Peregrine’s perennial treats

AS a proud member of the Green Mountain Eco Route we are constantly striving to improve and raise the standards of what we offer.

Our employees are the cornerstone of the business and our success can be directly attributed to our dedicated and loyal staff complement.

We currently employ 45 permanent staff with extra casuals that help on weekends. From cashiers to bakers to chefs, cleaners and baristas, everyone contributes to the total experience, and I would like to acknowledge them by pointing out the rather significant production that takes place on our premises each and every day.

Our bakers start at 05h30 to produce the following from scratch using the best ingredients we can source:

Ouma bread

White farm loaves

Mosbolletjies

Health loaves

Seed loaves

Raisin breads

Bread rolls

Ciabatta’s

Chlsea buns

Traditional bran mufffins

Milk tarts

Pecan nut pies

Tipsy tarts

Apple crumbles

Quiche Lorraine

Spinach and feta Quiche

Mushroom Quiche

Chicken & peppadew Quiche

Broccoli & feta Quiche

Lemon & poppy seed Muffins

Blueberry Muffins

Strawberry Muffins

Chocolate Muffins

Cappuccino Muffins

Rye breads are baked on weekends and on special request.

The bakery also creates a variety of finger platters made to order. Cheese straws, biscuits and rusks also form part of the weekly production schedule.

The kitchen responsible for the take away area focuses mainly on creating our range of homemade pies which are also created from scratch on a daily basis. These include:

Springbok Pies

Roast chicken Pies

Bacon and cheese Pies

Spinach and feta Pies

Pepper steak Pies

Steak and Kidney Pies

Curry mince Pies

Fresh sandwiches are made to order on a variety of our breads, croissants are baked early, and a range of sweeter options such as apple turn-overs, Chocolate brownies and cupcakes are produced. Carrot cakes, lemon meringues, and heavenly moist chocolate cakes are baked for the restaurant.

We also press our own apple juice daily and make our own beef biltong.

The Red Tractor Cafés kitchen is an exciting area with our new menu in place. It has created a very special Sourdough bread using organic stone ground flour and produce all menu items as well as a variety of specials of the day. As we look to expanding the quality and variety of our offerings, we know that we can rely on our loyal staff to rise to the challenge.

I thank everyone involved at Peregrine and the Red Tractor Café for their loyalty, hard work and dedication.

- JUSTIN BURLS

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FRONT fltr: Anelde Greeff, Eat Out and Eat In, Samarie Smith Food and Wine Editor, Die Burger/Beeld, Hanneli Lambert, and Annemi du Toit. BACK: Birgit Ottermann, Health24, and Charmaine du Toit, Elgin Valley Tourism.

Journalists wowed by Elgin Valley

THREE top journalists, on a visit to the Elgin Open Gardens last weekend also had a taste of what the Green Mountain Eco Route has to offer when they spent the night at the Wildekrans Country House.

I met Anelde Greeff, Eat Out and Eat In, Samarie Smith, Travel and Wine and Food Editor of Die Burger/Beeld and Birgit Ottermann, Health24, for breakfast at Wildekrans Country House and it was clear that they were excited about writing about the area.

Especially Birgit Otterman, a real outdoors person, was keen about the Green Mountain Eco Trail. She and her husband had just been on an hour’s walk at Wildekrans, so I was on the lookout for what she would write. Here are some excerpts from her article which appeared on Health24.

“Well, I was long overdue for a break… I took out the map, drew a big circle, and my eye fell on the beautiful Elgin Valley - just under an hour's drive from Cape Town. We city slickers tend to rush past Elgin, following the N2 to Hermanus and yonder. However, you’ll be surprised to discover that Elgin is far more than just ‘the place where apples come from’. It’s an unbelievably fertile valley offering great wines, wonderful fresh produce, olives, fynbos and cut-flowers, plus fantastic outdoor activities such as mountain biking, hiking, swimming and fishing. To top it all, the Elgin Valley forms part of the Green Mountain Eco Route.”

“Remember to pack your walking shoes, as Elgin has some fantastic hiking trails, ranging from easy trails on several estates (including Almenkerk) to the four-day Green Mountain Eco Trail, a slack-packing adventure where your luggage is delivered each night, you sleep over at lovely B&B’s on farms and get spoiled with good wine and food.

