Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Wine Concepts' Bow Ties & Boas Champagne Festival at The Vineyard

Wine Concepts French Champagne Festival was an even better success this year than in the past. Why?
Because they changed it from a Friday evening to a Saturday afternoon affair
The change was much appreciated by the guests, who came in their droves
How special to spend an afternoon tasting the top Champagne marques and enjoying some canapés for R500 a person:
less expensive than a single bottle
 
A warm and sunny day at The Vineyard hotel brought out all the enormous tortoises
Mike greets Lynne; they were both dressed to match the Bow Ties and Boas theme
Shawn Mathyse and Bianca Brand of Ken Forrester promoting Billecart Salmon
The Billecart Salmon Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru really impressed
No boa or bow tie - admission refused!
He said that a boa is his reptile cousin... Sorry, only feather boas were admitted!
Very fresh oysters could be bought
Good to see Piper Heidsieck Champagne with impressive new packaging
The blue bottle has a map of the Mediterranean and is a semi-sweet called Piscine (Swimming pool),
which the young are demanding as they have a taste for sweeter wines
We prefer the crisper Champagnes; as sauvage as they can be
MC for the afternoon was amusing broadcaster Guy McDonald
He did have a bit of job being heard over the crowd who were enjoying themselves
Jacquesson 741 NV Champagne is always enjoyable
and Le Mesnil Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru, which Lynne used to buy in London, was one of the best tasted that afternoon
Not so well known here, but definitely one to try, and it doesn’t break the bank at R636 a bottle
Also on offer were three from Drappier; the Brut Nature was much talked about in the room
Nicole Kuhnert was promoting prestige brands...
...Champagne Forget-Brimont and Louis Roederer
A bit of Bolly my dear? Absolutely. Bollinger were showing the Special Cuvée and their Rosé
Marie Silvestre loves her  Mumm and has come from France to promote it
Michael White and Jacqueline Lahoud, looking glamorous, were enjoying the day
Laurent Perrier had their magnum and a very special offer for Christmas
The bottles of Cuvée Rose either side of the magnum are wearing a gorgeous metal cage
which is removable for adorning the next bottles of Laurent Perrier you buy
A bottle of LP and the cage come in a special box with two champagne glasses
And it costs the same as a normal bottle of Laurent Perrier. R649 from Wine Concepts 
Good customers enjoying the day with wine merchant Michael Bampfield Duggan, owner of Wine Concepts
Malu Coleman, Maryna Calow, looking suitably glamorous
Maryna Calow and Charlene Nel having fun
Megan, Fiona, Dhanusha & Selina were also enjoying the day
On show, some high end BMWs
Glamour on the Veuve Clicquot stand
Congratulations and Kudos to Piper Heidsieck for a superb display
Are they meeting for the first time? Champagne is synonymous with romance.....
Time for the prize draw. Each ticket has a number and goes into a lucky draw
There were some fantastic prizes of Champagne, Champagne buckets and other accessories and books
Birthday Girl Lauren Ormesher
with her prize
A Laurent Perrier prize goes to another happy winner
Posted by MENU at 6:57 pm 1 comments

Friday, November 08, 2019

This Week’s MENU. Veritas tasting, Wade Bales Gin & bubbly, Michelangelo tasting, South China dim sum, UK Adventure in Devon & Cornwall, Wine & Recipe of the Week

Jubilation. One sporting success has taken the woes of the past few years out of our minds for a short while. As John’s mother used to say, “Enjoy it. Tomorrow we’ll be back to old clothes and porridge”. Congratulations to the ‘Boks. We (maybe not you, or you…) knew you could do it. Especial congratulations to the captain, Siya Kolisi, and the coach, Rassie Erasmus, who spoke with humility and wisdom after the match. Churlish behaviour by a few of the English players was compensated by Cape Town restaurateur Ed Saunders who, in true Brit gentlemanly style, carried out his pledge to run the length of Hout Bay beach, naked, at 7am on Sunday morning after the Rugby World Cup final if England lost (See here). Our only regret is that we didn’t get there in time to photograph the event. He did carry an England flag to cover himself if necessary

