The text of this story is in preparation
©
John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus
Tuesday, February 09, 2016
Great wines and loads of fun at the Stellenbosch Wine Festival
We started the weekend on Friday afternoon by checking into our AirBnB
in Stellenbosch and then driving to the festival, held this year at the
Coetzenburg Sports Grounds - we had no idea how vast they were and the signage
was not good. Parking was a bit sparse and we parked about as far away as we
could possibly get and endured a long hot walk to the festival grounds which
were on the cricket grounds, not the stadium as we had expected. But we had a
lot of fun when we got there
The entrance. It was not very busy on
Friday night and the place was so vast that the crowds were swallowed up. It
reminded us of the layout of Taste of Cape Town. We had feared a huge student
host, but they are still settling in to university and apparently arrived the
next day
Lots of tables and chairs in the centre
with necessary shade
Getting the lie of the land
All the stalls were in a circle around
the edge of the lawns
Queuing for the Food and wine pairings
We attended two. We started with Kleine Zalze.
This is Cellarmaster Alastair Rimmer introducing his three wines
L to R: 2015 Vineyard Selection Chenin
Blanc 100% barrel fermented. Grassy and classy with lots of golden fruit and
limes. 2015 Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc which was quite New Zealand in style, full of green pepper pyroxenes, crisp, dry with oyster shell minerality. Just
bottled, this needs some age. Vineyard selection Shiraz (85%) Mourvedre (12%)
Viognier (3%) initially shy this bloomed into an elegant warm spicy peppery
wine with rich dark berries and tight minerality. It gives a lot.
The audience certainly enjoyed the
session
Chef Tiaan Langenegger who prepared all
the food for every pairing
The Kleine Zalze wines tasted
After a quick recce to taste some wines
on stands we were back in the tasting room for the Waterford food and wine
pairing. This is winemaker Mark le Roux
The wines tasted: Waterford have just
released their MCC. Made in the 2007 vintage, it is full of appley, leesy
crispness with good aged character. It is 50/50 Chardonnay/Pinot Noir. Then the
2013 Library Collection Riesling - a first for Waterford and Mark le Roux Some terpenes,
dry but full with layers of limes and lemons. Then the Kevin Arnold Shiraz,
with rich fruit, perfumed, spicy chocolate and liquorice and layers of fruit
and wood
The food paired with the wines. The
apple jelly was a great match to the bubbly, but we did not understand why the
cucumber foam was there. The slow cooked pork belly with good crackling, set on
a rich, creamy, buttery cauliflower purée and caramelised onions was absolutely
perfect with the Riesling. The best match of the session. And we will be
serving more cauliflower purée with pork in future. The rich smooth chocolate
truffle made with masala chai and a smoked praline echoed lots of the flavours
in the Shiraz
Pick n Pay had a large wine shop with
discounts for all bearing the Smart Shopper card
Evening, starting to cool down and
everyone having fun tasting
Mark Le Roux back on the Waterford stand
with Cellarmaster/partner Kevin Arnold
The line up of wines for tasting
A fringe of stone pines atop the hill
The girls at Glenelly gave us a lovely
tasting
Friendly familiar faces on the L'Avenir
stand
A proud cockerel, a symbol of L'Avenir's French owners
Laibach's organic wines cooling
Cellarmaster at Laibachm Francois van Zyl
On to Guardian Peak with Warren Granat-Milder and Charles Pohl
...and we couldn't miss out Michelle van Eeden at the
Thelema/Sutherland stand
Or Marissa Groenewald and Jean-Mari Strauss on the Muratie stand, We just
missed Rijk and Kim Melck
The drawcards on stage that night were Karen Zoid and Kurt Darren
We had a special invitation to come and
taste La Jeunesse Delicate with cellarmaster Albie Koch on the De
Toren stand. Delicious
Works if you have lots of empties
Late night chats with Wim Braak of
Piekenierskloof wines and his mate William Fullard
©
John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus
Subscribe to MENUFriday, February 05, 2016
This week's MENU - Vergenoegd, Creation Pinot noir, Newton Johnson, White Water Guest Farm. Klein River cheese, Oak Valley Pool Room
Refreshment and
shelter from the heat at Oak Valley’s Pool Room
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whole story with photographs, please click on the
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We are in the middle of our hot summer season and it
is also Harvest time in the vineyards. We have been very busy working and
entertaining our friends from overseas who are coming here in droves this year,
so we are getting out and about quite a bit.
