.: October 2020

Friday, October 30, 2020

This Week's MENU. Bouchon supper, Highlands Road, SA Gin, DC Winemaker of the Year, Winex 2020

A butterfly collecting nectar from a rosemary bush

A few more stories this week than we have had to tell for a while. In the time in which we have produced MENU, we have avoided regurgitating the many press releases we receive. This week, we are briefly breaking this practice. Covid prevents the organisations whose functions we attend from holding live functions, and most are presenting online. This week, we have received news of three important events which we feel we need to tell you about, so we have reproduced the press releases we have received. One of them gives you an opportunity to participate…

Restaurant Month tapas supper at Bouchon

Friends told us about the Restaurant Week special at Bouchon in Hout Street so we made a reservation for 7pm last Friday. It's a Tapas/wine bar place, very friendly and it has a wine cellar because Dorrance wines are made there. The special is three Tapas and a dessert for R250 pp. And we had such a great meal; we do recommend that you book and try the special before the end of the month. The prices seem very reasonable if you have to go after that; you can see their menu on line. Read on…

Highlands Road Taste Tubes

Highlands Road wine estate in Elgin has come up with an interesting new way to market their wine in the time of Covid. For R100 you can buy this box of 100ml samples of 8 of their wines. On line or on the farm. Read on…

The South African Craft Gin Awards 2020

The results of the South African Craft Gin Awards 2020, presented by Takealot, have been announced. Schweppes premium mixers is the associate sponsor for this year’s competition. Double Gold medals were awarded to 21 gins from an entry of 125 gins from all over South Africa. The awards competition is the only dedicated competition for craft gins in South Africa

The gins were tasted blind by a judging panel which included Kurt Schlechter, bar owner and spirit expert; Jean Buckham, owner of the Gin Club; Thierry Lubala, mixologist at Africa’s largest gin Bar in Asara Estate and Pam Koen, owner of Africa Infused, a beverage consulting and training company. Roger Jorgensen, ‘The Guru of South African Gin’, chaired the judging panel. Read on…

Finalists Announced for the 2020 Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year Awards

The finalists for the 40th Diners Club Winemaker and 20th Young Winemaker of the Year awards have been announced. Five winemakers have been shortlisted to compete for the prestigious Winemaker of the Year award, while five will vie for the Young Winemaker of the Year title. The 2020 Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year finalists are…. Read on…

RMB Winex 2020. A 21st birthday celebration with a difference – Wine In Your Own Time

RMB WineX 2020 was always going to be different. COVID-19 has made it impossible for us all to gather under one roof this year. However, simply because you cannot come to WineX, doesn’t mean that WineX cannot come to you – in your own home, with your own hand-picked group of friends and family

This year, South Africa’s premier wine show takes the form of an innovative online tasting showcase comprising 267 wines from 61 different wineries. An entirely different experience from the traditional show which attracts thousands of patrons to the Convention Centre, RMB WineX 2020 will still offer an opportunity to engage with SA’s most talented winemakers in the comfort of your own home, as well as the opportunity to shop for wine favourites in your own time. Read on…

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All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

The South African Craft Gin Awards 2020

The results of the South African Craft Gin Awards 2020, presented by Takealot, have been announced.

Schweppes premium mixers is the associate sponsor for this years competition

These are the two competition medal winning gins we were sent to taste. Hobbs is made by Hope Distillery in Woodstock and won a Gold; Darlington is from Charles Withington in Darling and was among the top Double Gold winners. We can't wait to taste both of them; they are in the London Gin style that Lynne loves

Double Gold medals were awarded to 21 gins out of an entry of 125 gins from all over South Africa

The awards competition is the only dedicated competition for craft gins in South Africa

The gins were tasted blind by a judging panel which included Kurt Schlechter, bar owner and spirit expert; Jean Buckham, owner of the Gin Club; Thierry Lubala, mixologist at Africa’s largest gin Bar in Asara Estate; and Pam Koen, owner of Africa Infused, a beverage consulting and training company

Roger Jorgensen, ‘The Guru of South African Gin’, chaired the judging panel. Roger commented, "I am delighted that, despite the pandemic, the SA Craft Gin industry is in rude health. We were impressed with the level of entries this year, especially from new gin brands. The judging panel concentrated on rewarding gins that delivered on taste and quality. We look forward to witnessing the continuing boom in craft gins in South Africa, as they can clearly hold their own against international competitors.”

A spokesperson for Takealot commented, “We’re delighted to be associated with the SA Craft Gin Awards as presenting sponsor and are happy to support the growing South African gin and craft distilling industry. We have witnessed its growth over the past few years and congratulate all the winners and wish them continued success in the future.”

