Shana
Tovah
We
wish you and your family a wonderful New Year
and
well over the Fast
John
& Lynne Ford
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
This Week's MENU. Nederburg Auction 2016, Amorim Cap Classique Challenge, 1821 Grand Constance comes home, Asian Style Beef salad, Durbanville Hills Rhinofields Sauvignon
We wish all our Jewish readers Shanah Tovah and well over the
Fast
Another
great week of wine and some good food. Our
car came back to us just in time for a period of intense travel. The festival
season is beginning and we are having to visit Franschhoek, Stellenbosch,
Durbanville, Darling and Robertson all in the next couple of weeks. Our petrol
bill goes sky high and we really appreciate it when the event organisers
arrange transport for us. This is the height of the media season and the diary
is rather full, so we will have lots to tell you about
We are having a problem sending MENU by
email. When we called our service provider, MWeb, to
ask why we could only send out to about 20
addresses per hour, we were told that they have a new policy which
means that bulk mailing is no longer possible from any account and that this
applies to all service providers. They said that the only way round it is to
re-jig our mailing list of over 5000 addresses into groups of 20 instead of the
250 or so we've used up to now. Eveb that isn’t working, so we are looking at
alternative ways of sending the email version to you
The Nederburg Auction 2016 This year's Nederburg Auction had 146
items, 1034 lots, 10
506
litres of wine to auction and made a final total of R7 593 200 with total
sales increasing by 23% over last year, in spite of a slightly lower volume on sale
of 4% from the 2015. Tsogo Sun was the top buyer for 2016, with a total of just
over R1 million, followed by the SPAR group and the Singita group of luxury
lodges. We attended on Saturday and had an interesting and enjoyable day. We
didnt buy anything this year, the high prices were daunting
A
total of 18 lots were sold at the exciting annual Nederburg Charity Auction
taken by Roland Peens during lunch, which raised just over R500 000 for two
community-based organisations, the Breytenbach Centre in Wellington and the
Hope Through Action project in Paarl. The highest price achieved was R70,000
paid for a single 750ml bottle of Petrus, 1988, signed by Christian Moueix that
was donated by auctioneer Anthony Barne MW. If you would like the see the
results in details go here https://www.nederburgauction.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/2016-Results.pdf
A Historical “Home Coming” at Groot Constantia Groot Constantia brought home an 1821 bottle
of its famed Grand Constance. Groot Constantia was the successful bidder recently
in an overseas auction for a 195 year old bottle of Grand Constance 1821, a
wine that was produced in the Groot Constantia Cloete Cellar. They were so
delighted at acquiring the wine and returning it to its origin that they
invited a group of us to celebrate its return last week. They also promised a
surprise event during the day
The 15th year of the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge The awards ceremony for this prestigious
competition, sponsored by Portuguese cork producer Amorim, was held last
Wednesday at the Twelve Apostles Hotel. There were 113 entries for the four
categories: Blanc de Blancs, Rosé, Blended Brut and a Museum Class for wines
including and before the 2008 vintage. And there were a few surprises this
year. The labels usually at the top were not up there and two producers both
took home two top awards. The wines are tasted blind by a panel of experienced
judges and this year there was a change in judging procedures in that
categories were narrowed, with judging no longer being done separately on
vintage and non-vintage wines. And to promote inclusivity among producers,
entries were open to non-members of the Cap Classique Producers Association.
The winners are: Best Brut and Overall Competition Winner: Anura Brut 2011;
Best Rosé: J.C. Le Roux Pinot Noir Rosé 2010; Best Blanc de Blanc: Colmant Brut
Chardonnay NV; Best Museum Class: J.C. Le Roux Scintilla Vintage Reserve 2008;
Frans Malan Legacy Award: John and Erica Platter
On the Wine Menu this week: Durbanville Hills Rhinofields
Sauvignon blanc 2013 Lees and pears on the nose complemented with
vanilla. Layers of crisp clean fruit delight in their complexity. Pears,
apricots, pineapple add to the tingle. Such a good wine to pair with food
This
is an easy to assemble salad using left over-beef. You can add lots of other
different things like blanched mange tout peas, or thin beans, baby corn, bok
choy, baby spinach, pea shoots, radishes or whatever edible items you have in
the garden or in the fridge. Lynne used spekboom, nasturtium, and huge oxalis
leaves
300g
cooked beef from a roast, cut in thin slices - Sesame oil - Ponzu sauce -
Tamari sauce - watercress - rocket - carrot strips - celery thinly sliced - one
small bulb of fennel, thinly sliced - 8 baby tomatoes , sliced in half- herbs
and assorted foraged leaves from your garden - basil leaves, torn - pumpkin
seeds - sunflower seeds - black and white sesame seeds - light soy sauce -
sweet chilli sauce - hot chilli sauce - soba noodles
Dress
the beef with a dessert spoonful of both Ponzu and Tamari and set aside
Salad
dressing
1T
Ponzu - 1 T light soy sauce - 1 T sweet chilli sauce - 1t sesame oil - 1 t
freshly grated ginger - 1 t hot chilli sauce
Cook
the soba noodles, drain and while still hot pour over a teaspoonful of sesame
oil, 1T sesame seeds - 1 T light soy. Allow to cool.
