We love this annual celebration of Champagne as it is a real opportunity
to taste the top Marques of French champagne and not pay a fortune for a tiny
taster. This year there were also Cavas and Proseccos and a Lambrusco
or two as well. It is the 16th year this event has been held at the Vineyard
Hotel in Newlands
The girls who organise: Karen
Glanfield Pawley and Renette Muir from Wine Concepts manned the front desk and dealt with
the tickets, glasses and wine orders - all the bubblies for tasting could be
ordered and were at a discount for the evening
There is always a good jazz band
playing. And Porsche has come on board as a sponsor this year and showcased a
couple of their 911 sports cars at the event
Sue Proudfoot of Wine Concepts in
Kloof Street enjoying a tasting of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, it is nice and
dry, very much to our taste
Tarryn Vincent of Reciprocal Wine
Trading Co had some interesting bubblies for tasting. This Champagne was made
by Gratiot et Cie from 15% Chardonnay and 85% Pinot Meunier from Charly-sur-Marne,
in the Aisne Department in France called Almanach No.1
Terrance van der Walt of Siris
Vintners had the Valdo range of Proseccos from Italy. The one with the very
pretty floral bottle is made for Milan Fashion Week.
Sarah Revell and Dax Bailey of Vinimark were showing
the Nicolas Feuillatte Champagnes from Epernay
Tracy James-Elphick of Vinimark, seen here
talking to Neil Proudfoot of Wine Concepts in Kloof Street, had one of our favourites of the
evening, the Bollinger. "Definitely the Special Cuvée Dahling... definitely
good Bolly."
Journalist Fiona MacDonald was having
fun
Nice to see Allan Mullins, CWM with
his wife Therèse and his carer Richard. Allan did his Cape Wine Master thesis on
Champagne and really knows his stuff
Michael Bampfield Duggan, owner of Wine
Concepts in Newlands, doing the lucky draw for the evening. There were some
very good prizes
CocoAfair had lots of their
chocolates for sale and some generous tasting portions
The theme this year was International
Relations and people did dress accordingly. Here is the ever glamorous Tshepang
Molisana dressed for the occasion in her French beret
The Australians were there too,
showing their rather commercial bubblies from Hardys and Nottage Hill
On the Drappier stand, there was the
Brut of the evening for Lynne, the Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2013 from the English
Gusbourne Estate in Appledore, Kent, which dates back to 1410. Andrew Weber
took over the estate in 2004 "with the goal of making English sparkling
wines that would stand up alongside the very finest offering from across the
globe". If this is the future of the British bubbly, we are very excited.
Made from 55% Pinot Noir, 27% Pinot Meunier, 18% Chardonnay, it is crisp, lean
and dry, with a warm brioche nose and lots of class.
Many people were flocking to the
stand to try it
GM of the Vineyard hotel Roy Davis
with two of our favourite sommeliers, Mercy Mwai from Nobu at the One and Only
hotel and Greg Mutambe of the Twelve Apostles hotel. Greg is Zimbabwean and has
probably been celebrating this week with some good Champagne.
Trying some Mumm Brut, which has a
lovely prickle and some nice leesy age notes
Allan Mullins trying the Gusbourne
with Maryna Calow of WOSA
Maryna and Tshepang. Two happy
girls enjoying their Champagne. It was a great evening
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2017
No comments:
Post a Comment