Fromage A TEMPTING INSPIRATION
August 2018
Studies on Rum ~ Copeland Rum • Travel ~ A celebration of Artisan - Klein River Cheese Travel ~ The home of fine wines and fast horses - Avontuur Estate • La Petite France
From the Publisher
Finally there is a feeling that, the warmer days are just around the corner, so for our final winter issue, we feature a heart warming Cheese Fondue, the recipe courtesy Klein River Cheese. Klein River Cheese also produces a wonderful variety of artisanal cheeses, which you can enjoy directly on the estate, or make a day of it, with a their picnic basket selections.
Publisher
Small batch gins have been widely featured in our previous issue, but in August we introduce a South African first in Copland Rum, they are Cape Town based, but have already appointed a distributor in Gauteng.
Thanks to Cezanne Kouta, owner of Eqighteen13, wine boutique shop, who kindly offered to do a regular Wine of the Month feature, they also have monthly wine tasting evenings, which are a lot of fun and very informative, all this can be found on the events page. Enjoy...
Michele Wood
Fromage A TEMPTING INSPIRATION
August 2018
Michele Wood +27 713944939 fromagemagazine@gmail.com
Design
Michele Wood +27 713944939 fromagemagazine@gmail.com
Contributors
Allan Dell La Petite France Cezanne Kouta Wine of the Month Cobie van Oort Avontuur Estate James Copeland Copeland Rum Luke Williams Cheese of the Month Nicolene Els Klein River Cheese
Photography
Claire Gunn Culture Club Cheese Jacqui S Photography Cheese Fondue Keli van der Weijde Copeland Rum Front Cover
Studies on Rum ~ Copeland Rum • Travel ~ A celebration of Artisan - Klein River Cheese Travel ~ The home of fne wines and fast horses - Avontuur Estate • La Petite France
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Creation wines www.creationwines.com La Petite France www.lapetitefrance.co.za Styling: Michele Wood
Home of Fine Wine & Fast Horses
• Award-winning wines • Pot-stilled Brandy & Methode Cap Classique • Themed tastings and pairings • Cosy indoors seating
Avontuurestate tel: +27 21 855-3450 | info@avontuurestate.co.za | www.avontuurestate.co.za
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La Petite France The Camembert recipe was developed by a French cheese maker living along the road to Hilton College in the KZN midlands. To get the authentic French flavour, the most important ingredient is the milk. It needed to be similar to the traditional milk produced on the sweet natural pastures of France. These days that is rare to find. However, that is where the association between La Petite France and Preston Farm began.
Studies on Rum
I’ve always had a taste for rum, even when it wasn’t very good rum and I didn’t know any better. Luckily tastes evolve over time, and I’ve been lucky enough to follow my dreams and allow them to change as I’ve changed and evolved.
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36. Cheese of the Month Karoo Blue and Forest Phantom
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BUSHWILLOW GIN Full-bodied with earthy, woody notes offset by an edge of lime. Warm-hearted and full of character.
Flowstone Gin - Developed and perfected in the Cradle of Humankind. Explore intriguing nose and taste profiles created from the unique wild botanicals of the African Bush. Blossoms, seeds and fruits, are carefully selected and fully distilled with traditional botanicals and the purest alcohols to produce sophisticated, multi-layered, beautifully balanced gins. FLOWSTONE WILD CUCUMBER, MARULA & BUSHWILLOW GIN Enquries: 012 205 1271 Trade: Kyle 071 631 9003 www.flowstone.co.za
2017 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards 2018 Women’s Wine Spirits Awards
40. Wine of the Month Sanniesrust ~ Cinsaut Wildehurst ~ Chenin Blanc Rainsbow End ~ Cabernet Franc
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46. Travel ~ A Celebration of Artisan... Klein River Cheese Klein River Cheese Farmstead is a celebration of cheese, picnics and family. We exist to unleash the inner artisan in every one of us. We are not just creating cheese and picnics but inspiring chefs and romantics, nature lovers and healthy, family-centered ambassadors. Our cheese is a vehicle to join the artisan movement. Klein River Cheese Farmstead is not only about our products, it’s our culture.
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56. Cheese Fondue
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62. Travel ~ The home of fine wines and fast horses Avontuur Wine and Thoroughbred Estate, owned by the Taberer family, is situated on the southwestern slopes of the Helderberg on the R44 road which connects Somerset West and Stellenbosch, in South Africa’s prime wine growing district. Brothers Michael and Philip Taberer are closely involved with the day-to-day running of the Estate.
78. Creation Cape Vintage Imagine the temptation of peppery pimento spice mingling with aromas of dried apricot and peach, the nostalgic fragrance of Banksia rose ‌ Imagine the lure of honeyed fruit, a hint of black cherry, the lingering reward of anise ..
Regulars
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Indulgence ~ Flowstone Gin
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Indulgence ~ Steenberg Merlot
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Experience ~ Nedbank Cape Winelands Guild Auction
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Experience ~ Eighteen13 Wine Tasting evenings
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Flowstone Gin ~ Wild African Botanicals
indulgence
The days when Gin was a summer drink are long gone. Todays wonderful new style gins are perfect all year round and the myriad of serving suggestions means that there’s a gin drink for every kind of weather.
Bushwillow Dirty Donga Martini This one will really warm the cockles of your heart
2 parts Flowstone Bushwillow Gin Dash Strega / Aquavit Dash of brine from jar of green olives Shake over crushed ice in a Martini shaker Pour into a martini glass
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Spritz 2 olives with truffle oil – add to martini Luscious earthy, forest undergrowth and wild fungus notes will warm you right through Once you’ve had a Dirty Donga let your imagination run wild
Flowstone Gin Char This is very, very good Flowstone Bushwillow Gin has a wonderful and unusual combination of woody earthy notes. This makes for a great full-bodied gin drink in summer, but also lends itself to all kinds of experimentation come winter. One of our favourites is the Gin Char
Take a few unsalted cashew nuts. Toss them in a dry pan over high heat until they brown. Do it a little longer, you want some seriously charred areas and a good char nose coming from them. (Do extra because you wont be able to resist nibbling). Do the same with a pinch of fennel seeds but remove them from the pan as soon as they start to take colour. Grind coarsely in a pestle & mortar
2 parts Flowstone Bushwillow Gin 3 -4 parts Fitch & Leedes Indian tonic Mix a G&T as usual. Float 4/5 cashews on top and sprinkle with a pinch of ground fennel seeds, a sprig of thyme or dill. Wedge of lime optional.
Flowstone Marula Hot Toddy Why waste a hot toddy on the flu. Try this Flowstone Marula Toddy round the campfire, on the couch or from a flask at a winter sports match In a small sauce pan, heat 2 parts water, ¼ - ½ tsp honey When the honey has dissolved add 1 – 2 parts orange juice, remove from heat as soon the mixture is hot again (Don’t boil) Pour into a glass add 2 parts Marula Gin.. Garnish with a orange studded with a clove. Stir with a cinnamon stick, Remove. Add sprig of thyme Yum!!!
