Tag Archives: Platter wine guide

Banning alcohol marketing will cost jobs, unlikely to reduce drinking! What about Social Media?

Amstel deliveryThe government appears determined to proceed with the ban on alcohol advertising, something it has threatened for some years now, in a bid to reduce the drinking of alcohol, the target being a 20% reduction within the next seven years, reports The Times.  The proposal to ban such advertising was approved by a committee on substance abuse, consisting of a number of Ministers, earlier this week, and now the Minister of Health wants to present it to a Cabinet committee and then to Cabinet itself for approval.

The first step in the alcohol marketing ban, as contained in a draft ‘Control of Marketing of Alcohol Beverages Bill’ was the approval granted by a committee of Ministers of Sports (Fikile Mbalula), Trade and Industry (Rob Davies), Transport (Dipuo Peters), and Social Development (Bathabile Dlamini).  The public, the wine and other alcoholic beverages industries, and the Continue reading →

De Meye country winery and The Table Best Country-Style Restaurant tucked away in the countryside!

The first time that many food and wine lovers heard of De Meye Wines was at the Eat Out Top 10 Restaurant Awards in November, when its restaurant The Table at De Meye was announced as the Best Country-Style Restaurant.

The only thing that one heard at the Awards evening was that the restaurant is owned by a photographer who has done work with Eat Out Editor and Taste Food Editor Abigail Donnelly, and on Russel Wasserfall’s photography website he highly praises the styling talents of Mrs Donnelly for a shoot they did for Taste magazine.  The restaurant had only opened two or three months before winning the award. Given the Makaron Eat Out Best Style Award debacle, there were whispers that The Table at De Meye may also have fared well due to Mrs Donnelly’s working relationship with Russel.

I made a booking for a table at The Table at De Meye two weeks ago, and had the initial unpleasant experience of my booking having been accepted and subsequently cancelled, both because I had planned to come on my own (they only serve food in platters for two or more), and because of what we had written about Mrs Donnelly and the Makaron Eat Out Best Style Award on this blog.  I suspect that it also had to do with our criticism of the digital magazine Crush!, about which we have written a number of times, and for which Russel has done some amazing photography, which we acknowledged in our Crush blogposts.  At his demand, I had to send Russel an e-mail, promising that I would not write a review about my meal (he mentioned that they did not want to get into an Eat Out story about Abigail Donnelly, something I could have written without eating there – ultimately one must wonder what Russel has to hide), and that I would bring a friend, both of which I did.  The former directive is contrary to the freedom of speech, and occurred in the same week as the Beluga blogger ban.  I decided that I would see how the experience went, and to turn this blogpost into a story about De Meye Wines, with a comment about The Table restaurant, without calling it a Restaurant Review as such, so that I could keep my promise!

De Meye has been in the hands of the Myburgh family for close to 150 years, and is named after the Dutch river and town that the family originates from.   About 60% of the 100 hectare farm is planted to vine, according to the Platter wine guide, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Shiraz, Chardonnay, and Chenin Blanc.  Philip Myburgh is the owner of the farm now, with his mother Isabelle in the tasting room. The winemaker is Marcus Milner, who has been on the farm for 12 years, having previously worked at Warwick, almost around the corner.  I had not noticed the De Meye signage off the R45, opposite Kanonkop, which is the road that leads to Elsenberg and Muldersvlei, and as soon as one turns on to it, one gets a strong country smell from the horses on the first farm on this road.  I had never travelled on this road, and drove through the tiny hamlet of Elsenberg, in which the wine college is located.

The Platter evaluator Greg de Bryn wrote about De Meye: “The long-standing team at this quaint assemblage of recycled farm buildings has focused on a distinctive house style for their wines, and change is now more evolutionary.  Environmental considerations have always been a priority, and every step of the production process takes note of the carbon footprint it leaves”. The tasting room is in an old barn, and has an interesting collection of furniture, being the touch of The Table at De Meye Chef Camilla Comins, Isabelle told me, looking more like a family lounge.  Shelving displays the De Meye wines (the flagship Trutina 2009 blend, Shiraz 2009, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Merlot 2009, Shiraz Rosé 2011, Unwooded Chardonnay 2011, and Chenin Blanc 2011, as well as their Little River Shiraz 2010 and Cabernet Sauvignon 2010). The cellar door prices range from R42 to R110. For sale too is stewed fruit, marmalade, and relishes, all made by Camilla, and olive oil from Porterville. Some vegetables are grown on the farm, to feed the restaurant.