“One of these B&B’s is the Wildekrans Country House, a beautiful 200-year-old homestead set in a tranquil countryside garden at the foot of the Groenberg-mountain. Owners Alison Green and Barry Gould have furnished the guesthouse with stunning antiques and a wonderful collection of contemporary SA art and sculptures. After enjoying a meal of homemade food and wine, you can literally follow your heart into the mountain, on the Follow your Heart Trail, signposted with silver metal hearts.

“You can also fuel up with a wholesome and yummy meal at the brand new restaurant ‘Fresh’ on Paul Cluver Estate. It’s a real countryside kitchen serving super fresh local produce prepared lovingly by Joan and her staff. She picks the herbs from the garden outside the kitchen and the fruit, veggies and, of course, the lovely Paul Cluver wines, are all locally produced, except for the walnuts and avos that Joan’s mom sends her all the way from Tzaneen! A lunch at “Fresh” can easily turn into a lazy extended afternoon and by the end of the meal Joan and the staff feel like good old friends (picture on p11).

“Before you head back home, stop at one of the farm stalls to stock up on some fresh fruit and homemade treats like freshly baked bread, jams, olives and sweets. One can never drive past Peregrine Farm Stall without stocking up on their wonderful ‘mosbolletjies’. We gobbled up half a dozen before we reached home.” - STAFF REPORTER

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Is pizza good for you?

AS a member of the prestigious Green Mountain Eco Route, The Shuntin' Shed does its bit to contribute.

We recycle as much as possible, with our frying oil being collected for use as biofuel and recycling, our bottles collected by the local kids of the community and donating the funds to them and any waste vegetables going to compost.

In addition we plant as many trees and plants as our funds will allow us in the vicinity of the Shed for your enjoyment and our environment.

We source local produce as often as possible to use in our restaurant hereby reducing the carbon footprint of fossil fuel usage.

The Shuntin’ Shed provides hearty and healthy grub for anyone participating in this wonderful route.

Being a pizza restautant, we were interested to find this recent article published in the USA titled: “ Is Pizza good for you?”

“Maybe it is, say food chemists at the University of Maryland in the US. They've developed a new baking technique, using higher temperatures and longer baking times, which raises the levels of antioxidants - those molecules that protect us from cancer and disease causing radicals - in pizza dough.” (The Shed bakes its pizza dough at very high temperatures to emulate such effects.)

It maybe a while before the technique reaches South Africa but in the meantime there are ways to enjoy your favourite Italian import without feeling too guilty, says Johannesburg dietician Tammy Flint. "Pizza is generally healthier than other fast food because it isn't fried," she says. " But the extra kilojoules sneak in when you add meat toppings such as ham and salami - these are generally of the processed variety (not used at The Shed!), so the fat tends to be saturated, and they're high in salt.

A plain margarita is best if you are watching your waist but you can always add interest - and antioxidants - with vegetable toppings such as mushrooms, green peppers and garlic. (Try the Shed vegetarian, full of antioxidants). Portion size also makes a difference, says Flint, so share your pizza with your man or save some for tomorrow. - LYNDSAY HENDERSON

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Vredelust B&B news

WE sadly had to say goodbye to Carlien Groenewald who left our employment at the end of June 2010 when she got married to Rudolph Coetzee. We wish her all of the best for her future and lots of happiness ahead.

Anna-Marie Groenewald joined our Bed and Breakfast from 1 July and has picked up the reins where Carlien left off.

We are hoping to get our Akkedissie walk up and running during 2012 – there is still a lot of work to be done before we can start to advertise it fully. The proposed Akkekissie Walk will be from Villiersdorp to Greyton - a 3 day walk and accommodation and food all inclusive in the actual price. Watch this space.

Anna-Marie has been catering for several kitchen teas and baby showers at the Bed and Breakfast which is a popular additional service. Vredelust Bed and Breakfast is a home away from home and our attention to detail is of a high standard and our guests enjoy coming back to us again and again—which says it all.

Leen Wildschut and Doortjie Wiese (see picture below) have become a very important part of the Bed and Breakfast and always go the extra mile for our guests and we should be very lost without them. They act as front of house if ever Anna-Marie and I are not available and we rely on them a lot.

