Thursday, March 18, 2021

Franschhoek Visit - Colmant Sparkles

We began our days in Franschhoek with a visit to Colmant, one of Franschhoek’s best Cap Classique producers
Owner Jean-Philippe Colmant has won many awards for his sparkling wines
and has renowned winemaker Paul Gerber on board
and Pieter (Bubbles) Ferreira as a consultant, a winning combination

We haven’t been here for a few years and really love the way the avenue has grown
and shows off the wine cellar at the end

They had finished picking the grapes and were just getting them into the cellar when we arrived
The tasting room and its terrace on the side

The inside of the tasting room. We will always take the chance to sit outside in the time of Covid,
it seems so much safer than indoor. A warm welcome from Cara Viljoen and the farm dogs

Don’t you just love the bottle closure of a top hat!. The tasting glasses fit the bill and show off the Cap Classique to their best. We began with The Sec Reserve Non Vintage, which has a dosage of 23 g/l, so off dry. It is a wine that is apparently very popular with the young, who want sweeter wines. We have to confess it is not our favourite style, we prefer them as dry as they can be made like the Brut Zero, with no dosage at all. Bready with red berry fruit on the nose from the 52% Pinot Noir. A fine crisp mousse. Stewed apple from the 48% chardonnay and, beneath, strawberries and raspberries on the palate, some umami and we found the sweetness very acceptable, at the level of a fresh raspberry. A wine to serve with good rich paté and desserts

A great view of the Franschhoek mountains from the farm

They also have the agency to sell Tribaut French Champagne, of which we are quite fond

The Brut Plaisier is a drier blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It spends 12 months on the lees and has an R/s of 7 to 8 g/l
It’s easy going, "good with breakfast" said Cara
Shy nose, a good prickle on the palate, lots of red berry fruit and cooked apple on the end
From vineyards in Franschhoek, Robertson and Elgin

A hadeda on the edge of the vineyard. They are good at clearing out snails and slugs
We miss them from our garden at the moment, we think they are all out here working during harvest!
The Brut Reserve is their biggest production and is 52% Pinot Noir 48% Chardonnay
6-7 gm/l residual sugar and it spends 36 months on the lees, which shows with its good maturity
A crowd pleaser and our favourite too of the tasting. Brioche and gardenia perfume on the nose,
crisp and dry on the attractive palate, a lovely prickly mousse
Fresh apple, then cooked apple with residual citrus flavours on the end,
the Chardonnay shines, the Pinot supports in the background. Very enjoyable; hints of France here

The Blanc de Blanc (100% Chardonnay as always) has 4 g/l sugar
and spends 48 months on the lees with some wood contact
Buttery Brioche on the nose, apples in abundance, Granny Smiths,
crisp and dry with long flavours and a tiny hint of caramel

A very worthwhile tasting and definitely a place to visit when in Franschhoek

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