Sundowner with music at Haute Cabrière

Tasting room manager Ingrid Petersen greets us with a glass of Pierre Jourdan

What a lovely way to spend an evening. Together with a glass of cold Pierre Jordan MCC and a beautiful view, while listening to soft jazz

The Dutch Connection playing familiar jazz numbers consisted of band leader Derk “Fingers” Blaisse on Keyboards and a guest Saxophonist. The band plays 1920s and 1930s jazz in the style of Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, George Gershwin and Cole Porter as well as Brazilian Bossa novas of Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto and even some Cape Ghoema. We heard the Saxophonist play a very creditable version of Paul Desmond’s solo in Brubeck’s Take Five

You can sit on the terrace at tables or on cushions on the lawn and there are plenty of umbrellas until the sun sets

Light snack platters are available for R99 per person and their wines and Cap Classique can be enjoyed at Cellar door prices. This was our amazing and very generous cheese platter. Then why not book a table for dinner at Haute Cabrière Restaurant

The patrons enjoying the music and the wine

The view of Franschhoek valley and the mountains beyond from the terrace 

Their talented Executive chef, Ryan Shell, popped out for a chat before getting back to preparing dinner

Co-Owner Hildegard von Arnim and Ingrid join us for the cheese platter and some MCC and a glass of this year’s excellent Pinot Noir

The Pinot noir is elegant, soft and fruity and very easy to drink! A classic expression of this challenging grape

Good dogs are welcome to the Soirée, as are well behaved children

The vaulted underground barrel cellar

Sunsets can be spectacular from the terrace. This evening was a little cloudy but warm.

empty glasses in the lovely evening light - time to eat!

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013

Tasting Zinfandels with Blaauwklippen

The tasting was at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Mouille Point on the edge of the harbour

Here Rolf Zeitvogel takes us through the five Zinfandels, four from Australia and one from Blaauwklippen

The five wines ready for tasting all have good colour

The tasting sheet. We tasted a Cape Mentelle 2010 Margaret River W.A., Cargo Road 2010 N.S.W. Orange Region, Smallwater Estate 2009 W.A. Geographe Region, Peel Estate 2007 W.A  Peel Wine Region and Blaauwklippen Reserve 2011 Stellenbosch, W.C.

Californian winemaker Alicia Sylvester tells us about Zinfandels in California. She is here to do a Cape harvest season. Sadly, she was not able to get a bottle from their estate in time for the tasting.

Alicia and Rolf’s PA, Natalie Campbell

Rolf tells us proudly about the Blaauwklippen

Some of the wine statistics

Tasting the wine and looking at the colour

Journalist Graham Howe in discussion with Samarie Smith

Nicolette Waterford, the PRO, who organised the event so well

Cape Wine Master Winnie Bowman next to journalist Melvin Minnaar

The line-up of bottles at the tasting

Gleaming glassware

Executive Chef Grant Kennedy tells us what is for lunch

Wine Concepts director Mike Bampfield Duggan with a glass of Blaauwklippen’s White Zinfandel (a true blanc de noir)

Wine Extra editor Maryna Strachan and Mike - waiting for another umbrella to be found; the sun was high in the sky and it was hot

Wine Blogger Anél Grobler (Spit or Swallow)

Alicia, a California girl enjoying the Cape

Grant tells us how they did the food and wine pairing

What a lovely place for lunch, on the deck overlooking the water

The menu.  We drank four Blaauwklippens with the lunch : 2012 White Zinfandel; 2010 Blaauwklippen Zinfandel; 2011 Blaauwklippen Reserve/single vineyard ; and Blaauwklippen  2011 Noble Late Harvest Zinfandel.

Our second course was a seared pink tuna pave topped with herb and lemon crumbs, a root dauphinoise and a cranberry beurre noisette sauce, topped with pea shoots.

Third course was a sorbet of prickly pear and a dash (or two) of Zinfandel Grappa made by Rolf

Cape Master of wine and special person Alan Mullins enjoying the lunch

Dessert was very interesting and very moreish.  A light and airy Raisin tea and rooibos bread soufflé accompanied by an intense Coconut blackberry semi-freddo and a most unusual Avocado and bitter chocolate tart. YUM.

Grant, Alicia, Billy Martin, Rolf and Natalie Campbell at the end of lunch

Lynne chats to  Brett Garner, editor of The Month, with a wonderful view of the  Waterfront in the background.

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013

Dinner at Savoy Cabbage

The menu, with lots of choice

They have a very good wine list indeed, with very fair prices; many of these are the wines we regularly buy and drink and cellar

The dessert list, the one we didn’t venture anywhere near because we ate far too much.  Had we been able to fit in something more, we probably would have chosen the Chilled Plum and cinnamon Soup with Tonka Bean Ice Cream or the Chocolate Marquise for John

A tiny amuse of a melt in the mouth savoury cheese and tomato tartlet

Their classic tomato tart, one of our absolute favourites.  The secret of this is its simplicity and the really stunning crisp many-layered flaky pastry, really good tomatoes with lots of flavours and hidden beneath some melted gruyere cheese.

Haricot bean “cappuchino” soup, dusted with truffle shavings. Rich and delicious and very filling.

The upstairs bar and service centre.  Their staff are friendly and efficient and well trained

A view of one end of the restaurant from the staircase

There were lots of informally dressed diners due mainly, we think, to the Argus Cycle tour the next day, but Frank tells us they are an informal restaurant.

Front reception area with the floating floor above

Lynne’s second favourite dish, vying with the tomato tart.  The most unctuous light and rich Chicken liver parfait served with Port soaked figs, a fresh fig and current toast. Divine. Another one to try to make at home.

Soft and gentle house smoked salmon on a buckwheat pancake with grapefruit jelly and salmon caviar. More, more...

Our first main course was grilled Geelbek (Cape salmon) topped with braised leeks and served on a  bed of mixed vegetable in a verbena dressing and hake bottarga. The taste of fresh lemon verbena on the just cooked vegetables was both new and delightful.

Our second main course and the one that filled us to the brim, was an extremely well hung Impala Loin, coated in a heavy spice rub, seared and served rare. Next to it was some tender, well braised shank of Impala. The dish had a very deep spiced port wine sauce and was served with pickled red cabbage and spätzle – an extruded German pasta.

Wines we drank were a glass of bubbly, taster glasses  of Diemersfontein Carpe Dieum 2011 Chenin Blanc; Iona 2012 Sauvignon Blanc; Haute Cabrier’s Ratafia (absolutely essential with the paté) and Cheval D’or  2009 War Lord  red blend (not normally available by the glass) but as we had never heard of this before, Frank insisted we taste it. We liked it very much and would like to find out more about this farm in Stellenbosch.

They were incredibly generous to us on this our special occasion and we had a marvellous evening. Thank you to all at Savoy Cabbage, we will be back.

Photographs taken with John's Nokia N8, probably the best phone camera, but still not as good as a Nikon DSLR in low light!

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013