Welcome drink in the entrance to the Terra del Capo Tasting room was the newly released L’Ormarins Brut Classique which will retail at R110
The tasting room bar
Journalist Melvin Minnaar
chats to Gary Baumgarten, Managing
Director of Anthonij Rupert Wines
The restaurant area, where
you can sit and watch the whole bottling line process through the glass wall
Fiona MacDonald, editor of
Whisky Magazine, inspects the new decor done by interior designer, Francois du Plessis Interiors
Andrew Harris, the Brand Manager, tells us the background of the wines as we
begin the tasting
The line up of glasses ready for the first round of tasting: from the
left – L’Ormarins Brut Classique non vintage;
Terra del Capo Pinot Grigio 2012; Protea Sauvignon Blanc 2012 and Protea
Chardonnay 2010
Gidi Caetano, the hospitality manager, pours the wines for us
L’Ormarins Brut Cap Classique with good mousse
First flight
Gary Baumgarten telling us about the grapes, the vineyards and the
wines
The knowledgeable serving staff behind the bar
There are always a lot of notes to take during a media wine tasting
The second flight of wines: Terra del Capo Sangiovese 2010 – our
favourite; Protea Reserve 2011 and Terra
del Capo Arne 2008
Great colour concentration on all the red wines
Our delicious and fresh lunch menu. All the antipasti vegetables are
local as are the cheeses, the charcuterie is imported from Italy as they have
not yet found a local supplier with the quality they are seeking.
Parma ham and melon
Caprese salad
The marinated artichokes were very special and a marvellous match with
the Pinot Grigio
A beautiful plate of roasted vegetables, part of the Antipasti lunch, featured sundried tomatoes, grilled courgettes, chilli butternut slices, braised onions, quails eggs, cheese stuffed peppadews, chargrilled aubergine slices and mange tout.
The view from the Manor House; home to the Cape of Good Hope and
Anthonij Rupert Wine ranges, features beautiful wooden beam ceilings, yellow
wood floors and spacious areas for entertaining, furnished throughout in the
style of the mid-nineteenth century in the Cape. Well-known interior designer
Graham Viney was commissioned for this project as he is renowned for favouring
the Cape Heritage style.
This is one of the oldest buildings in the area and was the Cape home of
the late Graham Beck
Three of the vintage cars from the Rupert Collection Motor Museum at
L’Ormarins
A magnificent feature bath in one of the guest rooms
The bedroom, full of soft comfortable furnishings and a four poster bed
The comfortable four poster bed, period chandelier, and antique mirror
above the Victorian fireplace
Tasting our way through the Anthonij Rupert and Cape of Good Hope wines
The four beautiful Antonij Rupert reds. From the left: Anthonij Rupert
2009 Optima red blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a little Cinsault (R120); Anthonij Rupert Blend 2007
Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Merlot (R750) (the first SA wine to score 95 points
in Wine Spectator); Anthonij Rupert Merlot 2007 (R410); Anthonij Rupert Syrah 2007 (R420)
The line-up of the wines we tasted in the afternoon
Very talented winemaker Dawie Botha, who guided us through the tasting,
seated next to Fiona MacDonald
The scrumptious tea laid on for us after the tasting
A view of the garden through the magnificent front doors
A view of the Franschhoek mountains behind the farm
The Manor House shop carries all the wines and produce made on the farm.
They have honey, olives, olive oil, spice rubs, small gifts and other offerings.
These are also available from the shop at the Terra del Cape tasting centre
Bottles of the delicious Anthonij Rupert Syrah 2007
The Cape of Good Hope wine selection
Good advice...
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013
