A few days in The Medoc – Bordeaux to Saint Estèphe

Tags

Bages, Chateau Desmirail, Chateau Lanessan, Chateau Paloumey, Lynch Bages, Margaux, Medoc, Ormes de Pez, Pauillac, St Estephe, wine, wine tasting

The Medoc region produces many of the finest wines in the world (Margaux, Pauillac, Chateau Lafite-Rothschild…), has more than 100 kilometres of fine sandy beaches, and is just north of one of the most vibrant cities in France, Bordeaux. It sounds like the perfect destination for wine buffs and beach lovers alike – but I wonder how many visitors to France could point to it on a map?

In case you have forgotten your French geography Medoc is is a peninsula about 100 kilometres long to the north of Bordeaux, with the Atlantic Coast to the west and the Gironde estuary to the east. The eastern side of the peninsula is best known for its vineyards and wine chateaux, known together as the wines of Medoc^.  Among the most famous are Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour,  Pichon Longueville, Lynch-Bages, Pontet Canet, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild and Chateau Lafite-Rothschild – these are centred around the village of Margaux and the town of Pauillac. The wine appellations on the medoc peninsula are: Médoc, Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Listrac, Moulis, Margaux and Haut-Médoc.

When speaking of mythical roads we immediately think of “Route 66”. Well the Médoc also has it’s own “Château’s Road”. From Bordeaux, to get to Pauillac, you must take the D2 road. Over more than 50 km, the names of the wine villages succeed each other: Margaux, Beychevelle, Saint Julien, Bages, Pauillac, Saint Estèphe … and you can count hundreds of wine Chateaux.

Forests cover a great deal of the centre and western parts of the Medoc region, many planted during the 19th century when the region was reclaimed from the inhospitable swamps and the mosquitoes that were found here before that time. They form the northern part of the largest forest in France – the Forest of the Landes – which runs almost down to the Spanish frontier.

And the west has the extensive sandy beaches fronting the Atlantic Ocean. Especially popular with surfers, there are several resorts along the coast, the most popular being Arcachon.

We decided to take 3 nights and do a bit of wine tasting and sight seeing. 2 nights we spent in Saint Estèphe and one in Arcachon. The Medoc is a very popular region and as we decided at the last minute, well almost, to go away, there was very limited availability as far as accommodation went.  I had decided to stay at Chateau Ormes de Pez, a property belonging to the Lynch-Bages group and which came highly recommended. I called in early September and the first availability for 2 nights was October 1 and 2 or the end of October.  Seeing as Stuart and I share a birthday, on 22 September, I wanted the trip to be near our birthday, so I took the October 1 and 2 dates.  Unfortunately, that was a weekend and as luck would have it, most wineries are closed to visitors on weekends. So, we had a bit of a limited choice of places to visit but it all worked out perfectly in the end.  If you are planning to visit the wineries, do note, that all are “by appointment” only, so you cannot simply roll up and expect a tour and tasting.  We were usually by ourselves and had a private tour of the vines, the facilities, the barrel rooms, very detailed explanations and superb tastings.  The only exception and a place I would NOT recommend is Chateau Loudenne.  Large group of over 20, after I had booked a private tour, very brief and rushed, only 2 wines poured with zero explanation.

What makes a Bordeaux wine special you might ask.  A Bordeaux Blend, at its most basic, is any combination of those grape varieties typically used to make the red wines of Bordeaux. Far from being an officially defined or legal term, it is almost never used for wine-labeling purposes (although it occasionally appears on back labels). Red Bordeaux Blends are known for their powerful structure and deep flavors. Dark fruits and berries such as plum and blackcurrant are commonly used to describe the flavours of red Bordeaux, although there is an unlimited range of terms that have been ascribed to them. Tannins tend to be relatively high in these wines, giving them a firm structure. Cabernet Sauvignon is widely accepted as a compulsory component of any Bordeaux Blend, with Merlot following close behind. In fact, the majority of Bordeaux Blend wines are often made exclusively from a blend of these two varieties. The remaining components are Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, used in varying combinations and proportions.