Great for the economy!
Vergenoegd, we are well satisfied Vergenoegd Wine farm is just off the N2 on
the R44 - right across the road from the Cape Town Film studios with their
Black Sails galleons, This farm, famous for its huge flock of Runner ducks, was
sold last year and we were invited to visit and see what the new owners have
done to the farm. We were mightily impressed with all the offerings and think
you will be too. We think they might be candidates for this year’s Klink
awards. Chef Ryan Shell (who was at Haute Cabrière restaurant) has moved here
and he produced a really exciting, fresh, family style lunch for the media. One
you will be able to experience too.
The farm organised transport for the media from Cape
Town and from the winelands for which we are very grateful. Tasting wine and
then drinking with lunch or dinner and driving is just not clever and we wish
more organisations would get the message. Read On ......
Creation Pinot Palate tasting
The Hemel and Aarde holds a weekend celebrating Pinot Noir each year and
we were invited to come to Creations part of it. John was booked to do some
photography for them and we had a marvellous morning tasting some older
Creation Pinot Noirs matched with some same age Burgundies and each matched
pair had its own food pairing. It was delightful and Creation really showed how
good their Pinots are, they held up their heads so well when matched with the
Burgundies. Read On .....
To Newton Johnson to taste their wines
We had to drop in at to Newton Johnson to return a friend's wallet
which, inadvertently, had been left at Creation. Their Pinot Noir tasting was
underway and we did not want to gate crash that but were very kindly offered a
tasting of the Newton Johnson wines in the tasting room. Of course, we took
some photographs. Read on .....
White Water Farm Rob and
Alex were our wonderful and much missed neighbours in Sea Point until they
bought White Water Farm in Stanford a year ago. The farm’s name refers to its
history as a distiller of illicit “witblits” moonshine in the 19th century. As
we were in the neighbourhood, this was the perfect opportunity to take up their
invitation to come and visit. Set up the valley from the Klein Rivier Cheese
Farm, it is in an idyllic spot alongside the river and nestled next to the
mountain reserve. They have 7 commodious cottages and Rob is a trained chef, so
they run a good country restaurant called The Garden Grill. Now, when you visit Stanford to explore the
new wine route, you have another lovely place to stay. Read On .....
Klein Rivier Cheese factory
On our way out of Stanford, we popped into the cheese factory to buy
some cheese. The shop is closed on Sundays, but the picnic venue is not and you
can buy a picnic basket or put together your own selection from the huge choice
available and then enjoy it in their garden picnic area. It is a great place to
take children. Read On .....
Gordon Manuel at The Pool Room Wending our
way home on a very hot Sunday, we decided to see if The Pool Room at Oak Valley
had a table for us. Yes, we know we should have booked but, after a good
breakfast, we were not sure if we would want lunch. For Lynne, it was a
solution to not having to make supper when we got home! The day was very hot.
They did manage to find us a table inside and we ordered a lovely charcuterie
platter to share. Chef Gordon Manuel then very kindly sent us one of his duck
combinations to sample. All was washed down with a glass each of an excellent
Oak Valley wine. Read On .....
This week's recipe is something very simple, but very suitable for the
sort of hot weather we are having. It
will keep in the fridge for a day or so.
Nutty Coleslaw
2 cups of shredded White cabbage - 2 cups of grated carrot - 1 cup of finely
sliced celery - 1/2 a cup of sliced pepperdews - 1/2 cup of roughly chopped
mixed nuts - Salt and freshly ground black pepper - 2 T good mayonnaise - 2 T
double thick Greek Yoghurt.
