.: Elgin Winter Festival Wine Fair at the Elgin Railway Market

Thursday, August 15, 2019

We were off to the Elgin Railway Market last Friday night to celebrate Winter, Wine and Words
with the Elgin Valley and Elgin Grabouw Tourism

We are only sorry that we could not stay longer to enjoy the rest of the weekend, but work called

We got there at 6 just as things were beginning

Nicky and Paul Wallace had very kindly agreed to put us up for the night on their farm, Wallovale

and we were able to taste all their wines plus something new that they have produced

Bobby, Nicky and Mark Wallace

Both sons are winemakers, Bobby at Iona and Mark at Oneiric

Inga Malan of Thelema Sutherland. When Lynne tasted their Pinot Noir, it set her off to taste all of the Pinots on the evening

And how well does Elgin do Pinot Noir!

The evening soon filled up with visitors keen to taste and interact with the wine farms

Two beauties on the Oak Valley table

IDUN is a new wine from Elgin, made from bought in grapes

Owner Michael White and award winning winemaker Vanessa Simkiss on the Highlands Road stand.

We rather like this lively Belle Ami rosé from Elgin Vintners. Great packaging too and a name that will get lots of sales

Iona's Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and impressive and their Chardonnay is always one of our favourites

Natalie Opstaele of Almenkerk and Songvej Cluver

Dr Paul Cluver, Natalie Opstaele, Songvej Cluver, Liesel Cluver-Rust and Linda Potgieter

A new wine from the Wallaces, Off the Record, their first Elgin Chenin Blanc

Some of the food stalls had stayed open for the evening. You could order Pizza

or German food like Eisbein, Schnitzel or Currywurst and waffles for dessert

This is Lynne's Eisbein on a huge roll. She was only able to eat half, the other half was lunch the next day! Good crisp crackling

John ordered a Flying Scotsman burger and chips from the Station Grill

Also very large and it came with good crisp chips which we shared

Francois-Jacques Malan of Simonsig visiting Ewen Wilson of Lothian

Someone is rather tired out!

The successful wine festival closed at 9 and we went back to Wallovale for a lovely rest in one of their cottages