Thursday, October 17, 2024

Sunday Passion for Puccini recital at Diemersfontein

Lynne caught up with Johan Bongani Olivier at the John Collins tasting
and he asked her if we would like to join him and his partner at this recital



 Diemersfontein hosts a market on Sunday mornings


so we enjoyed a pie and a glass of chenin blanc before

moving to the manor house for the recital

Daniel Conradie and Johann Bongani Olivier who were kind enough to drive us there and back

David Sonnenberg presented the performers to the audience
Sopranos: Zizhipo Funzo, Molly Dzangare 
Tenor: Mkhanyiseli Dyantyi 
Baritone: Themba Mdlalose 
Pianist and musical director: Dr Lisa Engelbrecht

Davia and Sue Sonnenberg are enthusiastic supporters of the Opera UCT programme
which produces so many very fine young opera stars
Many of their graduates, such as Pretty Yembe, are accomplished performers in international opera companies




Dr Lisa Engelbrecht previewed the programme


Soprano Zizipho Funzo


Swazi Tenor Mkhanyiseli Dyantyi 

Baritone: Themba Mdlalose with Zizipho Funzo

Zimbabwean soprano Molly Dzangare with Mkhanyiseli Dyantyi

Lovely flower arrangements in the room


A glass of Diemersfontein rosé at the interval


Baritone Themba Mdlalose 

Dr Lisa Engelbrecht at the piano

the quartet in action



and taking a bow at the end to enthusiastic applause

Molly Dzangare

All our stories can be seen in the Blog Archive near the top of the column on the right

If you do not wish to receive e-mails from us, please email menucape@gmail.com with the word 'UNSUBSCRIBE' in your email

Posted by MENU at 3:54 pm 0 comments

Martin Moore memorial sundowner at Durbanville Hills

We were invited to Durbanville Hills wine cellar to join the team and other guests
at a memorial sundowner to their much-loved late cellarmaster Martin Moore

Martin was a good friend who was an important mentor to us when we were studying for our wine diplomas
and he was winemaker at Groot Constantia 

As we arrived we met old friends wine merchant Michael Bampfield-Duggan
and Tielman Roos, co-owner and viticulturist at Mooiplaas wine estate

Durbanville Hills CEO Albert Gerber welcomed us all

The guests listening to Albert's welcome


A portrait of Martin Moore by Theo Paul Vorster

Albert took us into an adjoining room where he spoke about Martin, the cellar's first cellarmaster,
and his influence on the organisation which is now a subsidiary of Heineken

followed by a reminiscence by journalist Emile Joubert

Theo Paul Vorster the artist spoke about his relationship with Martin

Martin's sister Janine Roos with her copy of the portrait


More reminiscences followed from the floor

Martin's family and Albert Gerber with the artist and the portrait
Alexander Moore, Mariette van der Merwe, Albert Gerber, Theo Paul Vorster, Janine Roos, William Moore

We were all invited for a Durbanville Hills Sauvignon blanc sundowner on the upper deck


a brilliant sunset

Janine and Tielman Roos and a glass of Pinotage

and Table Mountain in the late evening

All our stories can be seen in the Blog Archive near the top of the column on the right

If you do not wish to receive e-mails from us, please email menucape@gmail.com with the word 'UNSUBSCRIBE' in your email

Posted by MENU at 2:55 pm 0 comments

Sunday Pinot noir tasting at Strauss Auctioneers

 On a Sunday afternoon in late August,
John attended a tasting of the best South African Pinot noirs at the Strauss & Co premises in Salt River

Righard Theron showed two De Grendel variations on the theme


Proposal Hill Pinot noir MCC and 2022 Op die Berg Pinot noir

In a separate alcove, all the Pinots were from the Hemel en Aarde/ Walker Bay area


Jean Engelbrecht's Cirrus Pinot from the Ceres Plateau
presented by Rust en Vrede assistant winemaker Lara Barnard

Winemaker Tim Hoek of Haute Cabrière and his wife Lesley with the estate's Pinot noirs

Andries Burger, talking to Glen Hunt, with Paul Cluver Village and Estate Pinot noirs

Werner Muller showed his Iona, Kloof and Mr P Pinots noir

Dudley Wilson with Kershaw Smuggler's Boot Pinot noir

Antonij Rupert Cape of Good Hope Sneeuwkrans Pinot noir 2020

There were two lucky draw prizes of a case of 6 bottles of Pinot noir, presented by Andries Burger and Glen Hunt

Bobby Wallace with his family's Paul Wallace Braveheart Pinot 2016 and 2020

Michelle Waldeck, Young Winemaker of the Year finalist, showed the Benguela Cove Walker Bay Pinot noir 2023

Hasher Family Wines Ernest Pinot noir 2022 


It was good to catch up with Berene Sauls and her Tesselaarsdal Pinot noir 2022

Spookfontein Cap Classique Brut and Pinot noir 2022

Liam Cloete showed the Newton Johnson Family Vineyards 2022 and Walker Bay 2023 Pinots

La Vierge Noir 2021 and Apogée Single Vineyard 2022

shown by winemaker Christo Kotzé

Gottfried Mocke with his Cap Maritime Pinot noir 2022

Barend Erasmus, assistant winemaker at Bouchard Finlayson with a fan and his Galpin Peak Pinot noir

The full suite of Creation Pinots from the Hemel en Aarde

All our stories can be seen in the Blog Archive near the top of the column on the right

If you do not wish to receive e-mails from us, please email menucape@gmail.com with the word 'UNSUBSCRIBE' in your email

Posted by MENU at 11:14 am 0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)