Mix all the ingredients together and dress with the
mayonnaise and yoghurt. Season to your own
taste. You might like to add a freshly
squeezed lemon or orange juice to the
carrot to keep it bright.
Here is a list of coming events up to and including Valentine’s Day. We will be at the Stellenbosch
Festival on Friday and at Franschhoek Summer wines on Saturday and we hope to
see many of you.
Friday, 5th to
Sunday, 7th February Stellenbosch Wine Festival – A Feast for the Senses. Celebrate
the harvest season in style at the Stellenbosch Wine Festival, presented by
Pick n Pay. Taking place at the Coetzenburg Sports Grounds in Stellenbosch,
visitors can look forward to sampling even more delicious wines than before,
with an incredible 77 wine farms and 10 boutique wineries participating in the
festival. If you’re keen on sampling some of the “rarer gems” from smaller
producers, then make sure you visit the festival on Sunday 7 February, when
boutique wineries are scheduled to make a special appearance. This year the
line-up includes: Audacia Wines, Bartinney Private Cellar, Deux Frères Wines,
Keermont Vineyards, Kings Kloof Vineyards, Mostertsdrift Noble Wines, Post
House Vineyards, Rudera Wines, The High
Road and Usana Wines. The Gourmet Lane will once again offer signature treats
from wineries and restaurants responsible for the region’s culinary reputation,
including Beyerskloof, Eaglevlei Wines, Vagabond Kitchen, Big Steve
Charcuterie, Wild Peacock Food Emporium and Bistro 13. And no South African festival
would be complete without biltong – fresh and delicious, it will be available
from Pick n Pay’s biltong stand. Celebrity chef Tiaan Langenegger will team up
with winemakers to explore the magic of food-and-wine pairing during daily
sessions in The Tasting Room. Langenegger will pair delicious canapés with
wines from Blaauwklippen, Ernie Els Wines, Kaapzicht, Kleine Zalze, L'Avenir,
Mooiplaas, Spier, Villiera, Waterford Estate and Waterkloof. Sessions last half
an hour and are limited to 40 guests. Booking is essential and tickets can be
bought on the day at the festival for R25. Those in possession of a Smart
Shopper card can enter free of charge. Daily festival tickets cost R180 for
adults and include a tasting glass. Tickets are now available online from
www.webtickets.co.za. Children under 18
enter free. Festival opening times:
Friday from 15h00-21h00, Saturday from 10h00-18h00 and Sunday from
10h00-18h00. Tastings finish an hour before closing time. Visit the festival
website www.stellenboschwinefestival.co.za for a full event schedule. Follow the
Stellenbosch Wine Festival on Twitter @StellWineFest, Instagram
@Stellenboschwinefest or sign up for regular updates on Facebook at
StellenboschWineFestival.
Friday, 5th to
Sunday, 7th February Fleur du Cap wines paired with tasty morsels
enriched with artisanal salts at the Stellenbosch Wine Festival at Coetzenburg
Sports Grounds. Fleur du Cap wines can be purchased at the festival at cellar
door prices. Friday from 15h00-21h00, Saturday from 10h00-18h00 and Sunday from
10h00-18h00. Tastings finish an hour before closing time. For more information
on Fleur du Cap visit www.fleurducap.co.za, join the Fleur du Cap community on
Facebook or follow them on Twitter @FleurduCapWines
Saturday, 6th
February Franschhoek Summer Wines at Leopard’s Leap Family
Vineyards. Come and taste the Franschhoek Vigneron’s choice for
summer. White, rosé or Méthode Cap Classique – all will be revealed on the day!
Tickets are available from www.webtickets.co.za at R150 per person. This includes a wine glass and a tasting of
all the wines on show between 12pm and 5pm.
