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Elgin Cool Wine Festival – The Railway Market

All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

Friday, May 03, 2019

This Week's MENU. Elgin Cool Wine, Spanakopita, Kleine Zalze Cabernet

The Palmiet River as it passes Shannon farm in Elgin

This week’s MENU is one two day story with a number of chapters. We were guests of Elgin and Grabouw Tourism at Elgin’s Cool Wine Festival. We visited several Elgin wine estates over two days, spoke to many people, tasted some magnificent wines and enjoyed good food. To top it all, we rejoiced in the beautiful scenery, with the added benefit of the hospitality shown by the valley’s people. Two days do not allow one enough time to do justice to this delightful, beautiful valley. We visited five farms on each of the days last weekend and there are several others which we have visited and enjoyed on previous visits, but time constraints meant that we could not visit them all
We ask them to forgive us; we will come again and write about them too, but we encourage you, our readers, to visit the Elgin Valley, explore it and discover its marvellous produce. South Africa’s wine country is a complex salad of beautiful landscapes, brilliant wines and food and, above all, wonderful, hospitable people. We have visited wine producing areas in other countries and none of them has offered us anything like the experience we can enjoy right here, on our own doorstep. What follows here is a microcosm of what Elgin offers. We hope that it will entice you to explore it for yourselves

What a wine filled weekend we have had at the Elgin Cool Wines weekend! SO much good wine, such hospitality and friendliness in this lovely valley. We began at the new Railway Market where we had to collect our weekend passes and glasses

Elgin Cool Wine Festival – Oak Valley

We headed up the lane to Oak Valley where they had small ponies to ride and people were happily sitting under the autumnal trees enjoying the wine and the music…

Elgin Cool Wine Festival – Paul Cluver

Back along the N2 for a few minutes to visit Paul Cluver wines next door. Salt Restaurant is a popular venue for lunch but we had come here to taste some wine and have our dessert. Their Estate Chardonnay…

Elgin Cool Wine Festival – Oneiric

Next port of call was Oneiric and winemaker Mark Wallace welcomed us from behind the counter. We tasted the 2015 Sauvignon Blanc made by Niels Verburg and it has matured…

Elgin Cool Wine Festival – Paul Wallace

The afternoon was wearing on and so were our palates. Our final resting place was Wallowvale to say hello and relax a while with friends Nicky and Paul Wallace on their popular farm. It is a lovely place to end the day while tasting some good wines and watching the sun go down…

Elgin Cool Wine Festival – South Hill dinner

We were invited by Kevin and Sandy King to join them for dinner at their South Hill wine estate on Saturday night. We met Kathy and Selborne Boome there. Kathy is the Executive Head of Elgin and Grabouw Tourism…

Elgin Cool Wine Festival - Overnight at Trail's End

Our overnight accommodation was at Trail’s End in Grabouw, an entirely new concept. It is a Bikers’ Hotel. Needless to say, we did not bring our bikes (! us bike?) as the accommodation is also suitable for travellers in the valley. It is also popular with trail runners…

Elgin Cool Wine Festival – Lothian

Because we were early for the tasting at Shannon, we shot down the road to Lothian to taste two wines that people were talking about (thank you Rebecca). Winemaker Richard Kershaw MW is making the wines for Lothian and his wines come with a huge pedigree...

Elgin Cool Wine Festival - Shannon Mount Bullet vertical

Sunday morning was a bit of a rush, as we thought we had overslept, had a very quick breakfast of toast, tea and coffee and then rushed to Shannon for their Vertical tasting, only to find that we were an hour early! Owners Stuart (Marketing and Sales) and James (Viticulturist) were manning the Festival bar. The views from Shannon of the Palmiet river and valley are absolutely stunning…

Elgin Cool Wine Festival – Elgin Ridge

After Shannon we headed for Elgin Ridge to taste their wines and have some lunch from the Goose Roasters food truck. The tasting counter was inside the winery and we sampled their White Crunch Sauvignon Blanc which is very quaffable…

