10 | FOOD & WINE
What's Cooking
28 August 2019
All that sparkles is Cap Classique
By Hedda Mittner
A
more apt name for this week’s column would be ‘What’s sparkling’, as I was recently entranced by a visit to the home of Genevieve MCC on a beautiful (almost) spring day. Nestling in the Botrivier Valley just off the Karwyderskraal Road, Klein Botrivier farm has undergone some major changes since my previous visit almost two years before. The old barn on this working farm has been restored to its former glory by Genevieve MCC founder, Melissa Nelsen, and now houses a charming tasting room, function venue, kitchen and bathroom. The barn spills out onto a spacious courtyard where hundreds of guests can be accommodated with ease. Taking centre stage at last week’s Show & Tell event was Melissa’s latest release, the Genevieve MCC 2015 Zero Dosage, a vibrant bubbly with crisp aromas of lime blossom, white peach and honeydew melon, an expressive toasty finesse and lingering finish. The Genevieve MCC Zero Dosage is only produced when the vineyards show exceptional quality and the harvest promises a truly distinguished vintage. The year 2015 was such a vintage and was selected as only the second release of the Zero Dosage extension, the previous one having been the 2012 vintage. "Only first-pressed cuvĂŠe juice is used and kept for a minimum of four years on the lees, with periodical assessments," says Melissa. "The aim is to show the purest expression of terroir and the cap classique quality without any added dosage [traditionally, the topping up of wine and addition of sucrose]." The Genevieve MCC 2015 Zero Dosage is a beautiful addition to Melissa’s Blanc de Blanc MCC, which bubbly drinkers have come to know and love. A real country girl at heart, Melissa grew up in Grabouw and initially pursued a career as a pilot in Johannesburg before her longing to return to her roots lured her back home. She had always had a love for bubbly and when the opportunity arose to make it, she jumped. “I thought, if I live to enjoy it, why not make it?â€? she says. Determined from the outset to make a sparkling wine of unsurpassed quality in the style of French Champagne, Melissa’s search for the perfect terroir and grapes led her to Botrivier, where she discovered the ideal pocket of Chardonnay, located in the Van der Stel Pass.
De Bos Farm, Karwyderskraal Road Upper Hemel�en�Aarde Valley
The name was a no-brainer. Melissa’s parents had spent much of their time in France and, inspired by the radiance and energy of Paris, decided to give Melissa the middle name ‘Genevieve’ in honour of the patron saint of this exuberant ‘city of light’. The first Genevieve MCC was released in 2010, a product of the 2008 vintage. "The initial decision on how much to make on a maiden vintage was based on the premise that it should be more than we and our friends could drink by ourselves, so I'd be forced to go out and sell the rest!" says Melissa. The result was 5 000 bottles – "Quite a lot more than we could drink ourselves!" After a very successful year she decided to double production and make this her business. And no wonder the market loved Genevieve MCC – old Chardonnay vineyards with quality yields and extensive time on the lees ensure elegant characteristics and style. Melissa’s philosophy is vigilant attention and consideration in the vineyard with minimal but concise intervention in the cellar, allowing each vintage to express itself from grape to bottle. The two cornerstones of her wine are that only a healthy vineyard can produce quality, and that maturation is essential for adding texture. The latter realisation came in 2011, when production was doubled to 10 000 bottles. "As much as I loved seeing my bubbles in wine shops and top-rated restaurants, I realised I was not presenting the Genevieve MCC at its most favourable release time,� says Melissa. "I made the decision to stop selling my product for eight months. It was financially unwise but created next-level quality.�
Melissa Nelsen (above), winemaker and founder of Genevieve MCC, found a new home in 2017 on the Klein Botrivier farm, where an old barn has been transformed into a delightful tasting venue. The farm also offers two self-catering cottages for those who enjoy the scenic beauty and tranquility of the countryside. PHOTOS: Hedda Mittner
Taking this risk yielded the desired results and Genevieve MCC is now being exported to Europe and, from this year, also to Canada. In 2017, Genevieve MCC achieved another milestone when Melissa discovered a working farm where her dream for a space to give visitors the "MCC experience" became a reality. Today, there are self-catering cottages alongside the vineyards and tasting venue, where lovers of the road less travelled can truly get away from it all and enjoy the unspoilt beauty of the Overberg at a time of year when the Botrivier countryside is at its most beautiful. Expect down-to-earth, laid-back hospitality – and lots of ‘real wine made by real people’. Genevieve MCC is open for wine tasting by appointment and available for private functions and accommodation. Contact melissa@genevievemcc.co.za or 083 302 6562.
ĉF 'SBNF )PVTF JT B NPEFSO XPPE BOE DBOWBT TUSVDUVSF UIBU IPVTFT UIF #PTNBO 'BNJMZ 7JOFZBSET 5BTUJOH 3PPN TVSSPVOEFE CZ TXFFQJOH WJFXT PG WJOFZBSET BOE GZOCPT WFHFUBUJPO 'PS XJOF MPWFST UIFSF JT B XJEF SBOHF PG #PTNBO XJOFT UP UBTUF FOKPZ BOE QVSDIBTF 0VUEPPS FOUIVTJBTUT DBO UBDLMF POF PG UXP DIJMEŕŹ‘GSJFOEMZ IJLFT UISPVHI UIF JOEJHFOPVT GZOCPT #BSJTUBŕŹ‘NBEF DPÄŽFF JT PO PÄŽFS www.bosmanhermanus.com | 063 083 5571 Trading Hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 09:00 - 17:00 Sunday: 10:00 - 16:00
MCC & Oyster bar Lawn games & live music Scrumptious food Horse rides for kids Farm & cellar tour Wine tasting
Sunday 1st September 2019 9am - 5pm R43, Bot River | 028 284 9902 | vineyards@endlessgroup.co.za
