The Franschhoek Cellar is a familiar landmark as you
enter Franschhoek but how many of us have actually visited it? DGB (Douglas Green Bellingham) produce,
wholesale and distribute wines and spirits including familiar names like
Boschendal, Bellingham, & Douglas Green, acquired this winery several years
ago and MD Tim Hutchinson was keen for them to redevelop this iconic building
as a tasting, function and sales venue to compliment the winery.
They have much
improved the outside facilities as well. On Monday night we drove through to
Franschhoek for the launch of The Venue. We have to say that one think we don’t
like is functions that start at 5.30 in the winelands, as we then spend nearly
2 hours stuck in going home traffic, which is what happened on Monday. It makes
for a very long evening
Two new very
impressive cut steel logo boards with steel candle braziers flank the front
door. This is now a very impressive venue
It was a
gathering of the great and good of Franschhoek
Beautifully
planted garden areas flank the ‘Platform’ covered area which is suitable for
functions and the central walkway. There are plans to enclose in the Platform
area to make it weather proof and more comfortable in the winter months
The view down towards
the gazebo, lovely for wedding ceremonies in the garden
Guests
included Chef Chris Erasmus of Foliage, his restaurant Manager Lee-Ann Fouché
and Hein Koegelenberg, CEO La Motte Estate and Leopard's Leap Family Vineyards
A good band
with a Latin flavour played throughout the evening
On offer on
arrival was the Franschhoek Cellar MCC Brut rose, caramel popcorn and rather
messy Jaffles stuffed with bobotie, something we haven’t had for a couple of
decades
After about an
hour we moved inside. The colourful Brampton Wine Studio inside the front door
also had music.
The tasting
area filled with busy servers
Up a short
flight of steps into the Main tasting room which is divided into four areas. Here
we stood around for quite a while and enjoyed some of the Franschhoek chenin or
sauvignon blanc on offer. There was also a rosé and Brampton red wine. You can
do chocolate or cheese and wine pairings; they serve cakes and you can buy
wine
This is The
Venue all set up for the function. If you book it they supply tables, linen,
cutlery, crockery & chairs. It has its own entrance and loos
Filling glasses
for the guests in the tasting room
This was the
best canapé of the evening. Small toasts topped with brie and pickles &
artichokes
Winnie Bowman CWM,
Jenny Prinsloo, Head of Franschhoek Tourism and Allister Rogan, director of Graham
Beck Enterprises
Jacques Roux, Marketing
Director of DGB, was the MC for the evening
The cocktail
party in full swing while we wait to sit down for the speeches
The snacks for
supper. It was “retro” party food and I am being kind. Small hamburgers
and
rather dry chicken on toothpicks
Baby meatballs
and tomatoes
Cheese on
sticks, all that was missing was the melon to stick them into
Jacques Roux
begins the speeches by telling us of the line up of speakers
Carla, Malherbe
Marketing Manager for Franschhoek Cellars, told us in detail about what they
have planned
The party
snacks were laid out on tables for guests to help themselves. In the background
is the line up of staff who work at the Franschhoek Cellar as they were
introduced to us
The Executive
Mayor of the Stellenbosch Municipality, his Honour Conrad Sidego, was there to
give a blessing to the Cellar. His speech was inspiring and interesting. He said
that the heart of the wealth in our wines is in this community. And he wants to
turn this valley (which stretches from Wellington through Paarl and
Stellenbosch to Franschhoek) into the Innovation Capital of South Africa in
wine, cuisine and tourism. He said: “Although SA faces huge challenges, this
valley can do it. We have had 21 years of the New South Africa, it was a
promissory note. When will we deliver? “ he asked. The wine industry must do
its part. He hopes that the directors of DGB are a blessed bunch and that they
will deliver to the winning nation and continue to show sensitivity to the
environment in which they operate.
CEO of DGB Tim
Hutchinson thanked the Mayor and told us about how DGB was progressing with Franschhoek
Cellars, and its other properties. He introduced and thanked the architect of
this project Ernst Zieman, Operations boss at Boschendal. He told us of the
charities they support: the Andrew Murray Orphanage in Wellington, and the Fair
to All Project which has a truck fitted out with 32 computers and a library
that circulates to needy schools in the winelands. They plan to have 3 to 4
more soon but need help from the wealthy to fund them.
John Gnodde,
an Executive Director of Brait
And finally
chocolates and coffee in the Bernhard Premium lounge on the way out, where we
were presented with a generous gift bag containing coffee, a bottle of
Franschhoek Cellars red wine and a chopping board.
Lynne chatting
to Boschendal Cellarmaster, JC Bekker
The Bernard
Premium lounge. We arrived home at 11.30 pm
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2015
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