Our Bed and Breakfast comprises of three en-suite bedrooms and four self-catering units. There is DSTV access in all the bedrooms and the self-catering units have small kitchenettes. Breakfast is provided on request and served in the dining room. There are braai facilities and wood is provided for this purpose. We usually host the artists that attend the Dale Elliott art courses which are run monthly in Villiersdorp. We were also proud to host the Pasella TV Team and two presenters, Vicky and Dieter, during September when they came to Villiersdorp to film at the Theewaterskoof Dam. Next the Kyknet TV Team stayed with us in October for an Ontbytsake programme where they filmed at the Bo-Radyn farm just outside Villiersdorp.

Visit our web page:www.vredelust.com - PADDY DALL

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Summer is a-coming in at Porcupine Hills

PORCUPINE HILLS guest farm is gearing up for summer.

Exciting new accommodation is being added this season in the form of our main house comprising three en-suite bedrooms, fully equipped kitchen, lounge and dining area.

A private pool, outdoor showers, and braai area, complete the collection at Porcupine hills, which now has an 18 Bed Capacity.

Our olive oil is in the can, 5 litre cans that is - and our 500 ml bottles have received our first Gold Medal award at this year’s South African Olive Awards.

Our oil is readily available from the farm and selected delis and wine farms, or from the Grabouw Spar.

Now is the time to purchase it at its optimum and enjoy it during those long lazy lunches we will be having this summer.

The staff at Porcupine Hills are planning a Market Garden this summer so look out for our fresh produce available towards the end of the year.

Our Black Eagle chick for this year is well on its way to being fledged, and we look forward to seeing the first flying attempts on the cliff face soon.

This year our eagles had a wonderful time catching all but two of our chickens to feed their hungry youngster.

From all at Porcupine Hills, may everyone have a great Summer.

- MURRAY WEINER

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Thandi Wyne kom huis toe

THANDI Wyne (Edms) Bpk. het hulle onlangs in die Elgin Vallei kom vestig.
Die maatskappy het kantore verskuif van Stellenbosch na die hoof-aandeelhouer plaas in Elgin vanwaar ons sake plaaslik en internasionaal bestuur word.
Die stap is deel van voortdurende koste-besparingsmaatreëls en om die geld binne die "familie" te hou! Dit bring Edwina Mars, die kantoor-assistent, terug "huis toe". Edwina het op die Thandi-plaas groot geword.
Met die volgehoue sterk vertoning van die Rand teenoor die wêreld se groot geldeenhede, die Euro, Pond en Dollar is Thandi Wyne soos talle ander wynmaatskappy in SA onder druk om ons winsgewindheid te behou en is die natuurlike oplossing om op die plaaslike mark te fokus. Thandi was van meet af gerig op die oorsese mark met slegs 3% van verkope op eie bodem. Ons is tans besig om te kyk na ? nuwe plaaslike verspreider wat Thandi Wyne landwyd sal bemark. ? Aankondiging sal binnekort hieroor gedoen word.
Thandi Wyne is ook besig om die finale stappe van die proses waar ons agent in Engeland sy kliënte betrokke wil kry met gemeenskaps- opheffingsprojekte af te handel. Dit sal Thandi se twee vernaamste plase in Elgin en Stellenbosch, betrek.
? Beurs in die vorm van ? trust is onlangs deur Thandi Wyne se direksie goedgekeur waarna Thandi kinders finansieel gehelp gaan word om hulle te bekwaam in tersiêre studies in landbou en wynmaak sodat die volgende geslag gereed kan wees om die leisels oor te neem. Die trust is genoem na die destydse voorsitter, Johann Hamman, wat ? prominente rol saam die die Paul Cluver-familie gespeel het toe die Thandi projek en Thandi Wyne gestig is.
Johann het in 2008 op ? vroeë ouderdom afgesterf.
Thandi Wyne het ontstaan ná die Thandi-projek in 1995/96 begin is. Die maatskappy het in Oktober 2009 onafhanklik as ? wynmaatskappy begin funksioneer nadat die mentorskap en die proses van die oordra van vaardighede voltooi is. Die onderneming is vroeër bestuur in ?
bestuursooreenkoms met The Company of Wine People. Thandi Wyne Suid-Afrika was die eerste volwaardige breëvlak swart bemagtigde wynmaatskappy, met 250 families wat meer as 55% van die belang besit. Die families kom van drie plase wat insluit die plaas in Elgin, Stellenbosch en Hemel-en-Aarde.
Thandi Wyne is een van SA se top-uitvoerders van bemagtigde wyne. Europa verteenwoordig ons grootste mark, maar wyn word ook na Engeland, Japan, Korea, Kanada en Botswana uitgevoer. Thandi het onlangs ? groot tender vir die verskaffing van Rosé-vonkelwyn aan Finland gekry en die verwagting is dat 100,000 bottels per jaar verkoop sal word. Dit is die derde tender wat die maatskappy in 10 maande gekry het. Die vorige tender was om ?
Chardonnay/Chenin Blanc versnit na Noorweë uit te voer . - VERNON HENN

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GOEDVERTROUW Wine Estate is no ordinary home.

