Tag Archives: Michelangelo

Restaurant Review: Sacred Ground Artisan Bakers and Deli welcome addition to Franschhoek gourmet offering!

The opening of Sacred Ground Artisan Bakers just over two weeks ago created big excitement in Franschhoek, it being the first artisanal bakery in the village that has been called the Gourmet Capital of South Africa. Sacred Ground is not just a bakery, but also is a deli, a coffee shop, a wine shop, and gourmet sandwichery.

What makes Sacred Ground special is the spacious selection of Deli treats and the very friendly hands-on owners and staff.  Michelle Hewitt from next-door Surrey Homes and Sannette Koopman are partners in the venture and have both been in the shop when I have visited on two occasions, as has Sannette’s husband Heinrich.  Michelle is used to doing home interiors, so it was a natural that she guided the design of Sacred Ground, wooden counters, wood top tables, and wooden chairs with green seating having been used to give the shop an earthy and warm feel. One places one’s order with the super-nice Michelle van Sittert, who is also Sacred Ground’s Tweeter.  Thomas is the head baker, and joined the Sacred Ground team from Zimbali.  He was the Pastry Chef of the Year in 2008.  The staff wear black, with a branded hessian apron.

There is so much to take in when one arrives at Sacred Ground, but the bread selection probably catches one’s attention first, displayed on shelves, and the names and prices are marked.  So, for example, there is olive ciabatta (R22,50), Panini (R7), Sacred Baguette (R10), Ciabatta (R17), French Baguette (R15), Stumpy (R10), Crusty Sourdough (R25), 10% Rye (R25), and Cheesy Baguette (R18).  Cakes and cupcakes are still bought in, but will be baked on the premises in future.  A slice of cake costs R35, and one can choose from Chocolate orange, Cheesecake, Carrot cake, and Red velvet cake.  The cupcake selection comes in different colours, at R15 each. Macaroons cost R8.  There is fudge, biscotti, nougat, panforte made in Betty’s Bay, and slabs of Honest Chocolate.

The shop has a couch seating section for coffees, wines or a beer and a chat, a counter at which one pays and which displays the cake selection, and a large charcuterie fridge.  Fresh food fridges are placed along the walls, alongside the bread selection, and the rest of the space is filled with tables and chairs.  The colourful red and yellow BOS umbrellas attract attention from the main road, and the owners have planted red and yellow plants outside their door to match these colours.

Bread is the foundation of Sacred Ground and the Deli selection, and the food offered on the menu all relate to it.  Surrounding the bread selection is a fine selection of Truckles, Anura, and Dalewood cheeses,  as well as Bocconcini and Fior de Latte. There is a big range of Allée Bleue’s herbs; unbranded unsalted and salted butter; chicken liver paté; duck eggs; Froggit thyme-infused balsamic vinegar; Kloovenberg and Olyfberg olives; Prince Albert and Olyfberg olive oil; Oryx salt and pepper; Bean There coffee;  Dilmah teas; honeys; a selection of craft beers from &Union, including Steph Weiss and Berne; Whalehaven Idiom, as well as Mon Rêve boutique wines, of which the Merlot 2010 has already won a ‘Michael Angelo’ (sic) Double Gold in its first year of launch; and wooden boards, which are also used to bring the food to the tables.  The Charcuterie counter allows one to choose specific cuts of cold meats supplied by a variety of suppliers, including Raith and Gastro Foods, and includes various salamis, black forest ham, coppa ham, parma ham, as well as speciality cheeses, to take home.

