Thursday, February 22, 2024

In MENU This Issue. Michael Olivier RIP, Simonsig, Buitenverwachting, Melting Pot, Creation, Newton Johnson, Bientang's Cave, Bouchard Finlayson

We're back! There has been a long gap between stories. Like many people in the Western Cape, we have been inundated with visitors since late last year, so we have been generating stories with too little time to publish them. So here, if a little belatedly, is a selection. They are all on Facebook and LinkedIn, so you can see them there or here on our blog site. Click on the titles and pictures to open them

Michael Olivier RIP

Michael Olivier was responsible for many memorable meals enjoyed at important times in John's life. He has special memories of meals at Lanzerac when visiting the Cape from the big dusty city in the North, on family holidays and on his honeymoon with Pam in 1974. Michael re-introduced him to classic Cape food. Read on…

Wine tasting at Simonsig

A Sunday trip to Stellenbosch for our friend from the UK nearly proved abortive. The first wine farm we went to no longer sells wine, just beer! The second and third were closed (seems to be a growing thing in that area) so we headed for one we knew would produce the goods and be open – Simonsig. Warmly welcomed by Paulina Pietersen. She introduced us to the many varied tasting options on their menu. Read on…

Wine tasting at Buitenverwachting

A friend visiting from the UK wanted to visit Constantia and we decided that a tasting at Buitenverwachting would be a good start. Sarah, a recent ID graduate, now at Discovery in Johannesburg, was our wine server and very good at it too! Read on…

The Melting Pot at Oak Valley revisited

Another overseas visitor, so another visit to The Melting Pot in Elgin for lunch, this time by the pool as it was a gloriously warm day. The Hydrangeas were in full bloom. Our excellent Sommelier, Kwanele Mhlobo, brought us a tasting of two Oak Valley Wines. Read on…

A visit to Creation

while we are in the Hemel and Aarde valley is almost a given and, because one of the farms we had planned to visit was surprisingly closed, we ventured back to what is one of our favourite wine farms. Although it was quite late in the Sunday afternoon, we found that Carolyn Martin was still there and she was kind enough to come and sit with us and chat...

Tasting and lunch at Newton Johnson

Staying in the Hemel and Aarde in Summer is such a great place to be. All the roads are accessible now, so the valley is there for you to explore. We were there for four days so we relaxed, slept well, did some major bird watching. from the stoep of the cottage we stay at and, of course, made appointments to visit some of our favourite wine farms and the one with some of the best views and, in our estimation, some of the best wines is Newton Johnson. Read on…

Lunch at Bientang's Cave, Hermanus

Another visit to Hermanus and a beautiful morning meant a walk on one of the loveliest beaches in the region. No wind and the perfect temperature had this Monday morning off to a good start. Sea birds on the estuary at Prawn Flats and, after the walk, lunch at Bientang's Cave, to introduce yet another of our British friends to this gem. Read on…

Tasting the wines of Bouchard Finlayson

Before we left the Hemel en Aarde valley, we visited Bouchard Finlayson where John had organised a tasting for us and our English guest. The winery was fast preparing for harvest which began later that month. A taste of the Blanc de Mer 2023, a  blend of 65% Weisser Reisling, with Viognier and Chardonnay that goes so well with sea food dishes and is a lovely quaffing wine as well, good on picnics. Perfumed, with sea minerality and richness of the fruit. It defies expectations on the palate, crisp, zesty and long Read on…

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Tuesday, February 20, 2024

A visit to Creation

 A visit to Creation while we are in the Hemel and Aarde valley is almost a given and,
because one of the farms we had planned to visit was surprisingly closed,
we ventured back to what is one of our favourite wine farms

Although it was quite late in the Sunday afternoon, we found that Carolyn Martin was still there and she was kind enough to come and sit with us and chat. She arranged some special tastings, for which we are always grateful. She told us that they are doing so much research working with scientists on the vineyards re the future with global warming and studying different methods of canopy management, row direction and methods of planting
Having won several prestigious Wine Tourism awards in the past few years,
Carolyn and JC Martin have added another to these accolades
Creation Wines received the award for World's Best Brand Experience
at the international inaugural V d’or Business Awards
during Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2024 on 11th February 2024

Such a treat on a hot summer afternoon to have beautiful, crisp Creation 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
in the proper glass
It is Lynne's favourite expression of South African white wine, the Semillon adds to much to the blend
This is a classic with great elegance, green notes on the beautiful aromatic nose,
which follows through on the very satisfying palate which is green, crisp and so refreshing,
with good length, minerality and the classic fatness on the palate from the Semillon. Special

