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Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Tasting Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel with lunch at Aubergine

Simonsig Estate was recently crowned top producer at the 16th Amorim Cap Classique Challenge. Last week, we were invited to a tasting of older vintages from Simonsig’s range of Cap Classiques, hosted by cellarmaster Johan Malan. This was followed by lunch at Aubergine restaurant with a paired menu to match these excellent wines. They were innovative pairings by Chef Patron Harald Bresselschmidt, who is one of the most skilled at this difficult art

The line up of wines we were to taste

Johan Malan chats to journalist Graham Howe

The table laid for the tasting

Restaurant manager Catherine Poole welcomes Allan Mullins and Richard, Allan's driver and aide

Drinks outside on the terrace first

Jacques Jordaan, Simonsig's Sales and Marketing manager, spoke first. Simonsig's success is a tribute to Johan and his late father, Frans, who made South Africa's first Champagne method sparkling wine. Jacques will be travelling worldwide North, West and East next year to New York, Moscow and Shanghai to promote the wines

Johan Malan told us that his son Michael Frans has joined as a wine maker in the last week. He has been working at Creation for the last three years

Jacques and Johan, with their new Social Media manager Chantal Esau in the background

We began with the 1999 Kaapse Vonkel Brut, degorged in 2016. There are only 100 bottles left of this in the Vinoteque. Bready and yeasty, rich and mature with richness on the palate still dry and crisp with stewed apple notes. Interestingly this has 4.7% of Pinotage added 13 years and 8 months on the lees. Incredible

A nice touch, not water biscuits or cream crackers but shards of flat bread to cleanse the palate

Next was the outstanding 2005 Kaapse Vonkel with extended cork contact; bottled 2005, degorged 2007. Sea Salt and sea mist on the nose, crisp sparkling mousse, also initially with sea salt flavours. Crisp and elegant. Gout Anglaise maturity, so good apple crumble flavours. Lynne’s favourite of the tasting with 18.5 points. The 2005 recently degorged came next, softer on the nose with some herbal notes; it was less full on the palate with nice apple sorbet flavours

MCC Winemaker Hannes Meyer, who has been with Simonsig for 9 years, took us through this tasting. Then came the Kaapse Vonkel 2013. Biscuity on the nose and a little sea mist. Citrus crisp, then apple, long on the palate, and slightly sweeter. Will age well. This has no Pinot Meunier

Next the 2015. Granny Smith apple on the nose, and some red apple too, with a lovely mousse. This wine is a poem to apple on the palate. To come and to be bought. 18 points

Time to taste four vintages of the Cuvée Royale. First the 2005; 96% Chardonnay, 4% Pinot Noir. Rich and full, brandy and brulée with hot rolls and butter on the nose. A crisp mousse, almost cutting. Long flavours of apple sorbet with a little mint, creaminess turns the sorbet into apple ice cream

Ralph Reynolds, Sommelier at Aubergine, with our next vintage of Cuvée Royale 2010 (100% Chardonnay). It had 4 years on the lees, 3 on cork. Ciabatta bread baking nose, yeasty and savoury. Crisp zingy apple flavours, both cooked and raw grated, this MCC is still fresh and young and attractive. 18 points

Hannes pours us the next two vintages (100% Chardonnay) 2011 nutty and showing its age; 5 years on lees, and the 2012, 5 years on the lees, no wood and no malolactic fermentation. A hint of herbal buchu on the nose, with long apple sorbet flavours on the palate; a wine that really sparkles, fresh and fun

Time for lunch after the splendid tasting of Simonsig MCCs. Jacques introduced Aubergine’s Chef Patron, Harald Bresselschmidt

Chef Harald runs through the four course menu with us, which will be paired with two of the current MCCs we have just tasted, plus the Pinot Noir Brut Rosé 2015 and the Demi Sec 2015

The menu

Ocean caught and flavoured Kabeljou, marinated and cooked sous vide on a nettle and green apple purée matched the 2015 so completely, echoing all its flavours

Diane Malan, Johan's wife, who is the support of the family

The next course of Calf’s liver, pink in the centre, so seldom served, so much appreciated by us, on new season tender broad beans, with breadcrumbs and lemon glazed white grapes. Served with the Cuvée Royale 2012

Then came tender Quail breasts filled with mousseline, with a prawn reduction, pistachio nuts and a cherry-quinoa dressing which went so well with the Pinot Noir Brut Rosé 2015, our favourite Cape Brut Rosé

And, with the dessert of an Ivory chocolate dome with a soft MCC centre, an almond streusel and angelica ice cream with a white flower espuma. Perfectly matched with the Kaapse Vonkel Demi Sec MCC 2015

The Simonsig team had to have a photo with Allan Mullins, as his Simonsig MCC for Woolworths was also lauded in this year's Amorim Cap Classique Awards. It was a great occasion

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Monday, October 16, 2017

What's on the MENU this week? Broad bean, Bacon and Parmesan risotto

Lynne was given a generous supply of broad beans this week and this was the first chance we had to eat them. She has been depodding them for hours and many have gone into the freezer.