The winning gins are for sale on Takealot

The Double Gold award-winning gins are:

48 Gin Premium
African Craft Naartjie
Amari Atlantic Ocean
Blomendahl Roxy Botanical Gin
Blomendahl Roxy Vine Blossom
Bossieveld The Inspiration
Caspyn West Coast Dry Gin
Darlington Gin
Deep South Spice Island
Giniper
Melodramatic The Phantom
NUY legacy limited edition
Pienaar Ugly Gin
Poetic Licence Fireside Spiced
Poetic Licence Northern Dry
Poetic Licence Old Tom
Rebel Dry Gin
Smiths Spice
Smiths Elderflower
Smiths South African Dry
Sugarbird Cape Fynbos

The Single Gold award-winning gins are:

48 Gin Ivory
48 Premium Pink
African Craft Elderflower
African Craft Honeybush
Amari Indian Ocean Gin
Benedict’s London Dry
Blackwood Spirits Cape Kelp
Blind Tiger
Blomendahl Roxy Spice
Cape Fynbos Citrus
Cape Fynbos Gin
Clemengold Gin
Copeland Gin Cape Peninsula
Deep South Cape Dry Gin
Die Mas Kalahari Gin
Distillery Road Gin
Flowstone Bushwillow
Hobbs Cape Dry
Hobbs Pink Pepper
Indlovu
Inverroche Verdant
L -Gin Plush
L-Gin Lush
Monks Fynbos & Sceletium
No Frills Gin
Pesky Hobbit
Primos Crisp Citron
Unit 43
Vuttomi Classic Gin
Vuttomi Moringa

Best of Category Winners

London and African Dry: Smiths South African Dry
Fynbos and Botanical: Giniper
Citrus and Fruit: Pienaar Ugly Gin
Spiced Gin: Poetic Licence Fireside Spiced

All the above information was kindly supplied by Spill brand communications

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Photograph © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

Highlands Road Taste Tubes

Highlands Road wine estate in Elgin has come up with an interesting new way to market their wine in the time of Covid

For R100 you can buy this box of 100ml samples of 8 of their wines. On line or on the farm

Perfect for doing an on line tasting with your mates or wine club or just tasting at home to find the ones you like so you can order the wine and have it delivered. Winemaker Vanessa Simkis is a very good winemaker

They sent us a box to try and we did the tasting together this week. one evening before supper

The wines were:

Highlands Road Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Richness and ripe fruits like granadilla, peach and pear with some cooked guava on the end. A wine of the Elgin valley, good with food

Their White Reserve 2017 is a barrel fermented in new oak, Sauvignon Blanc and has cooked apple, vanilla oak on the nose and is clean and zesty with crisp apple, lime and mandarin which wakes up the palate and lingers. Complex and layered

Sinacera 2016 A 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, it has vanilla sweetness, pine nuts and complex fruit on the nose. Silky from the Semillon, crisp apple acids, wood, and spice on another level, another food wine. Very good

Sinacera 2015 Perfumed with balsam and eucalyps, then apricot and peach. Richness as expected, with lime, apple, tropical pineapple, warmth, spice and a little chalky tannin. The oily richness stays on the palate

The 2017 Chardonnay has rich cooked apple on the nose, some cumin and other spice. Lovely on the palate, an exceptional Chardonnay. Apple and lime, rounded and delicious with a wood in the background supporting but not intruding. At its peak now and will also last. Another great food wine

The 1214 Pinot Noir has over rich, ripe prune plums and cherries with some earthiness. Good cherry fruit, soft grippy tannins, and a kick of morello cherry acid, long flavours, dark wood on the end. An Elgin Pinot

We had two samples of the same wine, the 2016 Syrah which has cooked berry fruit like summer pudding, and flinty minerality on the nose. Soft silky spicy, lovely layered fruit mulberry, cherry. some chalky tannin, finishes with pepper and powdered cinnamon and ginger. It went very well with our supper

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All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

Restaurant Month tapas supper at Bouchon

French graffiti on the wall near the entrance comes from the winery's owner:

Drink some wine, you will have friends

This sentence is a double entendre:

Le vin d'ici est meilleur que l'au-delà = Wine from here is better than death

Le vin d'ici est meilleur que à l'eau de là = Wine from here is better than water from there

The working wine cellar. All the Dorrance wines are on the wine list in the restaurant, plus some others. Prices are good

The restaurant as we arrived; we were followed by many other guests. The tables are spaced nicely apart

The good thing is the restaurant filled up to nearly full. It has a lovely vibe, and we were by far the oldest people there, a great young crowd

