We have many friends in the wine industry and, when we go on holiday in a wine producing area, we often get invitations to visit them. Groote Post is about half an hour from our holiday venue at Yzerfontein and we were invited to visit for a wine tasting with the winemaker Lukas Wentzel, followed by lunch at Hilda's restaurant. It was a very valuable visit; we tasted some very good wines and lunch was delicious
They have game on the farm and, as we were arriving, Lynne spotted what looked like some donkeys in the far distance. John's binoculars and then his long lens confirmed that they were Quaggas; we have not seen such evolved beasts before. So few stripes. There is a national programme of breeding Plains Zebras who carry the gene, to bring them back. They were mostly shot out in the 19th century. You can book to go on one of their Game drives. And bird life is abundant; they have a bird hide on the Klawervlei dam
A warm welcome from Peter Pentz in the tasting room; he was expecting us. His grandfather, Peter senior (the Old Man – referenced in some of the wine labels and on a dish in the restaurant), also appeared briefly to say hello
The tasting room is looking very good since they have renovated it. Love the photograph of the vines on the wall
We went straight up to Hilda's Kitchen restaurant for our tasting. It is in the Groote Post Homestead which was built in 1808 and, for a while, was Cape Colony Governor Lord Charles Somerset's only genuine “shooting box”
Lukas showing us some eggs from Matilda, his pet chicken. And he generously sent us 'home' with some
This popular restaurant on the farm is run by Debbie, the Chef, and Shaun McLaughlin. The interior is filled with lovely old furniture and you get a feel for what the house must have felt like when the Duckitt family lived here in the 19th century. It was the home of well known author, Hildagonda Duckitt (1839-1905), who also produced a much loved cookbook. The restaurant is named after her
It was such a beautiful day that we opted to taste the wines and enjoy lunch in the sheltered courtyard
Shaun explaining the excellent menu and the specials
The menu
Lukas had a treat for us. The three vintages of SeaSalter Sauvignon Blanc, a wine we love and have bought all three vintages as they arrived. But such a treat to taste a line up of vintages. This wine is a good example of cool coastal Sauvignon Blanc, grown high up on the Groote Post hills in sight of the sea and seems to have picked up some of those sea salt flavours and minerality from the soil and the cooling sea breezes. It generally has some Semillon added, which brings fullness and complexity to this crisp classic. It is a superb food wine. The original 2018 had 10% Semillon and is full flavoured with Semillon showing first then the Sauvignon Blanc takes over. Aging well. The 2019 shows more Sauvignon Blanc first, with green pepper, elderflower, granadilla, then the Semillon dustiness appears. Crisp, full, so typical of Sauvignon with green flavours and lovely minerality and salt on the end. Showing so well, we loved it. The 2020 has a hint of smoky bacon, than green notes and is enticing. Big green flavours with figs, capsicum, and the fullness and greyness from the Semillon. It is a step up in quality, more sophisticated; it still has the steely minerality, but not as much salt. Lukas says he has been working hard on refining the blend
Next, we tasted two vintages of the Salt of the Earth. The 2018 is a blend of 67% Shiraz and 33% Cinsault. You can smell the Cinsault on the spicy nose and it is soft and silky with savoury umami notes on the very juicy red/black fruit palate, with good minerality on the end. The 2015 was the first vintage, Earthy on the nose, full of lovely fruit and incense wood and Groote Post’s classic minerality. It is still there, soft sweet fruit with a good kick from the fruit acids and some soft chalky tannins that will take it further
Then the Groote Post Merlot 2019. Spicy rich fruit, mulberry and cherry, soft incense wood, soft sweet berry fruit a good kick of supporting fruit acid and warm (14.5% alcohol ending with soft tannins). Delicious. The Darling soil adds the spice, Lukas says, and there is some salty licorice wood and minerality on the end. The 2017 Merlot has incense wood, subtle dark cherry fruit; it is very sophisticated on the nose. Soft with sweet cherries on the palate and again good supporting acid, wood and alcohol. A lasting wine, good with food
They now have two Cap Classiques, the original Brut Rosé, made from 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir. It has toasted brioche on the nose and a fine sherbety mousse with strawberry and raspberry candyfloss flavours. The new kid on the block is the Brut made from 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir. Notes of dried pears and fresh pears on the nose, very clean on the palate with a good prickle. Cooked apple and pears first, with green apple on the end. with long flavours
Time for our starters, John went for the Springbok carpaccio; perfect with the Salt of the Earth Shiraz blend
Lynne loves the Camembert and tomato tart with basil. The pastry is superb, buttery and crumbly
The camembert is really creamy and the baby tomatoes are packed full of flavour
Lukas could not join us for lunch; Peter did and we had a lovely time trying all the opened wines with the different dishes
If there is lamb on a menu, Lynne will order it. This was very tender slices of roast lamb in a rich tomato sauce,
with boiled potatoes and courgettes and carrots
The Merlot went perfectly with John's favourite dish at Hilda's, the Old Man’s Steak Sandwich,
which comes with huge chips and garlic aioli
The wine list
The lads managed dessert, Lynne abstained
The white chocolate cheesecake served with vanilla ice cream, fruit and cream is a great favourite
and on our way out, a pair of Blue Cranes
soon joined by others
We took the road through Darling; it gives you fine views, over the wheat fields, of the Groote Post vineyards on the hills
Groote Post is a large mixed farm with beef, wheat and a large area reserved for wild game
A really wonderful visit. Thank you all at Groote Post and PR Posy Hazell for organising it
All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus
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