Grands crus classés en 1855 Médoc & Sauternes
The history of this classification
At the Exposition Universelle of 1855 in Paris, Emperor Napoleon III asked each wine region to establish a classification which still stands to this day.
Criteria
Reputation of the wines and their transaction prices
Special labeling
This classification included only red wines from the Médoc, the Sauternes and Barsac sweet white wines, and one Graves red cru.
The categories
For reds:
60 crus from the Médoc and 1 cru from Pessac-Léognan (Château Haut-Brion) based on five categories: 5 Premiers Crus, 15 Deuxièmes Crus, 14 Troisièmes Crus, 10 Quatrièmes Crus, 18 Cinquièmes Crus.
For sweet whites:
27 crus of the Sauternes and Barsac appellations: 1 Premier Cru Supérieur, 11 Premiers Crus, 15 Deuxièmes Crus.
Sole revision:
In 1973, the promotion of Château Mouton Rothschild from the rank of Deuxième Grands Cru Classé to that of Premier Grand Cru Classé (Médoc).
For red wines, the 1855 classification, has one cru from Graves and 60 from the Médoc, See the list of all of them at the end of this blog entry.

Our first stop. Very detailed and informative tour and an amazing tasting of 6 wines. Interesting fact – most Medoc wines are aged for 12 months or more in French oak. The top ones up to 18 months, the cheaper ones around 10 months. At the property, the pebbles in the soil create an ideal terroir for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, which accounts for 70% of the vines, with the rest of the plantings being made up of Merlot (29%) and Petit Verdot (1%).

Harvests
Each wine is the result of a year’s work in the vineyard. The grapes are hand-picked by a team of sixty people.
After being transported to the vat room, the bunches are de-stemmed and the grapes are sorted and crushed, before being vinified on a plot-by-plot basis. This vinification of each parcel enables an expression of the diversity of the terroir and of the individual grape varieties.
Vinifications
Two types of vat are used for vinification: oak and stainless steel. The wooden ones are preferred for the older plots. Traditional vinification techniques are employed, with steady, gentle extraction, adapted to each grape variety.
Blending
The pivotal stage in the creation of each vintage is the blending wich is carried out in November.
The owner, assisted by the technical director and the consultant oenologist, Jacques Boissenot, select which vats will be used to make Desmirail (the First wine) and Initial de Desmirail (the Second wine).
The decision is based on a consensus between the team at the property and the oenologist, who brings his experience and an external eye.
Maturing
The wines are matured in barrels for about a year. For the Grand Vin, the percentage of new barrels varies depending on the vintage but is never less than 30 %. Approximately every three months, the wines are racked in order to clarify them. Finally, after a year, the wines are blended in the wooden vats and given a final clarification with egg white.
Bottling
This takes place at the château about twenty months after the harvest.

Château Ormes de Pez – our hotel for 2 nights. I can recommend highly. Beautiful room, excellent breakfasts, pool, large grounds and lovely communal lounge. You feel as if you are staying in a private manor house.

In the heart of the Pez hameau, close to the village of Saint-Estèphe, the XVIII century home that sits adjacent to the Château Ormes de Pez cellars is ideal for those seeking peace and relaxation. Château Ormes de Pez offers five elegant and comfortable bedrooms, each with their own bathroom and breathtaking views across the domaine or the vineyards.The house’s calm and peaceful sitting rooms provide a cosy haven, perfect for reading and enjoying a glass of Château Ormes de Pez (AOC Saint-Estèphe). The swimming pool is open from June til September for guests wanting a refreshing dip.

Château Loudenne. Not worth stopping.

 

Château Lanessan

Château Lanessan.  We had a private tour from a very charming guide. Went out into the vines and tasted all the different grapes, very detailed visit of the facilities. Harvesting had just started the previous day, so we got a first hand view of the process from picking to crushing to sorting to pumping into the steel vats. What was amazing about this tasting was the tasting of 2 vintages of their premium wine, the 2008 and the 2001 and being able to see just how aging affects a wine.

Château Paloumey

Château Paloumey. Another great stop. We tasted the grapes on the vines, harvesting was due to begin the following day.

