Wednesday, June 19, 2024

The 2024 Investec Trophy Wine Awards at Glen Carlou

 The venue for the 2024 Awards was Glen Carlou estate near Paarl on the road to Franschhoek

Several good Cap Classiques on offer as we arrived


Canapés and bubbly were served in the Art Gallery which gave us all a chance to admire the art and chat to friends





Melba toast squares with roasted peppers
There was also a canapé of local smoked trout that was absolutely delicious,
oh so crispy pork belly and glasses of warm pea soup
All good, all unique and well done

Head Judge and originator of the competition Michael Fridjhon welcomed us and got things going

All the trophies were on display

Georgie Alexander, Investec High Net Worth International Leader,
spoke about Investec's involvement and presented the trophies for the Trophy wines
She explained how she did understand the wine industry as she is married to it;
her husband has an important position in it, but they keep their business lives very separate
The world is at last recognising the value of South African wine
She quoted Jim Harrison: "“The simple act of opening a bottle of wine has brought more happiness to the human race
than all the collective governments in the history of earth”
Her message to the winemakers who had been invited was "Enjoy the day, you richly deserve it" 

Her colleague Liane le Roux, Banking Team Leader, presented the gold medals

The Gold Medal winners
Back Row L to R:
Brad Paton (Buitenverwachting), Annemi Nel (De Krans Tritonia Calitzdorp Blend 2022, Jean Nel (Cederberg Shiraz 2020), Neil Bruwer (Chamonix Premier White Reserve 2022), Hagen Viljoen (Zevenwacht Z Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2023), Pieter Carstens (Leeuwenkuil Heritage Chenin Blanc 2020), Philip Viljoen (Bon Courage Inkará Cabernet Sauvignon 2019), Ewen Wilson (Lothian of Elgin Chardonnay 2021)
 Front Row L to R:

Johnny Calitz (Glen Carlou Chardonnay 2023), Kobus vd Merwe (KWV Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2023), RJ Botha (Kleine Zalze Vintage Brut Chardonnay Pinot Noir Cap Classique 2017), Narina Cloete (Blaauwklippen Chardonnay 2023), Margaux Nel (Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2006), Dudley Wilson (Lothian of Elgin Chardonnay 2021)

Misty rain covering the winter vines

The menu. We needed to make only one choice and that was of the main course
The starter, warm Parmesan cheese soufflé, was delicious 

The very long, impressive wine list can be seen at the end of this story
Seared Salmon, topped with a good horseradish sauce, roast potatoes and cucumber relish
was high quality salmon, moist and so well cooked 

The Lamb shoulder had been deconstructed and was served with a crisp fondant potato, and al dente vegetables

Michael Fridjhon and Georgie Alexander about to begin the Trophy awards

Alex Mason-Gordon was doing the honours of handing them to Georgie Alexander
They had been kept secret until the moment of presentation

This was such a good venue for the awards, spacious, with great views and very attentive and professional staff
We were surprised to hear that this was the first time it had been used as an outside awards venue

JC le Roux winemaker Matthys Botes received Trophies for
JC Le Roux Méthode Cap Classique Scintilla Vintage Reserve 2015
 and Pongrácz Méthode Cap Classique Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs NV

Winemaker Rudi Schultz received a Trophy for the Best Museum Class Sauvignon blanc
for Thelema Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2015

The barrel cellar seen through the glass section of the restaurant floor,
which does cause moments of vertigo for some! 

José Conde received a Trophy for Stark-Condé Round Mountain Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Bloemendal winemaker Andri Hanekom received the
Trophy for the Best Museum Class Sauvignon Semillon blend for Bloemendal Kanonberg 2018
and Trophy for the best Museum class Semillon for Bloemendal Semillon 2017

Thor Vintners owner/winemaker Emile Gentis received a Trophy for Thor Lara Semillon 2023

Cape Point winemaker Anzele Visser with Trophy for Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh 2022 Sauvignon Semillon blend

Trophy designer John Skotnes

Trophy for Best Other White Blend received by Schenkfontein winemaker Jurgen Siebritz and owner Hendrik Hanekom

