral kingdom  activate seeds from so many of of our indigenous flora
They need fire to open up the seed pods which are then scattered and can  grow again
That is why you see a wall of burnt fynbos at the top of the exhibit
In front of them are just some of the plants that rejuvenate and flower afterwards in different seasons

African Wild Gladiolus Gladiolus dalenii, Dragons Head Sword Lily

A river of smoke splits the beds on one side of the circular exhibit

A riot of colour as different species intermingle
L to R at back Pink Nerina, Yellow to Orange Torch Lily Kniphofia species, White Watsonia Irdaceae family
In front Lachenalia

And even more colour. In the centre are orchids

If you ever wondered where Freesias came from originally, they are indigenous to the Cape

Wonderful scents 

and our wild pelargoniums that you love to grow in your gardens world wide...
Yes - these, too, originate right here in the Cape

Leon Kluge, the magician with plants
This young man was so popular, every one wanted to chat to him,
congratulate him and have their photos taken with him 

The recovery begins in the Spring and follows in the other seasons

Spring bulbs

A host of wonderfully bright and different Protea species and a few leucodendrons interspersed with some heaths

A close up of the Pincushion protea Leucospermum 

And some huge King Proteas interplanted with other species

Green leucodendrons, queen proteas and suddenly a glorious pink Nerina poking its head through the other flowers

These King Protea heads were absolutely enormous Protea Cynaroides, the National flower of South Africa

A colour feast for the eyes

Nerine bowdenii, Indigenous South African bulbus geophyte Amaryllidaceae family

Swathes of heath, ferns and Pink Cape Primrose, Streptocarpus Gloria, above the running stream 

Yes these are indigenous and grow wild near water

A precious protea we nearly lost, the Bushing Bride, Serruria florida 
It was used so much and over-picked that it almost became extinct
until someone found some and started a  successful recovery programme

Featherhead flowers or Veerkoppie Phylica pubescens, these have a neon-like green/yellow colour

Nerina Bowdenii and or March Lily Amaryllis belladonna

Growing under a small weeping rock, white Cape Primrose Streptocarpus 


The grotto with the running stream, so tenderly planted

Protea Empress

and Streptocarpus

The giant Pineapple lily  Eucomis pallidiflora

A mass of different colours and fynbos plants intermingled with Proteas

King Protea Protea cynaroides

Yellow Pincushion Protea 

Purple  and white Erica or Cape Heather with  with Everlasting y daisy Syncarpha or Helichrysum 

Revival in the midst of desolation

This plant is now grown from small bulbs all around the world
as it has been hybridised by popular bulb firms in many different colours
Ixia Maculata, African Corn Lily or Wand flower

We loved this before and after planting
Burnt branches above, flowering again below
Conebush Leucadendron

So many cameras and phones out trying to capture their favourite shots

Chincherinchee Ornithogalum thysoides

One of the many species of Erica alongside a purple Sparaxis metelerkampiae




Purple Dierama, Hairbells or Angels Fishing rods, family iridaceae; orange Freesia
and Sun Star ornithogalum dubium flowers

Common Butterfly Lily Wachendorfia paniculata

Orange yellow star shaped blossoms and central green bud cluster of a Sun Star ornithogalum dubium

White Gladiolus  family Iridaceae and on the right Lachenalia in front of pink Nerina

Pink Orchids Satyrium carneum Orchidaceae alongside the smoke river

Freesias in abundance

There were many flower bedecked products being sold by Grootbos
Their sale supports this and, hopefully, further prize winning exhibits at Chelsea and other world flower shows

Images from the Cape Floregium book for sale

and lots of plants to buy and take home. Choices!

Streptocarpus

Begonias and other unidentified plants 

Next, we headed across the road to the very welcoming Stanford Kitchen
for some tea, coffee, carrot cake and scones with cream and jam before heading off to Robertson

A sparrow (mossie) looking for a chance for a snack on the stoep of the restaurant

A good beer from a good local Hermanus brewer

Those crisp yet fluffy scones with a cup of Earl Grey tea for the English woman...

Carrot cake, nice and moist for the driver


All the stories we have produced since 2012
can be opened from the archive list near the top of the column on the right of this page

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