Elgin Cool Wine Festival – Almenkerk

Next down the road to Almenkerk, who also have superb views of the valley from their position high on a hill. The main building, designed by Derick Henstra, which houses the wine cellar and tasting room, has won architectural awards…

Elgin Cool Wine Festival - Iona

We were beginning to run out of steam, but were determined to get to our last farm, one we put high on the list essential of places to visit in Elgin, Iona, 420m high on its ridge at the other end of the valley from the N2. People were enjoying the wine in the late afternoon…

MENU's Wine of the Week. Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

We tasted several superb wines today at two different wine events. This was the wine that impressed us the most. It was one of the Top 10 Cabernet Sauvignons at today's WineMag.co.za Prescient Report where it scored 93 points. The winemaker R J Botha says that it has just been released, so it should be available in retail wine shops very soon

On the MENU this week. Greek Spanakopita Spinach Pie

Image from The Dinner Ladies by Sophie Giliatt and Katherine Westwood (Murdoch Books)

This recipe is very popular in Greece at Easter and Lynne made it for lunch on Easter Sunday. It is really not very challenging to make. Do not scrimp on the herbs; they are what make this dish delicious. It is a very good recipe for vegetarians, but everyone seems to like it

3rd May 2019

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MENU's Wine of the Week is Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

Lovely mulberry fruit on the rich nose. Silky soft on the palate, with layers of cassis, cherry and mulberry fruit; very soft chalky tannins, freshness and good wood support. This wine is already very accessible and will continue to impress and improve with age

All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

On the MENU this week. Greek Spanakopita Spinach Pie

Image result for Spinach and feta Spanakopita pie

Image from The Dinner Ladies by Sophie Giliatt and Katherine Westwood (Murdoch Books)

750 grams fresh spinach (bagged prewashed is easier) - 20 grams fresh mint - 15 grams fresh dill - 4 or 5 spring onions - 200 grams feta cheese - 3 eggs - 250 grams filo pastry - olive oil - Sesame seeds

Heat your oven to 175°C

Microwave or steam the spinach until it is limp (3 minutes per bag). Allow to drain in a colander and when cooled, press out as much water as possible. Chop the spinach and put it into a large mixing bowl.
Chop the mint, dill and spring onions and add to the spinach. Crumble the feta cheese and add it. Crack the eggs into the mixture and stir everything together with a spoon until just combined.

Brush a 9x13 cm square pan or a similar sized round one with olive oil. Layer half the packet of filo pastry in the pan, turning each one about 30 degrees from the last one, brushing each layer lightly with olive oil on one surface.

Spread on the spinach mixture evenly and then fold the sides in to the centre. Brush each layer of the remaining filo with olive oil and slightly scrunch them up as you layer them on top of the spinach mixture, so you have no overhanging pieces of filo. Sprinkle with sesame seeds

Bake in the oven for about 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp all over. Cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into serving-sized pieces. Serve with thick full fat plain Greek yoghurt

All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

Thursday, May 02, 2019

Elgin Cool Wine Festival - Iona

We were beginning to run out of steam, but were determined to get to the last farm on our list, one we put high on the list of essential places to visit in Elgin; Iona, 420m high on its ridge at the other end of the valley from the N2, and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean

People were enjoying the wine in the garden in the late afternoon, while the chickens pecked the ground around them

At one point, we thought we had a layer!

In the tasting room with the Cellarmaster, Werner Muller, tasting the 2018 Sauvignon Blanc

Classic Iona Sauvignon, full of green pepper, granadilla, long complex flavours and crispness

A tasting room or a garage. Andrew Gunn's latest acquisition: an immaculate 1958 Austin-Healey 100-6,

accompanied by his first car, a Porsche 356, also in immaculate condition

Lots of car envy from the visitors. He also keeps his Porsche in the tasting room

Not on view is his new Porsche 911 GT3, the ultimate performance car

Cellarmaster Werner Muller in conversation with Manny of Manny's Kitchen in Bot River

Manny's lads were serving prego rolls, calamari and huge prawns

good prices too

Next, the 2017 Chardonnay with its nice hint of wood, mellow yellow fruits, a zing of citrus acidity, peach and pear

and a finish of more lime and lemon. This has just enough soft, dusty chalk

Andrew Gunn brought out a special treat, an Iona 2006 Sauvignon blanc....

