Sunday dawned and the weather was even better. We were
so happy that we had accepted an invitation to go up the West Coast to Groote
Post to attend their new monthly market. The spring flowers are all out and we
had such a lovely relaxing day. It was amazingly well attended given their
location and you could see people were really enjoying themselves. Just before
lunch, we spoke to someone who was counting customers and she had got to over 2
000 by then. The next markets will be held on 28th September, 26th October,
30th November and 28th December, should you wish to go
Look at the
colour of that sky! The lawns were green and the car parks were filling up when
we arrived at about 11.30
We met PRO
Posy Hazell and her daughter Amy enjoying themselves with glasses of draught Darling
beer
The always friendly winemaker, Lukas Wentzel
A firm recommendation is their new
Pinot Noir Rosé 2014. The grapes were meant for another farm’s Brut Rosé MCC,
but they were too ripe because of last summer’s heat wave, so Lucas turned them
into this impressive, dry but elegant, juicy rosé. It is only available on the
farm and there might not be much left, as it was flying out - you will have to go
there to try some. It was available to enjoy with lunch as well
Darling Beer was so popular that they
ran out of beer. Next time, they will bring more
On the Charcuterie stall,
you could get a large platter for R70
including pickles and bread
A stall with jams, jellies and rusks
Chilli sauces of all levels
A stall selling home made cakes, which was almost sold out by midday
or Bakewell tart? We had one in our
media pack and they were very good. Crisp pastry led us to believe it had been
made with lard
A popular stall preparing salad
lunches
The braai with the garlic chilli prego
steak rolls received our attention and our money. They also add extra garlic
sauce if required
We had to taste the beer because of the
heat
Rare or well done. Rare PLEASE!
Served on a huge bun with avocado and
extra sauce
They had long queues and sold out of
steak by about one. But they could still let you have Prego chicken. Probably
the most popular food stand
Lots of seating on hay bales (and at one table) on the
lawn
A band kept us entertained
We met a friendly couple and joined
them at a table under the trees
The tasting room was also a popular
place
And the cellar was lovely and cool in the
heat
At two, it was time to head for the
hills on a farm drive. On the left are some of the large herd of cattle
The hills are covered in spring
flowers at the moment and, in the distance, one has a lovely view of Table Mountain
Charging (away from us!) Wildebees
They joined their herd and on the left
is a lone Red hartebees
Lovely spring greens and daisies
More of the herd assemble
There is also a large herd of eland
There was still snow on the far Ceres
mountains, but the temperature here was up to 26ºC. In the foreground, on the
left, are the Groote Post vineyards
A field of yellow Rapeseed (Canola)
Looking down on Groote Post Manor
House and farm with the sea in the distance. It is on the other side of the farm
from the wine cellar and restaurant.
Cover crops still grow between the
vines, which are waiting for bud break
We stopped for a glass of good Groote
Post Brut Rosé and a cheese platter. This is the touring vehicle they use
A farm bakes in the sun with snow on
the distant mountains after a week of horrible cold and wet weather. Spring has
sprung
The tasting room, still busy at 4pm
The procession of cars going home
Quick, take pictures of the daisies
before they close. It was a little after four o’clock when we left
We should not have left it so late if we were to get the best photographs of the flowers
Reeds in the river bed
A brilliant Scarlet Bishop weaver.
They make their nests in the reeds
This is classic Rhenosterveld (local
name for the unique biodiverse botany of the area) Rhino used to roam here
centuries ago. And another lovely view of the sea and our mountain
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2014
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