The menu is short and sweet, and a blackboard advertises the Daily Specials.  All food is served on paper placed on wooden boards.  Commendable is that Breakfast is served all day.  I ordered The Artisan Egg Mayo (R35) on my first visit, sounding better on the menu than its execution, promising ‘free range egg, mayo and chives on bread of your choice’. The scrambled egg was cold and was drizzled with Froggit balsamic vinegar, which I was not warned about nor wanted.  An alternative ‘Breaking the Fast’ option is ‘Oeufs Bicyclette’, or Eggs on Wheels (R59), ciabatta layered with parma ham, two eggs and mozzarella, topped with hollandaise sauce.  One may choose the bread on which the eggs are served.  One can also order sandwiches throughout the day, with salami or mozzarella (R49), salmon or chicken (R59), or a ‘Sacred Dog’ with a Frankfurter or a Bratwurst (R40).  The Platters look super, a choice of two cold meats and two cheeses costing R 85, and three of each costing R120.

The cappuccino (R14) is made in the flat white style with Bean There beans, but a second order and careful explanation of a dry cappuccino resulted in a perfect cup. The Fair Trade description of the coffee, in its own outlets too, is misleading, as it is not Fairtrade endorsed.  Sacred Ground is licensed, and it is a surprise to see that no Franschhoek wines are stocked.  Hermanus-sourced La Vierge Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Sangiovese style are offered by the glass (R25 – R45) or bottle (R85 – R150) with Whalehaven Idiom (Bordeaux blend) at R280, as well as Paarl-based Mon Rêve wines, at R25 – R45 per glass, and R75 – R250 per bottle for the Merlot.   Pongracz is available by the glass (R45 – R55) or bottle R150 – R180. Pierre Jourdan Cuvee Belle Rose costs R190,  and Krone Borealis Cuvee Brut 2009 is available at R150.

Sacred Ground is a friendly village meeting place, with good service, reasonable prices, a good selection of deli items and excellent breads, as well as cakes and cupcakes, which have been in short supply in the village.  It has added life to The Square, which has not had much traffic since it opened about 18 months ago.

Sacred Ground Artisan Bakers, The Square, Huguenot Street, Franschhoek.  Tel (021) 876-3948.  www.sacredground.co.za Twitter: @SG_Bakery Monday – Sunday 7h00 – 19h00.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage

Tulbagh Wine Route needs marketing, must extend its tasting times!

Staying in Tulbagh for a wedding this past weekend afforded me the opportunity to visit some of the better known wine estates in the area.  What is surprising is that almost all wineries close on Saturdays at 2 pm, and are not open on Sundays.  Tulbagh promotes itself as a wedding destination, so most visitors to the town would only have two or three hours before a Saturday afternoon wedding to visit the Tulbagh wine estates, and therefore many visitors would not be able to visit them all.

A handy Tulbagh Valley and Village Map with tourist attractions, including the 13 wine estates in Tulbagh, was made available to us at Rijk’s Country House.  An interesting note on the Manley’s website indicates that Tulbagh was previously known as a white wine region, but the earthquake in 1969 changed wine production to red wine (the connection is not explained), and the region now produces fine red wines, Shiraz in particular.

Rijk’s Private Cellar

We stayed at Rijk’s Country House on our first night, and therefore the winetasting at the Rijk’s Private Cellar the next morning was a must.  We had been welcomed with a most generous glass of Shiraz at Rijk’s Country House on arrival, so we were familiar with it on arrival at the tasting room.  I asked the charming Lucilia Turner which were the signature wines, and she said that the Pinotage and Chenin Blanc win the most awards, yet most associate Rijk’s with Shiraz.  I admired Lucilia for her ability to chat, pour and sell her wines to all the visitors, without offending anyone.

The tasting room is extremely functional looking, with a counter in a vast room, creating an echo as it is not filled with enough furniture.  The furniture is wooden tables and chairs, and a far corner has some couches.  Lots of certificates for prizes won by the wines are against the wall.  There is no marketing information about the Rijk’s wines at all to take away, other than the price list.  A folder on the counter contained interesting information about the history of the wine estate, and technical details about the wine-making.   Johan Wiese is the viticulturist, and Pierre Wahl the winemaker.  Günter Brözel, ex-Nederburg, was a consultant to the setting up of the cellar, which was completed  in 1999.