A friendship between Russel and a Myburgh family member brought Russel and his wife Camilla to the De Meye farm, and the family encouraged the couple to open up a restaurant in a disused barn, with exposed wooden beams, some with barbed wire, opening onto the kitchen. Overture chef Bertus Basson gave his blessing to the new venture. Tables are set inside and outside, with beautiful old English crockery, and the Hepp Exclusiv cutlery matches the style.  Fresh flowers are on the table, with coarse salt and an unusual-looking pepper grinder.  Material serviettes are provided. Russel is the host while Camilla prepares the delicious food.  No menu is presented – the website tells one to check the menu of the weekend ahead, and there is no choice offered.  One may indicate that one requires a vegetarian option however.  The menu changes week after week.  The price is R250 per person, an increase of 11 % since an article was written about the restaurant in the Sunday Times food supplement in December. The De Meye wine prices are not indicated when sitting outside, but are very reasonable – the Shiraz Rosé (R20 per glass) has a beautiful blush colouring, and was a most refreshing ‘antidote’ to the 36°C heat of the day.  Russel and Camilla live in Paarl, where she works at Roses Handmade confectionery company in the week, making fudge, nougat, toffees, and Turkish delight for Woolworths.  Russel does photography for a Norwegian contract and one local unnamed retainer client (probably Crush!, as its logo is on his photography website), with other projects in-between.

Russel was a most engaging host, informative, explaining each dish and its origin, and leaving my friend and I lots of time to catch-up after a thirty year absence.  We did not feel rushed to eat, and Russel checked regularly that the glasses were filled. The starter was a salad of free-range hormone-free chicken livers, with Steve the Magic Man’s organic baby leaves, topped with fried beetroot, the livers having a slightly tangy after-taste from a little chilli.  With the starter came lovely bread topped with poppy seed.  The butter is made in a historic churner, Russel said.  The main course was an oven-roasted Karoo lamb, served with the most beautiful vegetable platter I have ever seen, containing a Moroccan-style carrot salad, hasselback potatoes, and fried cherry tomatoes.  One feels sorry to not finish the generous helpings that are served, hoping that Chef Camilla will not be offended if the plates are not returned licked clean!  The dessert was a famous ‘Ouefs a la nege’ (sic), (‘oeufs a la neige’ being ‘eggs in snow’), a soft meringue in créme anglaise and served with summer berries, a perfect end to a perfect meal.

We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon, well looked after by Camilla and Russel in terms of food, wine and personal service, and the Eat Out Best Country-Style Restaurant accolade is well deserved.  It is a shame that they should have caused such a fuss about the booking and blogging conditions prior to our arrival.

POSTSCRIPT 24/8: I have seen correspondence between Russel and a supplier of communication services, and his interaction is filled with arrogance.  He disparagingly refers to this review, yet quotes the positive parts from it!  One hopes that Chief Eat Out Judge Abigail Donnelly will see this side of her award-winners too, and consider carefully awarding the Best Country Restaurant to The Table at De Meye again.  It appears that Russel has had a paragliding accident, and will only back at the restaurant in September.

POSTSCRIPT 27/7/13: Russel Wasserfall and his wife let go of the restaurant a few months ago, and it is now run by Luke and Jessie Grant, previously of Nook in Stellenbosch.

De Meye Wines, Muldersvlei Road, off R45, Stellenbosch.  Tel (021) 884-4131.   www.demeye.co.za Mondays – Fridays.

The Table at De Meye, Stellenbosch. Tel 083 252 9588.  www.thetablerestaurant.co.za Friday, Saturday and Sunday lunch.

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

Pub Review: Watching the World Cup at Foresters Arms

Foresters Arms, or Forries as it is commonly known, is a Newlands landmark, having been built as an inn in 1880, as a halfway station between Cape Town and Simonstown.  With its English Tudor style building, I chose it as the pub to watch the England versus Slovenia match.  

I had not been to Forries since an Ikeys/Maties Intervarsity rugby match about 35 years ago, and it felt as if the interior of the pub had not changed one bit since then!   It comes across as a goldmine, into which no money has been re-invested for years, at least not as far as its decor goes.   Its wagon-wheel lamps, black and white photographs of the original inn, its wooden benches and tables, set up school-wise so that one sees the backs of the persons in front of one, and old-fashioned menu design all date the pub.  I was disappointed with the lack of “gees’ of the predominantly England supporters, even though the pub had lots of flags up outside the building, the staff wore soccer shirts (the only pub visited that showed its World Cup spirit in this way), and England was winning. 

In addition to the very extensive menu, a reduced World Cup laminated menu is presented.  The reduced menu offers 200 gram baskets of crumbed mushrooms for R 47, and barbeque ribs for R 43, and a 250 gram basket of peri-peri chicken wings for R 40.  A 250 gram “super rump” steak sounds good value at R 78, while three wrap choices cost around R 60.  A Moroccan chicken salad costs R 58.  I saw some patrons order chips, probably the most popular item on the menu, which cost R 17/R34.

