Wednesday, December 09, 2015

Sir Ian Botham walks the rainbow nation and Kumala launches wine range


Sir Ian Botham is in SA to lead some sponsored walks. We were invited to The Table Bay Hotel (Sun International is one of the sponsors) to tweet about another of the sponsors, Kumala wines, with winemakers Ben Jordaan and Bruce Jack, before meeting Beefy Botham and hearing about his walks and to hear about the four causes to which the money is being donated after the walks. It looks as though at least half of the Barmy Army will be walking with Sir Ian
Meeting all the usual suspects who tweet and several new ones

We are here to tweet about Kumala wines
Sir Ian Botham being greeted by Ben Jordaan of Kumala wines. This walk will mark the celebration of his 60th Birthday and the 30th anniversary of his first ever walk from John O’Groats to Lands End in 1985
Chatting with Bruce Jack
"Beefy" Botham will start his first walk on Friday morning at 7 am from the Table Bay hotel and will walk 22 Km to Llandudno. For more information and donations, visit his website www.beefywalkingtherainbownation.com There will be 10 different 22 Km walks around the country on different days. He will be accompanied by many people, lots of them from the UK, who are also out here to watch the Cricket in January. Half are from the Barmy Army, we were told by one of their organisers
Bruce Jack, winemaker for Kumala wines, tells us about their sponsorship
Alison Pearce, Accolade Wines Marketing manager, tells us about the walks and the sponsors
Kumala winemaker Ben Jordaan
Following the lively Kumala Tweet up of their 2014 Zenith Chenin/Chardonnay blend, the Zenith 2015 French style Rosé and the Reserve 2014 Shiraz, we tasted two Flagstone wines 2014 Free Run Sauvignon Blanc, and the Writer’s Block 2014 Pinotage. John was astounded to hear that Lynne actually liked the Pinotage (she doesn’t normally enjoy Pinotage)
Bruce telling us about the Writer’s Block Pinotage
Time for a quick bite to soak up the wine. Sadly, not much if you are Banting
The sponsors list. At the base of the sign are the four beneficiaries; not much time was given to them until Lynne asked who they were. They are Nazareth House www.nazhouse.org.za, The Chipembere Rhino Foundation www.chipembere.org/, Kliptown Youth Programme www.kliptownyouthprogram.org.za in Soweto and the Southern African Waitrose Foundation www.waitrosefoundation.org.za
Lots of the British, who are here to do the walks with Beefy Botham
Rob Dalton, Gaming Relationship Manager at Sun International Management spoke about their involvement in the project
Executive chef of Camissa restaurant at The Table Bay, Jocelyn Myers-Adams and assistant F&B manager Hilton Ruch

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2015

Baby owls at Steenberg with great wine and food

It was extremely exciting and quite moving to be able to stand one metre away from a just fledged downy baby owl. We were invited to a tasting of Steenberg's new wine range and were served a superb charcuterie platter with the owl perched on a branch just above us.
After you get through the extremely impenetrable security at the front gate you find yourself in an oasis of green and calmness. We met Caroline van Schalkwyk, the Marketing manager, on arrival and she first took us on a short tour. Steenberg has taken over the running of the Spa, the restaurant and the accommodation and if you want a wine tasting with nibbles, a platter or a meal, you head to Catharina’s restaurant.
At the Steenberg Spa. Relax in the lounge before and after your treatment
Lots of choices of things to drink: fruit water, bubbly and teas and fire for chilly days
Farm Manager Johann De Swardt
The enchanting baby owl which has left the nest, still covered in downy fluff and not yet confident enough to fly, but practicing
The Werf at Steenberg. The lawn was previously covered by Hydrangeas but they have now been removed to return it to the originally historical layout of a werf (farm yard)
The Farm Platter is very, very good value at R150 for two people. (This one is slightly larger being for 3). The chicken liver pate is unmissable and the curried vegetable piccalilli adds a real Cape flavour to the food. You can have this on Mondays to- Saturdays from 11am - 5pm and sit and enjoy the lovely peaceful ambience as well. Our platter consists of locally sourced cheese, cured meats & house made, paté, breads & other fresh accompaniments. Enjoy this with one of the selected wine flights of three wines each: a Bubbly flight (R100 pp), Klein Steenberg flight (R60 pp )or HMS flight (R90 pp). And of course you can also enjoy lunch at Catharina’s Restaurant
John, our waiter, bringing us the first tasting which was wines from the Klein Steenberg range. We then followed with the other two tastings
The first flight of our tasting: the three sparkling wines
Lynne and Caroline at the table under the oaks. The baby owl can just be seen above Lynne on a niche in the tree
Executive Chef of Catharina’s restaurant, Garth Almazan, whom we always maintain is one of the best in the Cape
More of the owl. Its mother is still in the nest in a tree just a few metres away. There is another but it was not in sight that day
Looking balefully at us but it does not seem stressed and we are sure will soon be able to fly off
Catharina’s Restaurant
The bubbles available to taste. The first is not an MCC and is made of Sauvignon Blanc. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are both MCC's
The very reasonably priced Klein Steenberg range. Lynne liked the Sauvignon Blanc so much - it is a typical crisp green Constantia sauvignon – that she bought 12 for summer drinking
The third flight we tasted is known as the HMS Battle of Muizenberg (7th of August 1795) flight (the wines are named after the 3 Royal Navy battle ships that took part: HMS Rattlesnake; Sphinx and Echo
The lunch menu on a blackboard is for the day and changes regularly according to food availability. Many dishes can be ordered as a starter or a main
We made a trip up to the Bistro 1682 and the tasting room and met an old friend Jennifer Holmes, who is now working there
People enjoying lunch in the Bistro
Wonderful glass grape mobile over the tasting counter. This is where you come to buy the wines to take home


© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2015

Tuesday, December 08, 2015

Opening of the new "On The Hill" Nuy tasting venue

To Nuy for the opening of their new Tasting room. What vision!
And what a lovely spot they have chosen for this modern and airy tasting room, deli and restaurant. In the past to get to Nuy (which is at the end of Worcester on the R60 to Robertson) you had to turn off the main road and drive another 7 kilometres to get there. Not many people did. Now you cannot help but see this very well designed building on the hilltop alongside the road and be tempted to stop and enjoy the wines, food and the magnificent view.
The new venue features a newly designed wine tasting room and a restaurant run by Danette Thompson as well as a deli. A spacious patio surrounded by lawn provides ample indoor and outdoor seating for patrons to treat themselves to a wide choice of restaurant dishes ranging from tapas, wood-fired pizzas, hamburgers and steaks, to a selection of Banting dishes. You can spot the flags from the road a few kilometres before you get there
The entrance
Canapés of smoked salmon on fritters with herb cheese
The musicians Dirkie and Talisa played some lovely old tunes and classical music throughout the function
We were offered a glass of the Sauvignon Blanc bubbly
More canapes of smoked ham, tomatoes, chutney and onion on crostini
Seating out on the terrace with the most awesome views of the Ceres and De Doorns mountains. They have a wood burning stove inside and in the winter you will be able to sit and enjoy the view of the snow topped mountains while enjoying the Nuy wines. Muscadel is great on a cold day
These very pale sausages (chicken?) were absolutely delicious, especially with the sticky grainy mustard coating
Warm cheese balls served in tiny tins
Would you like a deep fried rice and mushroom ball?
Nuy cellarmaster Christo Pienaar opens proceedings
and tells us about the new wines being launched. They will include the Inspiration, Mastery and Legacy ranges The Mastery range will treat your palate to the more complex pick of Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage, while Nuy Wine Cellar’s flagship range, Legacy, will consist of a white and red blend. Nuy’s maiden limited release MCC called Celine was made by Tanzanite winemaker Melanie van der Merwe (only 1000 bottles made, not tasted). Their celebrated Muscadels and a potstill Brandy were also there to taste
Chairman of Nuy, Charl Rabie
Inside the spacious venue. This can be hired for weddings and other functions. He also told us about the three Bicycle routes they have from here. The bathrooms have showers and changing areas for people who want to do the routes. They suggested you leave the car keys and the kids here and go and enjoy yourself
This is the fireplace for winter comfort
More canapés
Listening to the speeches
So nice to see an old friend and former guru Tommy Loftus, who helped us a lot with technical information when we were studying wine and he was at Rooiberg winery
The 180 degree view from the terrace is breathtaking
An area for children on the lawn outside, with more tables and benches
Looking down on fields being irrigated
This is where you used to be able to stop and buy the Nuy wine if you didn't want to drive the 7 Km down the side road. But not many people stopped. We think they will definitely make the turn to enjoy the venue, the Nuy wines and some food and the incredible views
The tasting area and the deli
A very novel idea - build your own picnic from the fridge
Nuy barrels with the memorable logo
In front of the deli area
Late afternoon light on the mountains makes this a painter's dream landscape
Vineyards below and, in the distance, blue, violet and grey mountains behind Worcester
The Nuy Potstill brandy was extremely enjoyable and was served with some lovely chocolates
The newly release top of the range Argilla 2013 - a blend of Shiraz & Pinotage, already a 4 star in Platter. These new wine ranges will also feature a newly designed label combining the coats of arms of neighbouring Worcester and Robertson with a depiction of the new venue in the background
The Celine MCC Brut
Its back label with the information about Esaline (Celine) Cloete
The Inspiration range offers a wide choice of quality Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and two popular bubblies – an off-dry Sauvignon Blanc and sweeter Muscadel
Warm "Jaffles" were tempting, filled with melted cheese and ham
The chocolates served with the brandy. The dark ones were chilli flavoured
Oh those views
They go on forever and you so want to get your oil paints out
Tommy Loftus hasn't aged a day since we last saw him about 10 years ago !
A view of the building from another angle
The verandah. Folding glass doors enclose the building on inclement days
What the explorers saw as they travelled off into the hinterland of Africa. This is the main pass at De Doorns where all the horses and wagons would have travelled, which now carries the main N1 route to Johannesburg and the North, eventually reaching Cairo
Not far away in the distance, the town of Worcester
The restaurant menu

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2015