2 Winederous28 Februarie, 2013

Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 MarchFeast of the Grape:

Join in the fun aslocal wineries fromthe DurbanvilleWine Valley cele­brate the harvestseason at the Dur­banville RaceCourse from 12noon to 17:00 onboth the Saturdayand Sunday.While the chil­

dren are having funthe adults can sipand sample superbwines from the 11wineries on show

from theDurbanville region. Local restaurantswillensure you’re kept well fed throughout the day.Tickets to the festival cost R100 for adults and

R50 for children and can be booked throughwww.webtickets.co.za. Your ticket allows you ac­cess to the venue, as well as a complimentary tast­ingglassand tasting coupons.Additional couponscanbebought throughout theday.For informationvisit ww.durbanvillewine.co.za.

Sunday 3 MarchEikendal Weintaufe:

Laid­backweekend vibesmeet family fun on thefarm when Eikendal Estate – on the R44 half­waybetween Stellenbosch and Somerset West – hostsits popular Weintaufe Harvest Celebration. Theevent starts at 10:00 with the official baptism ofthe cellar’s first wine of the 2012 harvest – the flag­ship Chardonnay. At around 12 noon visitors willget to taste thiswine straight from the barrel.Otherattractions include Eikendal wine tastings, live mu­sicentertainment,craftstalls, luckydraws,vineyardtractor rides, fly fishing, barrel stomping, ponyrides and activities for the little ones.Delicious foodandwinewill be on sale, so bring

your friends, family and picnic blanket and claimyour spot at thewater’s edge for the perfect endingto your weekend.

Entrance is R60 per person and includes a com­plimentary glass and barrel tasting of the 2013Chardonnay for adults, whilst children under theage of 12 get in for free. Tickets are available atEikendal or at the gates on the day. Formore infor­mation or to pre­book your tickets phone the cellaron 021 855 1422 or e­mail to info@eikend­al.co.za.

Vrydag 8 & Sondag 10 MaartSimonsbergWynroeteWoord&Wyn­

ervarings en Delvera Markdag:

Die Stellenbosch American Express® Wyn­roetes gaan boekdele spreek wanneer sy GroterSimonsberg­subroete letterkunde met wynkundeverweef tydensdie2013Woordfees, endié jaar­liksehoogtepuntmet ’n loslitmarkdagbyDelvera­landgoed afsluit.Gesogte kelders, geleë langs die voet van die

Simonsberg, saleksklusieweWoord&Wyn­erva­rings die Vrydag aanbied, wanneer aanhangersvan literêrekunsenvermaak tydensmiddagetediegaste van die land se voorste skrywers en inspire­rende persoonlikhede sal wees.Die 2013Woord&Wyn­programbied intieme

“woord­en­wynwisselinge” soos ’n ete saam metdie lawwe Liz Meiring by Uitkyk; ’n kuier saammet storieman Dana Snyman by Neil Ellis­land­goed, en Stellenbosch skrywer Karin Brynard watdie kollig saammet Delheim­wyne sal deel, terwyldie land se gunsteling “Oupa en Ouma”, Johanen Lida Botha, by Muratie stories sal vertel.By die markdag wat Sondag van 10:00 by die

Delvera­agri­village plaasvind, kan besoekers uit­sien na ’n pretbelaaide dag met die beste wynevan die roete, kontreikos, stalletjies met uniekeplaaslike produkte, oestydvermaak, perderitte enmusiek. Vermaak, wat ’n kinderteater insluit, isook vir die kleinspan gereël.ToegangtotdieSimonsbergWynroetemarkdag

isgratis.DieVineHopper­pendelbussiebiedgasterittenaenvanStellenboschopdiedag.Vir inligtingoor die Simonsberg Wynroete markdag en die

Woord&Wyn­ervarings, kontak die StellenboschAmericanExpress®Wynroetesby021 886 8275of www.wineroute.co.za.Kaartjies vir die onderskeie Woord &Wyn­ge­

leenthede isbeskikbaarbyComputicket. Sitplekbydie middagetes is beperk, so maak seker jy be­spreek nou jou kaartjies. Besoek www.woord­fees.co.za vir die 2013 Woordfees­program.

