Thursday, August 23, 2018

MENU’s Wine of the Week. De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2018


We tasted this wine at the launch last week and it so impressed us. It is the top seller of the six De Wetshof Chardonnays and is unwooded. Limes and lemon blossom perfume on the friendly nose with some brioche, butter and marmalade hints from the lees


A good prickle on the tongue; the wine is fruity and rounded with citrus, apple, white peach and a little tropical hint, followed by some nice soft chalky tannins and minerality. It pairs with all sorts of food really well, from soups to fish to meat and goes especially well with rich sauces
Posted by MENU at 11:41 pm 0 comments

On the MENU this week Sopa de Garbanzos (Moorish Chickpea and Spinach Soup)


Given the cold and thankfully wet winter we are enjoying, Lynne took a risk and planted a pot full of spinach. No, not chard, real spinach. It was needing a first harvest of rain-drenched leaves, so she went searching for a suitable recipe. The weather has been SO cold for Cape Town and soup is again on the menu. This is from the Casa Moro cookbook, a favourite in our household, by Sam and Sam Clark in London
400 g home cooked chickpeas (see below) or 2 x 400g cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained – 1 pinch of bicarbonate of soda - 150 ml extra virgin olive oil – 300g fresh spinach, washed and well drained – 75g white bread, crust removed, cut into 2 cm cubes – 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced – ¾ of a teaspoon cumin seeds – 2 heaped tablespoons of fresh, roughly chopped oregano – 1 small dried chilli, crumbled – 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar – 700-800 ml water or chickpea liquor, or a mixture of the two – 60 threads of saffron, infused in 4 Tablespoons of boiling water – ½ teaspoon of sweet Spanish paprika – sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
If using dried chickpeas, place them in a bowl with plenty of cold water and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda and leave to soak overnight. Drain in a colander, rinse well, then place in a saucepan with half an onion or 1 head of garlic. Cover with 2 litres of cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, skimming off any scum, for 1 to 2 hours or until soft and tender. (Lynne: it’s so much easier to open two tins!)
Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add 1.5 Tablespoons of oil. When hot, add the spinach with a pinch of salt and stir well. Remove when the leaves have wilted and are just tender. Cool then chop quite finely and set aside
Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the bread cubes until golden brown all over, then add the garlic and cumin seeds. When the garlic begins to colour, add the oregano and chilli, and continue cooking until the garlic is brown. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or food processor with the vinegar and mash to a paste. Now put the bread paste into the saucepan, add the drained chickpeas, water, saffron infusion and paprika and simmer for 10 minutes. Whizz the chickpeas until almost smooth (we prefer a little bit of texture to the soup). Return to the pan if necessary and season with salt and pepper. If the consistency is too thick (a bit thicker than double cream is right) add some more water. Stir in the spinach until it too is hot. Check seasoning and serve
Posted by MENU at 11:23 pm 0 comments

Bottling The Vineyard Hotel's 2018 Sauvignon blanc at Klein Constantia

The Vineyard Hotel in Newlands has a small vineyard which produces Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes. They are vinified each year by one of the partner wineries and this year it was the turn of wine maker Mathew Day at Klein Constantia.  On Friday we were invited to help with the bottling of the new wines from the 2018 vintage at the farm

We gathered in the tasting room
 Matthew Day of Klein COnstantia and Ndaba Dube the Vineyard Hotel's F & B Manager
They welcomed us with a glass of the Klein Constantia 2014 MCC
A quick look at the Vinoteque as we headed for the cellar. Some lovely historic wines there, we are very covetous
Marize Uys and Joaquim Sá of Amorim Cork
 Klaus Schilling, photographer Gavin and Lynne chatting to Matt
Hey, they even bottle their own water!
Lose this one and move the other up The wine has to be decanted into the bottling machine. There was not enough this year to put in a barrel.
The pour
Move up
Joakin Sa of Amorin Cork and KC;s  marketing ?? just checking that the machine work
Pour carefully, we dont want to lose a drop
Matt with ROy Davis Managing Director ???title??? of the Vineyard Hotel
Roy Davis telling us about the harvest this year
We all get to take two bottles to the maching and get it filled
Lex ???Petousis owner of the Vineyard Hotel gets to go first
This is how you do it
Ndaba Dube with his two bottles
THe tasting room with the wine cellar on view behind the glass windows
Alan Wickstrom gave us a taste of the excellent 2015 Klein Constantia Estate Red before everyone left for lunch at the Vineyard Hotel. There, they would be tasting some previous vintages. Sadly we had a previously accepted media appointment so had to miss it
Posted by MENU at 11:12 pm 0 comments

