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Genevieve MCC

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By Lianda Beyers-Cronje.

A Wallop of Wine Stars

Hermanus wine lovers have reason to be starry-eyed with no less than four producers from this area awarded coveted 5 Stars in the newly released Platter Wine Guide.

This is the second year in a row that Newton Johnson in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley’s Domaine Pinot noir was bestowed this honour while two other wines produced in the cellar, Alsace winemaker Julien Schaal’s Chardonnay ’09 and Shannon’s Mount Bullet, a Pinot noir/ Merlot/ Sauvignon blanc blend, achieved five star status for the first time. Seven other Newton Johnson wines all boast 4½ Stars.

Hermanuspietersfontein’s Die Bartho ’09, one of the cellar’s flagship wines, was crowned with five stars exactly five years after the cellar started production. This is the first 5 Star Platter award for wines from the lovely Sondagskloof ward.

But it is not only Hermanus wines that stole the limelight in the Platter guide. Another first is the Strandveld Adamastor ’09 that became the first wine from Strandveld Vineyards in the Elim area to earn a 5 Star Platter rating.

These achievements were celebrated in style recently by winemakers, wine estate representatives and wine writers from the area starting with a tasting in the Hermanuspietersfontein Vinoteque and ending in yet another tasting and lunch at Heaven restaurant in the Newton Johnson cellar complex in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley. 

Describing Die Bartho as “different”, winemaker Bartho Eksteen says it is an austere wine favouring the palette of the more sophisticated wine connoisseur. A lightly wooded blend of Semillon, Sauvignon blanc and “truly South African” Nouvelle, this wine is delightful to drink now but can be matured for up to seven years. Bartho’s winning entry, the Hermanuspietersfontein Nr 5. 2009, is the culmination of four years of experimenting with wooded Sauvignon blanc. It is a just reward for a winemaker who has had a love affair with Sauvignon blanc for years and who passionately believes that this varietal does not receive the recognition it deserves.

RECIPE As a tribute to Nosy Rosy readers, Bartho asked Roots restaurant in Johannesburg for a recipe of its Smoked Kingklip dish that was recently paired with Hermanuspietersfontein Nr 5 and in his opinion, is a magic mate for the wine. Ingredients (serves 1) 150g Kingklip (cut into three) ½ cup Oak wooded chips 25g Dried apricots 25g Fresh apricots 25ml Stock syrup 2g Agar-agar 5g Coconut flakes (toasted) 3 Asparagus heads (blanched) 10g Rocket shoots 2 Egg yolks 5ml Water 100ml Clarified butter 2ml Truffle oil 2ml Dijon mustard Juice of half a lemon Method Smoke the kingklip with the oak woodchips for a light smokiness. Keep aside. Soak the dried apricot and then blend them smooth in a food processor until a smooth gel. Keep aside. Blend the fresh apricot, stock syrup together to make an apricot coulis. Put in a pot, add the agar and bring to the boil. Pour apricot mix into a well spray-&- cooked dish. Set into the fridge until hard and cut agar jellies into cubes. Keep aside. For the truffle hollandaise, add eggs, water, Dijon and truffle oil into a mixing bowl. Whisk to ribbon stage over a double boiler and in a thin stream slowly start adding the clarified butter to the eggs off the heat. To assemble, smear the gel on your plate. Sprinkle with jelly squares, coconut and asparagus. Place kingklip on plate, sauce on the hollandaise and garnish with rocket shoots. Bon appétit!

Caroline Poulter, marketing manager of Strandveld Vineyards says the 5 Star Strandveld Adamastor ’09 is a blend between barrel-fermented Semillon and Sauvignon blanc from the estate’s famous “Pofadderbos” block. The wine shows hints of toasted oak with a lovely flinty minerality on the nose.

