Fryer's Cove has its wine tasting venue and wine
cellar in a refurbished and repurposed crayfish factory in Doringbaai. They are
famous for having the vineyard closest to the sea and you pass it as you come
into Doringbaai. They are the only wine farm in what is the smallest wine ward
in South Africa - Bamboes Bay. And it is as they say "500 meters from
where the cold ocean throws its breakers against a rocky shore". We
visited them while we were on holiday at Lambert's Bay on the West Coast
The boat in front is a
diamond digger. They dredge just off shore and find alluvial diamonds
washed down the Orange River
Lovely views across the bay
and an azure blue sea
It was quite hard to find the
entrance but we got there, finally
and were warmly welcomed by
Francois Jansen van Rensburg, the Marketing Manager,
with whom we had made an appointment
with whom we had made an appointment
We chose to sit on the shaded
terrace
Inside the tasting room
They also sell Namaqua olive
oil
The wines we tasted
One of their wine awards, FNB Sauvignon blanc Top 10 2018. To
read the extraordinary story of the wines and the vineyard, have a look at their
website https://fryerscovewine.co.za/the-winery/ They have no suitable ground
water because it is saline, so they have an overland pipeline from Vredendal
– 29.5 km away. This was the only solution and they had to cross three adjacent
farms to get there. They grow Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir on 6.5 hectares.
Because of the cool local climate caused by the sea mists, this is possible
Francois brought us the
cellar's wines to taste
A sign we are always happy to
see
We began with 2018 The Jetty
Sauvignon Blanc, only available at the Cellar. R75. Shy, with hints of kelp on
the nose, it is a warm country wine, full & very satisfying. Green peppers,
guava, orange, loquat, with long flavours and salt on the end
This diamond boat has its
permitted dredging area just in front of the winery. It is very profitable. They
find diamonds worth several hundreds of thousands on a weekly and often daily
basis
And suddenly we were enveloped in a thick, creeping sea mist coming in over the kelp beds
This happens often and keeps the vineyard cool
This happens often and keeps the vineyard cool
Boys on the jetty, getting to know the machinery
Next was the 2016 Bamboes Bay
Sauvignon Blanc, R230. Distinct Sauvignon pyrazines with figs, kelp and sea air on
the nose. There is lime in the soil which makes this wine crisp, juicy and
full, nicely mature with flavours of English gooseberry and plums.
Ta Dah! Newly released, the
new packaging on the 2017 Bamboes Bay Sauvignon Blanc which is kept on the
lees. And they vinify some of the wine in two 500 litre concrete eggs. Herbal,
kelp and sea on the nose, creaminess on the full rounded and warm palate (14%
alcohol) with flavours of figs, salt, pears, gooseberry and lime. Will be so
good with seafood. R260
Then the 2016
Hollebaksstrandfontein Blanc Fumé wooded Sauvignon Blanc. R300 Sea
air, kelp, crayfish & smoke on the nose
This sparkles on the palate with
vivacity, lovely fruit in layers, salty, greengage, rich full with nice gentle
wood at the end
Flotsam from the sea
decorating the tasting room and restaurant
Another couple had come for a
tasting with Francois
Then the very acceptable 2018
Doringbaai Rosé, made from free run Shiraz juice. R95. Salty, lees, soft and
juicy fruit - red plums and spice, and dry, so a good food wine
The Friars Cove 2015 Pinot
Noir has wood hints, balsam, cherry, sea air and forest on the nose. Chalky
tannins, elegance, nice wood, cherries and some cassis, warmth and smoke on the
end
The Doring Bay Shiraz kelp and sea air. Red cherries and berries on the nose; 14% alcohol. Good fruit, pepper, plums and cherries. Long and warm
The range of wines
The two concrete eggs in the cellar, which
they are using to make wine
Looking at fermentation tanks
in the cellar
The barrel cellar
For lunch, Lynne chose the ribs
while John opted for
"Surf 'n Turf", steak and calamari
On the way out you go through
the abalone farm, where they nurture the baby abalone
Seawater is circulated in the
tanks
The lighthouse in the mist
And, on the road out of
Doringbaai, is the Fryer's Cove vineyard
Just one building and lots of
vines
On the special terroir of red
soil and limestone with sea shells
And the local fynbos which
keeps hold of the soil
Harvest time will be in late
January or February
You can see Doringbaai and the sea in the distance. And
some new vine plantings
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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2019
