Groot Phesantekraal Rebrands itself
For many years many of the Cape's highly awarded wines, especially
Sauvignons Blanc, contained wine from this prolific Durbanville farm owned by
André
and Ronelle Brink. They recently rebranded themselves Groot Phesantekraal and
released their own 2016/7 wines with new branding,. We were invited to go and
sample them over lunch in their restaurant on the farm. (They were previously
known as Phizante Kraal). You can do so yourself this coming weekend at the
Season of Sauvignon in Durbanville
The farmhouse
Welcomed by a glass of their new Groot
Phesantekraal Blanc de Blanc MCC, bottled 2015, 17 months on the lees, newly
released
A nice sunny day at the farm’s werf
Journalist Graham Howe, Judy Brower of
Wine.co.za and consulting winemaker Etienne Louw who also makes wine for
Altydgedacht and Maastricht in Durbanville
Michelle Coburn of Woolworth's Taste
magazine, broadcaster John Meinking and Wine Concepts' director Mike Bampfield Duggan
Corn and Zucchini fritters topped with
cucumber and tomato jam
Salmon and potato fish cakes topped with
soused onions
Owners Ronelle and André Brink. André is
known by his childhood nickname Oubaas, He is the 4th generation Brink on the
farm; they have been on the farm for 120 years. André took over farming in
1996. When selling their grapes was no longer worthwhile, they started to make
their own wine
Aromatics often found in wine on display inside the
tasting room
2017 Top 10 trophy for Groot Phesantekraal Sauvignon blanc 2017
We were led to the Chicken Coop - where
we did the tasting. These buildings were originally old farm buildings and the
chicken coop had been slightly altered to allow tastings to be held here
First we
tasted the 2017 Chenin Blanc. Fragrant with Elderflower and some yellow peach,
crisp and dry with some guava. R50
The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc has strong
pyrazines on the nose; clean and full of minerality, it is typical of the
varietal, with a touch of expected Durbanville salt with passion fruit, white
peaches, green peppers and a long end. Priced at R72. It grows on the top of the hill,
with prevailing winds blowing through the vineyards to cool them. One of the best sites for
Sauvignon Blanc in the Cape, they get 15 tons a hectare. They get some frost in
winter and the block has irrigation, but so far it is farmed as dry land. A full
tank of the 2017 vintage has been left on the lees for longer and this will be
bottled soon
Then the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. Quite
lactic at first, this rich cabernet has excellent incense wood, cassis berries and
leaves, and cherries. Made by their second cousin Marie Louw who is making wine
at Nitida. On the palate, it is soft and silky, a little spice with salty
liquorice drop and choc mocha on the end. A long finish too, this wine was
awarded a gold at Michelangelo
Winemaker Etienne Louw says his midlife
crisis is adventure. He has been chairman of the Durbanville Wine Valley and
says Brand Durbanville is happening well. Twelve farms are not competing but are working closely together, neighbour helping neighbour. (We so wish other areas
could do this). Wine of Origin Cape Town will help the brand enormously
Andre Brink gave us some important
history of the farm. Olof Bergh was given the farm by Governor Simon van der Stel
in the 17th Century. Anna de Koning was the daughter of the first freed slave
Ansela van de Kaap, and she married Olof Bergh
Media in the Chicken Coop, ready to fly
to lunch
An antique Blue Delft plate
The wines with lunch were the Anna de
Koning wooded Chenin Blanc, from 44 year old vines on Bloublommeties Kloof, with
golden fruit peaches, apricots and Cape gooseberries, concentrated fruit in
layers with wood on the end. The red wine was the Berliet Pinotage, named for a 1920s Berliet car which is
owned by the Brink family. It is in the old style, with dark fruit; quite
substantial with a touch of rusty nails
The outside of the old farm building now
used as the tasting centre and restaurant
Ready to serve lunch in the restaurant
André 'Oubaas' and Ronelle with winemaker
Etienne Louw
Two long tables for lunch
Choices for lunch were off the normal
restaurant menu, so you can go and sample them yourself. The chef is Jan van
Deventer previously at Whisk
The wine list
Lynne chose the very tender pork belly
with Dauphinoise potatoes, onion sauce, broccoli and sliced apples with a red
wine jus
The vegetarian option was Fried Polenta
with beer battered vegetables
John had the pan seared Kabeljou fish
fillet on top of a Chorizo and sweet potato risotto, topped with beans and
shaved fennel with coconut cream
The mini Apple frangipani Tart with cinnamon
ice cream for dessert was very popular indeed
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2017