It is a place of handcrafted wines, homemade meals, an enchanted country garden and abundant birdlife.

Full of life, yet peaceful and soulful, it takes on the character of its owner.

A real working farm, Elrieda Pillman continues to live out the dream she and her late husband, Arthur shared. The house in which Elrieda now resides at Goedvertrouw, was originally built in 1820, making it one of the oldest houses in the area. The old bell in front of their home was used to summons the slaves on the farm in the first half of the 19th century and to signal the arrival of the train from Cape Town, which would transport vegetables grown in the area to Cape Town. The Goedvertrouw property also has an old graveyard of early settlers to this part of the Cape. What Elrieda today uses as a wine cellar still has the original “skietgate” used during World War II. Elrieda lovingly handcrafts four cultivars from the skilfully fashioned Pinot Noir to the wildly experimental Pardoemps - a blend of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage.

Situated on the Van der Stel Pass between Botriver and Villiersdorp, this magical world of flowers and birds surrounds the old homestead and affords a view down the valley gazing over the geese in the pond, the hand-reared lambs, piglets and cattle.

Make sure you stay for one of Elrieda’s homemade meals whether it is for breakfast, lunch or dinner. In summer you will be served on the stoep and after hours of eating, drinking and being mesmerised you’ll struggle to leave, which is okay as there are three double-bed en-suite rooms in the house.

In winter you will be seated cosily in the tasting room or in the homestead’s lounge alongside the fireplace.

Full of grace and wisdom, underneath is a hard-working woman who is always ready to jump in and milk the cows or drive the tractor herself when need be.

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An example of a picnic basket prepared by Fresh that will be on sale for the Amphitheatre Concert season this year. Bookings in advance.

Cluver has big summer plans

GRABOUW will be adding a new restaurant to its growing list of eateries soon.

Joan Lancefield of The Café @ Jail House will be opening a restaurant at Paul Cluver Wines this summer.

Joan and her team will be utilising produce from the “Garden of Elgin” which was established by Dr. Cluver and well-known Norwegian and BBC chef, Andreas Viestad, a few years ago.

The objective of the garden is to plant as many different varieties of as many different herbs, vegetables and fruit as possible.

Now, Joan and her team will be creating dishes inspired by this garden at the aptly named “Fresh” restaurant.The restaurant will be housed alongside another new venture, the Malus distillery on the Paul Cluver Wines estate, overlooking vineyards, orchards and the beautiful Groenland Mountain.

CONSERVATION

The main conservation activity at Paul Cluver Wines at the moment is linking the conservation sites on the farm to form a single unit. In order to achieve this, additional corridors of land have to be managed to create links between each conservation site. With the aid of Cape Nature and specialists from the University of Stellenbosch, the best way of achieving this is being considered. If all goes according to plan, the corridors will soon be in place allowing fauna and flora to migrate between conservation sites.

AMPHITHEATRE CONCERTS

The Amphitheatre concert programme is finalised! The opening concert is on 4 December 2010 with the Parlotones. Other artists lined up for the season include Watershed, Nataniël, Arno Carstens, Imogen Heap, Stef Bos and the Februarie Susters and Freshly Ground. Visit the Paul Cluver website for more details www.cluver.com

- JACQUELINE HARRIS

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Flagship red launched at Beaumont

The new flagship wine at Beaumont was recently launched and with the launch, the intriguing name Vitruvian, was explained.

The maiden vintage of our new flagship red blend’s name is rooted deep in our farm's history – and not in the cellar but at the old mill, a beautiful building that's now been fully restored after decades of inactivity.