The 136 ha property was bought by Neville Dorrington twenty years, and was named Rijk’s after Rijk Tulbagh, the Governor of the Cape between 1751 – 1771.  The wine estate produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Pinotage, Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.

The tasting fee is R 10 per wine tasted, but the fee is waived if one buys Rijk’s wines.  One can taste a large selection of wines – Rijk’s Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (R90), Chenin Blanc 2008 (R90), Chenin Blanc Reserve 2007 (R160), Chardonnay 2006 (R90), Chardonnay Reserve 2007 (R160), Fascination 2008 (R120), Iceberg Red 2004 (R70), Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (R120), Pinotage 2006 (R130), Shiraz 2005 (R130), The Crossing 2006 (R80), Bravado 2004 (R120), Rijk’s Estate Syrah 2007 (R250), and Rijk’s Estate The Master (R250.

Rijk’s Private Cellar.  Tel (023) 230-1622. www.rijks.co.za  Monday – Friday 10h00 – 16h00, Saturday 9h00 – 15h00

Saronsberg Winery

I had previously tried the Saronsberg Shiraz, which had come highly recommended, but really did not like it.  I had been recommended on Twitter to visit Saronsberg, and decided to do so, notwithstanding my feelings about the Shiraz, and I am so happy that I did, as this wine estate is completely out of the ordinary, with a very modern tasting room, which seemed a surprise to find in Tulbagh. 

Great care and lots of money appear to have gone into the building, set at the edge of a pond, with interesting looking sculptures by Angus Taylor in the garden attracting one’s attention immediately.  In fact, as one drives in, the sculpture with a stone on its head attracted attention to something different to  expect.   The path leading to the tasting room gives earthiness through a stone walkway, but is very uncomfortable to walk on.  The tasting room is a triple story open plan building, a surprise interior when one enters it.  Downstairs is the tasting room, with a Paul du Toit painting facing the tasting counter.  The two staff members were hard pressed to serve everyone, and seemed disinterested in answering all the questions.  I was referred to the website to find out more about Saronsberg and its owner Nick van Huyssteen, the staff only knowing that he is an entrepreneur from Pretoria, and a property developer, who bought the land from Twee Jonge Gezellen in 2002, naming it Saronsberg after a local mountain.  The tasting room was completed in 2003, and the first grapes were harvested in 2004.  Van Huyssteen is about to open an art gallery near or in the Old Biscuit Mill, the staff said.  A Grand Piano is also in the tasting room, and the wine tasting assistant told me that it is used for events, if they are asked very nicely to host them in their venue.  There are also two long wooden wine tasting tables, surprising with the Philippe Starke ghost chairs placed around them.

Upstairs, over two levels, are the works of art from Van Huyssteen’s private collection, including three by Christo Coetzee, as well as works by Jan Vermeiren,  Walter Battis, Norman Catherine, and other artists.  It would have been helpful to have had a pamphlet about the art collection, to explain more about the artists and their paintings and sculptors. 

The tasting fee is R 25 for an unspecified number of wines, and is waived if one buys Saronsberg wines.   I asked the tasting assistant what their signature wine is, and he said that 50 % of their production is Shiraz, it being the only red wine that they produce. The Paul du Toit painting is depicted on the Provenance wine labels.  The winemaker is Cape Winemakers’ Guild member Dewaldt Heyns, and the wines are sold under the following labels:

·         Saronsberg – one can taste Chardonnay 2008 and Viognier 2009, costing R85 each, Shiraz 2008 costs R 150, Full Circle 2008 (a Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre and Viognier blend) costs R 195 and Seismic 2006 (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec blend) costs R 170.  Seismic has won an impressive collection of awards, while the Shiraz has also performed well at the Veritas and Michelangelo Awards 2010.

·         Provenance includes in its range Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (R60), Shiraz Rosé 2010 (R45), Shiraz 2009 (R95) and Rooi 2009 (R95) 

·        Nick & Forti’s has three wines, but the Shiraz 2006 and Epicenter Red 2006 are not available for tasting, yet can be bought at R75 each. The Viognier 2008 is available to taste, and costs R65. The name for this sub-brand is made up of Van Huyssteen’s name as well as that of Forti Mazzone, the owner of Pretoria restaurant Ritrovo Ristorante.

