The Graham Beck MCC Experience

A magnum of Cuvee Clive, 2007 Graham Beck’s most prestigious and exclusive vintage Method Cap Classique 81% Chardonnay 19% Pinot Noir

Pieter (Bubbles) Ferriera, Cellarmaster of Graham Beck with journalist Neil Pendock

The media gather in the hall of the Westin Grand for the tasting and lunch, ably organised by Nicolette Waterford who manages Graham Beck’s Public Relations

Chris du Toit, CEO of Graham Beck, welcomed us all

Pieter Ferreira takes us through his excellent selection of MCC bubbles.

and the tasting begins

In search of the perfect bubble

A slide on the warm and cool areas of the Cape Province

Nicolette helps with the pouring of the MCC’s

There were seven to taste

Lots of colour variation

After the tasting we moved to the Executive Club dining room on the 19th floor for lunch, paired with the Graham Beck Methode Cap Classiques.

The chef takes us through his very complicated menu

The small second course of quail salami topped with an interesting soft butter or pate was served with Cuvée Clive 2007, which is full of toffee, brioche and citrus on the nose, is very silky and has good flavours; citrus on the palate shows finesse and some age

The next course was not universally liked. A sharp oyster nage (broth) with some overcooked squid and a strange bready dumpling It was matched with one of our favourite wines, the 2009 Blanc de Blanc with its complex rich bready, slightly perfumed nose, tasting of lemons and limes with long, long lean aftertaste.

A tiny cup of pear sherbet with soft pecans (don’t know where the baked pudding was) was served with the non vintage Brut – the wine most of us drink regularly at home. More brioche, limes, lemons and toffee on the familiar nose with crisp limes on the palate

Another very small (main?) course of Rabbit loin and rabbit chasseur topped with a quenelle of poached and minced langoustine and a rather tough onion and potato stick and pickled mushrooms. The Brut Rosé 2009 has slight smoky notes with a leesy character and shy fruit on the nose, but is full of strawberries and ripe red cherries on the palate. It has nice complexity and shows some age on the end. It just grew and grew in complexity and depth as it stood in the glass.

Guests at the table awaiting more wine and food! Ingrid Jones and Anel Grobler

Ah ha it has arrived, happy faces.

This is the cheese course: a  tiny spoonful of whipped brie with a crisp sago biscuit but, sadly, served on what appeared to be raw burnt carbon, a known carcinogen. Why?  Most of us left it and enjoyed it with the lovely Brut Rosé NV, which smells of spun sugar and fresh strawberries and tastes the same, but is bone dry with a lovely soft mousse and nice complexity. This is an excellent food wine.

Dessert was a lovely soft lemon and rosewater buttermilk pudding.  The chef used to be a pastry chef. They served this with the Bliss Demi sec (slightly sweet) NV. Although this wine has 34 g/l sugar, it is not very sweet and, when put with desserts, has a good crispness that highlights rather than competes with the dessert. Soft sugar and fruit with some violet notes on the nose with a good mousse.

Pieter and Winnie Bowman toast another great round of MCCs

Guy McDonald and Ingrid Jones enjoyed the day

And finally:  the course no one could get enough of – a ganache block of rich chocolate and caramel with a little pinch of salt.

Served with the star of the show: the excellent Cuvée Clive 2007

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013