The historic mill features an impressive water wheel which turns all the milling machinery by harnessing the power of water from the mountainsides. This milling machinery is called a Vitruvian mill, named after famed Roman architect and engineer who lived in the first century BC. Among his many accomplishments, Vitruvius is today most famous for a picture he first sketched that was later elaborated by Leonardo da Vinci – the Vitruvian Man. This picture captures his central belief that the best designs reflect the harmony of nature, and the human form is the perfect illustration of this.

At Beaumont, with the physical evidence of Vitruvius here at our mill, we realised that this belief is at the core of our new flagship red wine – since it is a wine that reflects the harmony and balance of its many multiple parts. So, after 37 years of farming in Bot River, after the hard work of many over the generations, and after gathering knowledge about the weather, soils and the ideal vines on this farm, we are excited to present a wine that reflects and respects all these component parts and presents them in perfect harmony and in proportional balance. This is our Vitruvian.

The character of our wines is as much influenced by the soils and climate as it is by the people who spend hours working the land to create and preserve this special place. Wine is a product of all these countless parts that need to work together in harmony; be it the change of seasons, or a particular piece of soil or the guy who pruned the vine slightly differently. Or who carefully topped the barrels every month. Vitruvian is the meeting of all these elements, human and geographic. It's a wine that we believe best reflects what is absolutely unique about this farm – its very essence – and it could not have been made anywhere else.

Sebastian Beaumont describes the wine as: “a blend of the best and most interesting portions of red grapes from the farm. It has taken four years to put this wine together, but generations to conceive. Mourvèdre represents the centre and the energy of this wine, its very guts. Pinotage from old vines is the back-bone and the structure, not dark and heavy but rather light and dry. Shiraz is the muscle that holds it all together and adds the right amount of flexibility. Cabernet Franc is the mystery, the emotion, the changing element that adds lightness and freshness.”

The blend, which will change according to each vintage, was matured in 400 litre barrels for 24 months then blended and bottled to be matured in bottle for a further two years. Most promisingly, this maiden vintage of Vitruvian has been nominated for five stars in the Platter Wine Guide for 2011.

Tasting notes: Two years in barrel and two years in bottle have enhanced the complex blend of flavours to give this wine a fresh but well-knitted texture and flavour. Still youthful with red berry fruit, fine grainy tannins and superb length. Keep it to let it evolve, it's sure to be worth it.

For orders, please contact Beaumont on 028 284 9194, email us at info@beaumont.co.za or place your order online on our website.

- ARIANE BEAUMONT

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Oranje supporters fltr: James Rawbone-Viljoen, Derek Corder, Alastair Moodie, Nikcy and Paul Wallace and Rob Semple.

Elgin Vintners’ blood runs orange

THE 2010 harvest is behind us and what a vintage harvest it was. Elgin, which traditionally has rain throughout the summer months, was uncharacteristically dry, with no rain fall experienced since the end of November 2009.

This meant very little spraying for disease, no berry rot and weather conditions ideal for optimum ripening. All bodes well for the wines from the 2010 harvest - they promise to be fabulous!

While you may have to wait a few years for the red wines from our latest harvest, we are however equally proud of our recently released trio of 2007 Bordeaux reds: namely Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and our Agama (a Cabernet Merlot blend).

Confirming our confidence in the wine is the recent news that the Elgin Vintners Agama 2007 has been awarded Top Red Blend in the Overberg District and Top Red Blend in the Elgin Ward at the SA Terroir Wine Awards competition.

The wine retails from our Tasting Room at R90.00 per bottle.

Winemaker, Paul Wallace’s comments on the Agama are as follows:

“The nose reminds me of Christmas pudding, cranberries and ripe plums. The intense berry on the palate is complimented by some spice and a subtle hint of minerality. Elegant fruit combines with the spicy toasty tannins imparted from 14 months maturation in French oak barriques. (The new wood component was 35%). I particularly enjoy the spicy element, which is so typical of all our Elgin Vintners reds. Great weight on the palate, well balanced with a lingering mouthfeel. This wine is superb now, especially if served with roast lamb or beef stroganoff but will also benefit from a further 2-3 years bottle maturation.”

In the aftermath of the Soccer World Cup we are all looking for something to fill the gap of what has preoccupied us during June/July. What a fantastic PR event that was for South Africa! Elgin Vintners already has a market for our brightly “clad in orange” wines in Holland but are hoping that the Dutch will be even more favourably disposed to us! Our Dutch agent, Udo Göebel of Wine Matters based in Hoorn, is no stranger to our wines and imports Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, Agama and more recently Merlot.