Photography: Curtis Gallon August 2018 Fromage 11
Savour cooler climes with Steenberg Merlot
indulgence
Concentrated berries with savoury notes of dried fynbos, lavender and fresh rosemary make Steenberg Merlot the ideal fireside comforter on chilly autumn or winter days.
Crafted from vines on the cool Steenberg foothills, the fresh and vibrant 2015 vintage is richly rewarding with a mouthful of plum, dark chocolate and black olives. “With the change of seasons from summer into autumn, our food preferences change in turn to warmer, flavoursome and richer dishes. Our Steenberg Merlot is rich in generosity and warmth with a rounded texture which makes it a fantastic food-friendly wine,” Says winemaker JD Pretorius. Made for the long haul with the tannin and acidity in perfect balance, the Steenberg Merlot 2015 has the potential to age beautifully for up to 15 years. No wonder it is the top selling Steenberg red wine. It’s a slam dunk with red meat. Chef Kerry Kilpin of Steenberg’s popular Bistro Sixteen82 recommends a delicious grilled sirloin drizzled with a whisky and black pepper jus and a green pea and tomato salsa. The 2015 vintage has stood up well to critical acclaim with a 92/100 rating from British Master of Wine Tim Atkin in his South Africa 2017 Special Report. Steenberg Merlot 2015 is available at a cellar door price of R175. For more information visit www.steenbergfarm.com or #LiveSteenberg on Twitter @SteenbergWines and Facebook at facebook.com/steenbergestate.
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Bistro Sixteen82 Grilled Sirloin, Whisky and Black Pepper Jus, Green Pea and Tomato Salsa Serves 2 2 x 220g sirloin steaks Olive oil Salt and pepper 50g wild rocket Green Pea and Tomato Salsa 80g cooked peas 80g cherry tomatoes quartered 5g chopped parsley 10ml olive oil Squeeze of lemon juice ½ red onion chopped Combine all the ingredients for the salsa and season with salt and pepper. Black Pepper Jus ½ red onion chopped 4 button mushrooms chopped Canola oil 250ml beef stock 250ml cream 3ml crushed black pepper 60ml whisky
Sauté the onion and mushroom with a little oil until nice and brown, deglaze with the whisky and bring to the boil. Add the black pepper and stock and reduce by half. Add the cream and reduce by half. Blend with a stick blender and season with salt. Taste and, depending how strong you like your black pepper, add more if necessary. Season the sirloins with salt, pepper and olive oil. Preheat your pan until nice and hot. Pan fry your steaks 2 Fromage Autumn 2018
to desired cooking degree. Allow your steak to rest for 2 minutes before slicing. Slice the sirloin in half, place on a bed of rocket, top with the green pea and tomato salsa and drizzle the black pepper jus on the plate. Serve with a glass of delicious Steenberg Merlot.
Enjoy!
August 2018 Fromage 13
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Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction
Experience
Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase offers wine treasure trove Cape Town: Thursday, 16 August 2018 Johannesburg: Wednesday, 22 August 2018
Embark on a journey of discovery into rare, exceptionally crafted wines at the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase to be held in Cape Town on Thursday, 16 August and Johannesburg on Wednesday, 22 August 2018. This public tasting gives wine enthusiasts the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of South Africa’s top winemakers, while tasting unique collectors’ wines crafted exclusively in small volumes for the 2018 Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction, to be held on Saturday, 29 September. Spanning over 33 years of winemaking prowess, these auction wines are sought after for their creative edge and enduring quality. The Showcases allow wine lovers to experience these greatly diverse wines as well as other acclaimed flagship offerings by Guild members in an interactive, walk-around tasting hosted by the winemakers themselves. Showcase-goers will also have the opportunity to contribute towards the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust by bidding on rare, signed bottles from previous Guild auctions during the Silent Auction. Founded in 1999, the Development Trust seeks to sustain the health of the wine industry by educating, training and empowering young talent through initiatives such as the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme, a highly acclaimed mentorship scheme for upcoming winemakers and viticulturists.
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Cape Town Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase Thursday, 16 August 2018 Cape Town International Convention Centre – Grand Ballroom (First Floor) 18:00 – 21:00 R350 per person, includes a tasting glass Tickets can be purchased via www.webtickets.co.za Johannesburg Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase Wednesday, 22 August 2018 The Atrium, Nedbank Sandton, 135 Rivonia Road 18:00 – 21:00 R350 per person, includes a tasting glass Tickets can be purchased via www.webtickets.co.za The Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction will take place on Saturday, 29 September 2018 from 09h00 at Spier Conference Centre in the Stellenbosch Winelands. The auction is open to the public. Telephonic and proxy bidding options are also available to those unable to attend in person. Registration for the Auction and VIP Lounge will close on Wednesday, 19 September. To find out more and to purchase tickets to the VIP lounge on auction day, visit: www.capewinemakersguild.com, email info@capewinemakersguild.com or call Tel: +27 (0)21 852 0408. Cape Winemakers Guild Contact: Kate Jonker Tel: +27 (0)21-852 0408 E-mail: kate@capewinemakersguild.com
August 2018 Fromage 17
Experience
August 2018
Eighteen 13 ~ Wine Tasting Evenings
7pm - 8.30pm
Thursday, 2nd August Terroir Night focused on Stellenbosch Wine Region In this class we will showcase wines from Stellenbosch, explaining what makes the region so special as well as tasting some of the wines we believe are great from the region.
Thursday, 9th August Quiz Night This is our monthly Wine Quiz night. The evening will consist of a wine tasting and a quiz night that is focused on general knowledge and not wine specific questions.
Thursday, 16th August Big Bold Reds In this class we will be showcasing wines that match the name of the class, big bold red wines!
Thursday, 23rd August Weird Grape Night In the weird grape night wine class, we will be showcasing unusual wine varietals that most people haven’t yet heard of.
Thursday, 30th August Macaroon & Bubbly Pairing In this class we will be pairing macaroons to MCCs. The evening will consist of 4 bubblies and 4 macaroons paired together.
Saturday, 1 September August Wine Tasting! Our August wine tasting will be an all-day event where we show more than 20 wines for people to try throughout the day on walk-in basis and requires no upfront RSVP.
All our Thursday night events are R100 per person and our 1 September event is R50 per person.
Cedar Square Shopping Centre Tel: 011 467 9709 • Mobile: 078 377 8862 • cezanne@eighteen13.co.za www.eighteen13.co.za 18 Fromage August 2018
WE PRIDE OURSELVES WITH ENJOYABLE MASTER CLASSES IN DELICIOUS WINES
Cedar Square Centre Willow Avenue Fourways , Johannesburg 2068 www.eighteen13.co.za Wine Made Simple
August 2018 Fromage 19
La Petite France By Allan Dell.
