Thursday, December 17, 2020

Swept Away Guesthouse, Yzerfontein

Every December, we plan a small summer holiday. This year, after 9 months of lock down, we really needed a change of scene. And we love to be beside the sea; it helps us relax. We like both coasts but find the West Coast so much more affordable than the East Coast. We also don’t like very busy places. We had a holiday at Yzerfontein a few years ago and found a wonderful apartment there back in August on Booking.com. We booked for 12 nights in early December, paid in full on November 23rd and happily headed off with the car piled high with all our essentials for self catering, lots of reading matter, our lap tops and a few casual clothes

As we drove the hour and half to our destination, we heard Pippa Hudson on Cape Talk, talking about people finding that their booked and paid for accommodation did not exist when they arrived. We knew where the house was, but couldn’t quite find the place which was pictured on our booking form. It had changed colour from white to blue and was looking a bit run down. Very, very different from the pictures on Booking.com. We drove in; a window opened and a man said "What do you want?" "We are booked in here tonight", we said. "Someone will come and talk to you" he said and his wife appeared. "We are booked here for a holiday'' we said. You can’t be" she said, "we have leased the whole house for a year. This is no longer Breakwater self catering". SO, Please warn all your friends and family not to trust on line bookings this year. I had used one of the largest on-line booking agencies, which we have used locally and internationally for years. "It is strange" she said ''we had two girls from Robertson yesterday, called Lindy and Michelle, who said they had also booked and paid to stay here". Panic. We had the owner’s number, so we rang - no answer. She had another number, no answer. The penny dropped; we had been scammed. One bit of advice we can offer is contact your host before you come and if you get no answer or response, contact the booking agency immediately

So what do you do? We were in an area which has no cell phone reception, so we couldn’t make any calls to the booking company and no internet access. And we had nowhere to go, except home. But Lynne doesn’t give up that easily. We have worked with the local tourist agency, so headed for them. We stopped at a small shopping centre and saw an estate agency open. "They will know where it is", she said. And we found heavenly, helpful Magda Botha, who was an absolute star. She managed to connect us with Booking.com, who tried to contact the owner - no answer. They then told us that they would send her an email and if she didn’t respond in 30 minutes we would get a full refund. Nice, but where were we going to sleep tonight?

Several phone calls were made by the tourist office, we went to see one place which was not suitable. one room and a noisy building site behind it. Back to Magda who found us a place to stay for 2 nights, it was really good. We may stay on we thought and we did. It turned out to be perfect. And Booking.com is refunding us in full, plus any extra expenses we might incur and they are very apologetic

THE SOLUTION!
The large grey house in the middle of this picture on the top row is where we stayed; it is called Swept Away
The house is managed by Inge Thomas for the German owners and she took such good care of us. For the first four nights, we had a lovely large room on the top floor with superb views and, realising our situation, she allowed us to store some of our fresh food in her own fridge and use the kitchen. The public rooms are also open to all guests; they are large and all have great views. Then we were able to move down to the small self-catering unit at the bottom of the house, also with stunning views. Inge cooks a huge breakfast if you are doing Bed and Breakfast and she will also cook dinner for a small fee if requested. The house is spotless and she runs it so well

Lynne enjoying breakfast in the sun room, our favourite room in the house
The spectacular view from all the front windows of the house
We walked on this beach and the 16 mile beach, which is on the other side of the town
and on a clear day you can see our Cape mountains, from Devils Peak and Table Mountain
all the way down to the Llandudno mountains
There is a bar area
A spacious dining area next to the open plan kitchen
Sitting area with a TV, although all the rooms do have TV. We suspect that the top floor area is disabled friendly
The glass door is the acces to the staircase down to our self catering unit
and there is a large garden in the front with a braai area and a covered porch
It is lovely and cool on the porch and you can watch the sunbirds flitting in and out of the flowers
We saw a mongoose a couple of times
A female Southern double-collared sunbird feeding on the lavender
Our bedroom in the self catering unit. We also had access to a deck outside
Even the Shower room has views!
The small kitchen area is perfectly adequate, although we had so much hospitality from the people we know in Yzerfontein and Darling that we did not need to cook much
and the dining area, where we could use our laptops
The California Poppies were attracting lovely navy blue ended, black and white striped bees
John took a series of photographs from the house, at half an hour intervals, showing how the light changes at sunset
Here you can quite clearly see the Cape Peninsula
As the sun sets, it throws up pink and opal lights on the sea and sky and the mountain starts to disappear in the mist
And when darkness falls, you can see the glow of the city lights across the sea,
enhanced by the two lighthouses at Milnerton and Mouille Point
What a lovely place to stay, we thoroughly recommend it. Normally they would have many guests from Germany
who come here regularly, but not this year, sadly. https://www.sweptaway.co.za/

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All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus
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Portuguese supper in Yzerfontein