We were in the centre of things and could see the Pass

The restaurant menu. There are so many fantastic choices that we think we'll have to return to try others

Page Two. We did have a concern about the size of the dishes; our friends had assured us that we would be very satisfied

And we were. There are four dumplings to a serving and one Bao; Lynne asked

And the desserts looked good

The Dorrance Rosé was indeed a great choice as it is lighter than a red, but has some red notes when it needs to

and it did go with every dish we had. It has raspberry and rhubarb on the nose and palate

Minerality, some salt, fresh and zingy fruit, and warmth on the end. R179 a bottle. You can have wine by the glass as well

We chose two different dishes to start the meal that were perfect as entrées, and we shared them

This is the melting baked camembert, a local cheese we recognised and it was stuffed with bacon and gently fried onions

The other was the Pork Rillette, a very generous portion with the same accompaniments. The Rosé shone with this well made version of paté and reminded us of eating this in France. We are always surprised how rarely we find rillette on menus here, or in supermarkets, it is so normal in Europe to buy a tranche for enjoyment at home. R80. Accompanied by lots of sourdough bread and good pickles. R88

The restaurant also has a foreign wine list and these are some of the bottles on show. Some rather good wines there

Christophe Durand imports several French wines and other beverages

For our next course we decided to have what each of us wanted and not share. John loves mussels, Lynne not so much

and he really enjoyed this small but beautifully flavoured dish

Lynne chose the King prawns, which the menu said came with roasted lemon, and a sherry and garlic sauce. She was astounded at the size of the prawns, the biggest she has ever had in a restaurant. And the sauce was marvellous, very hot and spicy with chilli so more like a Peri Peri. You do have to get involved to remove the shells to get at the tender prawn meat and they do provide extra napkins and a finger bowl. The prawns are butterflied and perhaps would be nicer if not cut in half? When you go, do have these prawns, they are outstanding and the bread helps to mop up all of the buttery sauce afterwards. R95 and worth every cent

John's third tapas dish was Ocean trout on a bed of squid ink linguine with garlic & chilli, baby spinach, pea shoots and confit tomatoes. We were beginning to get rather full at this stage, so John didnt quite manage all the linguine. Lynne tasted it and it was very good pasta. In the past she has not enjoyed this pasta because of very strong flavours of the squid ink, but this was perfect. R85

Lynne's last dish was Panko crusted baby squid with saffron mayo and a roasted lemon. Sadly a bit of a disappointment and not quite what she was anticipating. The batter was heavy and claggy inside instead of fairy light and there was very little squid within. R82

Dessert time: We both had the really wicked Chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream. It has all sorts of different textures and dark chocolate flavours: biscuity, chewy, cookie dough, solid chocolate and a chocolate sauce. Hints of a chocolate liqueur? Very sweet and filling but really moreish. Do try it

The bill showing the restaurant special price. Many thanks to our lovely waitress Nikki. And the other service staff who looked after us so well

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All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

Finalists Announced for the 2020 Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year Awards

The 2020 Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year finalists are:

Winemaker of the Year category: Cap Classique

• Alexander Grier – Villiera Wines for his Tradition Brut (NV)

• Jasper Raats – Longridge Wine Estate for his Longridge Brut (NV)

• Johan Malan – Simonsig Wines for his 2015 Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut and 2010 Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut

• Matthew Krone – Matthew Krone Wines for his 2017 Alexandra de la Marque

• Stephan De Beer – Twee Jonge Gezellen Estate for his 2017 Krone Borealis Vintage Cuvée Brut

Back left to right: Alexander Grier (Villiera), Matthew Krone (Matthew Krone Wines) and Stephan de Beer (Twee Jonge Gezellen)
Front left to right: Johan Malan (Simonsig) and Jasper Raats (Longridge)

Young Winemaker of the Year category: Red Wines

• Eben Meiring – Boekenhoutskloof for his 2018 Patina Syrah

• Juandre Bruwer – Diemersdal for his 2019 Diemersdal Shiraz

• Karlin Nel – Vrede en Lust for her 2017 Vrede en Lust Artisan Cabernet Franc

• Natasha Williams – Bosman Family Vineyards for her 2018 Twyfeling Cinsaut

• Phillip Theron – Glen Carlou for his 2018 Glen Carlou Collection Tanat and 2019 Malbec

Back left to right: Phillip Theron (Glen Carlou), Eben Meiring (Boekenhoutskloof) and Juandre Bruwer (Diemersdal)

Front left to right: Karlin Nel (Vrede en Lust) and Natasha Williams (Bosman’s Family Vineyards)

The winners of both the Winemaker and the Young Winemaker of the Year awards will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner at La Residence Hotel in Franschhoek in November 2020. The winning winemaker receives R50 000 and the Young Winemaker R25 000.