20 Fromage August 2018
The Camembert recipe was developed by a French cheese maker living along the road to Hilton College in the KZN midlands. To get the authentic French flavour, the most important ingredient is the milk. It needed to be similar to the traditional milk produced on the sweet natural pastures of France. These days that is rare to find. However, that is where the association between La Petite France and Preston Farm began. 2 Fromage Autumn 2018
August 2018 Fromage 21
To this day, the Jersey and Swedish Red cows of Preston Farm produce the delicious milk that imparts our whole range of dairy products with natural sweetness. Throughout the year they graze exclusively on pastures growing in the misty hills of the Karkloof thus avoiding genetically modified, high gluten grain crops. Such crops are also usually sprayed regularly with insecticides and herbicides. In early 2013 Grant Warren, the owner of Preston Farm, bought the La Petite France brand and moved the production facility onto the farm and close to the dairy. This meant that the cheese could be produced with the freshest milk, no transporting or storage involved! The farm and factory are
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run with the same philosophy of sustainability. The health and well-being of the cows as well as that of the consumer are uppermost in mind. The cows are not pushed for production and high quality milk is produced in a stress free environment, the cows being allowed to graze free range to their fill. The cheese and other dairy products are made by keeping things simple and natural. Nothing but good milk and cultures are used after which it is left to nature and time to weave their magic. The staff at La Petite France are all encouraged to enjoy their work and are empowered by continuous learning. This is important as it is their hands which produce the artisanal products. The natural seasonal and
sometimes daily variations of artisanal products are a marketing challenge. Big companies require a consistent commercial product which is mass produced for retailers who demand consistency and low prices. Camembert production is particularly prone to variations. The cheese will be different depending on the conditions on the day of production. Summer time is particularly challenging in the Midlands as the weather may vary from hot to cold and from stormy to misty all within 24 hours! 24 Fromage August 2018
We are grateful and humbled to regularly receive correspondence from consumers who take the time to tell us of their appreciation of the flavour and quality of our products. The Brie and Camembert are the flagships of La Petite France and we recently received a message from someone who took a Camembert to her parents in France. They said the cheese took them back to their childhood. This is very gratifying and serves to motivate us when things are not going according to plan.
Another challenge which we face at La Petite France is the seasonal fluctuation in the milk supply. To manage this we have introduced and continue to introduce, new products. We are grateful to friends and family who act as tasting guinea pigs for their honest feedback and for showing us how difficult it is to please everyone!
Please visit Preston Farm to soak up the tranquility of the farm atmosphere at our cafĂŠ and shop situated at our factory. You may visit our website at www.lapetitefrance.co.za for further information.
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HYDEAWAY FARM The Way It Should Be
Producers of artisan cheeses of exceptional quality Nurturers of our people, our animals and the environment
Boerenkaas – Gouda – Cumin Gouda – Mustard Gouda – Chillipep Gouda – Greek Feta – Fromage Frais – Biltong Fromage – Chilli/Ginger/Garlic Fromage – Probiotic Yoghurt – Yoghurt with Raw Honey
HYDEAWAY CHEESE – JOYFUL JERSEYS STUD – MORNING STAR STABLES – FARM VISITS AND TOURS www.hydeawayfarm.co.za – www.joyfuljerseys.co.za dinki@hydeawayfarm.co.za
Dinki 083 254 3921
Studies on Rum By James Copeland
Photography: Keli van Der Weijde.
I’ve always had a taste for rum, even when it wasn’t very good rum and I didn’t know any better. Luckily tastes evolve over time, and I’ve been lucky enough to follow my dreams and allow them to change as I’ve changed and evolved.
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m...
August 2018 Fromage 29
I’ve been an electronic musician and DJ for almost 2 decades now and made my living playing music for euphoric crowds around the world from Japan to Brazil and most places in between. It’s been a hedonistic life to say the least, but always grounded by the love of my beautiful wife and the life we’ve been building with each other. A life that in the last few years has expanded to include new lives in the form of our sons and a new found desire in me to never leave their sides. Having children also got me thinking about what legacy I could leave for them, and music isn’t something you can easily pass on unless your progeny are prodigies. I slowly found myself unknowingly sabotaging my career in order to travel less, and I could see that I was in an unsustainable situation. But what to do? I was pretty much ruined for any other job after living as a musician for so long and traveling was the only way in which proper money could be made in the industry. It was while exploring a plantation in Mauritius that it all became clear. Seeing the fields of sugarcane transformed into an amazing product that possessed the same romance, elegance and terroir as the wine from the farms where I grew up made me realise that perhaps there was more to rum than pirates and pineapples. Perhaps my future could be intertwined with this noble spirit... Rum comes in many different varieties and styles, but broken down to its simplest forms, there are two main classifications based on what form of raw material is used. The legislation states that: “Rum is the spirit obtained by the fermentation and distillation of any sugarcane derived product”. With that in mind, there is nothing stopping you from fermenting refined white table sugar and calling it rum, but it won’t taste very good. You need flavour and character, and for that reason either molasses or fresh pressed sugarcane juice is used. Fresh pressed juice from the cane is quite self explanatory, and molasses is the sticky syrup left behind after the sugar crystallisation process. I like to think of it almost as a reduced sauce made from cane solids and a little residual sugar - packed with caramelised, sweet, dark fruity flavour and brilliant as the starting point for barrel aged rums. While most people classify rums as either white, amber and dark, the only difference between these can often just be the amount of caramel colourant added. That’s not to say there aren’t amazing oak aged rums to rival the finest whiskeys, brandies and cognacs - there most certainly are - but colour grading is not your guide here. Rum styles can be further categorised into three main camps all originating in the Caribbean. In 30 Fromage August 2018
Publisher chronological order these would be Jamaican or Barbados rum,categorised by high ester funky tropical flavours, the French Agricole styles which are treated as DOC regions in the same way Champagne is, and the Cuban light style rums. The Jamaican and Barbados rums are full bodied and often long aged, with strange fermentation practices that sometimes even involve infecting batches with bacteria that create very intense flavor profiles. By law they aren’t allowed to be adulterated with sugar or any other artificial flavorings after distillation, but most other countries are not such purists. The Cubans historically pioneered a method of highly rectifying and filtering rum to achieve a very light style which, for better or worse, rewrote the rum book and took the world by storm. These days, with modern technology, achieving a light and pure spirit is extremely easy and economical, but rewind almost a hundred years ago and you can imagine it would’ve been quite special and palatable in its day. According to the French islands like Martinique, Mauritius, Réunion, etc, molasses based rum is referred to as rhum industriel as opposed to the prefered rhum agricole made from the freshly crushed stalks of cane. The fresh juice is wild fermented and lightly distilled to achieve a rum retaining the flavour profile of the cane itself, expressing the character of the region it was grown, the varietal of cane and the manner of it’s harvest. Although it’s not quite on the same level of detail, you can see the similarities in this style of rum to fine wines and the ideology behind it. This was the inspiration I found in Mauritius and what captivated me. I wanted to be part of gentrifying rum, to take it beyond the sweetened kiddies drink for pirates that most of the world saw it as. I wanted to challenge myself, to learn, to start a new chapter in my life and build a legacy that would continue to mature and perfect all the way into the next generation of my little family. It also got me wondering : Why didn’t South Africa have a proud heritage of rum culture? Why did one of the world’s largest producers of sugarcane, with a history going back to the 1800s not have a single local brand? Surely somebody thought to make booze out of this stuff? Of course there are plenty of imported brands being blended and made in South Africa, but the fact remains: South Africa has no unique homegrown rum culture of its own. That had to change.
