This
was a relaunch, not of a wine but of an historic aperitif: Caperitif, known
since the early part of the 20th Century. It was held on Adi Badenhorst's
Swartland farm Kalmoesfontein on Guy Fawkes day. Not a glass of wine in sight,
we spent the day tasting first Rooibos Caperitea, listening to entertaining talks
by Adi, Wim Tijmens, Dave Hughes and Lars-Erik Schmidt. Time then for a
horizontal tasting of the five different batches released so far of this great aperitif
and then five different expertly mixed cocktails. We just sipped, honestly. This
was followed by a fun retro lunch prepared by Adi's rather well known mother, talented
chef Judy Badenhorst, who used to run the River Cafe restaurant on Constantia Uitsig.
What a celebration!
During the
rambunctious, hedonistic eras when the South African Gold Rush took place and
Johannesburg was founded in the 1880's, there was lots of spending, celebrating,
dancing and drinking. Caperitif, a genuine South African product, was born.
It's a vermouth-like aperitif made from wine, fortified with alcohol and
infused with Quinchona bark and aromatics, which can be served on its own over
ice, with a slice of lemon and a mixer or in cocktails. Back then cocktails
named the Barney Barnato, the Modder Rivier and the Oom Paul were created. This
aperitif also inspired barmen all over the world and it became an ingredient in
many famous cocktails, written about and used in many famous cocktail books,
like the Savoy's. But then in about 1910 it disappeared, along with the company
who made it and more importantly, the recipe. It became known as the Ghost
ingredient. But some ancient bottles do still exist
In 2014 Lars-Erik Schmidt, a Danish mixologist,
approached Adi Badenhorst and together they have recreated a 21st century
version. They use Chenin Blanc fortified with spirit, gently sweetened by the
sugar of the grapes, bittered by Quinchona bark and flavoured with some 35
truly Cape ingredients such as fynbos, kalmoes and naartjies (tangerines) and
they make a dry tonic, Swaan, to go with it. Its ingredients are spring water
with natural botanicals – quinine, lime, cardamom and mint, with thankfully less
sugar
Bread, butter and apricot jam , a traditional
country starter served with the Rooibos Caperitea
Dave Hughes, Andre Badenhorst and Adi Badenhorst
In the cellar where they make
the Caperitif
Every guest was given this box filled with some of
the aromatics, essences and infusions that go into it. Plus a sample
Speeches about to start
Swartland winemaker Eben Sadie
Wim Tijmens has travelled the world hunting
for plants. He spent more than 35 years as curator of the Stellenbosch
University Botanical Garden (1962 – 1999). He spoke very amusingly about edible
plants, fynbos, and the ingredients that go into Caperitif.
The back of the bottle has a story
© John & Lynne
Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016