Thursday, 11th
February Summer Sounds at Haute Cabrière, featuring
Morne Meyer, from Wellington, who has recently worked in Dubai as an
entertainer for Regal Plaza Hotel with guitar, vocal and live music. He is
talented in multiple genres including Jazz, Blues, Funk and Pop. This is the perfect way
to enjoy a delicious light meal paired with great wines. The breathtaking views
and sunsets provide a splendid setting for the entertainment on the Terrace
area at Haute Cabrière with seating on the Terrace and the lawns which overlook the magnificent
Franschhoek Valley. Booking is essential as each event has a maximum capacity
of 60 people. Please note only the Terrace menu is available at these events and no
cover charge applies. For reservations and enquiries e-mail restaurant@cabriere.co.za or call 021 876 3688
Saturday, 13th
February Nederburg welcomes The Galileo Open Air Cinema.
Begin the afternoon with a relaxed stroll through Nederburg’s manor house and
the winery’s lush gardens. Then share an evening underneath the stars with a
loved one, or a friend, to a screening of Shakespeare in Love. Pre-order a
picnic basket for R500 per couple from The Red Table. It includes delicious
fresh salads, cured meats, artisanal cheeses, crackers and bread, grilled tiger
prawns, asparagus spears wrapped with Parma ham, tartlets, and finally,
decadent chocolate brownies with strawberries, a bottle of Nederburg Première
Cuvée Brut as well as still mineral water. Pre-ordered picnic baskets must be
pre-paid in full. On the night there will also be stalls offering food, mineral
water, soft drinks as well as coffee and tea. Booking is essential. To book
tickets for the screening of Shakespeare in Love, starting just after dark on
Saturday, 13th February, please contact The Galileo on 071 471 8728
or hello@thegalileo.co.za. Go to www.thegalileo.co.za for more information, or to view ticket
options and pricing. Visit www.nederburg.co.za for more on the brand.
Saturday, 13th
February at 18h30 for
19h00 Plaisir de Merle Winemaker’s Table.
A culinary feast prepared by well-known chef and restaurateur, Dawid Kriel,
paired with wines selected by Cellar Master, Niel Bester, will be served in the
cellar. Tickets are available at R595 per person, five course dinner and wine
included. Limited spaces are available so call 021 874 1071 or email info@plaisirdemerle.co.za to be part of this exclusive event.
Saturday 13th
February from 10am until
6pm Rosé Festival at Rickety Bridge Estate. FLOW
OF THE DAY: 8.30 until 10am: The day
will start at 8.30am with The Rosé Run (5km, 10km or 20km) and The Rosé MTB
Ride (20km, 40km or 60km). Entry to these events will include a Festival
ticket. Showers will be provided as well as a Rosé Breakfast of Salmon and Egg
Bagels. 10am until 4pm: Wine
tasting, Rosé-friendly food stalls, pre-booked picnics, Paulina’s Restaurant
will be open 4pm until 6pm: Wine
tasting closes, wine sales continue, cocktail bar and Paulina’s Restaurant stay
open. Guests will be able to enjoy tapas and live music and watch the sunset.
Entry costs R120 per ticket for a glass and tastings. From www.webtickets.co.za and at the door. Food will be available
from Rosé-friendly food stalls. R150 per person for a pre-booked picnic.
Paulina’s Restaurant will be open all day. Wine sales: By the glass and by the
bottle. Music: There will be live music
throughout the day. For more information please visit www.ricketybridge.com and www.dnaevents.co.za. To enter please visit www.webtickets.co.za or get your tickets on arrival
Saturday, 13th February Celebrate the
Weekend of Love in style at the Lanzerac Hotel & Spa with an
intimate and romantic dinner for two at R420 per person. Included in your
special evening is a complimentary welcome drink. Gorgeous views, gourmet food
and superb estate wines. The perfect gift for that someone special. Adding
extra romance to your evening the Lady Anne Courtyard, reminiscent of a Spanish
sidewalk, will be transformed into a Tango Fiesta for the evening, as the
sensual Dance of Love captivates you. This passionate walking-embrace
symbolizes a close and sensuous connection between partners, and promises to be
the highlight of what can only be described as the ultimate romantic evening.
