Old Mutual Trophy Wines feedback at the Grande Roche, Paarl

Today, we enjoyed, once again, the privilege of going to the Grande Roche in Paarl for the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show competition feedback.

The Grande Roche conference venue

Coffee and tweets to set us up

Angela Lloyd with Johan Laubser, Delaire Graff GM

Gary Jordan, Carl Schultz (Hartenberg) and Thelma du Plooy (Kleinood)

Karl Lambour (Holden Manz) and Graeme Read (Hillcrest) with Michael Fridjhon

Michael Crossley who, with Janice Fridjhon, Alex Mason-Gordon and some others, makes it all work

Michael Fridjhon opening the session

François Rautenbach (Singita) and Carl Schultz (Hartenberg)

Tiaan and Rene Burger (Welbedacht) and Colyn Truter

LUNCH ON THE TERRACE AT BOSMANS    

A serious discussion: Anthony Rose, James Petersen, André Margenthal (WOSA), Christian Eedes and Angela Lloyd
Sommelier Michael Gabagas
The view from the terrace

Norman Mc Farlane gets a taste of Hartenberg The Eleanor from Michael Gabagas (it was too much - he shared it)
The next small course was a duo of prawns, a quenelle shape of yellowtail tartare and some yellowtail ceviche slices with a teaspoonful of mango corn salsa and some interesting dots of avocado crème. The flavours were absolutely delicious and all complemented each other, but a few more prawns would have been appreciated... 

some slices of honey glazed duck breast, meltingly tender, served on a flash of sweet and sour butternut puree, an amazing confit of duck spring roll and a ginger jus. 

Dessert was a poem of a light chocolate nougat mousse gateau with a sour dark berry ragout and crème.

We were drinking the Hartenberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 which is a cassis driven fruit bomb, soft and mellow. If you have some, drink now, it is at its peak. Unexpectedly, this serious wine matched the dessert to a T, its cassis and chocolate flavours being the perfect meld.

Jonathan Snashall enjoyed some elegant company 

All these photographs are ©John Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus cc. 2012