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The art of great grapes…

The father of winemaking in America, Robert Mondavi said: Making good wine is a skill. Fine wine is an art. Very true, and this month I find myself in the cellar, practising my art. I am also fortunate enough to be surrounded by various other art forms, be it the artful dishes that come from our Barouche Restaurant’s kitchen, the soulful music we will be enjoying at Cape Classic or the art of blending, seeing that it is time to enter for the 27th Blaauwklippen Blending Competition again.

We started harvesting on Friday the 12^th of February, and the first grapes of the 2010 harvest to be welcomed into the cellar was Viognier. So far so good, even though it appears to be a smaller harvest than in 2009. The Shiraz for our Rosé is also safely fermenting, as is the Zinfandel for our Blanc de Noir. Now we need to get all the reds into the cellar!

But it is not only in the cellar where we are busy, Renate, Blaauwklippen’s Blending Competition coordinator is preparing the invitation letters for the 2010 Blending Competition. To participate, you need membership to a wine club, as well as a taste for good wine! A trophy will be awarded for the best newcomer club, motivating wine lovers to start their own wine clubs.

Entrants will receive a selection of four wines which will include Blaauwklippen’s signature grape, Zinfandel. Registration close on Friday 16 April 2010, and the registration fee is R168, including the four wines and a measuring cylinder.

For more information contact Renate at Blaauwklippen: (021) 880-8646 or renate@blaauwklippen.com or visit www.blaauwklippen.com

Now, hard work leads to a healthy appetite, and the Barouche Restaurant’s Autumn Menu, available for the 10^th of March, is sure to satisfy even the hardest of workers! Wild mushroom tagliatelli, chilli flavoured sweet potato soup, hearty salads, beef curry and even seafood bobotie, to name but a few of the delicacies on offer.

Staying with food, I am not sure how many of you might be aware of the fact that Blaauwklippen had a big apple orchard in the past, there are still a few apple trees left, and one of my favourite seasonal recipes is apple Chutney. Serve this tasty apple chutney alongside pork chops or baked ham.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
2 cups chopped tart apple
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
1/4 cup pecan pieces
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup apple cider or juice

Preparation:

Heat butter in a medium saucepan; add apple, brown sugar, raisins, cranberries, pecans, spices, and juices. Cook over medium heat until apple is tender, dried fruits are softened, and cider has boiled away. If necessary, add a little more apple cider to keep the mixture from scorching. Serve warm or chilled with ham or pork - makes about 2 cups.

Fellow wine friends know, one cannot live on food alone, you need some wine! Our new releases include the Blaauwklippen Vineyard Selection red Zinfandel 2006, at R90 per bottle, the Blaauwklippen Cultivar Selection Shiraz 2007 for R60 per bottle, and the White Landau, selling for R30 per bottle.

Take advantage of the “buy 2, get 1 free” offer when you purchase two bottles of Blaauwklippen Cultivar Selection Merlot. Visit the wine tasting centre during March, and stand a chance to win a mystery prize when buying our Cultivar Selection wines on promotion.

Now to food for the soul, there is still time to book for Cape Classic, a series of concerts where revenue is donated to support social relief projects in the Western Cape. This is the third year that Blaauwklippen is involved with this event, and on the 2010 calendar we are hosting the evening of 2 March.

Tickets cost R250 per person; and are available from Computicket, or prior to the the start of the concert at the ticket office on site. For more information on the Cape Classic offerings, please visit www.computicket.co.za. If you wish to order a picnic, please call the Barouche Restaurant or e-mail us at hospitality@blaauwklippen.co.za

Cheers until next time,

Rolf Zeitvogel and the Blaauwklippen