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Phones: +27 21 439 3169 / 083 229 1172 / 083 656 4169

Postal address: 60 Arthurs Rd, Sea Point 8005

Recommendations of products and outside events are not solicited or charged for, and are made at the authors’ pleasure. All photographs, recipes and text used in our website and ancillary works are © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus. Our restaurant reviews are often unsolicited. We prefer to pay for our meals and not be paid in any way by anyone. Whether we are invited or go independently, we don’t feel bad if we say we didn’t like it. Honesty is indeed our best policy. While every effort is made to avoid mistakes, we are human and they do creep in occasionally, for which we apologise.

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Tasting Groot Constantia wines with Boela Gerber at the Blockhouse Kitchen, Constantia

We had a superb tasting of their wines with Groot Constantia Cellarmaster Boela Gerber and our wine club The Oenophiles this week. It was held at The Blockhouse Kitchen restaurant on Constantia Uitsig wine farm. Why? Because we wanted to have supper after the tasting and the two restaurants on Groot Constantia do not stay open late enough to accommodate our large group. Our tastings can go on for a while

Many of you will remember this venue as the River Cafe, run by Judy Badenhorst, and then as Neil Grant’s The Open Door. Chef Brad Ball has now re-opened it as the Blockhouse Kitchen and the word is out that the food is good. Blockhouse Kitchen is open for breakfast and lunch from Monday to Sunday, 09:00 – 11:30 | 12:00 to 22:00 and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. For bookings and enquiries, please email info@bhkitchen.co.za or call +27 21 794 3010.

We were in one of the side rooms in the restaurant which makes a very good function room; high ceilings, good window light and lots of long tables and comfortable chairs. Boela had brought three white wines for us to sample. The classic 2019 Constantia Sauvignon Blanc is grassy, herbal with minerality, crisp and round on the palate, with some ripeness. We had a tank sample, so unfiltered as yet and a little cloudy, but very special. They will be bottling in August. Around R150. The Chardonnay is fermented and kept in barrel for 10 months, so there is some wood smoke; another classic golden chardonnay with apple, limes and butterscotch, with minerality on the end. R280 on the farm. The Gouverneur’s Reserve White is a blend of 75% Semillon 25% Sauvignon blanc and has the characteristic nose of Semillon; dusty and smoky. On the palate, oily lanolin, crisp and buttery flavours reminiscent of a good French brie, then lemon and limes with wood on the end. R450

We began tasting the Reds with a new wine from Boela called Lady of Abundance, named for a statue next to the Groot Constantia manor house. 2017 is the first vintage. The blend will never be set in stone, which will allow them to use what they have made to show the estate at its best each year. The current blend is 32% Pinotage, 32% Shiraz, 32% Merlot and 4% Grenache which does add a little wildness. It is quite a feminine blend, with fresh fruit & smoke hints on the nose, with sappige berry fruit on the palate. Then the cool climate 2017 Pinotage, which came as a huge revelation. We absolutely loved it and that is not something you hear from Lynne when she tastes young Pinotage. Pretty and perfumed on the nose with hints of raspberry aromatics from its Pinot parent, with some spice. On the palate, cherry and caramel, soft tannins, more plum fruit, soft and silky; good acid balance and, on the end, the Cinsault parent is visible. R280 on the farm. 19/20

The 2017 Shiraz is also pre-release. Bruléed fruit and vanilla oak on the nose. Plums, rhubarb, sweet & sour fruit with grippy tannins; intense fruit acids at present, very young and will soften with age. Made in big vats. R260. Gouverneur’s Reserve 2015. Boela says that this is a Constantia blend, rather than comparing it to a Bordeaux, of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. It has soft sweet fruit with some green cassis leaves & incense wood on the nose. Chalky tannins; a Cabernet Merlot dominated classic with bruléed wood on the end. The 2010 Gouverneur’s Reserve, made from 53% Merlot and 37% Cabernet Franc, was superb - showing how age plays its part. Wildness from the Cabernet Franc; violets, soft sweet cassis and cherry fruit and juicy. 18/20. But the wine that impressed the most in this line up of three was the Gouverneur’s Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2006. Sweet cherry berry fruit, wood smoke and vanilla oak. Lovely fruit on the palate with soft tannins and more gentle oak. Delish and still in balance. If you have some, drink now. 19/20