When
the noodles are cool, put them into a wide dish. Mix up the salad ingredients
and layer them on top of the noodles, arrange the beef slices on top and when
ready to eat, pour over the dressing
1
T = 1 Tablespoon 1t = teaspoon
27th September
2016
Phones: +27 21 439 3169 / 083 229 1172
/ 083 656 4169
Postal address: 60 Arthurs Rd, Sea Point
8005
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
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 made to avoid
mistakes, we are human and they do creep in occasionally, for which we
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Tuesday, September 27, 2016
What's on the Menu this week: Asian Style Beef salad with foraged garden herbs and leaves
This
is an easy to assemble salad using left-over beef. You can add lots of other
different things like blanched mange tout peas, or thin beans, baby corn, bok
choy, baby spinach, pea shoots, radishes or whatever edible items you have in
the garden or in the fridge. Lynne used spekboom, nasturtium, and huge oxalis
leaves
300g
cooked beef from a roast, cut in thin slices - Sesame oil - Ponzu sauce -
Tamari sauce - watercress - rocket - carrot strips - celery thinly sliced - one
small bulb of fennel, thinly sliced - 8 baby tomatoes , sliced in half- herbs
and assorted foraged leaves from your garden - basil leaves, torn - pumpkin
seeds - sunflower seeds - black and white sesame seeds - light soy sauce -
sweet chilli sauce - hot chilli sauce - soba noodles
Dress
the beef with a dessert spoonful of both Ponzu and Tamari and set aside
Salad
dressing
1T
Ponzu - 1 T light soy sauce - 1 T sweet chilli sauce - 1t sesame oil - 1 t
freshly grated ginger - 1 t hot chilli sauce
Cook
the soba noodles, drain and while still hot pour over a teaspoonful of sesame
oil, 1T sesame seeds - 1 T light soy. Allow to cool.
When
the noodles are cool, put them into a wide dish. Mix up the salad ingredients
and layer them on top of the noodles, arrange the beef slices on top and when
ready to eat, pour over the dressing
1
T = 1 Tablespoon 1t = teaspoon
Tamari and Ponzu are soy sauces
On the Wine Menu this week: Durbanville Hills Rhinofields Sauvignon blanc 2013
Lees
and pears on the nose complemented with vanilla
Layers of crisp clean fruit
delight in their complexity. Pears, apricots, pineapple add to the tingle. Such
a good wine to pair with food
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Saturday at the 2016 Nederburg Auction
This
year's Nederburg Auction had 146 items, 1034 lots, 10 506 litres of wine to
auction and made a final total of R7 593 200 with total
sales increasing by 23% over last year, in spite of a slightly lower volume on
offer of 4% from the 2015. Tsogo Sun was the top buyer for 2016, with a total
of just over R1 million, followed by the SPAR group and the Singita group of
luxury lodges. We attended on Saturday and had an interesting and enjoyable
day. We didnt buy anything this year, the high prices were daunting
The invitation asked us to be there at 9am so that registration
could take place and people could collect their paddles for bidding in the
auction
Then it’s time for a glass of bubbly, or a coffee and
croissant for breakfast
Oh, there were some canapés as well
Fruit on a stick, oysters and some orange juice
The Sommeliers were out in force to keep us full of bubbly
all day. On offer in the morning was Pongracz Brut and Rosé, others were there
later. This is Ndaba Dube from the Vineyard Hotel with a colleague
Lynne had a word with Ewan MacKenzie Badge aka The Wine
Thief
Mark Norrish of Ultra Liquors in his lucky patriotic tie
with his pretty daughter Julia
A happy band of auction warriors: Judy Brower of Wine.co.za,
Benny Howard CWM of Meerendal, who is also one of the organisers of the auction,
with the two English auctioneers David Elswood, International Head of Wine for
Christie’s, and Anthony Barne MW from Bonham’s
Prior to the auction, which begins with a keynote speaker,
we were able to taste the wines which would be on auction. Here is Riana Hall
of Rudera
Clark Truter of Morvino & Siris Vintners tasting the
Seven Springs Chardonnay from the Hemel and Aarde valley with winemaker Riana
van der Merwe
The Downes of Shannon vineyards in Elgin have their wine in
the auction and were obviously planning to bid for others, L to R: Stuart,
Elizabeth and James Downes
Jean Vincent Ridon of Signal Hill wines with his auction
wine Eszencia, made in the style of Tokai from Furmint and Sauvignon blanc. It is
the highest ever rated South African wine on the US market, awarded 96/100 by
Steven Tanzer
Guy Webber of Stellenzicht with his Stellenzicht 1994
Johann de Wet and his wife had a very exciting day. Their De
Wetshof Finesse Chardonnay 1993 was the top white wine of the day, making a
record price of R2000 per 750 ml bottle
Jane Beaumont and her daughter-in-law Nadia Hope with their Chenin
blanc auction wine Hope Marguerite 2008
Following the official auction, there is always the charity
auction and these were the lots for bidding on. That auction too broke all
records
With all the current interest in Cinsaut and its positive effect
on wines when they age, this Stellenbosch Cinsaut 1974 was a very interesting lot
A bottle of Zonnebloem Pinotage 1986. Pinotage does age extremely well
11 o’clock time for Tim Atkin MW to give his keynote
address. The theme he chose was titled Heritage: Boom or Burden?