Photograph: Courtesy Bianca Davies
I started immediately. Calling up anybody I could think of in the industry, I got as much advice as I could and researched everything I could find on rum and distilling. Luckily I seemed to catch a bur August 2018 Fromage 31
geoning wave of interest both in rum and in home distilling, so the knowledge was out there if you were willing to wade through all the disinformation and dead ends. I was sure that the same passion, creativity and technical mindedness that had made me a successful musician would transfer to making me into a great distiller too. I was armed with knowledge, a decent still and I was good to go. There was just one problem. Where was the cane? Where was the molasses? At the time of my search, KwaZulu Natal had been in the grip of an industry-crippling drought for a few years and nobody was parting with a single stick of cane or a drop of molasses. I phoned every mill and worked every angle I could, but almost a year went by of tireless searching before I eventually struck molasses gold. Finally I could get to work, and my poor garage was never the same again... I’d lost my first prize of having fresh cane to work with and the romantic ideas of terroir. Living on the Cape Peninsula with its Mediterranean climate has it’s advantages, but certainly not for growing sugar cane. It’s shelf life is also very short once pressed so it’s logistically quite difficult to get it transported all the way here before spoiling. Molasses on the other hand doesn’t suffer from this problem, and once I got started with it, I left all feelings of regret behind. It became my new obsession to unlock what noble flavours were trapped inside this fascinating byproduct. Using the lowest grade - C grade or blackstrap molasses - gives a lower yield of sugar and hence less alcohol , but it contains the highest percentage of flavour compounds. Sometimes pure joy can come from the least pure of places and that is the case with making full flavoured rums. Molasses naturally contains a collection of flavors we humans love - spun sugar , cacao and caramel, as well as nuts and liquorice notes. Using special yeast strains isolated from the Caribbean cane fields further enhances the flavor spectrum by adding an entire palette of tropical fruit esters. These are metabolic by-products created by the yeast when it is slightly under stress, such as high fermentation temperatures like those found in the tropics. This will create pineapple, litchi and even jam like aromas. Manipulating the fermentation to create an intense flavourful base to work with then allows you to sculpt the rum in the distillation process, cutting away what you don’t want and focusing on what you do. For my white rum, these cuts are pushed to the edge to achieve a full yet balanced profile. Beyond this, the rum needs barrel aging to smooth out. Barrel aging is a huge topic of study on it’s own. While some spirits derive the majority of their fla32 Fromage August 2018
Publisher vour from the casks they are put in, most rum producers put their product into used barrels so as not to have the same intense wood flavor that a bourbon or a cognac would have. In fact, there is an interesting symbiosis between the rum in the Caribbean and the bourbon in the American South. By law, all bourbon has to be aged in brand new American oak barrels for a minimum of 2 years. This creates a surplus of once used barrels which are used for scotch whisky and for rum. This of course imparts a bit of bourbon flavour into the rum, but also helps it mellow without the rum character being dominated by raw new oak flavour. Personally, I’ve put a classic South African twist on this theme by aging my rum in used brandy barrels. It’s a nod to our local industry and puts an interesting spin on the usual bourbon/American oak story. It’s still going to be a while before they’re ready, but I’m in no rush. Although many substances have been simulated to try and mimic the effects of aging in oak barrels without the hassle and unpredictability, it still remains the perfect vessel for the job after hundreds of years. Back before the days of glass or metal containers, barrels of rum were transported on long journeys across the sea in oak casks. Those opening them on the other side found the spirits vastly improved and the idea caught on. A spirit containing various precursors (such as short chain fatty acids) chemically improves in a barrel largely due to micro oxidation caused by the porous surface of the wood “breathing” when it expands in the heat of the day and contracting at night. Spirit is drawn into the wood and squeezed out again, mingling with oxygen and of course the wood itself. This mellows the spirit by allowing harsher components to evaporate through the wood as well as to combine the short chain fatty acids into longer chains which you physically experience in your mouth as less abrasive. This process takes years and even if there were ways to cheat the work of time and get the same results quicker (as some would claim), what would you rather drink if given the choice? The rise of self proclaimed ultra premium rums, who mask a lack of quality and true aging with sweetening and artificial flavours, have become an issue. These products have more in common with liqueurs than rum and unfortunately the public is accepting these as aspirational rums of distinction. Why complain though? If somebody likes something they have the right to buy what they choose, right? The problem is a lack of honesty in labelling and the playing field is not level for those choosing to take the purist approach. Technically these are not pure rums. August 2018 Fromage 33
Back-sweetening , or sugaring a spirit after distillation increases the perception of age of the product, mimicking many more years in a barrel than the reality. This isn’t a problem when its used to honestly and openly make a young spirit taste better, but it is a problem when its used to fool the public into buying a young, raw rum that claims to be much older. This kind of practice has lead to the formation of a group of Jamaican and Barbados producers who have started a worldwide petition for honesty in labelling and creating proper designations to describe rum beyond just white, amber or dark. The designations are catching on worldwide with producers who support the notion applying the terminology to their products. 34 Fromage August 2018
On my bottle of Copeland rum, you’ll see it described as “Pure Single Rum“ which indicates its made from molasses, fermented and batch distilled at a single facility, and no blending or sweetening has taken place. Feeling the intentions of the distiller or producer in their patience and dedication , taking years to create something amazing in your glass is often more than half the joy and mystique of the product itself. I’ve got a barrel with my eldest sons’ name on it which will be 15 years old on his 18th birthday. He can have a hell of a party or invest it. I’ve fully embraced the Cape Peninsula as Copeland Rum’s home. It may not be tropical, but it sure
I spent a large chunk of my time during building the distillery designing gins, I ended up winning a very decent award for one of them. I have no personal interest in launching a gin brand myself, but I’ve certainly proved myself capable of the job. The added benefit is I learnt a lot of cool skills in building a spirit adding ingredients much like cooking a recipe as opposed to the traditional purist approach to fermenting and distilling rum, where the character of the spirit is achieved with zero outside intervention. My spiced rum is made with quite a few nods to the gin world. First of all, the rum is made as usual, but then it is redistilled with the vapours passing through my chosen botanicals as well as local clementine peel and honey. After that, certain fynbos ingredients are added to further enhance it’s flavour as well as color. The result is something unheard of in the artificially flavoured , sweet yet bland world of spiced rum, and yes - it’s pretty good with tonic. So since the time I started on this journey, rum has been dubbed “the next big thing” , the “new gin” and all kinds of nonsense.This surge in rum’s popularity has been great for entering into a receptive marketplace, but I’m not buying into the hype. With every boom, expect the bust, and I’ll still be here after all is said and done. I care more deeply about rum culture than just cashing in on a trend. Don’t call it a comeback rum has been here for years. Good rum, bad rum - its not going anywhere.