·      Saronsberg MCC Vintage Brut costs R120 for the 2007 vintage

Saronsberg’s pay-off line is “A Passage to all senses”, and “Discover – Listen – Breathe – Feel – Taste” is the mantra of this estate.

We left, feeling disappointed that the wealth of art and investment in Saronsberg is not matched by the tasting assistants, who were functional wine pourers and payment takers, but did not spontaneously volunteer one piece of information about their wines.

Saronsberg Winery, Tel (023) 230-0707 www.saronsberg.com   Twitter: @Saronsberg  Monday – Friday 8h30 – 17h00, Saturday 10h00 – 14h00.

Manley Private Cellar

We stayed at Manley’s Wine Lodge on our second night of the weekend, and the manager Alicea was sweet enough to offer to do a wine tasting with us on Sunday, as we had run out of time on Saturday.  She did add that she was not a professional wine assistant, being employed to run the guest house.  The owner of the wine farm is David Ovenden from London, who visits regularly.

We were recommended the Shiraz, which covers 2,9 ha of the farm, Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 1,75 ha and the Merlot, Pinotage Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc a hectare each.  The Shiraz has a 4-star rating by Platter and an International Wine Challenge silver.  Alicea said that the Shiraz 2007 and Pinotage 2009 are the best sellers, each costing R85, as do the Merlot 2008 and Cabernet Sauvignon 2008.  A Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 blend costs R80, Thatch House Red 2009 R 50, and Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2010 blend R65.  The Tasting fee costs R 25 for an unlimited number of wines, but is waived if one buys any wine.

The tasting room is very unimpressive, with a cottagey look, with three small wooden tables.  Bigger groups can do the tasting outside.  Big blow-up posters of each of the Manley wines decorate the wall.   On weekdays one can be lucky to have the winemaker Stefan Hartman do the tastings, while on Saturdays it is done by Theo.

Manley Private Cellar, Tel (023) 230-0582. www.manleywinelodge.co.za  Monday – Friday 9h00 – 17h00, Saturday 10h00 – 14h00.

Montpellier

We popped in at Montpellier on our way back from Saronsberg, and were surprised to see so many cars on the estate.  We could not find the tasting room open, it having a note to say that it closes at midday on Saturdays. Clearly they had a function at the wine estate.  We saw a sweet-looking chapel in the vineyards some distance away as we were driving towards Montpellier.

Montpellier.  Tel (023) 230-0656. www.montpellier.co.za  Monday – Friday 9h00 – 16h00, Saturday 9h00 – 12h00 

Other wine estates in Tulbagh

·          Drostdy Hof Wines : Tel (023) 230-0203. www.drostdyhof.co.za  Monday – Friday 10h00 – 17h00, Saturdays 10h00 – 14h00

 

·         Lemberg is a Boutique Winery, started in 1978 by Janey Muller. Now the winemaker is Henk du Bruyn.  Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, Shiraz and Pinotage.  Tel 082 749 7585. www.lemberg.co.za  Monday – Friday 9h00 – 16h00, Saturday  10h00 – 14h00

 

·         Theuniskraal Wine Estate was bought by the Jordaan family in 1927, and is associated with Riesling, even though it also makes Semillon Chardonnay , Bouquet Blanc, Prestige and Rosé.  Tel (023) 230-0687. www.theuniskraal.co.za . Open Monday – Friday 9h00 – 12h00 and 13h00 – 17h00, Weekends 10h00 – 12h30.

 

·         Tulbagh Winery was founded in 1906, and produces a wide variety of wines: Chenin Blanc, Colombard/Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rosé, Dry White, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Pinotage, Shiraz/Pinotage, Dry Red, Klein Tulbagh Range, and Paddagang Fortified Range.  Tel (023) 230-1001. www.tulbaghwine.co.za  Monday – Friday 8h00 – 17h00, Saturday 9h00 – 13h00.