A wine so suited to warmer climes and a warm afternoon is the Creation 2022 blend of Roussanne and Grenache Blanc,
from southern Mediterranean varietals
Melon skin on the nose, Crisp and full and enjoyable with layers of plum, lime and loquat. A food wine

Creation 2022 Reserve Chardonnay has golden fruit, citrus and herbal notes on the nose
Lovely lime and lemon notes with chalk and minerality on the wide open Chardonnay flavours and lively acidity

And then the top of the Creation tree
The  flagship Art of Chardonnay from a single site
It is very complex and French on the nose, with some perfume and warm citrus
On the palate, so expressive; more layers of warm citrus with greengage and tart melon,
long, long flavours, calling for food
Wood is there supporting, but so integrated. Wins awards deservedly. 5 star in Platter

Carolyn with one of their beautiful wines, the Art of Pinot Noir

Creation The Art of Pinot Noir 2022
Gentle on the nose at first, then it opens up with the best cherry and raspberry fruit
Incense wood and great elegance enchant
Red velvet on the palate, the cherry and raspberry fruit are supported by chalky tannins
and the flavours linger for a long time
Superb. One to drink now and also to keep for the future reward

Creation Reserve Pinot Noir 2022 has perfume, vanilla oak and herbal notes on the nose
Red cherry, black cherry and bing cherry chime on the palate, followed by toasty oak notes. Superb

Good glasses show the wines at their best

The Reserve Syrah 2021 is complex, integrated with white pepper, maraschino cherry and incense wood
with a hint of bacon on the end, and that is just the nose
Another rounded fruit bomb with layers of red fruit and good acidity and wood to support it and add texture
We also enjoyed the exiting Syrah Grenache blend (Grenache being a special favourite varietal)
Attractive on the nose with perfume and lots of fruit with pomegranate, mulberry and cherry featuring
Spicy, long, some savouriness and very moreish

And, finally, a taste of the new 2022 Creation Port, a classic made from 100% Syrah
Hand-harvested, 110g/l sugar. Fortified with high quality brandy up to 18% alcohol
It spends 18 months in second and third-fill French oak barrels
It is heady and full of the mature fruit flavours you want from a good Port
Has the potential to age well, if you can keep it that long, it's very tempting
And it was served with a dessert - a berry sorbet, a crema swirl, blueberries, raspberry and an interesting sauce of turmeric

Delicious Friandise confectionary treats to finish a wonderful tasting. We were royally spoiled. Thank you Carolyn


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Tasting the wines of Bouchard Finlayson

Before we left the Hemel en Aarde valley, we visited Bouchard Finlayson
where John had organised a tasting for us and our English guest

The winery was fast preparing for harvest which began later that month

Some ancient bottles in their cubby holes

A definite DO NOT DISTURB sign

Everything being scrubbed clean

A taste of the Blanc de Mer 2023, a  blend of 65% Weisser Reisling, with Viognier and Chardonnay
that goes so well with sea food dishes and is a lovely quaffing wine as well, good on picnics 
Perfumed, with sea minerality and richness of the fruit. It defies expectations on the palate, crisp, zesty and long

We were presented with one of their superb platters to savour as we tasted the wines
The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc has  a touch of Semillon. crisp green fruit, some pyrazines, with up-front fruit
Rounded on the palate, long flavours and a hint of oak. A style we love
Danel Theron guided us through the tasting with lots of information about the wines, the farm and the future
The Sans Barrique (unwooded) Chardonnay 2022 has apples, cooked and fresh,
and lovely complexity on the nose and palate
The balance of acid and fruit is good; long apple and citrus flavours with lees on the end
The  Mission Vale Chardonnay 2022 has herbal notes green coriander, a hint of oak and white peach
Glorious white stone fruit on the palate tastes of summer, long flavours and lemon line remain. 

Our British friend, Terry Rodbard, examines the list of wines we are to taste

Bouchard Finlayson Crocodiles Lair (Kaaimans Gat) Chardonnay is from grapes grown in Villiersdorp
Lovely richness and perfume on the nose, very French in style
Golden fruit continues on the palate, long and layered, very crisp with citrus and gentle oak

Bouchard Finlayson makes two Pinots Noir
The 2021 Galpin Peak has an attractive 'dive in" nose with rose, cherry, smoke deep and long
Lovely texture on the palate, the fruit is full on and warm, dark oak wood is present and adds to the complexity
The 2021 Tete de Cuvée (Top of the Vintage) Pinot Noir is from a selection of the best barrels, 8 in this vintage
Elegance and minerality, good wood support with incense notes on a base of cherry and mulberry fruit on the nose
Silky and full on red berry fruit, so excellent, so special soft layers black cherry, cassis, mulberry and plum in harmony
Special with length and satisfaction.  We scored this very high