On  another enjoyable note, there is one more bubbly wine experience in Cape Town coming up tomorrow. Wine Concepts’ “Finer Things in Life” Bubbles and Boas themed Champagne Festival at the Vineyard Hotel next weekend Click on the underlined name above to see booking details
We write about Wade Bales Cap Classique & Gin Affair below. Gauteng readers can also enjoy this fun event at the Southern Sun in Hyde Park Rooftop Terrace Bar, on  Saturday 23rd November from 3-7 pm and Sunday 24th November from 1-5 pm. Book your tickets today at QUICKET TICKETS
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Tasting the Veritas Award winning wines at the CTICC
We love going to the Veritas public tasting of the top winning wines, held again at the Ballroom at the Cape Town International Conference Centre. It gives one a chance to taste such good wines and some very special aged museum class wines from KWV. Read on…
Saturday before last saw us at the Grand Café on the Beach for Wade Bales' extremely popular Cap Classique and Gin Affair 2019. Your ticket entitled you to six plump oysters or a vegetarian option, which Lynne had. Read on…
An invitation to attend a private tasting of the Michelangelo trophy winners held this week at the Cullinan Hotel in town and we got a warm welcome and a glass of MCC. Read on…
After a recent wine event in Town, we decided we wanted some Asian food and went to Wembley Square, to a restaurant Lynne had read about and whose menu she had seen on line. It was just 8.30 when we arrived, to find them closing for the night. Obviously not popular, even though they were one of Restaurant Week's selections. SO, where to go? Well it was obvious to us, one of our old favourites and not very far way was the South China Dim Sum Bar at the top of Long Street. Read on…
On our way from Torquay, heading for our AirBnB at Mevagissey in Cornwall, we drove to Plymouth. We wanted to see the famous Hoe where Sir Walter Raleigh was said to have played bowls in 1588, while waiting for the tide to change before going off to fight the Spanish Armada and from where the Pilgrim Fathers left for America on the 6th September 1620. Read on…
We were so enjoying our Cornish holiday, but you cannot keep us still; there was so much to see. Falmouth is close to Mevagissey, so we decided to visit it and several other places in one day. Read on…
An easy Sunday evening supper, most of which you can prepare in advance. Lynne makes the sauce in the morning, then heats it when ready to serve and stirs in the pasta, the spinach and the feta. She also subscribes to Chef Nick Stellino’s method of cooking with garlic. No fine chopping or pulping of garlic for this recipe, just add nice chunky pea sized pieces, which cook down to sweet nuggets in the sauce.  You could omit the chicken and the chicken stock if you are vegetarian, but the flavour might need enhancing. If your tomatoes are a little tart, add a spoonful of sugar. And if you like to spice things up, add a few chilli flakes.  If you don’t use or have passata, you can use a tin of chopped tomatoes. Read on…
It won a gold medal at this year’s Veritas Awards and Lynne tasted this wine at the public tasting this week and was very impressed. This wine is made from Cabernet Franc planted on an old seabed in the Helderberg Basin. Read on…


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Recommendations of products and outside events are not solicited or charged for, and are made at the authors’ pleasure. All photographs, recipes and text used in our website and ancillary works are © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus. Our restaurant reviews are often unsolicited. We prefer to pay for our meals and not be paid in any way by anyone. Whether we are invited or go independently, we don’t feel bad if we say we didn’t like it. Honesty is indeed our best policy. While every effort is made to avoid mistakes, we are human and they do creep in occasionally, for which we apologise
Posted by MENU at 12:07 pm 0 comments

MENU’s Wine of the Week. David Finlayson’s Edgebaston Camino Africana Cabernet Franc 2016

It won a gold medal at this year’s Veritas Awards and Lynne tasted this wine at the public tasting this week and was very impressed.  This wine is made from Cabernet Franc planted on an old seabed in the Helderberg Basin 

Winemaker David Finlayson writes “The soils (Somerset West) reminded me very much of the Graves region in Bordeaux, allowing me to spot the potential to make a great wine from these vineyards that are threatened by Urban encroachment.”  It has a classic Cabernet Franc leafy, fragrant nose with dark smoky hints. Smooth as silk on the palate with rich dark cherry fruit, some savoury notes, minerality and lots of class, with good potential to age. Drink now with good food and it will delight. R 279 per bottle from Wine.co.za
Posted by MENU at 10:34 am 0 comments

On the MENU this week. Chicken Tomato & Feta Pasta

An easy Sunday evening supper, most of which you can prepare in advance.  Lynne makes the sauce in the morning, then heats it when ready to serve and stirs in the pasta, the spinach and the feta. She also subscribes to the Chef Nick Stellino’s method of cooking with garlic. No fine chopping or pulping of garlic for this recipe, just add nice chunky pea sized pieces, which cook down to sweet nuggets in the sauce.   You could omit the chicken and the chicken stock if you are vegetarian, but the flavour might need enhancing.  If your tomatoes are a little tart, add a spoonful of sugar.  And if you like to spice things up, add a few chilli flakes.   If you don’t use or have passata, you can use a tin of chopped tomatoes

1 T olive oil – ½ an onion, finely chopped – 2 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped – 1 cup tomato passata – 1 cup chicken stock – 4 deboned and skinned chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces – 12 baby tomatoes, halved – 4 cups of dry penne or lumache pasta – 200 baby spinach – 100g crumbled feta cheese
In a large chafing dish fry the onion in the olive oil until transparent, then add the garlic and fry for another minute or two, do not brown.  Add the chicken pieces and fry till seared on all sides.    Add the tomato passata and fry for 3 minutes stirring continuously. Then add the stock and the baby tomatoes & bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and leave to cook gently for half an hour.  At this point you can put the sauce aside until you are ready to use it
Boil your pasta in lots of boiling salted water until just al dente. Drain and add to the sauce.  Stir in the spinach and the feta cheese and mix well.  Check seasoning and serve
Posted by MENU at 10:28 am 0 comments