 

·         Twee Jonge Gezellen Estate –  The House of Krone offers underground MCC cellar tours. Tel (023) 230-0680. www.houseofkrone.co.za   Monday – Friday 11h00 and 15h00, Saturdays 11h00.

 

·         Waverley Hills Organic Estate offers organic wines and olive products.  Tel (023) 231-0002. www.waverleyhills.co.za  Monday – Saturday 10h00 – 16h00, Sunday 11h00 – 15h00.

 

·         Schalkenbosch – Edenhof Wines. Tel (023) 230-0654. www.schalkenbosch.co.za  Tasting by appointment.

 

·         Blue Crane Vineyards Tel (023) 230-0823. www.bluecrane.co.za  Tasting by appointment.

 

·         De Heuvel Wine & Olive Estate Tel (023) 230-0350  www.deheuvelestate.co.za  Monday – Friday 9h00 – 17h00, Saturday 9h00 – 14h00    

 
 
 

 

Generally marketing is not a strength of the wine estates in this region, characterised by extremes in the estates presenting themselves – from the unexciting Rijk’s and Manley tasting rooms, to the avantgarde and colourful Saronsberg.  In general all wine estates were guilty of not providing brochures or any marketing collateral for visitors to the Tulbagh wine estates to take home, bar a little pamphlet at Saronsberg.  All wine estates were on the Tulbagh map, but this just provides contact details and opening hours.  The Tulbagh Tourism brochure does not even list all the wine estates, probably because it costs to be listed in it. Saronsberg is the only Tulbagh wine estate to be on Twitter, it would appear.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com   Twitter: @WhaleCottage

Overhex Balance wines are good balance between quality and price!

On Friday I was fortunate to experience a tasting of some of the wines in the Overhex Wines International range, and specifically their new additions to the two year old Balance range, which was held at one of the most popular restaurants in Cape Town, namely Luke Dale-Roberts’  The Test Kitchen.

The Test Kitchen in the Old Biscuit Mill premises in Woodstock is a small space, and we must have been about thirty journalists and bloggers who were lucky enough to be invited by charming PR consultant Nicolette Waterford.  The stature of the event was reflected by the attendance of Sunday Times wine writer Neil Pendock, Cape Wine Master Christine Rudman, Cape Times wine writer Cathy Marston, Christian Eedes, Wade Bales, Spit or Swallow’s Anel Grobler, Joanne Gibson, Greg Landman, and more, and the restaurant venue must have been an important attendance drawcard.   Spread over the two tables were staff of Overhex, including the co-owner Gerhard van der Wath, who manages the company, in close co-operation with JC (for Jean Claude) Martin, who is the Production Director, and is responsible for the wine styles and blends, assisted by Jandre Human, the cellar master.  Being private-owned means that Gerhard and JC can make quick decisions.   They are not restricted to only the grapes of their region, but can buy in the best grapes to suit their requirements, including from the Swartland, West Coast, Franschhoek, and Stellenbosch, allowing them to make wines at different price points.  The Overhex farm in the Breede River Valley outside Worcester produces about 10 000 tons of grapes, and about 5 million litres are bought in, JC told us.