The Top Ten Pinotage Awards lunch at Cavalli, Stellenbosch

The Top 10 Pinotage Awards lunch was held last week at Cavalli Estate in the Helderberg ward of Stellenbosch. The panel of judges for the 2018 competition consisted of Neil Ellis of Neil Ellis Wines (chairman), Samarie Smith, Benguela Cove’s Brand and Business Manager, winemaker Francois Haasbroek, wine educator Nomonde Kubheka and Francois Rautenbach, wine buyer for Singita. First. we met in the tent to taste the top 20 finalists

Winemakers Warren Ellis and Francois Haasbroek discussing serious matters
Deidre Taylor and Heidi Kritzinger of Kanonkop Wine Estate
Danie Steytler Jr, Kaapzicht winemaker, discussing his wines with Bennie Howard CWM
Danie and Karen Steytler
Winemaker Izelle van Blerk and Wim Truter of KWV 
A good opportunity to meet friends and talk in the tent while tasting the Top 20 wines in the adjoining marquee
Judge Samarie Smith discusses his wines with Môreson winemaker Clayton Reabow. He had two in the Top 20
Tiger Dorrington and Pierre Wahl of Rijk's in Tulbagh
A welcoming glass of Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut Rosé which contains Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Pinotage
The large functions room at Cavalli with tables laid out in rows for lunch
The menu
The Top 20 Finalists  A record number of 161 entries was received for the Absa Top 10 competition and nearly half of the 20 finalists are from vineyards from the Stellenbosch area, including the iconic Beyerskloof, Kaapzicht, Kanonkop and Lanzerac. The other finalists originate from Breedekloof, Piekenierskloof, Durbanville, Cape Town, Paarl, Darling and Worcester. Four of the finalists had two wines in the running, namely Diemersdal, Kaapzicht, Môreson and Kanonkop
Richard van Wyk of NG Moederkerk in Stellenbosch said Grace at the start of lunch
Beyers Truter, chairman and founder of the Pinotage Association, highlighted that Pinotage’s quality is on the upsurge and that the market for wines made from this cultivar continues to grow. “Looking at the quality of wine from the 20 finalists this year, our winemakers are undoubtedly on the right course to grow Pinotage’s popularity.  Not only are they embracing the grape’s unique characteristics and learning how to best treat it in the vineyard and in the cellar, but they are also determined to continue improving its quality and educating South African consumers and the rest of the world about the superb wine it produces”
Beyers said that winemakers are now in sync with their terroir and that this is one of the most important ingredients of the success recipe

The panel of judges for the 2018 competition consisted of Neil Ellis of Neil Ellis Wines (chairman), Samarie Smith (Benguela Cove’s Brand and Business Manager), winemaker Francois Haasbroek, wine educator Nomonde Kubheka and Francois Rautenbach, wine buyer for Singita.The Pinotage Associaton was started in November 1995. They do not nominate one winner but award honours to the wines adjudged to be the best 10 entries. There are many different terroirs and variations of this mutable grape

Harvey Ruitenbach, Head of sponsor ABSA Retail Banking announced the winners
The 2018 Absa Top 10 Pinotage winners:
 Allée Bleue Black Series Old Vine Pinotage 2016
WO Piekenierskloof (Franschhoek cellar), Winemaker Van Zyl du Toit

Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2015
WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Anri Truter

Diemersdal Pinotage Reserve 2017
WO Durbanville, Winemaker Thys Louw

Fairview Primo Pinotage 2016
WO Paarl, Winemaker Anthony de Jager

Flagstone Writer’s Block Pinotage 2016
WO Breedekloof (Somerset West cellar), Winemaker Gerhard Swart

Kaapzicht Steytler Pinotage 2015
WO Bottelary-Stellenbosch, Winemaker Danie Steytler

Kanonkop Pinotage 2013
WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar

Lyngrove Platinum Pinotage 2016
WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Danie van Tonder

Môreson The Widow Maker Pinotage 2015
WO Stellenbosch (Franschhoek cellar), Winemaker Clayton Reabow

Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage 2014
WO Tulbagh, Winemaker Pierre Wahl

The Cape Blend winners will be announced at an award function on 30 August 2018 at Lanzerac Wine Estate in Stellenbosch

Lanzerac winemaker Wynand Grobler with Beyers Truter
Michael Bampfield Duggan of Wine Concepts
A happy group of winemakers including De Wet Viljoen (Neethlingshof), Beyers Truter (Beyerskloof), Abrie Beeslaar (Kanonkop), Danie Steytler (Kaapzicht) and Warren Ellis (Neil Ellis)
Lunch was served between the awards. The starter of rather tough singed duck breast with a too sweet thick tinned mango purée, burnt sweetcorn (their description), coconut cream and tarragon herb oil that rather clashed with the other flavours
Abrie Beeslaar, Kanonkop winemaker, listens to the speeches
A pensive Alan Winde, Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities
Bennie Howard pours a glass of Meerendal Pinotage for Tsogo Sun's Western Cape Regional Sommelier Giorgio Meletiou
The disappointing main course promised a lot but didn't deliver it all. Good beef fillet, good tender rib of beef. A dried out triangle of seared polenta that had the texture of loofah. We were promised it all on a bed of bobotie, but we were served a rather raw tomato paste sauce. Good broccoli spears... and a pea shoot
A very good selection of excellent local cheeses, chutneys, fruit and biscuits was served in the marquee after the awards. There were many of these boards set out on tables.
You could also taste the Vintage class winners which were all, without exception, worth their weight in gold.  If you have any in your cellar, now is the time to enjoy them.
The Museum Class Trophy winners
Kanonkop Pinotage 2006
WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar

