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Thursday, November 14, 2013

The Klink Awards 2013

Lynne, Derek Henstra, Anel Potgieter and Rijk Melck of Muratie with glasses of Villiera MCC

The Robertson contingent. Elizma Spangenberg of Robertson Wine Valley, Steyn Fullard, General & Marketing Manager from Weltevrede and Bonita Malherbe of Van Loveren

Gathering on the terrace under the marquee

Derek Henstra reads out the awards

Anxious faces in the crowd

Derek with Monica Elias, as she reveals the awards

And the winner is...

Graham Howe, journalist and Cathryn Henderson, editor of Classic Wine

Lynne, freezing cold, wearing John’s jacket, with Bonita Malherbe of Van Loveren

Elizma Spangenberg, Robertson Wine Valley, gets an award and a hug from Derek for winning the CROWD PLEASER: Award for Best Wine Route Event - Robertson Wacky Wine Weekend

and her certificate from Monica

Bonita Malherbe received two awards for Van Loveren: FAMILY DAY OUT: Award for Best Child-Friendly Venue on a Wine Farm and YIN AND YANG: Award for Best Food and Wine Pairing at the Cellar Door

That was unexpected!

A deconstructed tricolor salad

Mini quiches topped with balsamic glaze

Caramelised onion in vol au vent cases topped with cheese and pine nuts

Spinach dim sum dumplings

Prawns in tempura batter with sesame seed

Seafood dim sum

Smoked salmon on blinis with cream cheese

Steak on rosti

Fillet on a stick with soy glaze

A superb dessert plate

A visit to Shannon, Elgin

We had no idea that this part of the valley is so beautiful. The farm is on the banks of the Palmiet river, which looks perfect for fly fishing.

The tasting room

Roses round the door and a super view of the river on the other side.

The entrance

The tasting room is currently in the senior Downes' house as tastings are by appointment only

The view from their shady stoep

A fertile river valley

Lunch at Bizerca with Van Ryn and Oude Meester premium brandies

Brink Liebenberg, Group GM: Spirits Production at Distell, and his team welcomed the small party of writers (Graham Howe, Christian Eedes, Melvin Minnaar, Lynne and John) to Bizerca

Four glasses for you, four for me

The menu. It varied a bit, but was very well planned and was a clever match for the brandy

Our waitress for the lunch presents the Oude Meester Souverein 18 year old for us to enjoy with the starter

Amber liquid

The presentation tin. This brandy costs R950 a bottle

In an elegant bottle

Perfectly cooked cuisse of confit duck, topped with rare slices of the separately roasted breast, served with roasted pear, broadbeans, porcini muchrooms and a honey spice glaze

The Van Ryn’s Distillers Reserve 12 year old costs R500 a bottle. A good match

Going down well

The delicious dessert was served with Van Ryn’s Collectors Reserve 20 year old, which sells for R1300 a bottle

Then we were given a huge treat, a small sample of the Au.Ra a superb blend of 30 to 40 year old cask brandies

It sells for R14 000 from Van Ryn and R30 000 at the duty free shop. Only 107 bottles produced, only 20 left

Chef Laurent Deslandes

tells us how he came up with the pairings

Discussing the brandies after a really exceptional meal, no one really wanted the day or the brandy to end

The Platter 2014 guide launch and 5 star tasting

It was a bit of a scrum getting to the bottles

Andrew MacDowall, retiring publisher of the Platter guide to South African wines

Dave Hughes opened the evening

J P Rossouw, new publisher of the Platter Guide

Andrew MacDowall waiting to speak

speaking

and showing us the new eau de nil Platter

and the first 1980 edition

Pozy Hazell with Andrew MacDowall

J P Rossouw takes over

Editor Philip van Zyl hands over a parting gift...

.. a cartoon by Tony Grogan

A French connection - Marion Pla of Marie Claire meets Signal Hill winemaker Jean Vincent Ridon

Gregory Mutambe, head sommelier at The Twelve Apostles, with the new guide and a bottle of Simonsig's 5 star "The Russetty One" Roussanne 2012, made for the Cape Winemakers' Guild auction

A taste of Elgin Vintners

Sitting with Nicky Wallace in the Elgin Vintners tasting room, which is part of the cellar

The range of wines we tasted

Jonathan is in charge of the cellar

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MENU, our weekly email newsletter, started as an advertising medium for Main Ingredient, our specialist retail grocery business. We opened our Sea Point shop in December 2002 because realised that there was a place in South Africa for a grocer catering to people with sophisticated tastes and needs. We moved the shop on line in 2010, but discontinued it in 2015, having decided that it is time to “retire” and concentrate on our writing, photography and tour guiding. MENU has a wide circulation and is read nationally and internationally.

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