Friday, October 11, 2024

The 41st anniversary Blaauwklippen blending competition lunch

The awards ceremony of the annual Blaauwklippen Blending Competition
was held in the main restaurant at Blaauwklippen
Present were the top three wine clubs, the judges, and the media

The floating trophy

A lovely warm spring day was made even better by a glass of the Blaauwklippen Brut Rosé

The friendly staff were in attendance as usual and made the day special

The room is filled with art and objects for sale

We were able to see the winning blend, which is presented in a magnum
We would be able to drink it with lunch. It's always fun to see if any of the top three clubs recognise their own blend

The winning blend, Number 41
Yes, the competition has been going for all those years
The command to the blenders was "Make a Bordeaux blend built to last" and they were supplied with 5 full bottles:
a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot, a Cabernet Franc, a Petit Verdot and a Malbec
All five varietals had to be used to make, in the team's estimation, the best blend

The long table for lunch

Master of Ceremonies Guy McDonald

The menu

Winemaker Narina Cloete

2023 Blaauwklippen Chardonnay, just released 

It is quite crisp with lime, stone fruit and subtle wood

The food was served family style so we could all help ourselves and each other by passing plates

The Caprese Salad

Mediterranean cauliflower and broccoli roasted in olive oil

Arancini rice balls filled with butternut and mozarella

Chicken Limone served on a bed of spaghetti
This was our favourite dish, lots of flavour, a good creamy lemon sauce and tender chicken


Bolognaise stuffed ravioli in a rich tomato sauce

Melanzane, layers of eggplant topped with mozarella with  a tomato sauce

The three finalists spoke about their wine clubs and their history and how they made their blend

Oliver Wright of Team Vat from Gauteng

Christa Grobler of Sophie's Choice in the Western Cape

Raymond van der Westhuizen of Dorstige Dertigs in the Western Cape told us a lot about his wine club.

Nanette De Hart, Brand Home & Destination Manager at Blaauwklippen with the trophy

Guy spoke about  the different components and how many entries there were this year
It is a very popular competition

Dorstige Dertigs representatives Francois van Rooyen and Raymond van der Westhuizen were this year's winners

with Narina Cloete 

Joined by Guy McDonald and two of the judges, Clive Torr and Alastair Rimmer, winemaker at De Morgenzon

Rich coffee and cream liqueur Tiramisu for dessert

It was delicious

As we were leaving, we took a look at the ruin of the lovely historic manor house,
tragically destroyed in a recent fire. It is being rebuilt

We were told that it will be restored to this condition (taken last year)

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 3:13 pm 0 comments

Morvino trade wine show at The Mount Nelson

 Another event attended by John on his own with Lynne in hospital for surgery on her broken arm

There was a good turnout of invited guests from the wine trade, hospitality industry and wine enthusiasts

Neil Proudfoot of Wine Concepts Kloof St with Weltevrede marketing manager Steyn Fullard


Weltevrede's elegant Cap Classiques have earned respect and given enjoyment to many people through the years

Jeremy van Heerden and Michael Dawson of Journey's End


Sarah du Plessis and Jamie Day with Richard Kershaw's excellent Pinot noirs and Chardonnays


Nico Grobler of La Brune showed his cool climate Pinot noir and Chardonnay from Elgin

Ataraxia in the Hemel en Aarde Valley has been one of our favourite producers for many years


Henk van Niekerk showing his Paul René Cap Classiques to Renette Muir of Wine Concepts


The ante room to the main Hall


Thys Louw and Michaela Hindle with the Maastricht wines


Henry Kotzé pouring Mulderbosch Sauvignon blanc for  a member of Marthinus Ferreira's Jordan Restaurant


Chris Willemse and Joshua Raats showed the Raats Chenin blancs and Cabernet francs from Polkadraai, Stellenbosch

Rianie Strydom and her son Jean-Louis with the Strydom Family wines


Jaen Lochner with the wines of Starke-Condé in Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch

Wynand Grobler showed his wines from De Kleine Wijn Koöp

Eikendal in Stellenbosch has a long history of producing very good Chardonnays and Red blends


Miles Mossop with his Max red blend

Smoked salmon treats 


Gavin Bruwer with the B Vintners wines

Ataraxia owner and winemaker Kevin Grant

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 1:01 pm 0 comments

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

In MENU this issue - Caroline's Red Wine Review, Terroir Awards, Seductive Sauvignons, Cape Winemasters graduation, CWG Auction showcase, Trade wine show


August was a traumatic month. First, John tripped over a paving slab in our garden, fell badly and dislocated his left shoulder. Then, two weeks later, Lynne fell coming down the dimly lit brick path leaving Moyo restaurant in Kirstenbosch and broke her right arm. So each of us was hors de combat for some time. By the time of Lynne’s accident, John was, thankfully, able to work, but she was not, so, in our busiest month this year, he had to look after the writing as well as the photography in addition to being the chauffeur driving to an from the Vincent Palotti hospital on numerous occasions.

So this is an explanation about why there has been a longer than usual gap between issues of MENU. And there are still three stories we have not yet completed, but we felt that we had to get these stories out to you. We apologise if the writing is not quite up to our usual standard.

