Porcupine Ridge Wines is running a good competition; the campaign will last 5 months and all you have to do is vote for your favourite PIZZERIA or Restaurant that serves Pizza. You can vote up to 10 times. The competition is open to all and also to Restaurants who are encouraged to get their customers to vote. We were invited to the launch of the competition which was held at Ferdinando's Pizzeria in Observatory last week
The Porcupine Ridge wines are affordable and are available in many restaurants country wide
They have come up with this great chart to suggest which of their wines to drink with different pizza
Ferdinando's is an established favourite in Obs. It is at 205 Lower Main Road
There is security on the door and Covid protocols are done: temperature and sanitizing before you enter
We could taste most of the Porcupine Ridge wines at the restaurant. These boxes of mixed Porcupine Ridge wine were presented to media members after the event, a very generous gesture
Ferdinando's Pizzeria's owners Diego Milesi and Kimon Bisogno with their beautiful daughter Luna Stella
John photographed Luna in September last year at Ayama's artichoke festival
Marking our tables were these pizza boxes and we were able to order a pizza each to enjoy sampling them with the wines
There are lots of prizes in the competition
The Weekly voter prize is a mixed case of Porcupine Ridge wines and the Pizza cutter
The grand voter prize is an Earthfire Pizza Oven, 30 Bottles of Porcupine Ridge wines
and Pizza for a year to the value of R1500 from your favourite Pizzeria
And there are many prizes for the Restaurants which enter too
To enter scan the QR code on the pizza box or on a bottle of Porcupine Ridge wine OR visit www.VOTEPIZZA.wine
Our home Pizza slice has disappeared so we were very pleased to be given this very good cutter
Social distancing and catching up with media friends whom we have not seen for a long time
Caroline van Schalkwyk of CVS Communications organised the event for Porcupine Ridge
and broadcaster Guy McDonald is always good value to brighten up an event; good to see them both
They have a fruity Sauvignon Blanc, a rich Chenin Blanc and a very, very enjoyable unwooded Chardonnay
The versatile Rosé is also very good and goes with many Pizzas
The serving bar. They have three reds, a classic Cape Merlot, a spicy and juicy Shiraz
and a classic Cabernet Sauvignon that might be good cellared for a year or two but drinks well now 
Boekenhoutskloof Sales and Marketing Manager Lynton Kaiser pouring the wine
Caroline van Schalkwyk told us about the Competition 
Boekenhoutskloof Sales and Marketing Coordinator Dupré Nell
He presented the wines to us and fleshed out the competition details
Every bottle of Porcupine Ridge wine bears a sticker with a QR Code
and scanning it with your phone enters you into the competition
Then our Pizzas began to arrive. A Cacciatore for Lynne, a very typical Italian Marguerita
topped with caramelised onion, sliced mushrooms and Italian sausage
It was very good, especially the fresh tomato sauce
Some slices did go home for eating for supper, their Pizzas are large
John's choice of the Arlecchino was unusual for him (He is usually a Quattro Stagioni man) and made us all very envious
It is a lovely combination of ingredients made special by the addition of the Balsamic reduction
Diavola for another member of the media, nice and spicy
Another classic Napolitano
For those who love olives, capers and anchovies
There is a huge choice of different pizzas and they are happy to add or subtract ingredients
This brought back memories of the pizza Lynne had when very young, while in Naples at the original Pizzeria
Thin, misshapen and absolutely superb. It really is about good ingredients 
The Classic list
His Aioli is superb and we got a tip from a regular, if you don't eat your edges, you can dip them in the aioli. Wow, good suggestion. Diego says that the thick edges keep the ingredients in place. The base is ultra thin
And they have some Lock Down specials during the week. See you there one Tuesday?
More choices. The Manuela Loca seafood pizza looked very enticing
A good vegetarian selection and some different and unusual bases
And if you don't fancy Pizza, they have some Pasta
Might have to return for some of these, the Wa wa certainly appeals
AND Gluten free. You have to try Ferdinando’s and its huge choice of Pizza
and then enter the competition
@Porcupineridgewines #PRPIZZA @Porcupine_Wines
Friday, May 14, 2021
Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge Launch
Wednesday, May 05, 2021
In MENU this week - Kirstenbosch and De Grendel estate
Misty evening in the V&A Waterfront
In a late spell of Indian Summer, with temperatures in the high twenties, we have had two super outings in the open air. We have had the driest April since we bought our house in 2004 and hope that the opinion of the weather gurus holds - that we will have substantial rain from June. As we write this, the weather is changing, with a drop in temperature and a forecast of good rain tonight
Just a Walk in the Park - a visit to Kirstenbosch
Autumn is fast disappearing; we lit our first fire this week and April has been as dry as dust, the driest April since we bought our house in 2004. But rain is at last on the way. So, taking advantage of a walk in the park before the weather changes was on the agenda and the National Botanical Garden at Kirstenbosch, our local jewel, was the obvious place to go on Pensioners Free Tuesday. It is always a delight to walk there, especially as it changes so much with the seasons. Many beds are being replanted now that lock down's end has enabled many of the garden workers to return. Read on...