Details and images kindly supplied by Posy & Jeremy Hazell

Public Relations and Wine Consultants

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Friday, October 23, 2020

This Week’s MENU. De Kelders weekend, Keermont tasting

As the sun sets over Walker Bay, it paints a yellow brick road in the water

Slowly, slowly, things appear to be returning to what we previously regarded as normal. We have spent a weekend away from home for the first time since Lock down started and we have enjoyed an actual, live wine tasting with real people. But we must still be careful; it appears that too many people, here and in other countries are beginning to behave as though the danger is passed and infection numbers are starting to climb again. Please be careful; we are lucky to enjoy minimal restrictions and we don’t want the world to close in around us again. Here are our stories for this week; we hop that you’ll like them

Early Summer escape to De Kelders

An invitation from friends to spend a long weekend at De Kelders could not be refused. We hadn't been away from our house since February and a change of scene is so beneficial. We recommend it if you are feeling housebound. The weather when we arrived on Friday was perfect. Read on…

Tasting Keermont Single Vineyard Series wines

Something from the past happened this week, another reminder of normality; we were invited to a tasting of Keermont wines at their Cape Town venue in upper Kloof Street. The farm is nestled high up in a naturally-formed amphitheatre between the Helderberg and Stellenbosch mountain ranges, with spectacular views. Definitely worth a visit. During lock down they have concentrated on their export business and are now back in the South African trade, working hard and succeeding. Read on…

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All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

Tasting Keermont Single Vineyard Series wines

Just six people from the trade attended, well spaced around the large table with winemaker/viticulturist Alex Starey

and Nicole Kilian who handles their marketing. We so appreciate the care that was taken

The Single Vineyard wines were what we were there to taste, but other bottles were open and we could also taste those

The line up of the first three wines. The 2018 Riverside Chenin Blanc, barrel fermented, is from very old vines planted in 1971 which give superb fruit but sadly the vines are diminishing with age. Richness on the nose with full golden fruit - ripe English gooseberry, melon & peach. There is some initial sweetness on the palate which has a honey texture but is crisp and elegant with lime, lemon and supporting wood. Long complex flavours and minerality on the end. They do not use new wood on the farm

The wines are very good indeed. The second wine was the North facing 2016 Steepside Syrah, which impressed us most. We have bought this before and now need to bring out some to taste. It is grown at 300m on the Helderberg. Black and red cherries, minerality, dark toast on the nose, then some raspberry and a hint of white pepper on the end. Soft and silky and beautiful on the palate, full of beautiful cherry and blueberry fruit, warmth from the 14.5 alcohol and dark oak on the end. A wine to buy and cherish but also enjoy now. The west facing 2016 Topside Syrah grown at 350m on the Stellenbosch mountains, shows how different terroire, so close to each other, can affect the wine. The two vineyards are on different facing slopes. Perfumed with hints of rhubarb and raspberry. On the palate soft, full of cherry fruit and a little grip from the wood tannins and some chalk minerality remains. Zingy acidity shows that this wine is built to last, it certainly gets the juices flowing and is a good wine with food

Cellar door prices

The full range of wines. The 2016 Pondockrug Cabernet Franc grown at 380 m has pine nuts and dark cherry and mulberry fruit, good refinement and perfumed by raspberry on the nose. Salty minerality, silky, a blockbuster on the palate with warmth, chalky tannins and lots of cherry and mulberry on the end

A view of the three topmost vineyards which reach 390 metres above sea level

Some of the grapes are grown on Stok by Paaltjie, which in France is called the Echalas method, also termed ‘staked vines’

These are the very old Chenin vines in the Riverside vineyard

Nicole Kilian pouring. We also tasted the Keermont Syrah which is savoury and spicy with almost salami umami notes, at first soft and fruity then the fruit and wood takes over. The Keermont Estate Reserve 2014 has pretty, perfumed dark fruit and follows through on the palate with dark wood and cherry fruit with dry tannins. And we finished with the very attractive Fleurfontein 2019 100% vine dried Sauvignon Blanc, honey sweet with spice and length on nose and palate. A good after dinner pleaser

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All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Early Summer escape to De Kelders

An invitation from friends to spend a long weekend at De Kelders could not be refused

We hadn't been away from our house since February and a change of scene is so beneficial

We recommend it if you are feeling housebound. The weather when we arrived on Friday was perfect

Happy to see us and enjoying life!