But exceptional rum is on the rise.
is a paradise. The cane might be grown further north, but rum and molasses is intrinsically linked to trade and the seas, having been shipped and distilled through history far beyond the tropics. If I think of it’s rugged beauty, rich history, and coastline scattered with shipwrecks I can’t help but feel the Cape of Storms is a place that deserves a legendary rum to call its own. To get a further expression of local flavor into the mix, I didn’t have to look further than the fynbos on my doorstep when creating my version of a spiced rum. Having enjoyed many a spice and coke in my day, I felt it was only proper that I create a grown up version for the discerning drinker, and there is plenty of fun to be had constructing such a beverage. 2 Fromage Autumn 2018
www.copelandrum.com james@copelandrum.com August 2018 Fromage 35
Cheese of the Mon
By Luke Williams, Culture Club Cheese Photography Courtesy Claire Gunn 36 Fromage August 2018
onth
August 2018 Fromage 37
Karoo Blue Raw Jersey cow Langbaken, Williston, Karoo, SA This unpasteurised cheese tells the story of the land and pastures upon which it is made. The hot, arid lands of Williston and its flinty, dusty soil intensify the strength of the minimal grazing available and Francy and Peter Schoeman work miracles here on their farm. It’s hard, sometimes fudgey, often flaky, always good. The blue veins can burst with zesty flavours and deep blue
Forest Phantom Goat Belnori, Bapsfontein, Gauteng, SA A beautiful cheese to wow guests. A winner from Rina in Bapsfontein. A lactic goats cheese, harking back to the French Valencay cheese. Aged in ash, the penicillium white mold grows in the first couple of weeks and is swiftly followed by a brain-like Geotrichum rind. A dense, lactic goats cheese. Comes in three different sizes. The logs don’t get their moldy ‘coat’ if not allowed to air.
Publisher
cultureclubcheese@gmail.com •www.cultureclubcheese.co.za • 087 150 9118 @lukecultureclub (instagram) • @Cultureclubcheese - facebook
Wines of the M By Cezanne Kouta, Eighteen 13, Boutique Wine Shop
40 Fromage August 2018
M Month
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Sanniesrust - Cinsaut 2016 Cinsault is the sexy varietal right now and this is one of my favourite. The wines are made by Pieter van de Merwe, who is also a winemaker at Edgebason Wine Estate. The name Sanniesrust was conceived by him paying homage to their family farm in the Free State, also the reason why the wine has the orange colour. Cinsaut has always been a largely planted grape varietal in South Africa and use to the cheap wine for student. The grapes produce lots of juice, are harvested late and are generally used as filler in many blends. The problem with this is that if you pick the grapes late, the wine tends not to be concentrated, and should therefore be harvested early to maintain the concentrated flavours the grape can have. This is a great substitute for anyone looking for a Pinot Noir substitute and the wine is light and elegant.
Wildehurst - Chenin Blanc 2017 When you think South Africa you shouldn’t be thinking Pinotage but Chenin Blanc! Chenin Blanc is the most planted grape in South Africa and thrives under our climate. This wine by Wildehurst is a great example of how winemakers are approaching the grape. I believe Chenin needs oak in the same way Chardonnay needs oak. Most commercial Chenin Blancs tend to be unoaked, which leaves the wine with higher acidity and more comparable to a Sauvignon Blanc. When you oak a Chenin Blanc, it perfectly rounds the wine and reduces the naturally high acidity in the grape. Wildehurst believes in keeping the wine as natural as possible and therefore doesn’t add commercial enzymes or acids, and makes use of natural yeast which perfectly shows the terroir. The vineyard is one of the only farms out in Koringbera in the Western Cape and is definitely worth the visit and stay!
Rainbow’s End - Cabernet Franc 2016 As far as Cabernet Franc reputations go, the Rainbow’s End Cabernet Franc certainly is way up there. However, most people have never heard of the vineyard. Rainbow’s End is in the Jonkershoek mountain in Stellenbosch and is situated 540m above sea level. The vineyard is owned by the Malan family and Anton (winemaker) and brother Francois(viticulturist) work as a great duo and understand the vines perfectly. When you drive to the estate, you will take a rocky, gravel road there, but at the end is some of the best red wines you’ll ever try! Their wines are highly regarded internationally and a big role in the quality is from the fact that they are high above sea level, but still under the warm Stellenbosch sun. This allows the grapes to ripen optimally and their height allows cooler temperatures which balances the wines gorgeously. Without a doubt one of my favourite estates!
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FARM MADE! FROM OUR PASTURES TO YOUR PLATE! Visit the home of La Petite France handmade cheeses. Just 5 minutes from Howick, nestling in the rolling hills of the Karkloof, is Preston Farm, the home of La Petite France cheese. Using milk exclusively from our own herd, which is not pushed for production and not fed grains, we produce the La Petite France cheeses including Camembert, Brie, Hilton Blue, Tilsiter and three types of Feta, three types of Haloumi, full fat and fat free strained yoghurt amongst others, all the cheeses that South Africans have come to know and love. We make all our products by hand and still ensure the safest and best quality products with using only vegetable rennet and no preservatives, additives or stabilisers. We have been certified Halaal by SANHA recently. Come and enjoy a brunch, lunch or cream tea / coffee at the La Petite France Cheese Café.
CHEESE CAFÉ
Soak up the ambiance of our working dairy farm in our newly opened café for lunch, brunch, cream tea or just a coffee. Opening times: Thursday - Sunday &public holidays, 10am - 4pm.
FARM SHOP Available in the shop are all our cheeses and our favourite accompaniments for them, with other local produce. Opening times: Monday - Friday 8am to 4pm. Weekends & public holidays 10am to 4pm.