Friday 15 MarchFleur du Cap salt pairing dinner at Die

Bergkelder:Discover the unusual combination of Fleur du

Cap wines and artisanal salts from around theworld when chef Craig Cormack returns to DieBergkelder with one of his unique dinner experi­ences, starting at 18:30.Craig has been pairing wine and salt for the

last 5½ years and has an impressive collection ofrare salts that have found the perfect companionin Fleur duCap’s unfiltered range ofwines.An ele­gant three­course dinner, accompanied by Fleurdu Cap wines will be served.For those unable to make the dinner, the daily

FleurduCapandSaltofferingsaretheperfectalter­native. These pairings include five lighter savourytreats with wine. Die Bergkelder’s daily Fleur duCap and Salt tast­ing experiencescost R100 perperson, whilst theFleur du Cap andSalt Dinner costsR290perperson.Booking is essen­tial. Contact Na­dia Ferreira on021 809 8025.For more infor­mation visitwww.fleurdu­cap.co.za orjoin the Fleur duCap Facebookcommunity.

Saturday 16 MarchFranschhoek Summer Wines Festival:Celebrate the last days of summer in style and

headoff toLeopard’sLeapFamilyVineyardswheremore than 30 of the Franschhoek Wine Valley’sfinestwinerieswill be showcasing their top summerwines at this exclusive event.The festival will be open from 12 noon until

17:00, and the theme for this year’s event is “ele­gantly white”.Participating wineries include La Bri, Morena,

Colmant, Môreson, Anthonij Rupert’s Cape ofGoodHopeandTerradelCapo, FranschhoekCel­lars, Bellingham, Noble Hill, Leopard’s Leap, LaMotte, Solms­Delta and Haut Espoir.To ensure you don’t go hungry, visitors will be

able to purchase deli­style food from the Harvest

Table, prepared by the chefs in the Leopard’s Leapkitchen,anddelicious icecreamfrom the icecreambar.Tickets cost R180 per person which includes a

tasting of all the wines on show. Tutored tastingswillbeheldat13:00and15:00ontheday.Seatingis limited so pre­book your seats via events@fran­schhoek.org.za.Tickets can be purchased directly from

www.web­tickets.co.zaandbooking isessentialastickets are limited to 500 people only. For moreinformation contact the Franschhoek Wine Valleyoffices on 021 876 2861.

Saterdag 23 MaartATKVFranschhoekOesfeesbySolms­

Delta:Dié Kaapse landelike musiekfees by die Solms­

Delta wynlandgoed is om dankie te sê aan dieFranschhoek­vallei seplaaswerkersviralhulhardewerk, en as ’n viering van die nuwe wynoes endie vallei se kleurryke kultuurerfenis.Diewerkerswoondie feesgratisbyen’nbeperk­

te aantal kaartjies word ook aan die publiek be­skikbaar gestel. Solms­Delta se eiesoortige wynesoos en smaaklike Kaapse kos word deur die loopvan die dag aangebied.Kunstenaarswat vanjaar gaanoptree isMango

Groove se Claire Johnston, Emo Adams, die Heu­wels Fantasties, Radio Kalahari Orkes, Tidal Wa­ves, Hot Water, Tribal Echo, Valiant Swart en veleander. Plaaslike talent sal Solms­Delta se KaapseKlopse, die Langbroeke en Soetstemme insluit,asookdieDeltaVastrapGenootskapenLekkerLek­ker Delta.Die seremoniemeesters isdie gewilde7deLaan­

duo, Vinette Abrahim en Christo Davids en daarsal ’n speelarea vir kinders weeswat bestuur worddeur Kidz at Heart.Vooraf­bespreekte kaartjies kos R120 per per­

soon. Bel die landgoed by 021 874 3937 of be­spreek aanlyn by www.ticketbreak.co.za. ’n Be­perkte aantal kaartjies sal ook op die dag beskik­baar wees by die hek teen R140 per persoon.Kinders onder 12 jaar betaal R20, wat toegangtot die speelarea insluit.Wyn, kos enander verver­sings sal te koop aangebied word. Vir verdere in­ligting, besoek www.solms­delta.co.za of Face­book.com/solmsdelta.