So we sat on the terrace and drank Gin and Tonics and chatted for hours

And then we had a light lunch of quiche and salad and began to relax

An indigenous wild pink pelargonium, also known as Malva, which was growing next to the deck

It seems to be the pink season for flowers now

Another flower John spotted while taking an exploratory photo walk. Lavateria orbea; Pink Cape Mallow

The house from the coastal path. We have stayed here before and know how comfortable it is, with marvellous sea views

We were given the bedroom upstairs with the balcony

The house belongs to our friend's daughter Debbie and was available that weekend

Statis or sea lavender (Limonium sinuatum) is a common everlasting that grows happily near the sea

Soft evening light looking across Walker Bay from De Kelders to the Kogelberg Mountains

As the sun sets over Walker Bay, it paints a yellow brick road in the water

and the sea turns to Opal

Fledgling swallows fresh from the nest early the next morning

John was up early and took this photo of the restio reeds in the soft dawn light

We then went into Gansbaai to the Saturday fresh produce market and were so impressed

They had good Covid procedures in practice too,

although some customers were not very good at social distancing and had to be reminded

Everything is local and Lynne bought some fresh farm eggs laid by hens that walk about in the open air

Two of those lightly boiled for Lynne's breakfast tomorrow, with soldiers; she loves really fresh eggs

And she could not resist buying a pot of mini purple petunias to give some colour to our deck at home

They had fantastic home grown vegetables, fruit, honey, eggs, even meat, thick creamy yoghurt and cheese and all local

In other words, a proper country market. And no eating there either. Someone thinks her chin needs protecting

Those fresh farm eggs, packed in different sizes. From the farm of the woman who runs the market

And no, that is a not a giant slice of biltong, just a wooden board.

Sparrows nesting in the gutter of a building next to the market

Then we took our friends to Springfontein Wine estate in Stanford for a mini wine tasting

You do the tasting in the Ulumbaza (which means “House of Joy”) wine bar.

The winemaker and farm manager, Tariro Masayiti, makes very good wines indeed,

including a complex blend of white Pinotage with Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Chardonnay

and a very, very good Chenin Blanc

The range of Springfontein wines we could taste from. We decided on two: the White Springfontein Ulumbaza 2017 which is an unusual blend of white Pinotage, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon with intense fruit flavours; the Semillon shows first, then the Pinotage. There is Chardonnay richness on the nose and the same richness is there on the end. We also tasted the Terroire Selection Chenin Blanc; an almost musty nose, with richness and wood notes. Cooked apple and peach on the nose and palate, beautiful and silky on the complex palate followed by lively fruit acids, lime and pepperiness. Excellent

We were very well looked after by Zintle Makheta, who runs the tasting room and told us all about the wines

She is very welcoming and very knowledgeable. They do have a simple menu there, should you want to eat

The main restaurant will open when the German owners are able to return from Europe

The Peacock and the Lavender

A peacock sitting outside a farm cottage with lavender bushes

He loved posing for photographs and seemed very tame, coming right up to John

But we could not get him to raise his tail to show it off in all its magnificence

Peacock Blue - The beautiful blue head of the peacock (Pavo cristatus)

The eyes behind his head - The "eyes" in a peacock's tail feathers

Longtail - the blue Indian peacock and his tail, in profile

And a quick rummage in the Junk Shop in Stanford

and the new one next door which is very fashionable, even though it's called Tat!

Stanford is a very pretty village

With some great old houses

Back for another lunch on the deck

Watching for whales which never appeared and watching the fisherman on the rocks

Reading or napping after lunch

Hermanus on the other side of Walker Bay, through the haze

And, sadly, clouds appearing at sunset. We did have rain in the night

We braaied some sausage - excellent pork boerewors from Spar in Gansbaai

Lolly made a sauté of vegetables and Lynne made a classic Caesar salad

Suddenly a huge flock of cormorants appeared from the south, as if they were moving away from a coming storm

And they covered the rocks in front like a huge black sheet, we have rarely seen so many roosting at once

They packed tightly together, so tightly that some had to raft out at sea

Backward look - A cormorant watches for anything coming from behind

These are the Cape Cormorants, Phalacrocorax capensis

which look very similar to the Northern American Double Crested but are, apparently, not related

Amazing to see how those webbed feet made for water balance so well on rocks

Cormorant Invasion - Part of the huge flock of cormorants which arrived at De Kelders

Not a very elegant landing, but efficient

So graceful in flight

Our final lunch was whatever we needed to eat up in the fridge

and resulted in some interesting open and closed sandwiches

And then it was time to pack up, tidy up and head home to the cats

The remains of some of the of excellent wines we enjoyed over the three days, and some beer

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