Monday, November 07, 2016

Launch of Platter's 2017 South African Wine Guide

This is the quintessential guide to South African wine. It is not totally comprehensive, some wineries do not wish to be included, but their names and contact details are included, if not their wines. We use it daily as a reference book and many of you use it as a travel guide when you want to visit farms and as a purchase guide when choosing which wines to buy. The 37th edition was released on the 31st of October and this year it is Forest Green. We were at the launch and could taste all the five star wines (95 to 100 points). Well nearly all. OK, some. There are 95 wines and 13 Brandy/Husk spirits. The launch was held this year at the Table Bay Hotel. for more information http://www.wineonaplatter.com
We have a complete collection as we have both used the guide from the beginning
A glass of the Table Bay Graham Beck Brut Zero MCC to start the evening
Broadcaster Guy MacDonald, breakfast show presenter on Magic 828
Photographer Shawn Benjamin with journalist, wine Judge and Platter taster David Biggs
The room is full of wine makers and media
An amusing moment for Ingrid Motteux, owner of Winewise and previous Platter taster, with Platter Guide Editor, Philip van Zyl
Waiting for the announcements
David Biggs chatting to Alan Mullins, Woolworths wine selector, and his driver
Jean Pierre Rossouw, publisher of the Platter Guide, begins proceedings
Ringside "seats." The announcements take about an hour, some of us older folk in the industry suggested that, next year, we should bring deck chairs
A few anxious faces. Usually if you are invited, you are going to get something. Not always, but usually
The 5 star classification award certificates
The colour of the cover is revealed. It is always a secret until this moment, with lots of guessing beforehand
Philip van Zyl begins by telling us how many awards there are this year. How it works. All the wines are tasted sighted by the tasters, at home in their own time. They put forward any of the wines they think are deserving of five star status and these wines are retasted, blind, by the whole group. Any that do not make 5 stars are awarded 4.5 stars
Hennie Coetzee, one of this year's tasters, and his partner Maggie Mostert
Andre Badenhorst
The Social Media table
Handing out the awards begins. Winery and Wines of the year went to Nederburg; Red wine of the Year to The Winery of Good Hope for the Radford Dale Black Rock 2014; White Wine of the year was Stellenrust's 51 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2015 and the Dessert wine of the year was Mullineux and Leeu Straw Wine 2015. There were 17 newcomers to the 5 star awards. The younger winemakers are making their presence felt
JP Rossouw with Francois van Zyl of Laibach Vineyards
A happy family from Beaumont. Here is winemaker Sebastian Beaumont with his sister-in-law Nadia and sister Ariane, who is married to JP Rossouw. Sebastian is having a great year. He has two 5 star wines. one for his Iconic Chenin Blanc Hope Marguerite 2015 and one for the 2015 “New Baby”, a 5 way white blend based on Chenin. His wines did very well at the CWG auction in his first year as a member. And there is also a new baby boy to celebrate, yet to be named, and his name will be on the new wine’s label
Nederburg walked away with Winery of the Year, for the second time, a rare occurrence. Accepting the awards are winemakers Natasha Boks and Heinrich Kulsen
"The publisher makes the award to the winner of the most such ultimate ratings." They have four 5 star wines this year. For a winery that produces over 3 million bottles of wine a year from 1000 hectares of grape, over many different brands, this is a huge achievement and points to great attention to production quality and consistency. Not to forget the huge influence and leadership between 2001 and 2015 by cellar master Razvan Macici, who is now chief winemaker for the Distell group. The awards are for 2013 Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon; red blend Heritage Heroes The Brew Master 2014; Private Bin D234 Sauvignon Blanc 2015; and Winemaster's Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2015.
Three awards for Kleine Zalze (Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2012; Family Reserve Chenin Bland2015 and Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2015) and two for Hamilton Russell (Pinot Noir 2015; Chardonnay 2015). Accepting were Kleine Zalze winemaker RJ Botha and Hamilton Russell winemaker Emul Ross
An appropriate T shirt from Mike Ratcliffe of Warwick. They received 5 stars for their 2013 Cabernet Franc
Mini hamburger canapés were in demand
Boplaas was awarded 5 stars for both their 21 year old Potstill Reserve Brandy and their 20 year old Potstill Reserve Brandy
A selection of beautiful 5 star dessert wines to taste: Klein Constantia's Vin de Constance Natural Sweet 2012; Donkiesbaai Hooiwijn Vin de Paille 2015; Fleur du Cap Bergkelder Selection NLH 2012 and Dessert wine of the year Mullineux and Leeu Straw Wine 2015
Brothers James and Stuart Downes, owners of Shannon Vineyards in Elgin were extremely happy at their two five star awards for the 2015 Mount Bullet Merlot and the 2015 Semillon. (The wines are made by Gordon and Nadia Newton Johnson)
More happy smiling faces: Julian Johnson (partner owner) and winemaker Matthew Copeland. They won 5 stars for their Chenin led white blend Babiana 2015, which was also the Bloggers’ Overall Winner at the Nedbank Getaway Green Wine Awards
Celebrating are Ginny Povall of Botanica wines who has two 5 star wines: 2015 Mary Delaney Chenin Blanc and her 2015 Mary Delaney Semillon, with David Finlayson was awarded five stars for his Edgebaston David Finlayson Chenin blanc 2015
The wines to taste are grouped in logical arrangements. Here is a table full of Chenin Blancs
And a long table of reds
The Platters in our cellar
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016
Posted by MENU at 2:24 pm 0 comments