 

Château Paloumey tasting room

Château Giscours

Château Palmer

Château Margaux – unfortunately closed to visitors on weekends

Château Margaux

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Château Pichon Longueville Baron

 

Vines belonging to Château Lynch Bages

Château Lynch Bages

 

Another superb tour and tasting. Here we were in a group of 6 and had a very detailed explanation of the entire wine making process and toured the beautiful state of the art facilities. One of the most interesting parts was seeing Lynch-Bages’ old vat-house which represents a rare example of traditional winemaking equipment the Médoc area. Its slatted flooring which introduced the advantages of gravitational design now used in modern vat-houses, was invented by Skawinski in 1850.Back then, grapes were transported in a cart pulled by horses and then being lifted by crane and emptied into a wooden tank on wheels and tracks. One or two winemakers inside the tank then crushed the grapes, making the juice flow out through openings into vats on either side. A rope-pulley-bucket system and no less than six workers were then required to remove the leftover grape skins from the fermentation vat.These remarkable winemakers had a hard and quite dangerous job.This visit will transport you to another era.

The highlight was of course the tasting where we had a Château Lynch Bages, (a Pauillac wine), and an Ormes de Pez, a (Saint Estèphe appelation wine). Both estates belong to M. Cazes. The further north you go the more powerful the wine, it is said of the Medoc, and this was clearly the case. Stuart and I enjoy very powerful, deep, characterful reds so this was a treat. The Lynch Bages sells at around 140 euros a bottle and the Ormes de Pez around 30, a great deal.

We sadly left the wine growing section of the Medoc on the first day of harvest for most wineries, Monday, 3 October. The best and most expensive châteaux were all picking by hand and the others by machine. We headed north to the northern most tip of Medoc but more about that in my next post.

THE CLASSIFICATIONS
PREMIERS CRUS
Château Haut-Brion, Pessac, AOC Pessac-Léognan
Château Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Latour, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Margaux, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
DEUXIÈMES CRUS
Château Brane-Cantenac, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Cos-d’Estournel, Saint-Estèphe, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Durfort-Vivens, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Gruaud-Larose, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Lascombes, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Léoville-Barton, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Léoville-Las-Cases, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Léoville-Poyferré, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Montrose, Saint-Estèphe, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron-de-Pichon, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Pichon-Longueville-Comtesse-de-Lalande, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Rauzan-Gassies, Margaux, AOC Margaux
TROISIÈMES CRUS
Château Boyd-Cantenac, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Calon-Ségur, Saint-Estèphe, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Cantenac-Brown, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Desmirail, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Ferrière, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Giscours, Labarde, AOC Margaux
Château d’Issan, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Kirwan, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Lagrange, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château La Lagune, Ludon, AOC Haut-Médoc
Château Langoa-Barton, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Marquis-d’Alesme, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Palmer, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
QUATRIÈMES CRUS
Château Beychevelle, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Branaire-Ducru, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Duhart-Milon, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Marquis-de-Terme, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Pouget, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Prieuré-Lichine, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Saint-Pierre, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Talbot, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château La Tour-Carnet, Saint-Laurent-de-Médoc, AOC Haut-Médoc
CINQUIÈMES CRUS
Château d’Armailhac, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Batailley, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Belgrave, Saint-Laurent-de-Médoc, AOC Haut-Médoc
Château Camensac, Saint-Laurent-de-Médoc, AOC Haut-Médoc
Château Cantemerle, Macau, AOC Haut-Médoc
Château Clerc-Milon, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Cos-Labory, Saint-Estèphe, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Croizet-Bages, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Dauzac, Labarde, AOC Margaux
Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Haut-Bages-Libéral, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Haut-Batailley, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Pédesclaux, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château du Tertre, Arsac, AOC Margaux

Advertisement

Robertson to Cape Town

Tags

Bon Courage, Cape Town Waterfront, De Wetshof, Hamilton Russel, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Karibu, mcc, methode cap classique, rainbow nation, Robertson, South Africa, wine tasting

The second day of our trip to Robertson started under cloudy and drizzly skies but who needs sunny skies to do wine tasting anyway? After a very leisurely breakfast we set off to