We were bowled over by how well this has lasted on both the nose and palate

It has almost a semillon note, a tiny spritzy tingle with figs; fig leaves on the nose and palate and was amazingly long and crisp

The 2016 Solace Syrah has perfume, toast and spice with dark berry fruit on the nose. Black plum fruit with cassis and black pepper; exciting to see this age. The 2015 Pinot Noir has smoky wood
and pretty rose petals on the nose. Raspberry fruit with long elegant flavours and a touch of liquorice on the end. They say comparisons are odious, but we found that the lovely 2013 One Man Band, a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Mourvedre and Viognier. rather reminded us of Full Stop Rock from Newton Johnson, despite having completely different grapes. It's a big, bold wine. It has a complex nose of all the varietals, with violets, cassis, pepper and peach notes. Bright sweet berry fruit, a lovely melange; also with liquorice notes, chewy tannins, a seriously good wine, with a little fun added

Andrew, very kindly, fetched another, older, wine for us to taste, the 2004 Iona Merlot Cabernet. So many spoils in one day!

Brick edges, there is good fruit on the nose with incense wood

Velvety on the palate, great fruit, black and red currants and cherries, nice chalky tannins; this has lasted well

There is a touch of salt on the end

The back label of the bottle

Rozie Gunn with Solace, the Shiraz grown on her property in the valley

We were treated to some of these gigantic prawns. So special with that Chardonnay

General Manager Brad Gold's gorgeous son chewing, as you do in Elgin, on an Apple..... He is teething. Tooth no. 2

There is an amazing view from the top of the ridge over the Elgin valley

and this was what it looked like, late afternoon as we headed home

A close up of golden vines, with at least 8 ridges of mountain tops in the misty haze

A picture we would love on our wall at home. Dreamy autumn afternoon after a lovely weekend festival

Thank you to all at Iona and everyone in Elgin who showed us such kindness in your wonderful valley..

Brad Gold's gorgeous son chewing, as you do in Elgin, on an Apple..... He is teething. Tooth no. 2.

There is an amazing view from the top of the ridge over the Elgin valley and this was what it looked like late afternoon as we headed home.

A close up of golden vines, with at least 8 ridges or mountain tops in the misty haze. A picture we would love on our wall at home. Dreamy autumn afternoon after a lovely weekend festival. Thank you all at Iona and all in Elgin who showed us such kindness in your wonderful valley..

Wednesday, May 01, 2019

Elgin Cool Wine Festival - Almenkerk

Next down the road to Almenkerk, who also have superb views of the valley from their position, high on a hill

The main building, designed by Derick Henstra, which houses the wine cellar and tasting room, has won architectural awards

Derick Henstra also designed, more recently, the Norval Foundation building in Constantia

and the gardens are planted with sustainable local fynbos with a few Mediterranean additions like lavender and rosemary

We always enjoy meeting Natalie Opstaele. She and her husband Joris van Almenkerk bought an apple farm in 2002

and transformed it into a successful award winning wine farm with vines, and apples and pears

They were very busy... here greeting David Brown, an American visitor, who was also at the Mount Bullet tasting at Shannon

... but we managed to steal a picture of them together, looking very happy. Quite an achievement after a very hectic weekend

Off to the tasting counter to try some of the wines. Their Sauvignon Blanc was the best of the weekend for us, Capsicum and granadilla (for us, an Elgin signature), very drinkable on its own and a lovely crisp wine to go with food. Rock on Almenkerk and Elgin! The Chardonnay is clean and crisp with limes and citrus, full on the palate with some wood support. The 2014 Syrah is perfumed, with good fruit, sweet and sour freshness with a long end. And the 2015 Merlot has beautiful fruit on the nose, soft cherry berry flavours, outstanding with chalky soft tannins and fresh fruit acidity