A happy winemaker opening another good bottle

Smiling duo of Chef Brad and winemaker Boela Gerber

Our wine club members enjoying the tasting

That superb 2017 Groot Constantia Pinotage, we scored it 19/20

Boela answering questions

He has been with Groot Constantia since the 1st of January 2001, and is the longest serving wine maker in the Constantia area - where winemakers do stay for a long time. This premier (and historic) area for making wine is so accessible to the city, being only a 20 minute drive away. And it is blessed with great soils, mountain water and cooling sea breezes

The final wine was a real treat. The Grand Constance is a recreation of the famous Constantia dessert wine. To quote Groot Constantia’s web site, "The renowned Groot Constantia Grand Constance is South Africa’s oldest wine and is the finest example of the famous “Constantia Wyn” as drunk by Emperors and Kings, from Frederick the Great of Prussia to Louis Philippe (King of France); all vied for their share. Charles Dickens celebrated it in Edwin Drood, a Jane Austen character recommended it as a cure for a broken heart to heroine Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility and Charles Baudelaire compared Constantia wine to his lover‘s lips in his most famous volume of poems, Les Fleurs du Mal. Napoleon was allowed to drink wine made at Groot Constantia whilst exiled on the island of Saint Helena from 1815 until his death in May 1821. These wines were produced in the Cloete Cellar directly behind the Groot Constantia Manor house. It is known that Groot Constantia used the French translation “Grand Constance” on its labels, additionally to the normal “Groot Constantia” reference. "Made from both red and white muscat grapes, it does not currently have any botrytis. Rose petals and sandalwood on the nose; then sweet floral aromas, tea and some herbs. On the palate, a nice grip of acid in balance with sweet honey and cream with lime, apricot and cherry flavours. The 375ml bottle mimics the historic 18th Century bottles which can still be found in a few very valuable collections. R650 from the farm. And this will age beautifully, should you be able to resist it for a while

The menu

They took our orders while we were still tasting and the food arrived promptly when the tasting finished. This is one of the very good "Dirty Cheese Burgers" which comes in a soft roll, with caramelised onion, a secret sauce, fries and a dipping aioli and was enjoyed very much

The salt and vinegar chips that accompany the soda-and-spice-battered hake, fresh from the sea, with pearly flakes, in a good spiced batter, served with a malt vinegar mayo and half a lemon. This was very much appreciated and recommended. Perhaps, for us, slightly crisper chips next time, although South Africans do prefer 'slap' chips which to us are half-cooked. These were somewhere in the middle. These two dishes cost us R270 including a 12% tip, which we think is very reasonable

We cannot sufficiently express our appreciation of the tasting we had. It was really enjoyable and certainly showed us some really excellent wines. And the food is worth coming back for again, and again

All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

MENU’s Wine of the Week. Warwick 2018 Professor Black White Blend

Professor Black is a white blend of 61% Sauvignon Blanc and 39% Semillon. The wine is crisp, full on the palate, rounded in the mouth, then a sparkly tingle on the tongue. A classic of its genre and so good to drink with food. The grapes are from cool climate Darling (Sauvignon Blanc) and Elgin (Semillon). The price is expected to be R350 from the farm. Watch for the release soon on their website and get your order in, it can sell out. https://store.warwickwine.com/#shop

All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

Dinner with Warwick and Reuben at The One & Only, Cape Town

The One&Only Hotel is running The Chef and The Vine Dinner Experiences in Reuben’s Restaurant on the last Thursday of every month until the end of November. We were invited to join them for the Warwick dinner last week. Next month's event will feature Hamilton Russell, so book soon if you are interested. R625 a person. This event was extremely successful with 111 guests for dinner

We met JD Pretorius the winemaker and Tom Orpen Warwick's Marketing Manager in the bar area,

here they welcomed us with a glass of their First Lady Dry Rosé or a glass of Zari non alcoholic fizz

