Tasting and lunch at Oak Valley

As we were in the area recently, we took up an invitation to taste the wines at Oak Valley
We tasted the wines with lunch in the renamed Melting Pot restaurant,
which is a wonderful venue for outside and inside meals and tastings

They have a new chef, John van Zyl, who worked with the very successful Chef Liam Tomlin as head chef at Thali. His style of cooking and offering is summed up here: "The Melting Pot is a flavour packed, global food experience, serving contemporary small plates made for sharing. John’s cooking style is heavily influenced by his travels abroad, giving you a culinary trip around the world in one sitting. The menu is small and vibrant, comprising up to ten dishes that change every two weeks or so, with options for everyone. Be bold and order ‘one of everything’ for the full experience". And, indeed, we were to be delighted with what we ate

We arrived at one and were warmly welcomed by the owners, Anthony and Maddy Rawbone-Viljoen,
who were having lunch with friends, and the winemaker Jacques du Plessis

It’s an open kitchen, so you can see the chefs at work
 Good to see that they have a small childrens' menu

We were to have the tasting with Jacques of the exciting Tabula Rasa range of wines
The Pinot Noirs have just caused a sensation in the wine world
Top Platter Pinot Noir of the year was the Oak Valley Tabula Rasa 2018 (South Ridge PN 777)
and all four of Oak Valley's Tabula Rasa specific clone Pinots received Five Stars in Platter
No farm has ever done this before

Christopher Rawbone-Viljoen receiving the Platter Award

We can only imagine how surprised and delighted the Platter Guide judges must have felt as they tasted through these excellent wines. They are all so different, because of their different terroirs, but the quality and good winemaking shines through. Tabula Rasa (Latin) means Clean Slate and that is the where the terroir speaks. Only the two best barrels of each vineyard clone of Tabula Rasa will be bottled each year

Clone 114 has the classic Elgin fig leaf Pinot noir nose with raspberry fruit. On the palate, there is good wood integration, sweet fruit with lots of class. Grown on a block planted in 2004, it adds the crunchy component, says Jacques

Clone 115 is the most commonly grown Pinot clone in South Africa, as it gives good safe Pinot characters. It is more masculine on the nose, with some perfume. Meaty and full on the palate with different characteristics - soft and fruity on the front palate, with nice racy acidity on the back palate

Clone 667 has marzipan and cherry on the attractive red berry nose. Silky soft on the palate, with grippy tannins, it has quality and reminds one of Cabernet Franc in some way

Clone 777 was Platter's Pinot Noir of the year. Cigar box and herbs, Jacques description was, “It is like rolling on green grass!” Cranberry and mulberry fruit on the palate with racy fruit acidity on the back palate and a finish of licorice wood and good minerality

Wow, what great blending components these all offer

Winemaker/Viticulturist Jacques du Plessis told us that Oak Valley has decided that they are only going to plant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from now on; they have been so successful for them. They certainly have the right terroir for both these varietals

The wine that took it all. The Oak Valley Groenlandberg 2020 Pinot Noir is the sum of all the parts
It is a blend of all the Tabula Rasa Pinot Noir Clones, grown in different vineyard terroirs
It has very gentle incense wood, herbal notes, then raspberry & cranberry aromas
Sweet cranberry, then raspberry fruit on the young and fresh palate, then wood and fig leaf herbaceousness

Our Pinot Noir tasting glasses

With lunch, we were to taste two Chardonnays. The first was the 5 star Platter Groenlandberg 2020 Chardonnay,
with fennel on the nose, summery flavours with crisp lemon and lime on the end, and a hint of wood on the end

Then the Tabula Rasa 2017 Chardonnay, clone CY95, from a single vineyard
Shy at first then aromatic with classic Chardonnay aromas
On the palate, lean and crisp lemon lime with good, lightly toasted oak support

We also tasted the Tabula Rasa Chardonnay, Clone CY548,
which is full of buttery brioche on the nose, lots of blonde oak, lime and ripe stone fruit

Tasting Room manager Carissa Moutsoyannis and Chef John van Zyl

Afrika Chimombe was our pleasant and attentive waiter

Carissa has a beautiful smile

The menu. We made some choices with assistance from Afrika
probably a little more than we needed, but the food was superb

The mezze platter is such good value: Humus sprinkled with Dukkah, rich, soft and sharp aubergine,
Goats cheese balls, Tibbouleh salad, fat olives and warm pita bread 

Beautiful beetroot stained salmon gravadlax with cucumber, fennel leaves and yoghurt

Pulled, smoked, spicy with chilli, pork, a bit palate busting, but worth it

Perfectly cooked and moist chicken breast on fragrant Jasmine rice in a delicate stock
it comes with rice wine vinegar and spring onions, a fruity spicy chilli and tamarind dipping sauce
and a salad of pickled vegetables

The dish of the day for us, as we love something we have not had before, and this was innovative and, for us, the best new invention yet. Wow. Squid sliders. Soft, almost brioche, buns with sesame topping, crisp, spicy, battered and deep fried squid with chilli mayonnaise

The contents spilling out. It so works

Special thanks to Jacques and chef John, and all in the kitchen, restaurant and the tasting room
The tasting did take a while and they stayed overtime for us,
for which we are extremely grateful for their time and their attention to detail
Definitely the place to go for great wine and lunch this summer and the rest of the year

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