As usual, click on headlines, photographs and "Read On..." to do just that

Caroline's 2024 Red Wine Review


If you had the chance to taste 91 of South Africa's very best red wines, why wouldn't you rush to get a ticket. So many did and this was a really impressive tasting. Caroline Rillema, who runs a very successful Wine retail business, chooses her favourite wines for tasting every year and you could buy tickets on line. Read on…

The 2024 Terroir Awards at Lanzerac


The SA Terroir Awards is an annual competition which was created to define the various terroir types of the Cape. The awards lunch this year was held at Lanzerac in Stellenbosch. Read on...

Wine Concepts Seductive Sauvignons at Moyo, Kirstenbosch


Michael Bampfield-Duggan, owner of Wine Concepts in Newlands, together with Sue and Neil Proudfoot of the eponymous Kloof Street shop, has, for several years, held very special wine tasting events. For a long time, these were at the Vineyard Hotel in Newlands. Now, for unknown reasons, they have had to move the events to other locations. This year, they have been held at the Moyo restaurant at the edge of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. It has turned out to be a sensational venue, comfortably spacious and with the added benefit of really good snacks to accompany the wine tasting experience. Read on…

2024 Cape Wine Masters graduation lunch at KWV Cathedral Cellar

John had to go solo to all events in August as Lynne was recovering from her bad fall and broken arm. The entrance to the Cathedral Cellar is through the KWV Emporium, followed by a walk through a barrel cellar full of large ±1000 litre barrels to enjoy meeting old friends over a glass of KWV's Laborie Blanc de blanc in the Cathedral Cellar. Read on…

2024 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase, Cape Town


The annual Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction showcases rare and unique wines. produced in small quantities exclusively for the auction by the members of the Guild. The wines have undergone rigorous screening by an independent laboratory before being tasted blind and selected by specialist panels of Guild members. The Auction will take place on 4 & 5 October 2024. Bidding takes place live and virtually on the Strauss & Co website once a year. Bidders will need to create a bidding account on Strauss & Co’s website. Read on…

Trade wine show at The Winchester


Another event attended by John without Lynne, who was just out of hospital. Sadly, he arrived late because he had been bringing Lynne home from a medical appointment in connection with her broken arm, so he could not taste all the wines in the show. Read on...

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 5:19 pm 0 comments

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Trade wine show at The Winchester

Another event attended by John without Lynne, who was just out of hospital
Sadly, he arrived late because he had been bringing Lynne home
from a medical appointment in connection with her broken arm, 
so he could not taste all the wines in the show


Rudi Schultz and his daughter Gabriela
showing his superb range of wines
This is the 22nd year of production of his own label
He is also in his 24th year as winemaker at Thelema in Stellenbosch

His own label Schultz Family wines, all named for iconic surfing waves
Skeleton Bay is a delicious Chenin blanc made from 64 year old bush vines in Paarl
Pepper Street is a rich, deep naturally fermented Syrah from a vineyard in Paarl
Dungeons is a well-made Cabernet Sauvignon; a big wine made for long cellaring, but eminently drinkable now
Boneyards is a blend of Malbec and Petit Verdot in a slightly lighter style than the Syrah

Wildekrans in the Bot River ward with their excellent red wine range

They were shown by their new Cellarmaster De Wet Viljoen
who joined Wildekrans after a long, successful career at Neethlingshof
The stickers affirm the quality

His wife Annelie showed her own wines, Bessie White and Spijker Red
named for the late Duimpie Bayly's favourite cow and bull
made for easy everyday drinking, essential kuier wines made for friendly glasses with friendly conversation

DeWet and Annelie Viljoen

The wines of Riebeek Valley Wine Company
The 22 Families Chenin is made from mature bush vines for Marks and Spencer
The Kasteelberg Chenin is more serious, made from dryland bush vines and will be enhanced by a few years in cellar
The Pieter Kruythoff Brut is a well-priced sparkling wine which was a favourite with our customers at Main Ingredient
The Kasteelberg Syrah is whole bunch naturally fermented, rich and full-flavoured

Megan Elson showed the Hidden Valley wine range from the Helderberg area

The Hidden Valley Brut is bone-dry with a good mousse
The Sauvignon Blanc is a dry, herbaceous classic Sauvignon
The Hidden Treasure Rosé, made primiarily from Merlot, is rich, fruity and full-flavoured with a lovely mouthfeel
The Viognier has the expected white peach, apricot character and has not been spoiled by too much wood
Hidden Secret is a very good blend of Syrah with a small portion of Tannat; rich, dark fruit
Hidden Gems is a lovely, elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot and Merlot

I enjoyed catching up with Bev Murray and Kerry Kirby
Two long-serving and valued representatives of the wine trade

Andrew Mellish's family has been on their farm in the Cape Farms area
north of  Durbanville, on the edge of the Swartland, for over 100 years

Bakenkop Syrah is well-balanced with good fruit on the nose
Pinotage, typically, should last well in the cellar but will be good with spicy meat dishes now
Cinsault is in the modern style, light-bodied and elegantly dry with good fruit
Single vineyard Chenin Blanc is a good dry mouthful and a great summer drink
Blanc Fumé is a serious wine; long lees contact in barrel gives depth with cassis notes and great mouthfeel




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 4:46 pm 0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)