Are we festival jaded ? Not after the fun we had at
Wellington on Saturday. The festival was held on just three farms and they
hosted the other wine farms so if you got to three, and we did, you had the
opportunity to taste all the wines of the area. We started with an unofficial
visit to Roger Jorgensen’s distillery in Main Street as we had to collect
something and then it was off to the first festival venue on Diemersfontein
where they had games for the children on the lawn, half an ox roasting on a
spit, lots of braaiing and good music and we arrived in time for a good local
chicken curry for lunch, Then it was off to what looked like the most popular
location, Bosman’s as the ground are huge and there were hundreds of people all
enjoying themselves under the oaks, doing wine tastings and eating a selection
of good food while listening to famous popular bands. Then we finished the day
off at Welbedacht who were also overflowing with people, music and fun.
What a
wonderful sight to behold when we reached Diemersfontein. Part of a roasted ox
on a spit. We didn’t manage to taste any, as we had lunch in the restaurant,
but it looked very tempting indeed.
David
Sonnenberg, owner of Diemersfontein, tasting wine with of Reni Hildenbrand of
Hildebrand Wines. They are also well known for their olives and olive oil
Children
having so much fun with old fashioned games on the lawn. NO, that is not a real
hippo charging in the background, just a statue
Ribshack Red
were also braaiing amazing looking barbecue sauced ribs and lots were selling,
as was the wine
Up on the
tasting room terrace, people were getting serious about tasting the wine. There
was a special price offer on Thokozani rosé and a box went home with us.
Lots of
different bands played in the central courtyard, where you could eat lunch
while you listened
and some of
the other farms had their tasting tables there. Here is Bouwer Nell from Alkmaar
Boutique Wines, whose range of The Old School wines has some interesting names,
because of the old school building on his property. Here he is with his red
wine entitled The Old School Mistress. Could be a useful present... ? They also
have red wines The Old School Master and the Class of 2005 etc
Lunch was a
local chicken curry with sambals, and rice topped with crisp poppadoms,
presented by Andrew Eichler, who has the restaurant concession on the farm
A range of the
excellent Diemersfontein and Thokozani wines for tasting
The girl band
playing through lunch played very traditional South African music starting with
Sarie Marais
Then we entered
the gates of Bosman Family Vineyards to see what was going on there
Well organised
tables and chairs under a shade canopy and lots of food choices
A wonderful
old Chevrolet truck on display
and a quite orderly, but very large, crowd queuing to taste wines of the valley at their different
‘stations’
The convivial
James McKenzie of Nabygelegen welcomes us
Mark Herd sampled
those from Bosman Family Vineyards
and we examined the food offerings
Lots of
sausages for sale
We then headed
off for the third festival venue on Welbedacht, where John and Peter had booked
into a tasting of South African Whiskies at 3pm. These are the whiskies they
tasted
The tasting
was held in Welbedacht’s barrel cellar
and led by Andy
Watts, Distell’s master whisky distiller
The line up of
Bains and Three Ships Whiskies
Owner of
Welbedacht, Schalk Burger senior, and friends. Schalk Junior was playing Rugby in New
Zealand, on tour with The Stormers
Handsome
Winemaker Tiaan Burger, in full harvest beard, was very welcoming
Proud Pa and
son with their range of wines