A tour of the De Grendel estate
A tour of the De Grendel estate
An invitation to join Douglas Swanson on his Farm Tour of De Grendel wine estate in Durbanville was rapidly accepted
The farm has a vintage safari vehicle known as the Green Monster. The rates are very reasonable and if you are feeling the need of some down time, you can even do it with a picnic basket and be dropped of on the lawn to enjoy it. Tours are Wednesday to Sunday. If you are interested in doing a tour and/or picnic basket contact Douglas at douglas@degrendel.co.za or +27 83 326 9990
The 'Green Monster', a 1987 Toyota Land Cruiser, is well sprung and there are good views from it
so the usually superb view of Table Mountain was a little obscured, but the fog did burn off as the morning wore on
You start at the Tasting Room where you can sit and enjoy the views here, while sipping De Grendel wines
or enjoying a meal at the restaurant under the experienced hands of Chef Ian Bergh
Off we go
Douglas gave us a very good history of the estate and the de Villiers Graaff family
as we travelled around the property
Through the vineyards, which had just finished their harvest
Later, in the tasting room, you can do a wine tasting
The tour will give you some understanding of how the terroir affects the wines
Lots of information about the vines on these signs
De Grendel has a zero carbon policy and keeps the farm clean and tidy
A view of the buildings which house the wine cellar, tasting room and restaurant
A small chapel on the farm
which is used by the de Villiers Graaff family and the estate staff
The founder of the estate and subsequent de Villiers Graaff family members are buried here
Douglas knows that we are interested in birds and wanted to point out their resident Fish Eagles which have a nest here
We were lucky enough to see one sitting on its favourite branch
And then we saw the large nest in the fork of a tree which, apparently, has been in use for several generations
Sir David Graaff, 1st Baronet, originally bought the land for Arabian horses which he imported in 1889 from Argentina
and moved to De Grendel. There are still a few horses on the farm, but these are rescued horses
from a charity which organised riding for the disabled but lost its land
The family prefers to keep it private
Bee hives for harvesting honey
and they have a bank of solar panels which produces 5.6 megawatts of power
Global warming is a fact here, not a rumour
The water can be pumped around the farm
Apparently they have two lambings, now in autumn and again in Spring. Twins for this mother
Feeding time, a classic picture
And then we entered the area where the antelopes are kept
These are very handsome Red hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus caama)
A view of work going on in the autumnal vineyards on the Tygerberg Hill
A small herd of magnificent Eland (Taurotragus oryx), the world's largest antelope
Don’t mess with me!
Two by two
Apparently, they have become used to the vehicle
and don’t flee when Douglas drives through the reserve, so good photography is possible
John has so many great photos, but we can’t put them all here
The farm used to have a large dairy herd, but is now down to just a few animals
which provide milk for the farm’s employees
Suddenly we spotted a male and a female dikkop and their chick in the scrub by the side of the track. Not often seen. So well hidden and standing stock still. The chick is well-camouflaged and is just beyond its parents. Look for the eye. The spotted thick-knee (Burhinus capensis), also known as the spotted dikkop or Cape thick-knee, is a wader in the family Burhinidae. It is native to central and southern Africa
The mist was lifting and we could begin to see the peak of Lion’s Head appearing, the mountain behind our house
The award-winning De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc is named for these stables built by Sir David Graaff in 1891
This was previously the entry to the farm. They have been turned into accommodation for visiting guests
It is thought that the name de Grendel, which is Dutch, meaning a latch or bolt, was given because the Tygerberg hill behind was easier to travel over for the incoming country farm ox-wagons entering the Cape from the hinterland. They didn’t want to take the sandy roads on either side of the hill, where they might get stuck
We arrived back after a very informative and interesting tour, which took about an hour
Into the tasting room to taste some of de Grendel’s fine wines,
made by renowned cellarmaster Charles Hopkins and his team
We were especially keen to taste the newly released Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc because we had recently bought a case. It is one of the few wines we will buy without first tasting it, knowing that the quality is always excellent. And it is a very fine example of a crisp and layered Sauvignon Blanc with a soupcon of Semillon. From vineyards in Lutzville and Darling, plus a small batch of Semillon from De Grendel. It has classic fig leaf aromas and a whiff of smoke. Flavours of green winter melon, crisp greengage, capsicum and roundness from the Semillon, it calls for food. They have it on special at the moment for Club Members and as it often sells out quickly, we recommend you go soon to taste and buy
The tasting sheet, with options and prices
Cap Classique Brut 2017 was a lovely way to begin our tasting. Brioche on the nose, then fresh citrus and Granny Smith apple. A classic blend of 68% Chardonnay and 32% Pinot Noir, there is a good prickle on the mousse. First, zesty green apple top notes, then a slight sweetness from the red raspberry fruit of the Pinot. This has won many awards
The maiden Cap Classique Proposal Hill Cap Classique Brut Rosé 2016 is made from 100% Pinot Noir
It has a lovely perfume, is biscuity on the nose and palate with good red berry flavours and a nice mousse,
with pomegranate appearing on the end
We went on to taste the 2020 Viognier, and it is the best viognier we have tasted anywhere in a long time
Honey, apricot and peaches on the nose and on the palate richness and depth with peaches, apricots and crisp citrus,
the sweetness is more of a perception from the ripeness of the fruit flavours. R/s is 4.2
The Rosé is made from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Pinotage,
a summery rosé, lovely fruit, light at first then depth of fruit from the Pinotage
The Op die Berg Pinot Noir from Cederberg has been given some carbonic maceration,
so it has inherited some Beaujolais character
The 2018 Shiraz has dark fruit, black pepper and spice. Blackberries, cassis richness on the palate
It’s very enthusiastic and a lovely winter quaffing wine, as its flavours remain, with spice on the end
Both US and French oak make this a special wine
And we finished on the best wine of all, the flagship 2016 Rubaiyat; a Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. The wine has supple, dive-in fruit, complex enough not to want to examine each grape variety, as they have melded into a classic. Silky soft with good chalky tannins on the end. It is drinking so well now but can still be cellared for years. BUY!