The Harold Eedes Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc
was awarded to KWV Head winemaker Kobus van der Merwe by Anthea Eedes

Trophy for Best Museum Class Cabernet sauvignon was received by winemaker Corlea Fourie
for Bosman Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon was received by cellarmaster RJ Botha
for Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Head winemaker Izele van Blerk received a Trophy for KWV The Mentors Canvas 2020 Mediterranean red blend

Trophy for Best Pinotage was presented to Durbanville Hills winemaker Wilhelm Coetzee
for the Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve The Promenade Pinotage 2022
which he made with the late Martin Moore

The glass Riedel Trophy  for Best Bordeaux style Red Blend,
a huge glass which can contain a whole bottle of wine. It has to be looked after very carefully

Michael Crossley presented the Riedel Trophy to Hagen Viljoen
for Zevenwacht Z Reserve Collection 2021

The Trophy for Best Dessert Wine was presented to winemaker Jamie Williams
for Nederburg The Winemasters Noble Late Harvest 2023

The Crème Brulée was such a good way to end an excellent meal

Winemaker Zinaschke Steyn received Trophies
for Nederburg The Winemasters Noble Late Harvest 2023 Unfortified Dessert
and Nederburg The Winemasters Shiraz 2022

Viticulturist Kallie Fernhout received the Vinolok Trophy for the highest-scoring premium-priced gold medallist
for the Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Chardonnay 2022 which also won Trophy for Best Chardonnay,
Investec International Judges’ Trophy and Investec Trophy for Best White Wine overall
He also received the Tony Mossop Trophy for Best Cape Port for the 2021 Cape Vintage

KWV senior winemakers Kobus van der Merwe and Izele van Blerk
with the Investec Trophy for the Most Successful Producer
They also received Gold for KWV Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2023

The full list of winners can be seen HERE
Wines we were served with lunch came from this list. All had been entered into the competition
and we had fun pairing as many as we could with the food and tasting

All our stories can be seen in the Blog Archive near the top of the column on the right

If you do not wish to receive e-mails from us, please email menucape@gmail.com with the word 'UNSUBSCRIBE' in your email

Posted by MENU at 11:21 am 0 comments

Friday, June 14, 2024

Siris trade wine tasting at the Mount Nelson

Trade tastings are coming thick and fast this year, with little time to recover!
But we love what we do and this is always a chance to catch up with our winemaker friends and meet new ones
The Siris Trade tasting was held this year in the Mount Nelson Ballroom
We arrived early as Lynne had to attend another event that evening

We began with Bruwer Raats to taste his much talked about Vlag (flag in English) Cabernet Franc. It is a really WOW wine
A lovely nose, almost Pinot with cherries in character, good expensive French oak and some minerality and salt
On the palate. classic Cabernet Franc to the fore. Umami, salty liquorice,
then lots of dark berry fruit with loads of elegance and promise
It's a "Now find me something to eat with this" wine

Good to see winemaker Lourens van der Westhuizen with his range of wines
The Chenin Blanc has smoke, fruit and excitement on the nose
Quince and peach, long flavours and buttery wood on the end
The 2022 Chardonnay is full and rounded on the nose, with golden ripe fruit
Elegance on both the nose and palate with long flavours, it will age well

On the Brookdale stand, we tasted their Mason Road Chenin Blanc
It has lovely richness on the nose, complete and dive-in
Golden fruit crisp loquat peach and dark oak on the palate
Their Rosé, made from Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault is full of ripe berries but not sweet
It has gravitas, so definitely a food wine
The 2016 Brookdale Chenin, made in amphora and tank, has no wood and pings excitedly off the palate
 The Brookdale white Rhône Field blend Sixteen
is complex on the nose with salty minerality, crisp grape flavours and is just different,
as are the varietals that talented young winemaker Kiara Scott uses
To quote them "A celebration of the lost art of field-blend winemaking;
16 white varietals were inter-planted as bush vines on decomposed shale and granite"