The main menu, whilst offering varied choices, almost seems overdone, especially as I hardly saw anyone eating during or before the match.   It offers every possible food type, starting with breakfast options ranging from R 28 – R 49; eight starters range from R 35 – R 58, and include chicken livers, mussels, springbok carpaccio; all steaks are 250 gram, and the most expensive is the fillet steak at R 135, not inexpensive at that price.   Salads range in price from R58 – R 65, and it is surprising there is such a choice available, given that most patrons I saw were male.   Fourteen pizza options are offered, the most expensive being a Figaro Pizza (bacon, blue cheese, and figs).  I had the pizza with a mushroom, asparagus and avocado topping, and was extremely disappointed – I could not taste the asparagus, yet tasted something in a sauce, covered in cheese.  It tasted most unappetising, and was not attractive either, yet cost R 68.   Fish and chips cost R 60.  Schnitzel, chilli steak and steak rolls are also available.  As if this is not enough choice, they have a section called “A la carte” – was the rest of the menu not that already? – with a mix-match of Gourmet Karoo Lamb Burger (R65), calamari strips, tiger prawns (8 for R 135), steak and kidney pie, chicken pie, mussels, gammon steak, green chicken curry and pork ribs.  A carvery at R 95 is another option, but is only served on Sundays and public holidays.  The manager told me that the steak and kidney pie, the Forries pizza and their burgers are by far the most popular menu items.

The winelist is introduced as follows: “The wines we have selected have also been accredited by the Platter Wine Guide”.  One cannot imagine anyone drinking other than beer at Forries, but they do sell some very inexpensive wines by the glass (R18 for Robertson Chapel white and rose), Savanha Chardonnay costs R 22,  and Spier Cabernet Sauvignon and Barista cost R 35 each.  John B wines cost R23.   But Forries also stocks Moet et Chandon at R 700; Simonsig and Graham Beck sparkling wine at around R 200; Spier Private Cellar shiraz costs R 230.  Corkage is charged at R 30.

“Forries offers the largest selection of draught beer in the Cape”, according to the winelist, and its 500ml Amstel and Windhoek cost R20,50; Castle costs R18,50; Hansa R18; Mitchels R20; Peroni R22,50; Pilsner Urquell R24,50; and Guinness R25,50 – these prices are very good value compared to bottled beers served at other pubs.   The quantity of beer is not specified nor requested when ordering, and I was only told afterwards that a 330ml size was available for all the draught beers.

It is hard to imagine what attracts clients to Forries, other than the tradition of going there from varsity days, good parking availability, and its good value and range of draught beer.  It cannot be the food (the worst of all the pubs to date) nor the decor.   I rated it luke-warm on World Cup “gees”, and nothing would drag me back to Forries again.

Foresters Arms, 57 Newlands Avenue, Newlands.  Tel 021 689-5949.  No website, but www.forries.co.za will go live in “about a month”!

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

Platter pours taste of 2010 winners

The highly regarded South African wine guide Platter’s has announced its two winning white and red wines for 2010, being Palladius 2008 from Sadie Family Wines, and Le Riche Wines’ Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005.

Platter’s Wine Guide has given an early taste of its winning wines, and has also revealed that 41 wines have made the highly-sought after 5-star category, the highest number of 5-star wines since Platter’s was introduced.  As the Platter’s Wine Guide will only reach the shops in November, few clues as to the Winery of the Year, Superquaffer of the Year, and the five-star wines have been revealed.

However, the Platter’s media release states that 6 000 wines were evaluated this year, and 105 of these made the five-star shortlist, for the final selection of 41.  By wine variety, five-star winners include 5 sauvignon blancs, 5 Bordeaux-style red blends, 4 Bordeaux-style white blends, 4 shiraz wines, 4 unfortified dessert wines, 3 ports, 3 chardonnays, 2 cabernet sauvignons, 2 Pinot Noirs, 2 red blends, 1 grenache, 1 chenin blanc and 1 pinotage.

Platter’s has also revealed that multi 5-star winners are Woolworths, with four 5-star wines, which include a sauvignon blanc and a bordeaux-style red blend.  The other two 5-star Woolworths wines have not been revealed.   Boplaas Family Vineyards, traditionally a port winner, Cape Point Vineyards, Distell (5-stars for its Nederburg and Fleur du Cap wines) and Sadie Family Wines are also multi 5-star winners.

The Platter’s South African Wine Guide will be launched in November, with a detailed evaluation of all the South African wines tasted.

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com