De Wetshof Estate

De Wetshof has become known internationally as South Africa’s eminent Chardonnay House due to the pioneering role it played in introducing this noble Burgundian grape to the country. The De Wet family’s winemaking heritage can, however, be traced back to 1694 when the first De Wets arrived at the Cape and immediately made a mark on the South African wine industry. Today, De Wetshof is one of the few third generation wine estates in South Africa. Here Danie de Wet, proprietor and cellarmaster, is assisted by sons Johann (viticulture and marketing) and Peter (winemaker). Once again, we have the wonderful Pieter Ferreira, of Graham Beck, to thank for having organised a personal tasting for us with the winemaker, Peter De Wet. We started off with their De Wetshof Methode Cap Classique Brut 2008, an elegant brut Methode Cap Classique with yeasty citrus aromas and zesty mineral flavours and small petillant bubbles. This was followed by the De Wetshof Estate Methode Cap Classique Pinot Noir Brut 2008. This Méthode Cap Classique with its charming salmon color has a persistent bubble and a lively rich mousse. On the nose it expresses brioche, dark fruit and flowers, while the palate is alive with citrus and berry notes complemented by a slight hint of baked biscuits. The estate offers 7 whites and 3 reds. Their specialty being unwooded Chardonnays. My favourite was the Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2016. An unwooded wine, Limestone Hill has notes of grapefruit and nuts, with the complexity balanced by a nuanced elegance ending with a delicate ripeness.
The American critic Robert Parker describes this wine as such: “The De Wetshof Estate Limestone Hill Chardonnay never sees oak, and offers impeccably pure, refreshing apple, peach and lemon fruit, a lovely leesy richness of texture, and a nutty, chalky, fruit-filled finish of imposing length. Understated and less tropical than some of the better un-oaked Chardonnays, this wine possesses far better balance and sheer drinkability – not to mention more finesse – than 99% of the world’s Chardonnay I have experienced.”

Peter spent over an hour with us explaining the process and philosophy behind their wines. Quite a special treat. If you find yourself in the area, I highly recommend a visit to this superb winery.

Bon Courage

Peter recommended we stop in at Bon Courage, about a 3 minutes drive away to taste their bubblies and some of their reds. Who were we to argue? So, off we went. The sun was just starting to peek out and we decided to sit outdoors and do the tasting.

We started off with their Jacques Bruére Brut Reserve, Jacques Bruére Blanc de Blanc and the Jacques Bruére Cuveé Rosé Brut. All very elegant and highly recommended sparkling wines, then we moved onto a few reds. Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Shiraz followed by a Cape Vintage Port. A very well worthy stop indeed.
By now, it was getting to late afternoon and with it being autumn, we knew the light would not be around much after 6pm and the tasting rooms close at 5pm, so we headed back to Cape Town not expecting to be able to put in another stop. We decided to take the coastal route back and thereby cross another wine growing region, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.

The area has a particularly strong maritime influence . Collectively, the three Hemel-en-Aarde Area appellations enjoy probably the strongest maritime influence of any winegrowing area in South Africa. The closest point to the Atlantic Ocean Walker Bay, with its cooling influence of the cold Benguela current flowing up from Antarctica, is only 1.5km and the furthest point 10.6km. The prevailing summer wind, the Southeaster, blows across this bay towards the vineyards enhancing the cooling effect of proximity to the sea. This means cooler days but warmer nights and cooler summers but warmer winters. The climate, as for the rest of the Western Cape, is Mediterranean.
At 4:45pm we drove past Hamilton Russel.

The Estate specialises in producing highly individual, terroir driven Pinot noir and Chardonnay, which are widely regarded as the best in South Africa and among the finest in the New World. The estate also produces an Extra Virgin, cold-pressed Olive Oil from early hand-harvested, very low yielding, unirrigated groves of Frantoio, South African Leccino, Mission and naturally seeded trees, is fresh, peppery and pungent. Celebrating 23 vintages and a delicious full-flavoured, complex honey from a highly species-rich private 38 hectare indigenous Fynbos reserve, less than 2km from the sea. A great last minute stop.

By now, the light was fading and with another 2 hour drive back to Cape Town, we headed off along the beautiful coastal route through Betty’s Bay, Rooiels, Gordon’s Bay and Strand. Even with quickly fading light, the view was superb and we had to stop a few times to take some photographs.