He regularly brings out tour groups of wine lovers and introduces them to the delights of our country and more particularly to our wines. This is one area of export where we have seen steady growth, so naturally we returned the favour and cheered on Netherlands in the Final. Hup Hup Holland!! - Nicky Wallace

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Slack pack via Green Mountain Route Trail

2010 is the time to walk the Green Mountain Trail - a four day overnight trail around the Groenlandberg, eighty kilometres from Cape Town International. The Green Mountain Trail is a slack pack trail with a food and wine experience to match.

Through fynbos and vineyards; across game camps andthrough forests; follow leopard and ox wagon tracks, all the time accompanied by a walking stick made from alien wood cleared as part of a greater conservation effort.

The 2010 floral diversity in the fynbos is spectacular due to the new growth after the January fires.

Stay in four star accommodation at Wildekrans Country House and Porcupine Hills, slack pack while your baggage moves via wheels, eat well and taste the wines of Oak Valley, Paul Cluver, Witklip and Beaumont en route.

The 2010 rate is R1 110 per night per person sharing for a four night, four day guided walking trail. All meals, accommodation (four star graded) and wine tastings are included. Our single supplement is R230 per person per day. We accommodate up to ten walkers per group. If there are less than six, the price per person is a bit higher.

Set 2010 departure dates are 6, or 13 September, 4 or 11 October and 8 or 15 November. If these dates do not suit or if you have your own group of six to ten, other dates can be explored.

Should you have particular interest points, fitness levels or food preferences, we will gladly accommodate these.

Green Mountain Trail guide Gerald McCann urges hikers to walk this spring into summer:

"Much of the Green Mountain was burnt by devastating summer fires, but spring is a time for floral rejoicing after the pain of the flames. With newly burnt upper slopes and old vegetation below, the route provides some fascinating contrasts. Hikers may expect to see orange and pink Watsonias in bloom, blue Aristeas, Yellow Wachendorfia and the delectable pink of red-lipped ‘Painted Ladies’ – members of the Gladiola family. A lush green basin below towering cliffs in Eagle’s Kloof provides a touch of the Garden of Eden. Newly-sprouted specimens of the unusual ‘Pineapple Plant’ will also be glimpsed. The final section passes through relatively young fynbos, rich with colourful Everlastings and yellow Leucadendrons, adding a colourful end to a trail rich in diversity. "

To book, send a message, reply or call : 083 284 6226

e: info@greenmountaintrail.co.za
w: www.greenmountaintrail.co.za

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Nabot’s Organic Vineyard

LA MOTTE is synonymous with the highest quality in wines. To carry the La Motte label, each wine has to reflect the greatest expertise in viticulture, combined with experience, passion and a creative flair in wine-making.

Grapes for the production of La Motte wines are drawn from La Motte’s estates as well as other farms in the Cape winelands.

Thanks to the variety in terroirs, grapes from each region make a unique contribution to the flavour components of La Motte's wines.
The La Motte Nabot farm in the Walker Bay coastal region has been developed as an organic production operation, eliminating the use of pesticides and chemicals in viticulture. Nabot’s organically-grown grapes are reserved for the production of a Sauvignon Blanc wine.

Environmental management is a high priority at La Motte and is factored into the long-term strategy as well as daily running of the estate. Examples of this include protecting precious natural flora known as ‘fynbos’ on the adjoining Wemmershoek mountains and organic wine farming in selected vineyard blocks.

La Motte was one of the first wine estates to be awarded the coveted ISO 14000 Environmental Management Certification. The estate also complies with the ISO 9000:2000 certification, is a member of the Green Mountain Eco Route in the Groenlandberg area, and is accredited to the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative.

Nabot farm has been developed as an organic farming unit where the use of fertilisers, synthetic pesticides, plant growth regulators and animal feed additives are avoided or largely eliminated. This, in conjunction with strong winds, means conditions are very challenging for the vines. The result, however, is fruit with a good concentration of flavours.

The vineyard, close to the town of Bot Rivier, is now 7 years in production and the 2009 La Motte Pierneef Organic Sauvignon Blanc produced from grapes grown there is an exceptional wine.

The 2009 Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc wine is a pale straw colour with flashes of of light green around the edges. Rich and complex tropical fruit flavours are characteristic of this wine, passion
fruit, melon, apples and litchi with an undertow of fynbos, the natural vegetation of the farm.