On our first night in Yzerfontein, so emotionally exhausted after having to relocate, we decided to go out for supper
Lynne had investigated the local restaurants on line before we came, and we chose Lulas (Squid in Portuguese),
a Portuguese restaurant on the seafront. Many of the locals we spoke to recommended it
The specials of the day. They do not appear to have a liquor licence;
drinks are sourced from the club next door, which does, and they do not charge for Bring your Own
To see the full menu, CLICK HERE
Smokers sat outside; we were happy to be inside, away from the smoke
Reasonable social distancing of the tables
We had taken a very special wine from our cellar to enjoy, signed by the winemaker, Charles Hopkins;
his Cape Winemakers Guild 2014 De Grendel Wooded Sauvignon Blanc. Sensational
Lynne ordered the combo of Hake and calamari, grilled rather than fried; it come in a very good Mornay cheese sauce
Very, very fresh and flaky and topped with good chips. Perfect comfort food
John decided he would try two starters instead of a main course, deep-fried calamari rings coated with a crisp batter
and his favourite colonial Portuguese dish, Trinchado - steak pieces cooked in a red wine, chilli and garlic sauce
The first time he has one which could compare with his favourite from the Dias Tavern in Cape Town

If you are in the area, do try this unpretentious place; it has good food. Next time, prawns and Peri Peri chicken
We saw them on other tables and they looked very tempting
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All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus


Posted by MENU at 1:16 pm 0 comments

Wineding through Elgin

An invitation to a media event, the first for a long, long time brought us to confusion and then consideration. They promised social distancing, and some of the events would be out of doors. They offered to take us there and back in a bus. Well, that was not as enticing as it sounds. At our age we really don't want to travel in a confined space with people whom we don't know well. We decided to go, to be cautious and to drive there in our own car. We are, after all, huge fans of Elgin wines AND it seemed like a bit of normality, which we have been craving.  We were instructed to be at OAK VALLEY and the programme there was: 10:00 - 11:45 – breakfast snack. Wines to taste from Paul Cluver, Vrede en Lust, Shannon, Idun, Highlands Road, Elgin Series from Boschendal, Thelema Sutherland. We arrived on time and learned that the bus would be taking everyone on a journey up the mountain through the vineyards and stopping high up for the tasting. We were told that our car would not make it (it would have, easily) and, luckily, Cany Bugler was taking her car up and we could travel with her. The views were spectacular, the drive not too bad and you can see the valley down over the Oak Valley and Paul Cluver farms. We began tasting at the Oak Valley stand; we particularly liked their Chardonnay and the Fountain of Youth Sauvignon Blanc

The bus is one that can traverse Africa from the Cape to Cairo - and Elgin, en route
Starting with James Downes’ Shannon Pinot Noir, and his superb Mount Bullet Merlot, which seemed like a very good idea to John. For Lynne, his Pinot Noir was one of the best she tasted that day; it has everything a Pinot Noir should have
Vanessa Simkiss, winemaker at Highlands Road, with her Sine Cera, a blend of 50/50 Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon,
with oak and spice notes and a steely Chardonnay with peach and oatmeal from the wood



The morning snack was a cheese and ham muffin
Oak Valley Office & Logistics Manager Fabio Turilli with his team; sharing the table with Paul Cluver. Paul Cluver has a new Village Chardonnay which is extremely impressive and worth every penny of the R120 price tag. Lynne's favourite, the Estate Chardonnay is, as expected, complex, layered and superb. They have also produced a Village Pinot Noir which is very easy to drink. The award winning Estate Pinot Noir is very Burgundian in style
Healthy vines after a good wet winter
Vrede and Lust had their enjoyable Koegelberg Chenin Blanc, and a Cabernet Franc
Also on the table were Thelema's oaked Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from their Elgin Sutherland vineyard

The view of the mountains behind us
and the valley in front



Lynne stayed masked between tasting sips and kept a good distance from others

Liesl Cluver Rust with the new Paul Cluver Village Chardonnay. Go and try it, it’s very good
On a small dam on the farm are some lovely water lilies
Lumbering back down the hill and off to the second venue, Almenkirk
And, suddenly, we spotted our beautiful national birds, a pair of Blue Cranes in a field of dandelions

