Tag Archives: Ken Forrester Vineyards

Ken Forrester Wines celebrates 21st anniversary with a tasting of 21 wines!

May 12, 2014

On Tuesday last week I was lucky to be part of a small group of writers invited to attend a special tasting of 21 Ken Forrester Vineyards’ wines, in celebration of their 21st anniversary. The range of wines reflects the multi-faceted personality of owner and winemaker Ken Forrester!

We met at the tasting room, and were welcomed with a glass of Sparklehorse MCC, and oysters and salmon canapés. It was the most beautiful day, and the tasting took place in Ken’s beautiful Cape Dutch manor house, dated 1694 on the gable, with the first vineyards having been planted in 1692. I loved the light yellow walls with a vine leaf mural all along the top part of the walls, the paintings, the vases with flowers, and the ambiance of and views from the Voorkamer.

Previously in the hospitality industry in Johannesburg, Ken and his wife Teresa moved to Stellenbosch in 1993, having bought the property with a house and a vineyard in a derelict state, Ken shared. He and Teresa painstakingly renovated the house, to return it to its former glory, and turned the farm around. Despite experiencing highlights as well as low lights on the property (e.g. the toughest ever year was 2002, with downy mildew a number of times), but Ken said that it was all worth while, and that they live in paradise. They live on a farm but they are almost in town, he added. In answering a question, Ken said that their new venture had to be in Stellenbosch. He had previously worked for Southern Sun when Sol Kerzner was in charge, and then moved into the restaurant industry, buying a share in Gatriles in Johannesburg. His restaurant industry background reflects in the joint ownership with his brother Allan of 96 Winery Road down the road from his wine estate, and he brought Gatriles’ famous duck and cherry pie recipe with him to Stellenbosch, where it has become a favourite too. Their property is 126 ha in size, and he has rented another property of equivalent size, which he and his team manage, to control the quality of his incoming fruit. Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 17 February

February 17, 2014

Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

* MasterChef USA is said to have been ‘cooking up a lie’, Chef Gordon Ramsay giving contestants cooking lessons prior to the filming of episodes, according to the revelations on the blog of a former contestant on the show. The producers responded that each contestant has access to information and to training. ‘Each home cook is given professional training before the challenges to ensure they can cook something decent when they start recording’, it was written. No such training has been given to MasterChef UK contestants however.

* Minister of Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with his counterpart in Saudi Arabia. No further details about the agreement are available.

* The Franschhoek Wine Tram has grown from strength to strength in its first year of operation, having added buses on two routes, and still running the Tram to Grande Provence and Continue reading →

Cape Town and Winelands restaurants have a heart for Valentine’s Day!

February 9, 2014

Numerous restaurants in Cape Town are offering special Valentine’s Day offers for Friday 14 February. We will update the list as we receive new information.

Cape Town

* Catharina’s at Steenberg: Seafood Menu platter R1750 per couple; 5 course Valentine’s Set Menu R750 per person; and Vegetarian Valentine’s Menu R750 per person. All three options include a glass of Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Rosé 2011. Tel (021) 713-2222

* The Restaurant at Cape Point Vineyards, Noordhoek: 4 course dinner R495, or R650 with wine pairings. Nadine performing. Tel 083 444 7088.

* Frères Bistro: 3 course dinner with complimentary glass of Nicolas Feuillatte champagne R 395 per person. Tel (021) 418-1609

* Diemersdal Farm Eatery, Durbanville: Tapas platters and desserts as well as complimentary glass of MCC R 550 per couple. Tel (021) 976-1810

* Azure at the Twelve Apostles: Welcome drink, rose, and 4 course candlelight dinner R 795 per person, includes chance of winning half carat diamond from Uwe Koetter valued at R15000. Tel (021) 437-900

* The Kraal at the Twelve Apostles: Kir Royal welcome drink, picnic basket includes a bottle of Bouchard Finlayson Blanc de Mer, R1500 per couple. Tel (021) 437-9000

* Mondiall, V&A Waterfront: Oysters and glass of bubbly, 3 course dinner R350 per person. Tel (021) 418-3003. Continue reading →

Ken Forrester has Noble Late Harvest down to a ‘T’!

November 5, 2011

Earlier this week I was one of a group of bloggers and wine writers invited to attend the launch of the 2009 ‘T’ Noble Late Harvest of Ken Forrester Vineyards, on a sunny afternoon on the terrace of the Mount Nelson Hotel, ‘paired’ with the Nellie’s famous High ‘T’!

We were welcomed with a glass of Billecart-Salmon, which is distributed in South Africa by Ken Forrester Vineyards. The latest 2009 ‘T’ vintage, and the celebration of ten years of its production, was presented as a vertical tasting of six ‘T’ vintages, going back as far as 2000. Produced from his Stellenbosch vineyard, Ken Forrester said that they have used ‘fresh’ botrytis grapes from a 32 year old Chenin Blanc bushvine block, which is only 6 km from the Atlantic Ocean, with a moderate and cool climate, and good humidity in winter. It is low-lying, with autumn morning mist, ensuring ideal botrytis conditions. The block is picked eight times or more during the harvest, an aerial photograph technique identifying which pockets of grapes have optimal ripeness. It is a ‘concentrated essence of Chenin Blanc’, reflecting what this grape variety is about, Ken said.

Ken named this noble beverage in honour of his wife Teresa, known to her friends and family as ‘T’, for the first time in 1999, as a gift to her. The bottle shape and design was chosen to resemble a perfume bottle, and was designed by Mark Ransome of Fireworks.

Only the very best botrytis grapes are used to make ‘T’, and the Noble Late Harvest has not been made every year, out of quality considerations. The 2009 ‘T’ has 12% alcohol, while the 2008 had 11%. The older vintages have an alcohol content of 13% or more. The juice was fermented in French oak for 18 months, with peach, apricot, melon and pineapple notes. It is recommended to be drunk with fruit tarts, wild berries, ice cream, and full-bodied cheeses. A 375 ml bottle of the 2009 ‘T’ Noble Late Harvest costs R195.

Ken Forrester is a great story-teller, with a successful career in the hospitality industry, before he ventured into wine-making, and is co-owner with his brother of 96 Winery Road just down the road from his wine farm. He is ‘Mr Chenin Blanc’ in South Africa, and heads up the Chenin Blanc Association, promoting this variety ardently. He is also Chairman of the Stellenbosch American Express Wine Routes.

After the vertical tasting of the 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2001 and 2000 vintages of the ‘T’, we were invited to partake of the Afternoon Tea, and the table was filled with sandwiches, quiches, cakes, flapjacks, macaroons, and a large variety of other sweet treats.