Friday, November 04, 2016

A vertical tasting and a Japanese celebration and lunch at Stark-Condé

It was an interesting invitation. The Japanese Ambassador to South Africa, His Excellency Mr Shigeyuki Hiroki, was to present Hans Peter Schröder, joint owner of Stark-Condé with a Certificate of Commendation, on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, for his role in fostering cultural relations with Japan. And, after the presentation, we would have a vertical tasting of Stark-Condé’s Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon Jonkershoek Valley from 2000. A first for this farm. Then a Japanese themed luncheon. How could we refuse?
Stark-Condé is a true family run farm. Owner Hans Peter Schröder studied and worked for many years (over 25) in Japan. He has a Japanese wife, Midori, whom he met at Tokyo University. They have two daughters and one, Marie, is married to José Condé, the winemaker. She runs the Post Card cafe. Their other daughter and her Spanish husband also live on the farm with their children
The main building contains the wine cellar and the Post Card Cafe
The tasting room is situated on an island in the middle of the lake and you get to it over very beautiful bridges. It is shaded by weeping willows
The very Japanese roof of the tasting room with its dragons
This is where the event started
The lake is full of huge Koi
The tasting room is designed like a Japanese house
We enjoyed a glass or two of the only Estate white they produce, called The Field Blend, made with Roussanne, Chenin Blanc, Viognier and Verdelho, a Rhône style blend, refreshing with a touch of tropical
We were served many interesting Japanese canapés, all delicious. This is Chawanmushi, a gentle savoury steamed egg custard containing prawn and shimeji mushrooms
Skewers of Yakitori chicken with leeks and sesame
Soba buckwheat noodles in a broth
Rare roast beef rolled around asparagus and topped with ginger
Deep fried oysters with daikon radish and mayonnaise
Tourists enjoying the deck of the tasting room, the wines and the superb mountain views
José Condé chatting to journalist Graham Howe and Lynne
The presentation of the Commendation. It was read to us by Japanese Ambassador, his Excellency Mr. Shigeyuki Hiroki, who also made a speech. The Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries of the world. Hans Peter Schröder is the only recipient in South Africa and the first ever from the Cape
The presentation
The certificates
Mr Schröder made a short thank you speech
Mr Schröder and his wife Midori are of the founders of the Cape Town Japan Club established in 2007 and, with their guidance, the Japan Club become the home, not only for the 200 Japanese residents living in and around Cape Town, but also for their South African spouses and families as well as friends of Japan. Here they are with members of their family, both daughters and José Condé
All the guests were invited to have their photograph taken with the family
A huge dragonfly hovering over the lake
Another seating area on the farm, next to the lake
The Schröders with Ambassador, His Excellency Mr. Shigeyuki Hiroki
The lunch table on the terrace
Inside the Post Card Cafe
We than moved into the barrel cellar for the vertical tasting
José Condé explains that we will taste the Cabernet from 2000 to the current release 2014. There were a couple of years when the wine was not made or is now sold out
This is the first time that media have been invited to the farm and the first time that the wines have been tasted in this order. The Cabernet vines were planted in 1990.The first five were pure, rich, deep Cabernet sauvignon, small quantities of Merlot and Petit Verdot were added only after 2007. They are intense and full of the expected cassis, vanilla, chalky tannins, (softer with age) and expensive French wood. They are aging very well indeed. The 2003 was our favourite from the first group, with the 2000 following close behind. That has lasted so well. with all the structure and fruit to go further
The second group of six wines from 2009,10,11,12,13 and 14 (still available) changed slightly with the addition of the other two grapes, more in richness and flavour with cherry from the merlot and violets from the Petit Verdot. Usually only 5% of each is added. The chalky tannins are large, but so are the wines. The 2009 scored 18 and the 2011 18.5. Lynne's description of this wine is shy initially, then vanilla ice cream, cassis and balsamic hints, then the flavour door opened to full on cassis, lovely fruit with violet and wood notes. Wines to cellar and appreciate in future. A very successful tasting
Dr Dave Swingler
Cathy van Zyl MW
José Condé talking about the wine
Some of the line up
Magnums of the older wines
Time for lunch
Sharing a laugh
Hans Peter Schröder relaxing
Lunch was clever. We were given small nori sheets,
some cooked sushi rice, ginger and wasabi,
some fresh fish and seafood and lumpfish roe,
avocado and some vegetables
You could eat sashimi or make your own rolls. It was great fun and rather delicious. no one worried about perfect rolls, we just rolled up our sleeves, the nori and had a good time
Dessert was a French flourless chocolate cake topped with green tea powder, matte. It was the lightest version we have ever had
Girls chatting
Last view of the lake

And as we left everyone was given a beautifully wrapped gift of 2 Starke-Condé wines, the Field Blend and the Oude Nektar red blend
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016
Posted by MENU at 12:11 am 0 comments
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