Neethlingshof Lord Neethling Pinotage 2003
WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker De Wet Viljoen

Rijk’s Private Cellar Pinotage 2008
WO Tulbagh, Winemaker Pierre Wahl

Runners-up
Grangehurst Pinotage 2008
WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Jeremy Walker

Neil Ellis Vineyard Selection Pinotage 2008
WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Warren Ellis
Posted by MENU at 10:53 pm 0 comments

New vintage of De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay launched at Upper Bloem Restaurant, Green Point

An invitation from De Wetshof to the launch of this year's Limestone Hill Chardonnay. The launch was held at the recently opened Upper Bloem restaurant which, rather confusingly, is nowhere near Upper Bloem Road in Bo Kaap, but is on Main Road in Green Point, near the Stadium. This is a new venture for Chef Henry Vigar and his wife Mari, who have been very successful with their restaurant, La Mouette in Sea Point, where they played a great part in re-establishing Sea Point as a place to eat

We arrived just as everyone was entering the restaurant after tasting the wine on the terrace in front
The 2018 De Wetshof Limestone Hill.  It is the top seller of the six De Wetshof Chardonnays and is unwooded.. Limes and lemon blossom perfume on the friendly nose with some brioche, butter and jam hints from the lees. A good prickle on the tongue; the wine is fruity and rounded with citrus, apple, white peach and a little tropical hint, followed by some nice soft chalky tannins and minerality. It is MENU's wine of the week. R95 on the farm
Saying hello to Johan de Wet as he joined our table
PRO Emile Joubert gets the ball rolling as he introduces Johan 
Chef Henry Vigar and his wife Mari, who is in charge of the front of house. They want to showcase Cape food, and the nostalgia of it. It will be happy food, from the terroir of the Cape
Johan de Wet, CEO of De Wetshof wines. He told us that they learned a lot about the vintage and the vineyards this year. In the drought, they found that they can put more stress on the vines. It is a winemaker's vintage, with very healthy grapes. They thought that the wine would not be good, then suddenly, two months ago, the wine turned around, showing minerality, fruit and friendliness
Chef André Hill, who will run the restaurant for Chef Henry under his supervision
The menu. The food is served tapas style; all plates are for two people sharing
The bread plate: Rotis with fishy seaweed butter and very smooth smoked snoek paté with seeded samosa crisps and a teriyaki glaze
A signature starter of Chef Henry Vigar's is different flavoured croquettes or bitterballen. These are Boerenkaas, crisp on the outside, meltingly warm cheese inside, topped with shaved radish and an apple purée, with the teriyaki glaze
Onion shells filled with a Cape Malay pickled aubergine and caramelised onion chutney, topped with pomegranate aruls. Lots of spice and heat in an onion shell!
Chef plating up in on the pass
Happy Chef!
Working with the Beef Carpaccio
Pink and tender naked beef - au naturel
Roasted, caramelised sweet butternut with fennel, shaved coconut, a roasted seed mix and herbs. So well cooked, must copy for future dinner parties
The carpaccio of tender beef, fully dressed with very creamy roasted beef, agar agar mayonnaise, pickled baby mushrooms, nasturtium leaves and grated cheese. The beef had been briefly marinaded
Oh boy! An all time favourite when they are cooked like this. Triple cooked duck fat potatoes with Muizenberg sour figs, curry sauce, burnt Swiss chard and a bhadji crumb
Lamb neck biryani with toasted pistachio nuts and grains, pomegranate and dried herbs. Not pretty to look at, but a joy to eat. Tender lamb and flavourful rice. Might look better in a bowl
The dessert plate for two: Classic Koesuster donuts coated in coconut with a coffee cream, baby toffee apples, almond and pistachio nut clusters, topped with chocolate - a lovely mouthful and  frozen naartjie (clementine) curd with curry leaf. And a coffee for John
Johan de Wet and Mari Vigar
and for the birthday boy, Peter de Wet, some cup cakes
Winemaker Peter looking a bit overwhelmed
A lovely refreshing wine, a great lunch, a place to visit again soon. We can encourage you to try it
Posted by MENU at 9:28 pm 0 comments
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