JD with his wife Charlotte and Spencer Fondaumiere, Regional Sales Manager at Warwick Wine Estate

The Rosé has just a light blush and is made from Pinotage

It has light soft fruit, more Grenache like than heady Pinotage on the nose. Cherry fruit, crisp and ziingy and very refreshing

Stays on the palate with good fruit, and great with the food. It has just been released and is R80 on the farm

Some canapés were served: a round of melon topped with mozzarella, rocket and Parma ham

For the vegetarian, an option sans the prosciutto

Lots of glasses at each table setting

The 5 course dinner menu showed the wines paired with each course

The first wine was the Warwick 2016 The White Lady Chardonnay, priced at R85

A classic wooded chardonnay with golden apple fruit and some brioche

Smooth in texture, a lovely zing of apple acidity followed by limes and soft oak on the end

Very satisfying and a good match with the salmon course

A warm mini loaf for four was served with a flavoured butter

The starter, a perfectly seared piece of salmon in a cold yuzu dashi broth, with pickled cucumber, a cucumber gel

and, an inspired pairing with the wine, pieces of fresh mango, grilled

We have no idea where they sourced the out of season mango, but it lit up this dish and the wine

Sadly, there was no spoon on the table for us to drink the broth

Chef Reuben Riffel came out and told us about the restaurant and the menu and the pairing

A rapt audience

At the dinner, we were given a preview of the yet to be released 2018 Professor Black

which, conversely, is a white blend of 61% Sauvignon Blanc and 39% Semillon

The wine is crisp, full on the palate, rounded in the mouth, then a sparkly tingle on the tongue

A classic of its genre. The grapes are from cool climate Darling (Sauvignon Blanc) and Elgin (Semillon)

It will be sold for approximately R350 on the farm. It is our Wine of the Week

It certainly coped well with the rice dish served next. A 'risotto' of rice, peas and very spicy chorizo, topped with crisp pancetta

and grana padano cheese shavings. Served on a swipe of pea purée. More of the creamy purée would have been good

The wine with the Main course was the 2012 Warwick Trilogy,

a classic 'Bordeaux' Blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Cabernet Franc and 14% Merlot

The wine has pure cassis on the nose with incense wood and violets and rich berry fruit on palate, cassis, plums

Some dry tannins, and coffee mocha wood. The wine is still youthful and has great aging potential

Served with a deconstructed Beef Wellington. So a pastry curl topped a very rare Springbok loin, with dots of mushroom duxelle

Served on top of baby vegetables, nice and al dente, in a rather thin but flavourful black cherry and red wine jus

Sommelier Luvo Ntezo amused us when talking about the pairings and how they had got to them

He also told us that the next Chef and The Vine dinner will pair Hamilton Russell wines with Reuben's food

It will be on Thursday, July 25th. Book now

Thank you Luvo for a very entertaining evening and a good dinner with excellent wine pairings

Warwick winemaker JD Pretorius then told us about the Cabernet Franc, which was the final pairing with dessert

Warwick does not (yet?!) have a dessert wine and they thought this pairing would work well with the tea, nuts and chocolate

Hotel Sommelier Pearl Oliver

Spencer Fondaumiere gave Chef Roryck Erasmus a presentation box of Warwick Trilogy to thank him for the meal

One of the very well trained staff pouring us the 2014 Cabernet Franc from a magnum

Its earthy minerality, black cherry and berry fruit and coffee chocolate mocha flavours abound with freshness and juiciness

The 2015 won Best Cabernet Franc at the 2018 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show

The dessert it was paired with was a green tea pannacotta, beautifully wobbly and set on a base of pistachio crumble,

served with chocolate ganache darts, a green tea microwave sponge and dots of chocolate mousse

The One and Only has a respectable wine selection, stored perfectly in this temperature controlled wall of wine

It is a large restaurant

And, outside on the canal, we found a chilly wet evening. We are in mid winter and the rain is very welcome

It is a very cold and damp Cape winter this year, hurray. Good for the vines and good for filling the dams