Diary ­MarchDiary ­March

Join in celebratingandblessing the2013harvest

The 2013 harvest season is wellunder way and that means theWinelands are once again alivewith celebrations and festivals.

In this issue we focus on Paarl’sOmmiberg harvest festival with allthe information you need to planyour visit to the Paarl Wine Route.A total of 17 wineries will be partici-pating, offering fun for the wholefamily which includes tasting thenew young wines, grape stomping,vine-yard tractor rides, kiddies’ en-tertainment, live music, arts andcrafts, and great food ranging frompicnics to braais to gourmet de-lights.

Also during March, the Durban-villeWineValleywill be hosting theFeast of theGrape festival, Eikendalwill once againoffer their legendaryWeintaufeHarvestCelebration, andSolms-Delta will be extending awarmthankyoutoall the farmwork-ers of the FranschhoekWine Valleyfor their hard work during the har-vest with the ATKV Solms-DeltaOesfees.

A limited number of tickets areavailable to thepublic athispopular

event,sohurryupanddon’tmissouton this unique Winelands festival.

So what can we expect from the2013 harvest? The predictions arepositiveandbyallaccountsitshouldbe one of exceptional quality.

“The winter before the harvesthas an important role to play in theeventual quality of wine grapes,”says La Motte cellar master,Edmund Terblanche. “Weneed cold temperatures fordecent dormancy and rain toreplenish the water levels.Lastyear,wereceivedboth.”

Itwas indeed awetwinter,even in the Walker Bay areawhere a two-year dry spellwas finally broken. An ex-ceptionally cold winter witharound 35 percent more rainthan average was followedbyawarmanddryDecemberand January.

Therewere someconcernsabout the high humidity and morerain just before harvest time as theextramoisturecouldcauserot in theearly cultivars such as Semillon.

And then there was the wind! Astrong southeaster during Novem-

berandDecembercausedsomedam-age to vines and may result in aslight decrease in the volume of theharvest compared to 2012, but thegood news is that windy conditionsduring ripening prevent diseasesand ensure healthy grapes.

Sowe’ll let DeGrendel cellarmas-ter Charles Hopkins have the last

word: “InSouth Africaweare blessedwiththequali-ty of most vin-tages. Inmy27years in theSA wine in-dustry, I havenever experi-enced a totalfailed har-vest.”

EDITORIAL COMMENT

hedda.mittner@hermanustimes.co.za

3Winederous28 Februarie, 2013

HARTENBERG

RieslingRocks!HEDDA MITTNER

Hartenbergwas rocking on an unseason-ably wet Saturday when winemakersfrom all over theWinelands came to thishistoric estate on9February to showcasetheir Rieslings at the second RieslingRocks festival.

HostCarlSchultz, celebratedcellarmasterat Hartenberg and one of South Africa’sfinest Riesling masters, was joined by thecrèmede lacrèmeofcellarsproducingWeiss-er/Rhine Riesling at this cosy food and winecelebration.Noamountof raincoulddouse thevisitors’enjoyment as they mingled with the wine-makers and tasted the exceptional Rielingsof Nederburg, Thelema, Klein Constantia,Nitida, Spioenkop, Ross Gower, Groote Post,De Wetshof, Jordan and Howard Booysenwhile tucking into delectable deli fare.Possibly the most versatile of all whitewines, Riesling can be enjoyed with practi-cally any food. The dry-style Rieslings werebeautifully enhanced by the oysters and su-shi, while the spicy charcuterie, curries andspeciality dishes presented by Ghenwa’sLebanese Cooking Clubmade excellent part-ners for the sweeter Rieslings.“The popularity of Rielsing is enjoying aresurgence in Europe and the rest of theworld,” says Carl, “and South Africa is fol-lowing the trend. The growing enjoyment ofAsiancuisineandfusioncookingworld-wideperhaps has a lot to do with it, as Rieslingspair so well with this type of food.”Growing up as the oldest of five sons of abotany teacher in Montagu, Carl often wenton field trips with his father and originallywanted to become a fruit farmer. He studied