Groote Post winemaker Lukas Wentzel and owner Nick Pentz
We have bought every vintage of their Sea Salter Sauvignon Blanc
it's such a great food wine, especially with sea food and their new Chardonnay, which is sold out, is really exceptional
We're waiting for the new vintage to be released

Megan and Shane Mullis of Domaine des Dieux produce very exceptional Cap Classiques
The Claudia is 80% Chardonnay 20% Pinot Noir
RIchness of lees and chardonnay, crispness of limes and lemons, a good mousse
A lovely and satisfying celebration on the palate

The Anna Louse 2011 Blanc de Blanc is made only in exceptional years
Bready nose showing its maturity. It spends seven years on the lees and two under cork
Richness and lime, long flavours and a tiny prickling mousse

Bevan Newton Johnson showing their exceptional range of wines from the Hemel and Aarde Valley
The Family Vineyard Pinot Noir has always been a favourite as is the Full Stop Rock blend of Syrah and Grenache
The first Albariño to be produced in South Africa is a stunning food wine and,
as for their Chardonnays well, go and taste them
Their restaurant, under Chef Tullishe le Roux, is being talked about and is excellent

The Sauvignon Blanc is in the lovely elegant style produced in the valley. Crisp, green and exciting on the palate

The Albariño and Sauvignon Blanc 

Petra and Nicolas van der Merwe with their daughter



Their Nicolas Cap Classique Brut Rosé is pale with a bready nose, raspberry and lemon with golden tones on the end. 60% Chardonnay 40 Pinot Noir
The Sauvignon Blanc is crisp with lemon and limes, some green flavours with golden notes on the end
Their 2019 Nicolas Chenin Blanc is rounded, rich and full of golden fruit, very satisfying.  

Fanus, Martin and Estelle Bruwer of Quando are old friends who make very good wines


The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc is exceptionally good, drawing one in with complexity on the nose
Rich and full with good green notes, it is juicy and a great food wine
The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc has green pyrazines on the classic nose, showing its Bonnievale terroir
Richness, fullness and the layers of flavours open up with a bang. Lots of depth too
The Mourvedre Rosé 2023 is pale pink with lovely berry fruit on the nose
which follows through with strawberry, raspberry and pomegranate on the palate. A food wine

Rob Boustred of Remhoogte

One favourite and a wine to seek out is their Honeybunch Chenin Blanc
The 2023 is sophisticated on the nose then the lovely honeyed fruit arrives in layers
It is sappig, with juicy fruit, but a serious wine, with richness of fruit supported by chalky tannins
and flavours that go on and on. It will last in the cellar

Three Remhoogte Chenins


Anura Vineyards winemaker Stander Maass and sales manager Emil Kanstinger
The 2023 Anura Chardonnay is lightly wooded in French oak
Richness of golden fruit on the nose, lemon lime crispness then fullness with golden grape, peach and nectarine flavours

Martin Smith with his Paserene and his second label Swift wines
His 2022 Moya Meaker Pinot Noir has a good complex nose,
cherries and raspberries with light wood smoke and salty minerality
Full of block buster red berry fruit, alcohol and wood
It needs time in your cellar and will be very special in about 5 years time, we predict
The 2022 Damascene Stellenbosch Syrah has rose petal perfume, spice and berry fruit
Good fruit in layers dark and spicy - a food wine
The 2022 Syrah from the Swartland has spice and incense wood,
a blend of sweet and sour fruit on the palate, needs time

Cape Point Vineyards general manager Hannes Meyer and winemaker Anzette Visser
The Isliedh won a Trophy at the Investec Trophy Awards

Doolhof winemaker Rüdger van Wyk with Ralph Reynolds, sommelier at Aubergine Restaurant

The Doolhof Bloedklip Malbec with smoke and umami and dark berries on the nose

Richness of more dark fruit, plush velvet on the palate with long flavours and excitement
There is a change midway from berry to rhubarb, minerality and salty tannins
Needs and ask for rich food like Duck, Chateaubriand and heady sauces
The Single Vineyard Malbec has greenness then fruit on the nose
Richness, full of good dark fruit, with long flavours, umami and chalky tannins, will age well
The Doolhof Môrestond 2021 Chardonnay is very French initially on the nose and palate, but too big and local to be French
A celebration of good chardonnay with minerality and good tannins. 8 months in 20% 1st fill French oak barrels

