Sunday morning and, after a huge breakfast at our accommodation in Gordon’s Bay,
it was time to head for Elgin for our second day at the Elgin Cool Wines Festival
It is harvest time in the valley for the apples and pears that they grow so successfully, as well as the grapes
Pink Lady apples ripening on the tree
The view from the entrance at Almenkerk vineyards, our first stop of the day,
looks far over this fruitful valley towards the sea, which is just behind the long hill
and you can look over the vines and orchards in this hilly area
More lovely autumnal colours
Looking towards the mountains, you can see more of the mixed hill farming,
some sheep grazing and a charming farm house
Almenkerk winery is a lovely modern building, designed by Derick Henstra, set well back into the hill behind it
The lawn in front was to be used for the Barrel Rolling competition
Looking down towards the dam below a new vineyard and an orchard
An unusual flowering plant that looked like a red lobelia but seems to be a salvia,
red autumn sage, apparently very good for attracting butterflies
Almenkerk, Belgian owned, had a food truck serving proper Belgian Waffles
and a tasting centre outside for festival goers
A look into the spotlessly clean cellar being patrolled by their young Great Dane,
who was a great favourite with visitors and us
Owner/winemaker Joris van Almenkerk in the barrel cellar, chatting wine with two festival visitors
The day before they had a race which began early and they had many visitors at that time
Sunday morning was a lovely day but people were slow to get out of bed and only turned up a bit later
Another magnificent view across the Elgin Valley
It is protea season and this was a lovely arrangement of Queen Proteas
The Almenkerk wine range
Children admiring the Dane, who was quite unperturbed, lying in the sun
We sat and chatted to Natalie and Joris and their daughter while we tasted their festival wines
Natalie Opstaele
Joris and their daughter sharing a Belgian waffle
There were four wines to taste and we began with the 2020 Sauvignon Blanc,
which is crisp and dry with the classic Elgin fig leaf nose and the same characteristic flavours
The 2019 Chardonnay has good lees notes with white peach and nectarine fruit; it has lovely richness with long flavours
The 2014 Syrah also has lovely fruit and spice on the nose
Rhubarb, mulberry and licorice wood on the end with spice continuing too
and they saved the best till last with the 2015 Merlot. Beautiful fruit on the classic Merlot nose, sweet cherry with some spice
On the palate soft as silk and a nice tingle on the tongue
Dark toasted wood and good supporting acidity with morello cherry and some chalky tannins, delicious
All the wines have 4.5 stars from Platter and the Merlot a double gold from Michelangelo
and, kindly, they invited us to share this lovely cheese platter with them while we chatted
It was a lovely way to spend a relaxing morning in Elgin and why we love visiting this lovely wine area,
populated with very hospitable and charming people
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