oenology, viticulture and winemaking atElsenburg, graduating in 1989.In 1990Carl joined Simonsig and after fouryearshecametoHartenbergwherehe isnowthe cellar master, working alongside wine-maker Patrick Ngamane and newcomerTammy Jeftha, the first Cape WinemakersGuild Protégé to be appointed by a memberof the guild as a permanent member of theteam.Carl takes a keen interest in viticulture as,he points out, winemakers spend only twomonths of the year in the cellar and the otherten months in the vineyard. “If you can con-trol what happens in the vineyard,” he says,“you can control what goes in the bottle.”Among the many accolades Carl has re-ceived –mostnotably forShirazandRiesling– is thesought-afterDiner’sClubWinemakerof the Year trophy in 2005.Riesling is one of the noblest wines in theworld,with thesmallestbunchesandberriesof all white varietals, which results in theconcentrated flavour and aroma that is typi-cal of Riesling.The Hartenberg Occasional Riesling 2012certainly rose to the occasion. About 50% ofthe grapes were botrytised, which accountsfor thesweetperfumednoteson thenose, giv-ing way to a floral and honeyed mid-palate.This wine has a rich complexity and excel-lent ageing potential.The Hartenberg Estate Riesling 2010 is amulti-award winning wine with about 25%of the grapes showing signs of Botrytis. Thefloral bouquetandspicy richnesson thenoseis followedbysoft summer fruit on thepalateand a citrus zest which is light and refresh-ing.BothRieslings are adelight on their ownand also pair well with smoked and spicyfoods, and sweet treats.

Food stalls and live entertainment in the marquee at Hartenberg kept visitors to the RieslingRocks festival warm and happy on a cold rainy day. PHOTOS: HEDDA MITTNER

Despite the weather, the Riesling Rocks festi-val was a jovial affair with an impressiveturn-out of wine lovers.

Ghenwa’s food stall presented visitors withspicy Lebanese cuisine which went down atreat with the top-notch Riesling wines.

Among the Riesling producers who showcasedtheir wines at the Riesling Rocks festival wasSpioenkop from the Elgin Wine Valley.

Hartenberg cellar master Carl Schultz andwinemaker Patrick Ngamane.

4 Winederous28 Februarie, 2013

Dress: white with a touch of green

R100 per adult · R50 per Childwww.durbanvillewine.co.za · www.webtickets.co.za

2nd & 3rd

March

www.webtickets.co.za

Durbanville Race Course12h00-17h00

Tickle your taste buds at the house of sparklingwineHEDDA MITTNER

Privileged guests were treated to a sparklingevent at The House of JC Le Roux on Valen-tine’s Daywhen cellarmaster Elunda Bassonhosted a celebration lunch paired with theirrange of Cap Classique wines.Following a stylish four-month makeover,

SouthAfrica's leadinghomeofsparklingwinehas reopened its doors with a glamorous newlook. The Valentine’s lunch kicked off in therevamped La Fleurette tasting room whichspills onto a new outside deck with viewsacross the picturesque Devon Valley.Guests were greeted with complimentary

flutes of JC Le Roux’s flagship MCC and win-ner of the 2012 Amorim Méthode Cap Clas-sique Challenge, the Scintilla 2003, a classicblend of Chardonnay (75%) and Pinot Noir(25%) which has spent a remarkable seven

years on the lees. This luxuriously smoothand well-balanced wine was served with oys-ters and sushi before the guests sat down tolunch in the chic new restaurant Le Venue.The five-course lunch was paired with the

JC Le Roux Brut, followed by the Pinot Noir2008, La Vallée, Pinot Noir Rosé 2008 and LaVallée Rosé. Elunda said shewould like to en-courageSouthAfricanwinedrinkers to enjoybubblywith anyoccassion andnot only at fes-tive celebrations, and themenuwas designedto illustrate the way in which various MCCsand sparkling wines can complement a meal.TheHouse of JCLeRoux is open sevendays

a week. The restaurant is open from 09:00 till16:00 with breakfast served between 09:00 and11:00 and lunch from 12 noon until 15:00.To reserve your table or for information on

cellar tours and tastings, call 021 865 8200 orvisit www.jcleroux.co.za.

JC Le Roux cellar master Elunda Basson per-forming le sabrage. PHOTOS: HEDDA MITTNER

The full range of JC Le Roux’s Cap Classiqueswere served at lunch.