There are hints of lime and gooseberry too with a refreshing
acidity which is in perfect balance.

This wine is is a 100% Sauvignon Blanc and was made from the fourth production of grapes from one vineyard.

The slope faces south-west and is situated approximately 10 kilometres from the Indian Ocean.

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Wildekrans goes pink

WILDEKRANS Wine Estate will soon join other wine farms in the area for the springtime event of the year in the Overberg.

Come and join us and drink yourself pink over the weekend of 3-5 September 2010 at the the Bot River wine festival.

The festivities start on Friday evening on the stoep of the Bot River Hotel. This is your opportunity to meet and mingle with the winemakers of the area.

On Saturday there is fun and festivities on participating wine farms from 9.00 - 18.00, and the day’s merriment will culminate with the Bot Riviera Goes Pink Party where you will be able to carouse and cruise the night away with MC Andrew Delport and DJ Charl Zero from18:30.

The weekend’s partying will end on Sunday with jazz and brunch/lunch at the Shuntin' Shed at the Bot River railway station.

The following farms and restaurants will take part in the festivities and accommodation is also listed here:

Beaumont: Cafe Pink: Brunch, Lunch and High Tea with a pink theme.Wine tasting, art, working historic watermill. Accommodation.

Luddite: Parma Ham locally produced on the farm. Blend in Bottle wine course: ( 11:00 and 15:00) Art Exhibition and Wine Tasting.

Goedvertrouw: Farm Kitchen: Delicious meals using local ingredients Brunch/Lunch/Dinner by appointment. Garden Tours and Wine Tasting. Accommodation.

Eerste Hoop: (Moule-on-Rouge) Lunch: Moule and Frites and ploughman platters Wine Tasting, Boule and local products for sale.

Feiteiras: Lunch of Portuguese specialities. Live entertainment and wine tasting.

Gabrielskloof: Breakfast/lunch/dinner – specialising in fine cuisine. Live Entertainment: 13:00-16:30 Wine Tasting.

Maremmana: Snacks of smoked trout , cucumber sandwiches and Sparkling wine. Polo Match at 12:00 am / Fly fishing coaching at 11:00 am.

Wildekrans: Cheese Platters. Cocktails/wine tasting and live entertainment starting at lunch time.

Barton: Pink lollies and fun foods Pink Paint Ball / Wine Tasting.

Benguela: (PINK LAGOON) Sushi! Wine Tasting.

Ou Meul: Pottery exhibition and wine tasting.

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SINCE 2004 Houw Hoek Coffee Shop has been owned by chefs Juan van der Westhuizen and Frans Groenewald where they prepare hearty, honest, soul food.

We try and source all vegetables, fruit and meat as local as possible so we ourselves don’t know specifically what’s going to be on the menu next month. But you will definitely get good, no-fuss homemade food made from the freshest ingredients.

All of our employees are local people. Most of them did not have any previous restaurant experience and were trained by us.

Houw Hoek Coffee shop’s sister restaurant, Gabriëlskloof Restaurant, is situated on the N2 between Botriver and Caledon, where we also serve breakfast, lunches and deli meals.

Gabriëlskloof has its own deli, restaurant, chapel, wine and beautiful views of the Overberg. So come and stop by for a hearty breakfast or lunch where our local food goes hand-in-hand with Gabriëlskloof wines or while away a leisurely afternoon on our stoep!

As the year comes to an end, the enquiries regarding year-end functions are streaming in. We advise people to book in advance to avoid disappointment. So drop us a line with your requirements or to arrange a visit.

Contact us at: (028)284 9273 or (028)284 9865
restautant@gabrielskloof.co.za

- FRANS GROENEWALD

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Loads of fun on Elgin Wine Bus

HOP on the wine bus and join Nature Discovery Wine Bus Tours on an off road journey through several hand picked wine estates, visiting a variety of wine producers who will offer you the unique opportunity to taste a wide selection of wines.

Travelling through the vineyards is the fun way to learn more about production techniques, to experience the mountain scenery, to inhale the sweet scent of forest and fynbos. This is the ideal opportunity to take photos and meet new people. Don’t forget to bring along a camera, light jacket and sunglasses.

Nature Discovery caters for groups from two to four passengers, travelling in a state of the art, comfortable 4x4 open canopy game viewer, driver-guided through the Elgin valley vineyards and fruit orchards.

