Doolhof
launched their new vintage wines at Dash restaurant at the Queen Victoria Hotel
recently. Five were from their Signatures range, and one from their Legends of
the Labyrinth portfolio. Doolhof is below the Bains Kloof pass in the newly
proclaimed Limietberg ward of Wellington, there are fourteen wines in their
wine portfolio
The hotel entrance
Canapés of ricotta cheese dusted with fresh
coriander and a lemon gel. The canapés were served with the Single Vineyard
Sauvignon Blanc 2016 and the Single Vineyard Unwooded Chardonnay 2016 - both
showed the terroir they come from, fresh, warm and slightly tropical
Oat biscuits topped with smoked mackerel and cape
gooseberry gel. Sadly, there were bones in the mackerel
No one volunteered to play
Johan Fourie, General Manager, Doolhof Wine Estate
Winemaker Gielie Beukes told us that Terroir analysis is
happening in Wellington. They know what they can do well; there are small
pockets on each vineyard that produce different things, And there are different
aspects to each vineyard, so they know what can be used for which wine. The
Single vineyard range is extending the Sauvignon Blanc by one block, the
Chardonnay by 2. The vines are getting older, they have very little leaf roll; some
of the 25 year old vineyards will be replanted, but they are looking after what
they have. There is a renewal of farming practices and clean farming. There is
very little organic material naturally, so they are putting it in with mulching
and cover crops
An attentive audience
Angelo Casu, GM of Grand Dedale Country House on Doolhof, told us about their much
awarded 5 star accommodation and its guests. Bain’s House, adjacent to the
existing Manor House, is currently being refurbished and extended and next year
will have an extension with 4 suites, a boardroom and a sauna and larger Spa. The
restaurant is exclusively for staying guests
Time for lunch and to taste the other wines with
it. This was a spicy curried mussel velouté, with coconut, charred cucumber and
orange puree. It was served with the 2014 Single Vineyard Pinotage which has
nice fruit but was rather overwhelmed by the chilli in the soup
Then the 2015 Single Vineyard Malbec with tender
and moist Confit pork belly, served with two cracklings, one crisp and one
gooey, both excellent, heavy gnocchi, a bacon and cheese mousse (wanted more) and
compressed apple which was a nice fresh contrast. The Malbec was fruity and deep and went well with this course
The third course of very rare, just seared ostrich
on a date and coffee sauce was good, the pickled rose petals were strange and
the addition of watermelon konfyt was a huge mistake, it was much too sweet and
again overwhelmed the wine. Served with the 2015 Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc, which is savoury and delicate but a full depth of fruit
One thing we would ask of all restaurants: Please
train your waiters, when there is a formal wine tasting with lunch, NOT to clear
the other wine glasses. Leave them on the table till the dessert. We do like to
see which wines go better with the courses and sometimes the wines just need
time to open
Then dessert served with Theseus 2011, part of the
Doolhof Legends of the Labyrinth range, is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The wine is sweet
and sour with blackberry, black cherry and cassis and some chalky tannins so
built to last. The dessert was odd. We liked the dehydrated chocolate mousse,
tasting like a Horlicks malted milk chocolate and the red wine caramel sauce
with raisings played to the wine. But smoked chocolate was perhaps a bridge too
far. It was very smoky
Dash has a new Executive chef, Stellenbosch born
and bred Germaine Esau. He was a finalist in the Chefs who Share – Young Chef
Award in 2015 while still working as a junior Sous Chef at Majeka House in
Stellenbosch, which inspired him to create the new Dash menu which will be a
fusion of classical French dishes with a modern twist. The new menu will be
launched in November 2016. The press release from Newmark Hotels says: "Arguably
one of the most innovative chefs in the country, Germaine is described as a
visionary genius and someone who can create combinations and masterpieces that
other chefs would not attempt"
© John & Lynne
Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016