PRESTON FARM, No 9 Karkloof Road, Howick. Tel : 033 940 0985
A celebration of art
Kl 46 Fromage August 2018
tisan...
lein River Cheese By Nicolene Els
August 2018 Fromage 47
Klein River Cheese Farmstead is a celebration of cheese, picnics a We are not just creating cheese and picnics but inspiring chefs and
Our cheese is a vehicle to join the artisan movement. Klein River C The family-run business has been crafting cheese for more than twenty years on the Farmstead. Klein River Cheese Farmstead is situated near Stanford, an art and foodie heritage village, surrounded by a lazy, meandering river, lush forests and grey-cliff, jagged mountains. The farm is also the home of the Baleta family since March 2015. They are dedicated to ensuring that we live and work in tune with our environment, community and Farmstead. The culture at Klein River Cheese Farmstead is all about producing cheese in an artisanal manner and to create a unique product with great care and passion. We do this by applying traditional methods and ethical practices in our cheese factory and family farmstead. Our small and dedicated team, many of whom have been working on the farm for more than ten years (some more than twenty years) still practice the same methods in cheese-making since our very first day. From the land. About the land. Of the land. The supreme flavour, texture and aroma of a farmstead 48 Fromage August 2018
and family. We exist to unleash the inner artisan in every one of us. romantics, nature lovers and healthy, family-centered ambassadors.
Cheese Farmstead is not only about our products, it’s our culture. cheese links us to decades of history and country living. It connects us to the culture of the farmstead and to the circle of microbes, plants, animals, and people living in balance with one another and the environment. Klein River Cheese crafts 4 styles and 11 types of exceptional and award-winning South African cheese. Our cheese-maker, Jacko van Beulen, has been with us since day one and has extensive knowledge and experience in cheese craft. He merely looks at the milk and instinctively understands its quality and freshness. Jacko has processed more than 15 million litres of milk at Klein River Cheese.
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Klein River Cheese has recently been rebranded and we are very proud of our new look.
Welcome to our inner circle: Our Collection of Cheese
The circular shape reflects a head of cheese, the growth rings in a tree, a ripple of water to feed our souls and the wind that swirls through our valley. The concentric circles also define us as a family unit. Our Collection of Cheese consists of the following styles: Washed curd cheese – A process in which the curd is heated with direct addition of water into the vat. This creates a creamy, smooth and delicious cheese. Brushed rind cheese – Relies on cultures on the surface to stimulate ripening, while forming a rind and enhancing the aroma. Hard cheese – Complex round flavours develops during its slow and patient affinage. Young cheese – The cheese that everyone loves. Mild flavours and a young texture, only matured for 1 month.
The art of cheese making All our cheese is made using age-old artisanal methods. It is the Stanford grass that the cows eat which gives our cheese its delicious taste and sense of place. Jersey cows’ milk has a naturally high fat content, and this contributes to the flavour and texture of the cheese. We only use pasture-fed and pasteurised cow’s milk. 50 Fromage August 2018
The milk is sourced from 3 dedicated farmers within 20 km of the Farmstead and is free from hormones and antibiotics. For every 10 litres of milk, 1 kilogram of cheese is produced. At Klein River Cheese, we process about 3 000 litres of milk every day – making only 300 kilograms of handcrafted cheese on a daily basis! We don’t add any colourants to our cheese, therefore, you may notice differences in colour as the seasons change. We have always prided ourselves in being Halaal and vegetarian friendly, by using a microbial rennet and not a rennet which is derived from animals. The non-animal, microbial rennet we use, is produced by the fermentation of fungi. Traditionally, calf rennet has been regarded as the ideal cheese coagulant because of its highly specific milk clotting activity. The microbial rennet that we use shares this characteristic and is rapidly winning ground all over the world to be the preferred choice of the cheesemaker.
Therefore, our cheese is 100% happy and vegetarian friendly. The magic fermentation and renneting in cheesemaking is enchanting. The transformation of milk into curd and whey is extraordinary. After the cheese has been molded into big wheels, it’s placed into brine baths and kept there for 48 hours. This helps slow down acid development and encourages a rind to form on the cheese. The brine bath also draws out excess moisture from the cheese, adding a fuller, salty flavour and discouraging bad bacterial growth on the surface of the cheese. The final crucial step in the process is Affinage. Affinage, or maturing, is where the cheese really starts to develop its true flavour and is an art in itself. Affinage is a French word that comes from the Latin “ad finis”, meaning “towards the limit”. In cheese terms, it describes the science and art of cheese maturation.
Each of our 10 maturation rooms has a very specific, controlled, and measured temperature, humidity, and airflow as each type of cheese has different maturation needs. Depending on the type of cheese, Affinage may vary from one month to one year. Weekly our heads of brushed rind cheese are turned and brushed with love. The cheese is brushed with a brine solution which encourages yeast and mould growth, while establishing a good rind and enhancing the flavour by breaking down the fats and protein in the cheese. Brushed Rind Cheese rely on cultures on the exterior to galvanize ripening. The magic bacteria used in some of our cheese is B. linens, which is red in colour, thus resulting in a red cheese. It also provides the nutty, farmyard notes and earthy flavour which are savoured by many. In summary, the secret to exceptional cheese is lots of care and patience. August 2018 Fromage 51
As part of our age-old artisanal methods each cheese is cut by hand, by our dedicated and skilled dispatch team, using a sharp 1-meter long cheese knife.
Picnic Time Being proud locavores and Stanfordians, we always source the freshest ingredients and produce from our very own Farmstead and the Overberg region, thereby reducing our carbon footprint. We provide everything you’d need to create your own artisanal picnic including blankets, cheese boards, wine glasses and cutlery.
Klein River Cheese and the Environmentour drive towards sustainability Klein River Farmstead is an environmentallyconscious Farmstead and on a course for selfsustainability. It has been our mission over the last few years to live more in tune with our environment and Farmstead. Cheese, while being delicious and absolutely essential in our lives, requires a fair amount of energy to be made. Our proudest moment was the installation of a 27 kWh PV solar system on 26 October 2016 which has allowed us to save 3 tons of Carbon Dioxide and 3 MWh of power per month since its inception. That is 23 % of all electricity used in our factory and Farmstead. In essence, every 4th wedge of cheese purchased from us was made by the sun!
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A new environmentally friendly boiler system has allowed us to improve the efficiency of our heating systems needed for cheese-making. Also, an improved refrigeration system has recently been installed to reduce affinage energy. Our water is sourced from our very own dam and a wastewater wetland system is currently being designed. With all the rain we’ve had these last couple of weeks, our new 60 000 l water tanks are filling up fast and every stream is in full spate. All the whey by-product from the cheese-making is fed to our cattle on the farm – a great protein and energy source! We have also committed to a huge reduction in plastic use on the Farmstead and Picnic Shed. Our focus is on creating a sustainable and nurturing environment. Thus, we are proud to say that we have pledged to The Last Plastic Straw Movement and we do not provide straws or plastic shopping bags at the Picnic Shed, as these items can take up to 500 years to biodegrade! We have implemented a recycling system throughout the Farmstead and established Effective Microorganisms (EM) and 4 worm farms to create our own compost. These schemes have resulted in job creation for the local community, allowing Klein River Cheese Farmstead to promote locavore values and produce cheese in a sustainable manner. Klein River Cheese Farmstead joined the Trees for Tourism initiative a few years ago. The reforestation site is developing into a pristine indigenous forest eco-system which will be secure for generations to come. It gives us enormous pleasure to see all the indigenous trees we have planted over the last few years, standing straight and tall. Forest rehabilitation and alien clearing remain on our program and we are now readier than ever to plant 1000 trees in our new reforestation site, thanks to all the rain and our water tanks. To donate a tree or buy one for a loved one, you can purchase a tree at our Picnic Shed or visit the Trees for Tourism website, and we will plant it for you. We remain committed to green conservation practices in all we do.