Wade Bales Cap Classique & Gin Affair at Grand Beach, Cape Town

Saturday before last saw us at the Grand Café on the Beach
for Wade Bales' extremely popular Cap Classique and Gin Affair 2019
Your ticket entitled you to six plump oysters or a vegetarian option, which Lynne had
The oysters are served in bamboo boats, which are recyclable
The oyster queues were not long, but the wait for the vegetarian option was very long
MD of Wines of South Africa, Siobhan Robinson and a friend
John began at the Stellenrust stand for their Cap Classique bubbly; Lynne started with Claudia from Hemel and Aarde
The restaurant was very busy
and space at tables in the adjoining marquee was at a premium
There was also a little lounge style seating which allowed for a relaxed afternoon, if you could occupy it
We both had a chat with the Benguela Cove staff and enjoyed their Cap Classique again
The last time we had this was at Leonardslee Estate in Sussex;
both Benguela Cove and Leonardslee are owned by Penny Streeter OBE
Still reeling and celebrating their recent Vertex Award for the Wine of the Competition at Veritas 
were Megan and Shane Mullis of Domaine des Dieux
Summer on the way?  Lovely blue sea and a sunny day. Well, not always
It is Spring and Cape Town spring weather often shows all four seasons in one day. Keeps us on our toes
The Cap Classique area was very popular and quite crowded,
but the gin area was so busy it was hard to get a tasting
Time to get a gin cocktail
A new gin label to us, Monkey 57
Pizza was very popular in the restaurant; they are huge
On the water stand you could have a bottle of fizzy or plain water without a charge. Very sensible indeed
The water is condensed from the moisture in the air. Very clever in a drought environment and very pure
We needed some lunch after the tasting and shared the fish and chips. Lynne enjoyed a Seville Orange gin
Good chips and two portions of fish with good batter; one of the best menu choices, we have discovered
The  Cap Classique & Gin Affair will be repeated for Johannesburg fans at the Southern Sun in Hyde Park Rooftop Terrace Bar, 
on  Saturday 23rd November from 3-7 pm and Sunday 24th November from 1-5 pm
Book your tickets today at QUICKET TICKETS
Posted by MENU at 12:19 am 0 comments

Thursday, November 07, 2019

Tasting the Veritas Award winning wines at the CTICC

We love going to the Veritas public tasting of the top winning wines, held again at the Ballroom at the Cape Town International Conference Centre. It gives one a chance to taste such good wines and some very special aged museum class wines from KWV
Douglas Swanson and Righard Theron on the De Grendel stand
They were showing their impressive Double Gold 2018 Op die Berg Chardonnay and the superb 2015 Rubaiyat red blend
Graham Beck won a Double Gold for the elegant Cuvée Clive MCC
Willem du Toit, Operations Manager at the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel, and Bennie Howard CWM, chatting over a glass
Henk van Niekerk showing his award winning Paul René MCCs from Robertson
Winemaker Debbie Thompson pouring the excellent Simonsig, 2015 Avec Chène Chenin blanc (Double Gold)
They also won Double Golds for their 2014 Tiara red blend and for the 2017 and 2014 Redhill Pinotage. So well done
So much to taste, so little time
At 7 pm, KWV opened four special museum class wines:
a 1930 KWV Muscadel, a 1948 Tawny Port Limited Release, a 1949 Ruby Port, a 1969 Hanepoot Jerepigo
Competition to taste them was huge, getting to the table quite difficult, but it was so worth it
You were given a very small pouring to taste, enough to share with some of the wine people trapped behind their stands
The 1930 KWV Muscatel was smoky and spicy on the nose, light Gold in colour,
sweet and heavy with spice and a sour fig ending, so intense that it was hard to rinse out of the glass
The 1948 Port was dark raisin plums with smooth chocolate on the end and still tasted young
The 1949 Port was ruby garnet in colour, richer and darker than the '48, more Christmas pudding fruit,
with long flavours and coffee wood
Francois van Zyl of Laibach shows The Ladybird organic red blend (Gold)
L'Avenir was awarded Gold for their 2016 Pinotage, always a good example of what the grape can do
Gretha Geldenhuys of Fleur du Cap with their three Gold Medal winning wines:
Laszlo Red Blend 2015, Series Privée Pinotage 2016 and Series Privée Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Georgie Prout, Marketing & Public Relations Manager at Glen Carlou
They won Golds for their Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Collection Verdelho 2018, Collection Red Blend 2017
and Collection Petit Sirah 2017
Johan Bestbier of Goede Hoop wine estate in Bottelary. They were awarded a Gold for their 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon
Bennie Howard calls a halt to a great evening of tasting excellent wines and lots of chats with wine people
All content ©  John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus
Posted by MENU at 11:32 pm 0 comments
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