In his 45 minute speech we were given a full history of
South African wine and, at the end, some stern comments to the industry that our
wines are too cheap, with the result that these excellent wines are not respected in international
markets. How can you sell a 95 point wine for £10? We must build an international brand and we must work together. We
have heard this several times before and we agree
Tim Atkin has recently come up with a 5 tier Cru rating of
South African wines, it is quite contentious but this does deserve
consideration, and possibly a bit of re-jigging – some of our top wines ended
up on lower tiers than they deserve, in our opinion
The audience
Razvan Macici, Head Winemaker of Distell, listens with
interest
Dalene Steyn of Nederburg presents Tim Atkin with a token of
thanks while he refreshes his palate with an apple
Auctioneer Anthony Barne MW of Bonham’s gets the auction
underway
Just in case we were still peckish and too weak to bid, we
were each given this platter of canapés. A small fishcake, a jar of aioli with
fresh vegetables and a tiny muffin stuffed with paté
Spot the bids!
Lots were going fast and furiously and the prices were good.
To speed up the day as Friday had been slow, they combined each single lot with
another, so the minimum bid was for 2 cases
Yes, they keep us well hydrated too. Here Angelo Casu of
Grand Dedale and Michael Pownall enjoy some Desiderius MCC as they were so busy
bidding
Pearl Oliver, Sommelier at the Taj Hotel, enjoying the sale
with a glass of Rosé MCC
Natalie Opstaele of Almenkerk looking unusually serious as she waits for their wine to come
up
And the auction ends with lot 1034 Nederburg Private Bin
Edelkeur Noble Late Harvest which went for R8 500
for one lot of 6 x 375ml bottles. The final total for the auction is in the top
right hand corner of the screen: R7 582 400. At ± £427 000, one has to conjecture what a similar auction at Bonham's or Christie's in the UK would bring
Time for lunch, which was very delayed due to the auction
running over about an hour and a half
The starter was a plate of smoked yellowtail and
fresh mussels with a Cape Malay curry emulsion. We had some of the wines from
the auction with our lunch
The second course was beetroot done three ways with some
goats cheese, a good refreshing dish. The chef was one of our top chefs, Bertus
Basson. His menu was very clever and none of the food was affected by the long
delay
Then between the second starter and the main course they
held the charity auction. Everyone could bid and the 18 lots made R500 033. The 33 Rand was a bit of fun that
auctioneer Roland Peens of The Wine Cellar added to the Château Petrus 1988, signed by Christian
Moueix, donated by Anthony Barne MW as that was the duty he had to pay on the
bottle he donated to the auction. In front Ross Sleet and his wife Jan are
wondering whether to bid on the Petrus or not?
Greg Parton was the successful bidder for the 1988 Petrus for which he had to pay R70 000. A snip!
The auctioneers relaxing over lunch with Benny Howard after
a very tiring two days
Time for the main course. It did look a little weary, (it
wasn’t) but it tasted delicious. The carrot is an aged carrot. They are
fashionable at the moment and the aging in a straw clamp (as our ancestors used
to do before refrigeration) intensifies the flavours but dehydrates the carrot
slightly,. which is why it looks so wrinkled. The rich deboned oxtail stew was
wrapped in a crepinette parcel, it was on a base of samp (dried maize
reconstituted) and peas and came with a jus made with rich meat juices and some
NLH?
You know dessert is on the way when some Eminence 2010 NLH
arrives on your table. This was the last wine in the auction. We had some blancmange, very sweet. And a cheese platter
Grangehurst Winemaker Jeremy Walker and his wife Mandy were
obviously enjoying themselves. Their wine earned very good prices
We shared a table and some good wines with Gavin Ferreira and Greg Mutambe, Deputy General Manager and Head Sommelier of The Twelve Apostles Hotel
A tired chef Bertus Basson with Sommelier Higgo Jacobs, who
was responsible for all the wines served that day
Some of the auction wines which were available for drinking with lunch
A final double espresso please before going home at 5.30. An
enjoyable day
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