We stopped at the Waterfront in Cape Town for dinner and decided on Karibu.

What a great idea that turned out to be. The restaurant prepares the best South Africa has to offer – from succulent steaks and delicious seafood to Cape Malay and traditional local favourites like boboite, potjiekos, game, snoekbraai, putu and chakalaka and koeksisters. The owner himself came over to chat and seeing as we could not decide what to order,(the menu is extensive and everything sounded delicious), he sent the chef over to advise us. We settled on the bobotie springrolls to share as a starter. Unfortunately, I was so hungry by the time they arrived, as I had not eaten since breakfast, that it was only as we were licking our messy fingers that we realised that we had not even taken a photograph. Sorry, but trust me, they were delicious and the presentation was beautiful. Luckily, having filled the whole in our stomachs, we had the foresight to take photographs of our main courses, which, also were absolutely delicious. Thanks to the suggestions of the chef, Stuart and I both had exactly what we wanted but had not known it.

I had the  Malay Vegetarian Feast. A tantalising medley of chick peas, butter beans, brown lentils and kidney beans, – layered with aubergine, topped with feta and yoghurt and then baked to perfection. Served with salad, roosterkoek and chutney and sambals. The flavours blended perfectly together and the warm freshly baked roosterkoek with butter and jam was just delicious. Dinner and dessert all on one plate.

Stuart had the trio of venison medallions which consisted of three pieces of fillet, impala, springbok and kudu served with crispy potato wedges and two sauces, an Amarula sauce and a, blow your mind, pepper sauce. The chef explained the differences in texture between the three fillets but Stuart could not identify which was which. But that did not really matter because they were all three cooked to perfection, tender, succulent and most importantly, absolutely delicious. A perfect meal to end an absolutely perfect two days of wine tasting in and around the Robertson area.

 

 

 

 

 

Robertson Wine Route

Tags

Graham Beck, Robertson, Robertson Small Hotel, Rueben's, South Africa, Springfield, wine tasting

Last week I was back in South Africa for a fortnight and this trip was designated primarily as a wine tasting and networking with other bloggers, cookbook authors, chefs etc. trip. I visited several wineries in the Paarl, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek area, including Fairview, Simonsig, Muratie, and a few in the Constantia area, Eagle’s Nest, Buitenverwachting and  Groot Constantia but the highlight of my trip was the Robertson valley.

 

Robertson Wine Valley Statistics

• Number of vines planted in the area: 48.7 million
• Produces about 199 000 tons of wine grapes
• Has 14.25% of South Africa’s total area under vine
• Mostly planted white varieties: Chardonnay, Colombar and Chenin Blanc
• Mostly planted red varieties : Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Ruby Cabernet
• Would not be able to grow grapes in the area, if it were not for the river running through the valley

Fun Facts

•     One hectare of land is home to between 3 000 and 6 000 vines and sometimes even up to 10 000
•     There are between 35 and 60 clusters of grapes per vine
•     Each bottle of wine contains about 1,5 kg of grapes.
•     One vine produces between 24 and 36 glasses of wine
•     A ton of grapes makes about 720 bottles of wine
•     One barrel of wine equals 1 800 glasses of wine

While Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and even Paarl are often regarded as the hub of the South African wine industry, those in the know will point you in the direction of Robertson as the new star of the SA wine scene. The popularity of this wine producing region reaching new heights in the last few years. So, Stuart and I set off in our Noddy sized rental car. From Cape Town, it takes about 2 hours to drive to Robertson along very easy, freeways, a tunnel and a small stretch of beautiful mountain pass, the du Toit’s Kloof pass.

First stop was Graham Beck

Graham Beck’s Robertson estate, Madeba, is situated in the breathtaking Breede River Valley bordering the semi-arid Little Karoo region.  The unique dry, cool climate of the Robertson region combined with the rich limestone soils produce wines with universal appeal and star quality. Their state-of-the-art Cap Classique cellar delivers Méthode Champenoise style wines worthy of their reputation as among the best in the world.  The cellar is divided into three sections. Cellar 1 is dedicated to sparkling wine production, barrel maturation and wine tasting. Cellar 2 is where the grapes are received after harvest and also houses the fermentation and maturation tanks, while Cellar 3 is reserved for bottling, storage and container loading. Guided by the superb cellar-master, Pieter “Bubbles” Ferreira.