JC (on the right, chatting to Greg Landman) has a Swiss German lilt when he speaks, and arrived in South Africa six years ago, having met his wife Carolyn (daughter of Walter Finlayson) on the wine estate in Switzerland on which he worked at the time, where she came to present label designs on behalf of the London design agency she worked for.  His association with Overhex started in 2005.  Alongside the Overhex wine involvement, JC makes his own Creation wines in the Hemel en Aarde valley outside Hermanus.   While this was not a Creation function at all, we did discuss the wines and the marketing of them, which JC does on the side when he represents Overhex wines overseas.  His wife does the marketing of Creation wines locally, and they had an average of 300 visitors per day in their tasting room over the festive season, he said.  They are very excited about the fact that the Western Cape province has placed the Caledon – Hermanus gravel road going through their valley as number one priority on the list of roads to be tarred in the province, and they see this as being of huge future benefit to themselves and their colleagues on the recently created Hemel en Aarde Valley wine route.   I sat opposite JC, and asked him questions abouit Creation – he did not talk about Creation when he addressed the guests.  JC told me he studied winemaking in the French part of Switzerland. Switzerland is not generally known as a wine producer, but JC told me that the Swiss drink all the wine produced in the total area of 25000 ha, and therefore it is not exported.  Whalepod is a new Creation brand, and we have started stocking it in our Whale Cottages.  JC told me that they are launching a new Syrah/Malbec Whalepod blend. Tasting rooms on wine farms are unique to South Africa, in that one can visit most wine farms without making an appointment, making this wine tourism valuable to wine farms selling their wines from the cellar door – for Creation it represents 30 % of their sales. 

In 2003 Overhex was started as a co-operative, and was bought by Gerhard and a partner in 2005.  Initially their focus was on the international market, and they now export to 25 countries.  JC told us that they export to supermarket and liquor groups such as Marks & Spencer, CO-OP UK, and Fosters, making own label wines for them.   Most of the wine is made to the specific requirements of each of these chains, and exported in bulk, and bottled in the UK and in Germany.     Ten Overhex brands are exported, being 3,5 million bottles in total. 

The reason for the launch function was to introduce the new additions to the Balance range, being the Winemaker’s Selection Shiraz 2010 and Winemaker’s Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2010.  They complement the existing Balance range of Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (won a gold medal at Michelangelo 2010),  Shiraz Merlot 2010, Pinotage Shiraz 2009, Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2010, Chenin Blanc Colombar, Reserve Unwooded Chardonnay, Sparkling Vin Sec, Sparkling Vin Doux, Shiraz Rosé and a sweet Rosé, aiming them at the domestic market for the first time.  Balance has been shaped for local wine drinkers, and the range is designed to be easy drinking wines with a shorter life span.   We were asked to evaluate the wines relative to their price point, the Winemaker’s Selection Sauvignon Blanc costing R40 and the Winemaker’s Selection Shiraz costing R45, representing incredible value, as none of the white and red Balance wines are more expensive than these two prices.  JC said that the Balance wines should not be judged on price alone, in that a cheaper wine does not mean that it is a bad wine.   Overhex operates ethically and cares about its supplier farmers, in that they offer them a price for their grapes that allows the farmers to survive.  The Balance wines are available at ULTRA intitally, and they are working on expanding the distribution at local outlets.   I asked about the elephant on the label, and the designer was at the function, but she could not explain it, other than that it was on the first Balance labels.  The Balance pay-off line is “for life’s lighter moments”.  The Overhex cellar now has a tasting room and Bistro, and locals are invited to visit the wine estate.  “Our goal with Balance is to get the wine lover to celebrate everyday wine culture, making it easy to enjoy delicious wines from a varied range at an affordable price point”, said Gerhard.

The Test Kitchen food was outstanding, and deep fried sushi was served before we started.  I chose a Trout tartar starter, which was light and perfect for the hot summer’s day.  As I had the kingklip when I had dinner at the restaurant in December, I ordered the beef fillet, and it is the softest I remember ever having, simply presented with green beans.   For dessert the choice was a cheese platter and lemon tart. 

The launch and tasting of the Overhex Wines International Balance range of wines, ‘paired’ with the wonderful food by Chef Luke-Dale Roberts of The Test Kitchen, and the gift pack of Balance wines, was the start to an exceptional day, which ended with the attendance at the U2 360° concert at the Cape Town Stadium for many attending the function.

Overhex Wines International, 71 Stockenström Street, Worcester. Tel (023) 347-6838.  www.overhex.com  Tuesday – Thursday 10h00 – 17h00, Friday and Saturday 10h00 – 16h00.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com  Twitter: @WhaleCottage