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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Supper at Kyoto Gardens

We had a business meeting at Kyoto Gardens just off Kloof Nek Road on Friday and our colleague bought us dinner afterwards. They have slightly changed their menu to (the more usual layout) starter, main course and dessert format and we had a great meal with well paired wines. It can be expensive but the price is worth paying for such fresh seafood and Japanese dishes

Our starter of sea urchin sushi. Tastes of the sea. Different and enjoyable

This plate was going to another table but we couldn't resist taking a photo as it was so pretty. Snow crab and asparagus, we think

Probably the most delicious beef we have had in a year or three. Thin slices of just seared Kobe beef - meltingly tender and very, very flavourful with a very simple dressing and sprinkled with sesame seeds

Our main course of thin slices of kingklip on lemon rice topped with bok choy

There was plenty for two and some rice was left over. We were enjoying the food so much we forgot to take more photographs

We were not expecting to stay for supper, so the only camera we had with us was our old Nokia Windows Lumia 920 (with a cracked screen for the last several months nogal), still arguably the best camera phone in the business. All photographs taken without flash, under the restaurant's dim lighting, with minimal editing

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Van Loveren celebrates 30th Anniversary with a tasting at Weinhaus & Biergarten

This was held at Weinhaus and Biergarten in Riebeek Square, just along the road from Bocca, so it was a short walk to a very good social evening and the opportunity, if you had the stamina to taste the whole range of Van Loveren's wines. Great canapés were served by Zest catering too. Oh those crisp fries with truffle mayo.....

Louise and Mark Herd of Sunset Beach Wines, greeted by our friend Bonita Malherbe, Van Loveren’s Marketing manager

The new style of wine in a bag by Van Loveren - it fits perfectly into an ice bucket for picnics

Something different to taste on nearly every table.

NO one can Bant when faced with these - Nici Beaumont's amazing French fries

It was very well attended

Bonita Malherbe and Dane Raath having a cuddle. They have worked together now for several years. Dane is Kathy Raath’s son and is also in the business

Nice to meet Shan Pascall from Oneiric in Elgin there and have a chat about the wine industry while tasting, no, confess, drinking some of the magnificent top of the range and a 4 star Platter wine, the Christina Van Loveren Limited Release Chardonnay

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Great Domaines trade tasting of imported wines at Bocca

Back to Bocca in Wale Street for this trade tasting of some really good imported wines from France, Germany and Spain. There were a couple of really familiar wines to Lynne who used to drink them when she lived in London and their prices are not expensive given the current price of the Rand. We hope to see them appearing in good wine shops and on restaurant wine lists soon

Familiar faces on the doorstep, ready to taste wine: Mark Herd, Morgan Delacloche, Karin Visser, Emile Joubert, Jean-Vincent Ridon

Karin Visser of Great Domaines gave us a very warm welcome

Morgan Delacloche says it's time to taste an Italian Prosecco by San Leo

We were all enthusiastically nosing the Lanson Brut Champagne, the wine "By appointment to the Royal Family" for over 100 years. It is really superb

Karin Visser, Louise and Mark Herd

Next to taste was the Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne, made from Pinot noir, with a little Chardonnay and some Gamay noir

A fruity and full on RIoja with good vanilla and wood, a very soft and easy drinking, but polished Grande Vin Bordeaux, which we are tempted to buy and a juicy Malbec from Cahors in the South of France

The Saint Cosme needs much more time, the Beaujolais Villages is fairly typical of the area and the Pinot Noir also needs time to capture the fruit acids

A lovely Chablis with elegance and tightness, a slightly sweet and fruity Pinot Grigio/Muscat blend, and a very accomplished 2013 Chardonnay from Bouchard Pere et Fils, which we really enjoyed.

Tasting the Rioja, Morgan Delacloche and Tony da Costa of Liquor City, Claremont

Cognac Delamain XO. It's a small bottle but packs a punch. A treat for yourself

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Tuning the Vine, an evening wine tasting ramble through Cape Town's Inner City Wine Route

We started our week last Wednesday at Tuning the Vine. This is the second time this very successful event has been held in Cape Town and there will be another on the 9th of December. You book, there are 3 starter locations in town, you get an arm band, a glass to keep and you walk from venue to vent to taste wine all over the city. To book http://www.quicket.co.za/events/11656-innercitywineroute/#/schedules Cheaper on early bird tickets.

We took the bus and so checked in at the Youngblood Art Gallery, with our web tickets

Catching up with Jacques Wentzel of Black Elephant wines

What shall we taste next?

There was a lively buzz in every one of the locations we visited. We did try to get to them all but didn't quite succeed. Too much good wine to taste at each place!

Wine was also on sale to take home. It was a young and vibey crowd with informed staff from the farms pouring the wines

"What are we tasting young man?" On the Jordan stand

Our next venue was a bit of a surprise. Next time.....

Then to Heritage Square to visit Jean-Vincent Ridon at Signal Hill Winery. A bit of a tight fit in the small shop. But we heard from him yesterday that he sold a lot of wine. And some of John Platter’s new book, as they held the signing there

..enjoying all the belles filles!

Just a brief stop here to taste the wines outside House of Machines

And chat to some old friends over a glass of L'Ormarins MCC

An oasis of calm inside

Time for a restorative coffee?

Lynne with her new adopted son, Hebert Banhire. He likes our lifestyle

You meet lots of people you know on the walk from place to place as people follow different routes.
Shane Mullis, Sharon & Megan Parnell of Domaine des Dieux and a friend

A familiar friendly face at Tjing Tjing

Now this is serious work

Ah! Another of our favourites. Dieter Odendaal showing Creation wines

Girls having fun

And another favourite, Bevan Newton Johnson, with two of their great wines

This was the place to be, especially if you wanted to chat up Sebastian and taste his great Beaumont offerings

Upstairs under the roof is the bar for serious drinking

And some fresh air although it was a bit spoilt by smokers. Will someone please tell them it is JUST NOT DONE at wine events? You seriously piss people off