Green Farmstead ~ Eco-friendly Cheese
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Furthermore, Klein River Cheese has received many awards through the years at the SA Dairy Championships and the World Cheese Awards. Receiving awards at these championships is a great motivation for the Klein River Cheese team. We are dedicated, as ever, in producing the finest, tastiest and highest quality cheese! When we compete for these titles, multitudes of cheese heads are cut open and tasted to ensure that we select the perfect head of cheese. Each head of cheese, even within the same batch, can have different, nuanced flavours. Thus, it is crucial we pick the right head! This year the full-flavoured Oak-Smoked Stanford and creamy, earthy and made-to-melt Raclette both achieved first place at the 185th SA Dairy Championships. There was a record number of 945 products entered across 10 categories in the competition, with a whopping 83 dairy producers partaking. Every year Klein River Cheese hosts a Winter Solstice Luncheon; and this year we got to share a cheese laboratory extravaganza with our cheese family and friends. The challenge was to experiment with weird and funky cheese pairings and come up with the most explosive combinations. Lots of new exciting ideas emerged as people got their creative juices flowing and their taste buds working. Be daring! You might be surprized at what flavour combinations brings our cheese to life. These days, people want fast, convenient and easy food. Sustainability, nurturing and health comes from slow, deliberate and the purposeful. It comes from the small things – the attention to detail. The land that cows graze, the quality of milk, the nurturing and art of the cheese-maker’s hand, the shuffle of the cheese brush and precision of the cheese cutter.
Klein River Cheese crafts cheese. Real cheese - slowly and purposefully.
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Fondue
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Cheese and Recipe Supplied by Klein River Cheese Photograph: Jacqui S Photography 58 Fromage August 2018
Delicious Cheese Fondue 1 ½ cups shredded Klein River Gruberg 1 ½ cups shredded Klein River Colby ½ cup shredded Klein River Raclette 2 to 3 Tbsp flour 1 clove garlic, halved 1 cup dry white wine 1 tsp lemon juice Splash of kirsch (Swiss liquor), optional Freshly ground pepper Pinch of nutmeg Crusty bread cut into large cubes
In a medium sized bowl, combine the three cheeses and Toss with the flour. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the garlic halves. Add the wine and heat over a medium heat until hot, but not boiling. Stir in lemon juice and kirsch. Add a handful of cheeses at a time to the wine mixture, stirring constantly and not adding more cheese until the previous has melted, bubbling gently and has the appearance of a light creamy sauce, season with pepper and nutmeg. Remove the pot from the heat and place over an alcohol safety burner on the table. Adjust the burner so that the fondue continues to bubble gently.
Serve with plenty of crusty bread cubes.
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Home of Fine Wine & Fast Horses
Avontuurestate tel: +27 21 855-3450 | info@avontuurestate.co.za | www.avontuurestate.co.za August 2018 Fromage 61
The home of... Fine Wines and F
By Cobie van Oort 62 Fromage August 2018
Fast Horses.
August 2018 Fromage 63
Avontuur Wine and Thoroughbred Estate, owned by the Taberer family, is situated on the southwestern slopes of the Helderberg on the R44 road which connects Somerset West and Stellenbosch, in South Africa’s prime wine growing district. Brothers Michael and Philip Taberer are closely involved with the day-to-day running of the Estate. Michael and Tara Taberer with younger brother Philip are closely involved with the Estate.
A popular restaurant and tasting room and regular events keep the Estate buzzing through the year. Winemaker Jan van Rooyen is responsible for Avontuur’s award-winning wines, and has been at the helm since 2011.
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Winemaker Jan van Rooyen is responsible for the wines produced by this much-awarded producer.
Publisher Var, Avontuur’s long-time resident stallion, has been responsible for some of South Africa’s top race horses over the last decade.
Lying restfully amongst the vines is Avontuur Thoroughbred Stud Farm where the emphasis has always been on quality rather than quantity. With two of South Africa’s best-known sires Var and Oratorio, standing at the Estate, Avontuur’s race horses are highly prized world-wide. Oratorio is newer on the block, but he is currently the leading sire of 2 year olds in the country and we look forward to much more to come from this proven sire.
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The Premiere range of wines are named after our race horses, which proves the synergy between wine and thoroughbreds.
Avontuur produces two wine ranges: The Premiere range with each wine named to commemorate one of our famous horses and the Estate range which is suitable for ageing, but can be enjoyed directly after purchase. Specialities include a Methode Cap Classique, a Natural Sweet Dessert wine, A Magnum and a 10 year old pot-stilled brandy. The Estate range offers value at more accessible prices, but without in any way standing back for the Premiere range.
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Avontuur’s limited edition 10-year old pot-stilled brandy is beautifully packaged and is the perfect gift for the man who has everything.
Special days or dates give us the chance to tweak these pairings to create a once-off experience like the recent Venison biltong and Red wine pairing for Father’s day.
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Visiting Avontuur estate... As you arrive at this family-owned winery and thoroughbred stud farm set against the Helderberg, the first things which catch your eye is the view towards False Bay and the green paddocks with their white fencing, filled with elegant race horses. Visitors love sitting out on the terrace for a wine tasting or lunch and are often seen wandering around taking photographs of the views, the horses and the gracious manor house, home of the Taberer Family, who have owned the Estate from the 1980’s.
What’s on at avontuur? Wine Tasting Enjoy a tasting of Avontuur wines presented by our professional staff in the tasting room or outside on the terrace, weather permitting. R50 pp for a choice of 5 wines excluding the 10 year old Estate Brandy. The brandy can be tasted for R20 extra or try a chocolate cup with the Brandy or the Above Royalty Natural Sweet Wine at R20 each. Open daily from Monday to Friday 08h30 -17h00 and Saturday & Sunday from 08h30 -16h00.
Speciality Tastings One of the most popular activities at the Tasting Room is the speciality tastings which offer a pairing of wine with treats like chocolate, biltong or macarons. These change regularly but our regular winter pairing of quality biltong with 5 of our wines at only R100 pp is hit! The pairing takes about 30 minutes.