This recipe is Lynne's adaptation one from the River Café Easy cookbook. We had all the ingredients in the house, so it was simple to make and really good. The Fontina cheese is optional but it does add a lovely creamy stickiness to the risotto. You could make this vegetarian by leaving out the bacon and using a good vegetable stock. You will need to season

1.5 litres chicken stock - 2 or 3 rashers of streaky bacon - 1 small onion, finely chopped - 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped - 10 ml olive oil - 10 g butter – 100 ml dry white wine - 250 g Risotto rice - ½ kilo young broad beans (out of their pods) - 50 g grated Parmesan - 30 g cubed Fontina cheese - 50 g butter

In a large pot, heat the stock. In another pot, melt the butter with the olive oil. Cut the bacon into 1 cm strips and add to the butter; fry gently for a minute or two, then add the onion and the garlic and fry for another minute until they are transparent and softening, but not browning. Pour on the white wine and bring to a rapid boil to reduce it by half and burn off the alcohol. Turn down the heat, add the rice and coat it well in the remaining sauce. Add two ladlefuls of the stock and the broad beans. Add more as the rice begins to absorb it. Stir and continue adding stock and stirring occasionally until the rice is cooked - takes about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the butter and then both cheeses. Taste, season if required and serve

Friday, October 13, 2017

Media launch of Hard Rock Café Cape Town in Camps Bay

We were invited this week to the media launch at the Hard Rock Cafe the day before it officially opened. Lynne has very fond memories of the London Hard Rock, the first one, as when it opened in 1971, she was working at Universal Pictures, which was next door at No 1 Piccadilly. Yes there were long queues to get in and yes you did see lots of celebrities when you eventually got in. Loads of Rock and Roll memorabilia on the walls. And they always had very good hamburgers. We were keen to see if and how the concept has changed in 46 years!

We were invited this week to the media launch at the Hard Rock Café, the day before it officially opened. Lynne has very fond memories of the London Hard Rock, the first one as, when it opened in 1971, she was working at Universal Pictures, which was next door at No 1 Piccadilly. Yes, there were long queues to get in and yes, you did see lots of celebrities when you eventually got in. Loads of Rock ‘n Roll memorabilia on the walls. And they always had very good hamburgers. We were keen to see if and how the concept has changed in 46 years!

It is hard to miss, near Pick n Pay and right across the road from the beach, with great views. However parking in trendy and popular Camps Bay is always an issue, we suggest you use the parking garage

The barman, who makes a mean cocktail. All the staff wear a selection of the collectable Hard Rock badges, some are available for sale in the small store at the front of the Café. We were given glasses of an MCC on arrival

Like the lamps made from cymbals? And the wall of records

Lots of precious memorabilia on the walls. We have to confess that we have not heard of all of the rock stars these come from. Josh Smith is an American Blues guitarist

Vinyl wall

Lynne chatting to the designer Hala Khalaf, who flies around the world for each opening. She is the Memorabilia curator for Hard Rock Café International. Next stops for her are Cairo and Phnom Penh in Cambodia. They have venues in 74 countries: 178 Cafés, 24 hotels and 10 casinos. The owners and operators of the HRI parent company are The Seminole Tribe of Florida

The hard hats and reflective 'aprons' we wore for our tour of the restaurant. They were still busy installing some of the memorabilia

The Shop at the front of the restaurant

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The downstairs interior

Beer on tap - sadly all SAB. Let's hope they discover some of the more popular and artisanal beers

Hala tells us the history of the Hard Rock and a bit more about how she sources and places the memorabilia. They own the world's largest collection of music memorabilia and cater for all ages, so some is from the Rock ‘n Roll era and others are from the decades since

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There is also a spacious upstairs room with another long bar

With quirky lights and more memorabilia. The most valuable piece is the drum kit on the wall which belonged to journeyman drummer Brent Fitz while touring with Slash. There are also boots owned by Bob Dylan, a Les Paul Guitar, A Paul Reed Smith guitar used in a Madonna 2001 Drowned World Tour, a microphone stand created for and used by Rihanna and many more. You have to go and see for yourself

Nice views from the upstairs windows and balcony

The said drum kit

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The barmen

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It was another stormy day and the waves were crashing on the beach outside

Downstairs and time for some samples of the food they will be serving. Prawn cocktails

Chicken "tenders" with a good barbeque sauce

Deep fried cauliflower with a spicy dip

Onion rings

John had a beer

Then came the sliders (mini burgers). These were the classic hamburgers, dressed simply with caramelised onion and a melting cheese. They are still good.

Pulled pork on a bun, nice and smoky with a good sauce

The Long Island Tea

A blue Pina Colada. Lynne tasted one and it was rather too sweet for her and had the disconcerting flavour of bubblegum. It looked like a Blue Lagoon

Burgers with chicken fillet

Very friendly waiting staff

With lovely smiles. Yes, I will have another...

This was supper

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Time for dessert. An Oreo Cheesecake

Or wicked chocolate brownies. No nuts but later they came out sprinkled with nuts.

The barman made Lynne a lovely sour cocktail with vodka

We loved Hala's earrings. The Hard Rock Café is now open and we wonder whom their market will be.
The many overseas tourists will know the concept already

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