Bouchard Finlayson's Hannibal is a complex red blend of Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Mourvedre
So complex on the nose that one asks "what are you?". A blend of beautiful rich red varietals, a hint of Italy with wilderness
They follow through with richness and depth on the palate,
such a clever blend of this food-directed wine, juicy and complete, really gets the juices flowing
We were thankful for the platter in front of us
If you are in the valley, you should not miss tasting these wines

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The Melting Pot at Oak Valley revisited

 Another overseas visitor, so another visit to The Melting Pot in Elgin for lunch,
this time by the pool as it was a gloriously warm day



The Hydrangeas were in full bloom

Our excellent Sommelier, Kwanele Mhlobo, brought us a tasting of two Oak Valley Wines
The Stone and Steel Riesling has ripeness on the nose with perfume and good stone fruit
Rounded on the palate with initial sweetness then crunchy acidity. Not a sign of terpenes, a lovely food wine
Beneath the Clouds Chardonnay has lime/lemon freshness on the nose and on the palate,
a cool climate and very enjoyable Chardonnay
The Groenlandberg Chardonnay has a hint of smoke from the 27% oak contact in 2nd and 3rd fill barrels
Rounded on the palate, deep layers of good lime and lemon fruit with wood supporting
And then we were offered a real treat, a taste of the 2018
A hint of smoke, apricot, peach, persimmon on the nose
Richness, a lovely texture on the palate crisp; oily, and full
almost as if  it were Semillon, on both nose and palate, with great fruit
A classic, showing what some age does to this wine

Next The Oak Valley Pinot Noir, Sound of Silence which has lovely cherry, berry fruit on the nose
and follows through on the palate
Ripe berry fruit repeats on the palate in layers. Drinking well now
The Groenlandberg Pinot has had 30% oak and is smoky and herbaceous on the nose
with mulberry, plum and cherry
An elegant wine, with good tannins, made to last with lots of oak and good fruit
Finally, the 2022 Leap of Faith Merlot. Rose petals, red cherry red plum on the nose
Good supporting wood nice warmth and great fruit repeated, juicy and succulent, a major wine for food

We had a lovely selection of small plate dishes and the Mezze platter shown here

Chef has changed the menu slightly for the season and we really enjoyed the changes,
although we did miss the dumplings, which he assures us will return later in the year

Yellowtail sashimi topped with mint

Fish Taco

West Coast Mussels.  It was another memorable lunch


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Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Michael Olivier RIP

Michael Olivier was responsible for many memorable meals enjoyed at important times in John's life. He has special memories of meals at Lanzerac when visiting the Cape from the big dusty city in the North, on family holidays and on his honeymoon with Pam in 1974. Michael re-introduced him to classic Cape food; a waterblommetjie bredie he produced at Paddagang in Tulbagh was an inspiration in the mid 1980s, after he had “semigrated’ from Johannesburg and come to live in Kenilworth. The restaurant Michael and Maddie ran near to his home for several, but too few years, Parks in Wynberg, became our “local” and saw many family celebrations – John's 50th birthday and his mother’s 80th among others and then, a special memory, his first date with Lynne on her birthday near the end of the last century
Since then, we have met sporadically, sadly seldom since he and Maddie moved north and then returned to the Cape. Now, after a period of ill-health, he has left us for the big kitchen in infinity and we will miss him and his big smile. Our thoughts are with Maddie and their children and grandchildren. Memories of him will live on.
A Memorial for Michael  was held at Vergenoegd Löw The Wine Estate in the Helderberg on Sunday 7th January. A large number of friends gathered to celebrate the life of a gentleman who was a consummate chef and restaurateur, a well-respected wine writer and the author of half a dozen books

A short memorial service with verbal tributes by Michael's brother, hotelier Nicky Fitzgerald and Johan Malan of Simonsig was followed by a gathering on the lawn outside Bertus Basson's Clara's Barn restaurant, which Bertus was generous enough to donate without charge for the duration of the gathering. The people who came brought a large quantity of food and a suitable wonderful selection of wines. It was truly a celebration of a life very well lived. A fitting memorial to a man who should not be forgotten


Just one table of the amazing spread


Many personal friends of Michael and Maddy and many industry people attended



Friends chatting to Maddy after the memorial service


Somerset West town councillor Norman MacFarlane and his wife Elspeth

Pearl Oliver and Michael Bampfield Duggan, both wine industry friends of Michael


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