Winemaker’s tutored tastings - winter. The third in our winter series of intimate tutored tastings by winemaker Jan van Rooyen will investigate the maturation potential of our most popular and highest rated white wine, Luna de Miel Chardonnay Reserve. With the 2017 vintage set to be released soon, an in-depth look at this intriguing wine which traditionally shows off nuances of orange peel, ginger and white peach, will make for a fascinating exploration of the older vintages from Jan’s vinoteque. As we only have 20 seats available, jump in quickly to get your spot. Date: Saturday, 21 July. Cost: R130 pp (Includes welcome drink, tutored tasting, light meal and coffee). Bookings essential at winery@avontuurestate.co.za or +27 21855-3450. August 2018 Fromage 69
A wine tasting sets the mood for a meal in the highly rated Avontuur Estate restaurant, which is usually in the Top 3 on Tripadvisor. Freshly made food using seasonal locally sourced ingredients, generous portions and decadent desserts ensure that once-off visitors often become regulars. The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch daily with dinners on Wednesdays and Fridays, and on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday during off-season. A very popular activity during Winter is the Early Bird Dinners on a Wednesday and Friday night only available between 17h00 and 19h00. This gives locals the chance to enjoy an early meal in our cosy restaurant in front of the fireplace for only R190 for 2-courses and R250 for three courses – obviously all enjoyed with our awardwinning wines.
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Tasting Room platters and farm walk If you don’t have time for a full meal, order our Cheese or Meat Platter in the tasting room for only R120 each – and enjoy that over a glass of wine inside or outside the tasting room. Visitors love the self-guided Farm Walk, which is combined with a Speciality pairing afterwards for R120 pp. It’s no wonder that Avontuur Estate is one of the busiest and most popular stops along the busy R44 route between Stellenbosch and Somerset West!
Other Activities Stud Farm visits
Bookings essential and depending on activities at the Stud at the time. Entry restricted. Mostly for particular interest groups i.e. Breeders, race horse owners etc. 30 – 60 minutes. Weekdays only. Enquire at info@avontuurestate.co.za
Breakfast Club Take a morning off and join the restaurant for their monthly breakfast club every second Wednesday of the month. Learn about how to improve your business skills with a different guest speaker every time! The price includes breakfast and loads of exciting giveaways! (Not available Dec/Jan) Enquire at 021 855 4296 or openhand@polka.co.za
Year-end functions, team-building events or functions We are happy to tailor-make an event to suit your theme or budget, and look forward to brainstorming some ideas! It can active, fun, informative or gourmet – or any of these! winery@avontuurestate.co.za
Contact us Winery: winery@avontuurestate.co.za or +27 21 855-3450. Open daily except Good Friday, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Hours: Mon-Fri 08h30-17h00. Sat, Sun & Public holidays: 08h30-16h00. Restaurant: openhand@polka.co.za or +27 855-4296. Open daily breakfast and lunch. Dinner Wed, Fri and Sat. Bookings essential. Social Media: Avontuur Estate @AvontuurEstate avontuurestate AvontuurEstate www.avontuurestate.co.za 72Fromage August 2018
Contributors List
Contact details are cultureclubcheese@gmail.com www.cultureclubcheese.co.za 087 150 9118
Website: www.draymans.com Office Tel: 012 804 8800 Moritz Cell : 082 787 9136 E-mail: info@draymans.co.za Address: 222 Dykor Road, Silverton, Pretoria, 0184 www.avontuurestate.co.za
wayne@buffaloridge.co.za www.buffaloridge.co.za 082 375 0977
Cedar Square Fourways • Tel: 011 467 9709
www.copelandrum.com james@copelandrum.com
Enquries: 012 205 1271 Trade: Kyle 071 631 9003 www.flowstone.co.za
Contact Details
Tel: +27 (0)28 2121107 info@creationswines.com www.creationwnes.com 74 Fromage Autumn 2018
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Ginifer Small Batch Handcrafted Tel: 011 608 1838 http://www.ahbev.com/. www.lapetitefrance.co.za
GOAT PETER Contact Us
Alastair: Cellphone: + 27 72 136 2087 Marianne: Cellphone: + 27 83 268 6709 Sales: Hazel Food Market in Hazelwood; Pretoria www.hazelfoodmarket.co.za every Saturday from 08:00 to 14:00
Tasting Room: 7 Hopkins Street Salt River, Cape Town Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @HopeOnHopkins #choosehope www.hopeonhopkins.co.za
Websites : www.hydeawayfarm.co.za Dairy Product Orders, Farm Visits and General Enquiries Dinki Hyde 0832543921 dinki@hydeawayfarm.co.za
www.leonista.co.za Facebook: @leonista_100%agavespirit Inst: leonista_spirit Twitter@leonista_spirit
Raw Honey www.rawhoney.biz caroline@rawhoney.biz
www.steenbergfarm.com or #LiveSteenberg on Twitter @SteenbergWines and Facebook at facebook.com/steenbergestate.
Website - www.thegourmetgreek.com Email - dimitriades@telkomsa.net Facebook - The Gourmet Greek Autumn 2018 Fromage 75
QUALITO DISTILLERY 36 Potgieter Street, Phalaborwa 1390 Limpopo South Africa (064) 522 7600
76 Fromage Autumn 2018
vineards@endlessgroup.co.za 028 284 9488
Publisher
Creation Fine Cape Vinta To keep is Human; to give Divine!
Imagine the temptation of peppery pimento spice mingling with aromas of dried apricot and peach, the nostalgic fragrance of Banksia rose … Imagine the lure of honeyed fruit, a hint of black cherry, the lingering reward of anise ... And it’s not only the beautiful bouquet, the fabulous flavours and the satiny texture that make the 2016 Creation Fine Cape Vintage so irresistible. Each delightfully chubby, 375 ml flask comes in its own shimmery black velvet bag, making the appearance equally appealing. All in all, a charming gift for putting under the wine connoisseur’s Christmas tree – if you can bear to part with it! Yes, the release of the Creation 2016 Fine Cape Vintage (read ‘Port’) is just in time for the Festive Season. But be aware that with a limited release of only 1 200 bottles, it is best that you order now. The previous two vintages sold out within a few weeks of release. Creation cellarmaster Jean-Claude (JC) Martin reveals that the wine is made exclusively from Syrah grapes grown in 450-million-year-old clay derived Bokkeveld shale soils on the highest slopes of the estate. Only virus-free, lower yielding clones were chosen and planted at an altitude of some 290 m above sea level. The prevailing continental climate on the Hemel-enAarde Ridge (where Creation is situated) differs significantly from the lower lying areas. “The average day temperature during the growth period is between 22° and 26° C with the cool night index 12° C less than at midday. The difference between day and night temperatures during ripening season has a marked effect on the concentration of the Syrah fruit and helps to retain natural acidity,” explains JC. Having spent almost 18 months in the barrel, the 2016 Creation Fine Cape Vintage is dense and deep in colour with flashes of royal purple and a spark of red. It is a well-balanced dessert wine with the sweetness beautifully lifted by crisp fruitiness.
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Fromage A TEMPTING INSPIRATION