Sales manager AJ Nel of Lievland
The Cabernet sauvignon, Bush vine Pinotage and Old Vines Chenin blanc are all excellent
Lievland is jointly owned by Tyrrel Myburgh of Joostenberg and José Conde of Stark-Condé

The colour temperatures of the mixed lighting in the Ballroom varied from one part of the room to another
We apologise for the somewhat sepia appearance of some of the photographs

All our stories can be seen in the Blog Archive near the top of the column on the right


Posted by MENU at 5:37 pm 0 comments

Raath Promotions trade wine tasting at The Winchester

This is the time of the year when many wine, beer and spirit trade tastings take place
and we enjoy tasting the new products, vintages and, usually, something new

The Raath Trade tasting took place at the Winchester Mansions in Sea Point; a good venue for this

As we arrived we met Springbok front row forward Stephen Kitshoff, a key member of the famous "Bomb Squad"
He was there to promote the Bomb Squad beers, produced by the Nuy Valley Saggy Stone brewery

Lynne enjoyed the Pilsner. It's hoppy, slightly sweet flavours cleanse the palate
(especially after a rather hot chilli canapé)
We would buy this. Their IPA is up there with the best available from good Cape Town brewers

John Loubser was showing the new vintages of the Silverthorn Cap Classiques from his Bonnievale vineyards
He had released the Jewel Box that week - 70% Chardonnay 30% Pinot Noir,
it spends 55 months on the lees and is from the 2019 vintage
Clean and crisp with a hint of cherry and good rich lees,
which shows that it's worth aging these wines before releasing them

Canapés of rare beef topped with pea shoots and chopped spinach

The Genie Rosé is 100% Shiraz
Full of berry fruit in layers on the nose and palate, juicy and crisp with mulberry and raspberry with long flavours
John certainly knows how to produce the best quality Cap Classiques

We always like to start a tasting with a crisp and elegant bubbly
and John was positioned correctly at the door to the tasting
And he is very popular in the trade. You will find is wines at many of the top restaurants and wine merchants

Another canapé - a gentle Malay curry

Lynne chatted to the Beaumonts, and tasted their 2023 unwooded Chenin with lots of caramel and ripe fruit
The 2024 Chenin was a new release and has freshness, is beautifully perfumed with jasmine and pear flavour
which repeats on the palate with a hint of cherry and lime

The 2023 Hope Marguerite, our favourite, was initially shy but it's young
It becomes a big wine when it opens up and announces "I'm back" with its superb full, rich, juicy and sophisticated palate
A major food wine

Dane Raath chatting to his trade customers

Bouchard Finlayson winemaker Chris Albrecht with Sebastian Beaumont
The Beaumont New Baby has golden fruit on the nose and is sophisticated and complex
Apples, cooked pears and plum with some oak. Food calls for this wine

Chris Albrecht and Barend Erasmus, his assistant winemaker. They had all their excellent wines for tasting
The venue's lights were adding quite a lot of sparkle to the bottles...

Good to see Marthinus Ferreira, chef patron of the Jordan Restaurant with his PA, Lee Simmabarie

Gerard Holden of Holden Manz where we tasted their Semillon. Perfumed with white fruit and lots of oak

Dirk Human, winemaker at Black Oystercatcher was showcasing his Cap Classique Brut Rosé 2018,
made, unusually, from Merlot. It has spent 5 years on the lees, which adds complexity

David van Velden of Overgaauw gave us his 2023 Estate Reserve Sauvignon Blanc to taste
Clean and crisp with some green pepper notes, ripe fruit and some black current hints
On the palate, complex and different, lots of oak and some sophistication. Can age well