The schedule: ALMENKERK: 12:00 – 13:30 – bitterballen. Wines to taste: Richard Kershaw, Paul Wallace, Elgin Vintners, Lothian. Didn't find the bitterballen, but they had put out some of Lynne's favourite things: veggie chips!
The winery commands a beautiful view over the Elgin valley vineyards
Hills and dales, dams, flowers, fields and vineyards. Reminiscent of an English country scene
Some new planting going on in the distance
Into the tasting cellar, where the wines were arranged for us to taste
Jan Evans Sleet was showing Richard Kershaw’s wines. Richard is an extraordinarily talented winemaker, a trained chef and a British Master of Wine. The 2018 Chardonnay is very French on the nose. It could have been a Burgundy and the elegant and structured palate confirmed the style; excellence in a bottle. The 2017 Shiraz is fruity, perfumed and spicy with richness and opulence on the palate and beautiful fruit; some spice and length. Two outstanding wines. Next to Jan were the Lothian wines, which were both made by Richard and are also so impressive. Luckily, these are more affordable and we have bought in the past. The 2018 Lothian Chardonnay is gentle on the nose, classic, with light wood and a hint of herbs. The palate begins gently and then, whammo, it announces its arrival with lime, green apple and lemon, with long satisfying flavours. The 2017 Chardonnay is buttery with citrus, and minerality on the elegant nose. It’s a butterball with citrus and lime; very juicy and definitely a food wine. The Lothian 2018 Pinot Noir is also notable, in its great raspberry and plum fruit, perfume and good wooding, another good food wine
Joris van Almenkerk welcomed us
The tasting room set up for the event. We so enjoyed talking to Nicky Wallace and tasting the Paul Wallace wines, especially the new Reflections Chardonnay which is yeasty, perfumed and had hints of fynbos on the nose. Clean citrus flavours with some green apple on the end. Their 2017 Black Dog Malbec is delicious with lovely black berries, black cherry and dark savoury wood flavours. Long on the finish and asking to be paired with food. We also managed to taste the Elgin Vintners The Century; a blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Semillon. Zingy fruit in layers very attractive. Also their 2016 Ridgeland Syrah, a classic shiraz with spice and rich red and black berry fruit, silky on the palate with dry chalky tannins, warmth and a hint of licorice on the end
Joris van Almenkerk was showing several different vintages of some of his wines. We began with the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc; a classic Elgin fig leaf nose, crisp and satisfyingly green and clean on the palate. His 2018 Chardonnay has soft wood and butter, crisp limes, then wood on the end. Still youthful, this will last. The 2014 Chardonany has wood smoke; gunflint begins gently with lots of citrus and lime. We admire his 2018 Merlot, not a hint of green. Incense wood, then beautiful mulberry, cherry fruit and a hint of salty minerality on the nose. Very soft and fruity on the palate with cassis, black cherry and licorice, with a support of soft tannin on the end. The 2015 Syrah is made by carbonic maceration, an experimental wine with merlot stalks and co fermented with viognier skins. Perfumed with red berry and peach, it has very lively good red fruit and it will be interesting to see how it continues to mature.  
Good to see lots of orders being packed
And onward to the last stop; we were becoming rather hungry. SOUTH HILL: 14:00 – 16:00 – Country Tapas Lunch. Wines to taste: Richard Kershaw, Oneiric, Charles Fox, Moya Meaker, Neil Ellis, Iona

Bubs Hyland enjoying a welcome glass of rosé. Possibly a Charles Fox Cap Classique
Lynne so enjoyed their Blanc de Blanc 2016, which spends 4 years on the lees - a crisp bubble, then clean,
crisp, dry Chardonnay comes in with lemon and lime, lots of freshness and length with some minerality. Special
Sean Skibbe, South Hill's winemaker, showed us his 2020 Sauvignon Blanc. Curry bush, fynbos and fig leaf on the nose
Ripe fruit, granadilla, English gooseberry, zingy minerality and a wine to go very well with Salade Nicoise
Moya Meaker Wines had their 2019 Pinot Noir;
very French on the nose, cherry and cranberry which are echoed on the palate, with long flavours
We also tasted the Oneiric 2015 Sauvignon Blanc; another classic Elgin Fig leaf Sauvignon
Full, rich and intense flavours of granadilla and plum, and made by Niels Verburg
Kevin King and Warren Ellis. Warren had the Neil Ellis Whitehall 2019 Chardonnay to taste
Yeasty, buttery, stone fruit; at first subtle, then it opens up beautifully on the palate
Rich layers with a zing of apple acidity; a good food wine to go with roast pork and butternut
We also so enjoyed tasting the Iona 2017 Chardonnay; classic, very French nose, with a hint of gunflint from the stony soil
Beautiful fruit on the palate, intense apricot, lemon in layers and a lovely luscious texture
Nick and Kevin King

The day had been ably organised by Samarie Smith
Time for the late lunch, very welcome after all the wines we tasted
The starter was a very good fresh light pea and mint soup with good bread and farm butter









The mains, all cooked by Sandy King, were salads which were served Family style on the table for us to help ourselves
Cold chicken, rice, herb and chickpea salad, olives, peppers, courgette salad
and a good chicken liver paté made with sherry - John's selection
Lynne added a tomato salad, snoek paté and a mixed salad with green beans and sweet potato
Cabbage and apple salad
Nick King, Kevin's son who is responsible for South Hill’s wine sales, joined us at our table,
and we drank wines from the tasting
Mince pies to end the meal

a lovely crown of fruit; preserved figs on star biscuits made of crumbly cheese shortbread
and a creamy fruit trifle in individual jars
"We three Kings" - Nick and Kevin King with Nick's son
It was truly a wonderful day, with so much good wine,  good food and good company
Elgin certainly has much to offer
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