The team adheres to their winemaking mantra: ‘quality is not a destination, it is a journey’. Their mission: the eternal pursuit of the perfect bubble!

I had arranged for the cellar-master, Pieter, also known as Mr Bubbles, to take us on a tour of the facility and guide us in a private tasting. Now, for all those of you who know me, and my great love of champagne and all things bubbly, you can just imagine my excitement and anticipation for this particular stop. All I can say is that my expectations, although very high, were greatly surpassed. It was by far, the best, most informative, most fun tour that I have ever done. Pieter spent a good part of 2 hours with us. We got to see and experience the entire process involved in making a bottle of their sparkling wine. Not being in Champagne, they cannot call it champagne and so in South Africa, bubbly is called MCC, Methode Cap Classique, if it is made in exactly the same way as in France. All our questions were answered and most were answered before we even thought to ask them due to his amazingly informative tour of the cellars and bottling and packing facilities. Then came the highlight of the day, the tasting. Graham Beck, from this year onwards, now makes only bubbly as they want to concentrate on what they do best. And believe me, they are the best when it comes to MCC. Their range consists of 7 bubblies. There are three non vintages (NV), Brut NV, Brut Rosé NV and Bliss Demi Sec NV; a Blanc de Blancs, a Vintage Brut Rosé, a Brut Zero and the Cuvée Clive. All were superb and could compete very easily with any French champagne. Do not let anyone tell you that South Africa does not make excellent wines. In fact, I would say that their Cuvée Clive is as good, if not better, than any of the top Champagne houses.

My favourites were the Blanc de Blanc, (Produced from 100% Chardonnay this delicious and versatile bubbly combines rich creamy aromas with hints of fresh lime fruit on the nose. On the palate you can expect an exciting fine mousse with an explosion of tangerines. Great brioche and yeast complexity broadens the palate leading to a long elegant finish), Brut Zero, (Brut Zero represents the ultimate transparency in premium Méthode Cap Classique. This extra special cuvée was created without the use of dosage resulting in a deliciously different and more natural style of bubbly. With no added sugar, what remains is a sparkling wine in its purist form. This style of wine can only be made in truly exceptional vintages.  This exceptional and highly exclusive wine (a blend of 78% Chardonnay and 22% Pinot Noir) remained on the lees for 60 months (five years) before disgorgement. Elegant, fresh and lively, the Brut Zero is a study in rich minerality. Fresh green apples and hints of brioche, citrus and barely perceptible iris perfume develop on the mid-palate as the wine is left to stand. Brut Zero joins the ranks of the very few zero dosage wines – these having been almost non-existent a few years ago. It’s a category gaining in popularity among chefs, sommeliers and food enthusiasts. Virtually sugar free, the natural salt affinity of this zero-dosage wine makes it the ideal partner to crustacean dishes and sushi.“Making this style of sparkling wine is a challenge and a risk: there is no margin for error in a zero dosage wine,” explains Graham Beck cellar master Pieter Ferreira. “That’s why there are so few of them – it’s an avant-garde style.” and the Cuvée Clive, (Their most prestigious and exclusive Cap Classique yet. This Cuvée is produced only in vintages of exceptional qualities from the two classic varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The fruit for the Chardonnay is from the rich limestone vineyards on the estate in Robertson while the Pinot Noir is from their estate in Firgrove, Stellenbosch. Both varietals were hand-picked with the Chardonnay contributing fruit and elegance and the Pinot Noir complexity and length of flavour. In the cellar both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were whole bunched pressed, separately. Only the highest quality juice (tête de cuvée) was settled overnight and then fermented in stainless steel at 16°C, with a small portion of Chardonnay fermented in specific Piece Champenoise (205 L) oak barrels. After fermentation the portions were selected to enhance the minerality, elegance and finesse. It was then bottled for the secondary bottle fermentation with a minimum of 60 months yeast contact before disgorgement. This exceptionally complex, yet subtle MCC is approachable and round with the potential to age and remarkably versatile with food.)