Let us treat you to an enchanting evening of delicious Spanish inspired food
paired with superb wine, amidst an elegant and relaxing setting. For bookings
contact Denise Bezuidenhoudt on banqueting@lanzerac.co.za
Saturday, 13th
February Valentine’s Dinner at Benguela on Main, 206
Main Road, Somerset West R600 per person. For details, contact http://www.bengueladining.com/capetown or email
onmain@benguelacove.co.za
Phone: 087 357 0637
Saturday, 13th
February at 15h00 Muratie presents The Swingsetters, an evening
of music, wine and plenty of fun! R150
per ticket. Please book tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. For further information contact Jean-Mari Strauss
at Muratie on 021 865 2330 or taste@muratie.co.za.
Sunday, 14th February Valentine’s Day
inspired picnic and movie night or brunch at the Anthonij Rupert
Wyne Estate. Whether it’s a candlelight dinner or a sunset picnic, Valentine’s
Day is known for these two things. It’s about spending time with that someone
special whilst enjoying a glass of chilled MCC. With the dominant colour being
red, the L‘Ormarins Brut Rosé 2013 is perfect with its delicate salmon colour. Completing
the picture would be spoiling your loved one to a Valentine’s Day inspired
picnic and movie night or brunch at the Anthonij Rupert Wyne Estate. What
better way to enjoy this superb MCC from one of SA’s leading producers. For
details contact 021 874 9041 or tasting@rupertwines.com.
Sunday, 14th
February The Backsberg Centenary Picnic Concert Series
kicks-off on with a performance by The Plastics. Come and enjoy your Sunday
afternoon by relaxing on the lawns with a glass of wine whilst listening to
some great SA music. Tickets are R120 from www.webtickets.co.za and R150 at the gate. Students pay R60 and
there is no charge for children under the age of 12. Delicious food and snack
boxes will be available on the day. Snack boxes can be pre-ordered at restaurant@backsberg.co.za at a cost of R160 for two persons. Gates
to Backsberg Estate Cellars open at 15h00.
Sunday, 14th
February Valentine’s Day Lunch at Benguela on Main, 206
Main Road, Somerset West R600 per person. For details, contact http://www.bengueladining.com/capetown or email
onmain@benguelacove.co.za
Phone: 087 357 0637
Sunday, 14th February Celebrate the
day of love at Boschendal with live music by romantic duo Palm
Strings, who will entertain picnic visitors at the serviced Rhone Classic
Picnic area from 12h00 - 15h00. Executive Chef, Christiaan Campbell and his
team will add a romantic twist to the picnic baskets, while the full range of
Boschendal MCC bubbly will be available to add that extra bit of “l’amour” to
your day. Cost: R520 per basket to share. Includes 10% service fee, but
excludes beverages. Enjoy a Valentine’s celebration with a difference by
joining Food Garden Manager, Megan McCarthy for a Valentine’s themed Food
Garden Tour from 10h00-11h30 and stock up on our bio-friendly veggies and herbs
for a romantic dining occasion. Cost: R150 per person (Includes water, tour,
veggie gift pack and glass of Boschendal MCC). Alternatively you can book a
leisurely afternoon at our Werf picnics, The Werf Restaurant for an innovative
farm-to-table menu, The Deli and Farm stall for a casual meal or Rhone
Homestead for a lavish Cape Buffet. Bookings for the Picnic and Food Garden
Tour are essential at reservations@boschendal.co.za or +27
21 870 4274. The restaurants’ bookings can be made on-line at www.boschendal.co.za.