His Merlot is one of our favourites. The 2022 full bodied, rich with deep dark fruit
A dive-in nose with silky dark fruit on the palate layered and in perfect balance of ripeness and acidity
The 2020 Merlot has richness, is attractive, well made and complex
Silky soft with deep dark fruit in layers, very enjoyable, A wine for food

Illimis owner/winemaker Lucinda Heyns
explaining her excellent Cinsault, Grenache noir and Chenin blanc to Barend Erasmus

Wikus Pretorius of La Petit Ferme had some impressive wines

A lightly oaked 2023 Chardonnay with crisp lime, lemon and peach with wood just supporting

The 2023 Viognier goes into old chardonnay barrels and is left on the lees
It's rather French in style, shy at first, crisp then full on the palate. Oak notes then ripe peach & complex

Their Grenache noir rosé has a lovely fruity zing

The Shiraz has good berry fruit with white pepper on the nose,
dark berries, cherry, chocolate and coffee on the enjoyable palate

The 2021 Cabernet is classic Cabernet on the nose; full and satisfying and enticing you to taste
Long flavours of spiky cassis and berry fruit with dark licorice and oak

Rynie Oosthuizen, Kleinood winemaker
His Viognier is peaches and cream, superb

The 2022 Grenache Blanc has really good fruit on nose and palate, zingy with red berry and peach flavours

The 2022 Mourvedre is what we look for in this varietal
Richness of fruit on nose and palate, lovely deep dark berry fruit with pomegranate and mulberry

Pierre Wahl, Cellarmaster at Survivor Wines

The 2021 Chenin got top marks from us. It's a big wine, made in big barrels, with ripe golden fruit on the nose
The palate follows the nose; so ripe, so delicious. Wood is the structure surrounding the golden fruit. Wow

The 2022 Survivor Chardonnay has golden peach on the nose - very sophisticated, and French in style
It is rounded on the palate with rich deep flavours of cooked apple and peach and  good wood
A Tarte Tatin accompaniment for sure

Avondale winemaker Corné Marais. An impressive selection to taste

The 2016 Blanc de Blanc Cap Classique spent 16 months on the lees which shows as butterscotch which softens,
then a zing of crisp lime and a good mousse

The 2020 Anima, a long time favourite, has beautiful velvety roundness of fruit, made half in barrel and half in Amphora
Apple, butterscotch and lime on the lovely palate

The 2019 five way blend, Cyclus,
made from Roussanne, Chenin, Viognier, Chardonnay and Semillon is a wine Lynne says she could drink every day
So integrated, but you do taste all the various components

And it livens the palate so much that you want to eat immediately. A restaurant wine list essential

The enjoyable Rosé, Camissa, is made from 50% Grenache, 35% Mourvedre and, unusually,
15% red Muscat de Frontignan grapes which were added in this vintage to improve the wine and indeed it does

Qvevri Red 2022 is a blend of Grenache (50%), Syrah (26%) and Mourvèdre (24%) grapes
that is made in the unique clay Qvevri vessels
It's an earthy wines with rich dark berry fruit that encompasses your palate
and leads you straight to needing to be fed - NOW!

Samsara Syrah 2016 was made in 600 litre barrels
Spicy, with lovely dark berry fruit, attractive nose
Then mulberry cherry fruit soft and so approachable on the palate. Delicious

La Luna 2016 Bordeaux Blend is a classic

Jayne Beaumont showing her wines
The 2022 Electrique has classic peach on the nose, very sophisticated
Sweet golden fruit; so enjoyable, another great food wine. One second fill barrel is all she made

Sebastian Beaumont

Mini burgers to enjoy

Very happy to catch up with Nils and Sabine Hecksher 
When we first met Nils, he was General Manager of the hotel in its former guise as the Winchester Mansions

Stephen Kitshoff and his beer

Marthinus Ferreira and his Jordan Restaurant team, with Kathy Raath and Stephen Kitshoff

All our stories can be seen in the Blog Archive near the top of the column on the right

If you do not wish to receive e-mails from us, please email menucape@gmail.com with the word 'UNSUBSCRIBE' in your email


Posted by MENU at 4:41 pm 0 comments
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