Adamastor is the mythical god of wind and storms, symbolising the forces of nature Portuguese navigators had to overcome in their travels around the southernmost point of Africa. Definitely worth a visit by visitors to the Cape Whale Coast area, Strandveld Vineyards is part of the Elim wine ward, situated a few kilometres from Cape Agulhas and only a leisurely morning’s drive away from Hermanus.
 

A proud Dave Johnson describes Newton Johnson’s Domaine Pinot noir as subtle, elegant and restrained – a versatile food wine that will age very well. Guests at the Five Platter Star celebration could taste freely of all the 5 Star wines while indulging in earthy salads, cheese platters, biltong and chourizo and tantalising Greek delicacies such as dolmades. A joyous occasion and fitting tribute to our starring wines!

Monsieur Sauvignon is the Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year
Hermanuspietersfontein’s winemaker, Bartho Eksteen recently walked away with the laurels as the Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year, an achievement that not only the wine cellar, but the whole region can be justly proud of.

Chocolate heaven Newton Johnson Vineyards recently introduced their exciting new vintages by pairing them with world-class artisanal dark chocolate of local “bean to bar” chocolate maker Pieter de Villiers. It took Pieter de Villiers more than a year to determine which beans to select for a flagship range of five origin bars, namely Trinidad, Venuzuela-Rio Caribe, Venezuela Caracas, Sao Tome and Madagascar. The only one of his kind in the country, Pieter believes that soil types and climate play an important role in the differentiation of chocolate beans as is the case with grapes and that proper fermentation is just as important in chocolate-making as it is in wine making.. He suggested a pairing of Newton Johnson’s Chardonnay with the Madagascar and the Pinot noir with the Sao Tome. To allow for the proper appreciation of the flavours, one should wait at least 30 seconds between a sip of wine and a taste of the chocolate. I particularly like the combination of Sao Tome and Pinot noir. Both rich in anti-oxidants, a combination of chocolate and wine can only be good for you! Of course, dark chocolate is also rumoured to be an aphrodisiac...Visit Newton Johnson in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley for your own unique wine and chocolate pairing.

The Hamilton Russell Story of Pinot noir
To celebrate the milestone of 30 vintages, Hamilton Russell Vineyards has released a five bottle vertical of Pinot noir with each vintage carrying a specially commissioned print of a South African artwork as a back label.
“This vertical allows wine lovers to get to know our Pinot noir and its story of place over time and through different life stages,” said Anthony Hamilton Russell at the celebration of 30 vintages of Pinot noir at Braemar House in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley in early November. A total of 2 400 bottles of each vintage from 2005 were held back for the project and each year only 480 cases will be made available.

It is the Season for wine
Treat yourself and your guests from afar this Season to a wine tasting experience on one of the many wine routes in the Cape Whale Coast area and buy wine or bubbly as a Christmas gift that will be truly appreciated.

There are not many who can resist the seduction of a good bubbly! Melissa Nelson’s Genevieve, a Methode Cap Classique Brut produced from grapes from the Van der Stell Pass, is a prezzie that will earn you kudos on Christmas morning. Melissa learned about the mystique of bubbles at her grandmother’s knee, whom she describes as a grande dame...Vivacious, brave and very sexy, this Cap Classique is available at Wine Village in Hermanus but you will also be able to get your hands on some at wine estate Gabriëlskloof’s Christmas market on 16 and 17 December. A celebration of favourite things such as good wine, fresh produce, beautifully crafted artisanal products and love and laughter to the sound of a French accordion - this market is a must!

Hermanuspietersfontein will be staging a Wine Festival from Elgin to Elim on 18 December while you can also visit one of the Sunset Markets on the 22nd and 29th of December or the Wine and Food markets on Saturdays to indulge in your love of wine.

Bouchard Finlayson is once again presenting lovely gift packages, recipe books and cheese boards as Christmas gift ideas in their enchanting tasting room in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley while Creation will also add a special touch to your Christmas wine gift.

Remember to laugh and love and live this Christmas!

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