Thursday, July 19, 2012

Visiting Franschhoek, Rickety Bridge

Rickety Bridge Manor House
The restaurant and old tasting room
Inside the new tasting room
Lovely use of old troughs!
Comfortable sofas in the tasting room and the fireplace which is just like our new one
Old oak table and benches for a group tasting
Cynic? me?
Racking wine in the cellar
Lots of things to buy and really clever tasting tables made out of wine barrels
Inside the restaurant
Outside on the porch and the sun is out, finally
Photographs ©John Ford, Adamastor&Bacchus 2012

Tasting French wines at the Bastille celebration in Franschhoek

A cold and rainy Bastille Sunday did not deter people coming to celebrate the festival

Some of the French winemakers enjoying a bite of lunch
Crozes Hermitage wines from Domaine des Martinelles in the Rhone valley

Neil Jewell’s (Bread and Wine Restaurant) lovely charcuterie platter that came as part of your R395 entrance in the VIP tent

Like most of us, Anne and Pieter Ferreira were having fun and were very warmly dressed
Some really interesting wines from Les Vins de Vienne in the Rhône valley
The full list of wines available for tasting and their prices
It was a very enjoyable tasting, even if language sometimes got in the way.
Good to be able to taste wines made on the Côte Rotie (literal translation “ the hot hill”) and especially to taste viogniers and Condrieu
Neil Jewell’s Cassoulet, which was also included in the ticket price in the VIP tent
Vrede and Lust had a wine and chocolate pairing
A smoke break for an addict! It was pouring with rain.
Is Hempies (alias “Le petit chemise”) du Toit wondering if he has tasted this wine before?
A second nose might confirm it?
Grandpère – this face could only be French
Serious ... sérieusement ! The President of the Côtes-du-Rhône appellation
The reds were all a little young for drinking but you could see quality and taste quite a lot of chalkiness with the intense fruit.
These labels brought back happy memories of travels in the area for many people tasting.

“Yes, please I would like some more” say Hempies du Toit and Lodine Maske

Passport photo? Naturellement

An explanation of where the wine comes from is always good
Another very French face
Gold medal winning wines for tasting
A great mixture of cultures 
Kara Miller, Marketing Manager at Cape Classics, discusses the wines
A winemaker full of bonhomie,
with a face full of life and humour
The main tent on Sunday, with Stephen of Solms-Delta enjoying the view.  Apparently it was very crowded on Saturday.
Lovely ladies selling their wares and enjoying it

Lunch on offer on one of the food stands. Baguettes and croissants with fillings
Nearing the end of the day, the Môreson lads are still ready for the public

Festival atmosphere in the tent
Irene Waller, winemaker/manager at La Bri pouring Pieter “Bubbles” Ferreira some Fizz


A toast to a great weekend

Photographs ©John Ford, Adamastor&Bacchus 2012

Visiting Franschhoek - La Bri


One of the floral themed wine labels used at La Bri
The cellar and entrance to the tasting room where you can enjoy a cheese platter or a chocolate pairing with your wine tasting

The incredible tasting table made from one solid slice of teak

Irene Waller showing us the innovative gravity fed wine cellar




Part of the barrel and bottle storage
The view through to the tasting room. Everything is spotless

The range of excellent La Bri wines we tasted

This would make someone a stunning presentation box

Looking over their vines towards the mountains

The Manor House which was ‘modernised’ circa 1800 so it no longer has a Cape Dutch gable, but a Georgian one

The wine cellar and other farm buildings

Photographs ©John Ford, Adamastor&Bacchus 2012