Sunday, 14th February Valentine's Day
Lunch at Dornier Bodega Restaurant. Head Chef Lee-Anne du Plessis
has created a beautiful four course menu for Valentine's Day lunch this
February. Three of the dishes featured on the Valentine's Day menu include an
array of Oysters served with Lime Salsa, Bloody Mary and Pesto Parmesan,
Watermelon Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese salad, and Crusted Yellow Fin Tuna served
on a bed of Marinated Angel Hair and Julienne Vegetables. Seating is limited,
please ensure to make your booking as early as possible to avoid
disappointment. Bookings can be made by contacting Bodega Restaurant at 021 880 0557 or bodega@dornier.co.za
Sunday, 14th
February Valentine’s Day picnic at Durbanville Hills Wines,
only 20 minutes from Cape Town’s city centre. The first one is for you to
stretch out under the olive trees on lush green lawns with a glass of wine and
enjoy the contents of a delectable picnic basket for two. The picnic basket,
which includes a bottle of Durbanville Hills Merlot Rosé, is available at R350.
The baskets will be available between 11h00 and 15h00. Bookings are essential
and can be made by contacting the cellar on 021 558 1300 or by sending an email to info@durbanvillehills.co.za
Sunday, 14th
February Valentine’s Day at Durbanville Hills Restaurant,
The Best Restaurant in the Winelands according to the 2015 Restaurant Week
South African Awards. Treat your partner to a four-course menu, each course
paired with one of the wines in the Durbanville Hills range, for R425 per
person. Bookings are essential and can be made by contacting the cellar on 021 558 1300 or by sending an email to info@durbanvillehills.co.za
Sunday, 14th February Valentine’s Day
at Lanzerac. The Governor’s Hall Restaurant will be clad with a
touch of extra romantic finery on the day. Well-known for its Sunday lunches,
the restaurant will be serving a Valentine’s inspired menu in celebration of
the occasion. Pre-bookings are essential as seating is limited. For bookings
contact Denise Bezuidenhoudt on banqueting@lanzerac.co.za.
Sunday, 14th
February The Red Table at Nederburg offers the ideal
Valentine’s four-course menu, priced at R650 per couple and offered for lunch
and dinner. Start with delicious salmon ceviche, watercress, radish and red
onion salsa, followed by bacon-rolled chicken, goat’s cheese, roasted cherry
tomatoes, wilted spinach and toasted pine nuts.
Then enjoy the main dish of grilled beef fillet, baked parmesan baby
potatoes, fine beans, young carrots and bone marrow jus. Seal the deal with
caramel, dark and white chocolate tart, pistachio Turkish delight and fruit
compote. A deposit of R150 per person is required to confirm your booking for
lunch or dinner at The Red Table on 14 February. To book, please call 021 877 5155 or send an email to theredtable@nederburg.co.za.
Sunday, 14th
February Valentine's Dinner at Catharina's. This
Valentine's Day, spoil your loved one with a special menu designed by Chef
Garth Almazan for R895 per person. Begin with an Amuse Bouche of Balsamic and
Beetroot Jelly with Rose and Beetroot Granite. Then journey through 4 courses
of flavourful indulgence with Coffee & Friandise to conclude your evening.
We have also designed a Vegetarian Menu for the evening as well as optional
wine pairing. View the full menus here. For enquiries, please contact reservations@catharinasrestaurant.co.za or call 021 713 7178.
4th February 2016
PS If a word or name is in bold type and underlined,
click on it for more information
Phones: +27 21 439 3169 / 083 229 1172 / 083 656
4169
Postal address: 60 Arthurs Rd, Sea Point 8005
Our Adamastor
& Bacchus© tailor-made Wine, Food and Photo tours take
small groups (up to 6) to specialist wine producers who make the best of South
Africa’s wines. Have fun while you learn more about wine and how it is made!
Tours can be conducted in English, German, Norwegian and standard or Dutch-flavoured
Afrikaans.
If you like the photographs you see in our publications,
please look at our Adamastor
Photo website for our
rate card and samples from our portfolio
We apologise if MENU caused
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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 these
newsletters and our blogs are © John & Lynne Ford,
Adamastor & Bacchus. Our restaurant reviews are usually
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
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