What a wonderful start to our wine tasting in Robertson. But that was not all. Before leaving Pieter asked me where else we were headed to and I showed him my list of suggestions in no particular order. He offered to call two places on the list as they were good friends of his and set up a tour for us with the owners/wine makers. What a treat!

 Springfield Estate

The Robertson wine valley boasts a number of well-loved and quality estates, but one of the most prominent must surely be Springfield Estate. The Bruwer family are fourth generation wine farmers and ninth generation descendants of French Huguenots. The current owners are brother-and-sister team Abrie and Jeannette Bruwer. Their hands-on and involved philosophy towards wine-making ensures each wine is crafted uniquely and in the most natural way possible. Pieter had set up a meeting for us with Abrie. Once again the generosity of his time and just plain niceness of a complete stranger totally amazed me. We started with a tasting of their wines while waiting for Abrie to join us.

They have 5 whites and 3 reds. They are well known for their whites, the most well known and absolutely delicious being The Life from Stone Sauvignon Blanc, Life from Stone derives its name from the incredibly rocky soils in which it is grown. Every year the vineyard battles against nature in order to produce highly concentrated, powerful wines with a flinty, mineral character true to the quartz rock in which it is grown. Monumental human effort was required to plant the vines – implements destroyed, and, in the case of the older vineyards, dynamite deployed. They also produce another Sauvignon Blanc, two Chardonnays and a white blend. The reds are two Cabernet Sauvignons and a Bordeaux blend. The methode ancienne Cabernet Sauvignon is excellent with an intense berry flavour and colour. No sooner had Abrie arrived than we felt we had known him as a good friend for years. In the bakkie and off for a tour of the estate with Abrie pointing out all the various vines, the issues experienced with growing grapes in this rather harsh climate and soil and the bureaucracy surrounding the industry in South Africa. He took us to see all his heavy machinery and equipment, many of which he has designed himself to cope with his terroir and then after about 2 hours of the most fascinating tour, we headed to the cellar and the bottling and packing facility. Once again, we visited every nook and cranny and after we had asked millions of questions, Abrie invited us to stay for a cup of tea on the veranda overlooking the lake in front of the tasting room. Sheer bliss. What a way to spend the afternoon.
Two excellent stops, Graham Beck and Springfield, and 5 hours later, we headed to the Robertson Small Hotel, our lodging for the night.

Robertson Small Hotel

Situated in the heart of Robertson, a favorite tourist attraction spot that’s located along the longest wine route in the world, Route 62, resides the chicly quaint Robertson Small Hotel providing luxury accommodation and fine cuisine all year round. It is a 5 star, boutique hotel that also hosts its signature restaurant, Reuben’s at the Robertson. Well known Chef Reuben Riffel’s newest restaurant is a recipe for sheer elegance and success.
This superb boutique hotel comprises ten luxurious guest suites. The service from all the staff was exemplary, the room huge and furnished with elegance. We were upgraded to a pool side suite on arrival and once settled in, we got ready for dinner at Reubens.

The restaurant is small and intimate yet has an air of coolness due to its all white design.

We shared a biltong tart as a starter, a good choice as it is a local South African delicacy. The tart was small yet very flavourful and creamy.

As a main course, I chose one of my favourite fish, kingklip. It was served with an interesting orange and coconut sauce. I found the sauce a bit too tart for my taste and might have preferred a lemon sauce.

Stuart settled on the crispy pork belly which I think was the better choice, The meat was meltingly tender and full of flavour and served with an assortment of baby vegetables.

For dessert we chose to share the malva pudding. This is a South African classic and one of my favourite desserts. However this one was very disappointing. It was a take on a deconstructed malva pudding but by doing that, it lost the delicious gooey, moist texture usually associated with that dessert. The pudding was dry and not at all representative of the classic.

Coffee was accompanied by two date balls, another South African delicacy and those were definitely up to scratch and took me back to memories of my childhood and buying them at school bake-sales.

We finished off the evening with a glass of port and an amarula in the bar and turned in for a good nights sleep after a busy day of wine tasting and touring.

The hotel offers complementary breakfast to all guests and is well worth trying.

Day 2 involved more wine tasting and touring and will be included in the next blog entry. Stay tuned….