Embrace nature, taste excellent wines and enjoy an optional picnic lunch en route!

The wine bus offers morning or afternoon tours. The Elgin valley is increasingly becoming known as a cool wine production area, at 400m + above sea level. With a wide variety of soils, wine with unusual complexity is produced in this area.

Just give us a call for further enquiries: 021 859 1989

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Villa Exner’s share of Soccer World Cup

“OUR winter season has been better than normal with groups of English soccer fans as well as soccer visitors from Iceland,” says Sascha Sulliman-Exner, owner of Villa Exner Boutique Hotel in Klipkop.

“However, the expectation was for more soccer fans to visit our valley. We are positively looking into the future for a similar event to attract tourists to Elgin Grabouw.

“The soccer tourists loved the area and many expressed a wish to revisit the valley in the near future, feeling that they had only been introduced briefly to the area,” says Sulliman-Exner.

Villa Exner also offers country garden weddings for small and exclusive functions from wedding service to receptions.

The venue is set up to your requirements ensuring absolute privacy through exclusive use.

Attractive packages include various sample menus that can be personalised to the client’s taste.

Detailed descriptions and available packages can be requested.

For more information, contact Sascha at 021-859 3596

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Zero carbon footprint at Beaumont

COMPAGNES Drift Farm, home of Beaumont Wines, is also home to a 200-year-old water mill, consisting of a large water wheel, which drives three mills, two elevators and a grain cleaner.

The water wheel and the water supply has been restored over the last 3½ years by Andy Selfe from Elgin in his spare time. This has entailed replacing all the planks and buckets on the wheel, involving the cutting out and replacing of 800 bolts, building and erecting the overhead water trough, or 'launder', and digging out the tail-race for the water to flow away. The mill uses naturally flowing water from the Jackal River, extracting energy from the fall in the water, before it flows into the Bot River as it would normally do.

Inside, it has been necessary to rebuild the woodwork, or 'furniture' of the original 200 year old 'Vitruvian' Mill, working from photographs and drawings of a similar Mill at Kleine Zanddrift in Bredasdorp, now sadly derelict.

This Mill is now in full working order and it frequently produces whole-wheat, stone ground, organic meal, with a zero carbon footprint! Milling takes place most Saturdays, when Andy is available; it is advisable to check with the Cellar first on 028 284 9194. A small stock of freshly milled whole wheat meal is normally available at the Cellar.

There is more work to be done inside the mill with the elevators, chutes and grain cleaner, but the main work has been completed. Visitors are welcome on Saturdays, and the Cellar is open from 10am till 3pm.

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Gelukkig’ played in Holland

READERS may recall the fiery start that De Rust Estate had to the year when the South Easter blew blazing fires across the Greenland Mountain from Bot River, burning fynbos in its wake.

At the time, fire damage to the vineyards and orchards appeared to be minimal and 3 months later, with apple picking almost done and the grape harvest over, it is confirmed that there is no residual smoke damage to vines or orchards. Gratefully, the mountain and Dr. Cluver are both recovering well too!

Residents of De Rust village will be celebrating the 21st birthday of their Community Centre in April. The centre includes a hall, a crèche and a church and is an integral part of the village. This celebration coincides with the CD debut of the Februarie Susters who all hail from De Rust.

The hit single “Gelukkig” was broadcast for the first time in Holland mid March.

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Epic cash injection for Green Mountain

Dear Green Mountain Eco Route,

We received this generous cheque from Absa at the awards evening over the Epic weekend.

(See Absa's recognition of the route and sponsorship message.)

Absa’s group executive: marketing and corporate affairs, Happy Ntshingila, says environmental conservation is the responsibility of both individuals and companies, and preserving the area in question is of particular importance.

“The Cape Floral Kingdom is recognised as one of the most important areas on Earth in terms of biodiversity, but it is also fragile and under threat. The Green Mountain Eco Route not only strives to ensure the preservation of a large part of it for future generations, but also to support sustainable local agriculture, job creation and social upliftment – and these lofty goals deserve our support.

“In addition, it is indeed a privilege for this year’s Absa Cape Epic riders to be allowed to pass through the Groenlandberg Conservancy, which is normally closed to such human activity. We believe that the race will help to draw attention to the environmental importance of this area, and we are proud to be making a further contribution to ensuring its survival,” says Ntshingila.

The Green Mountain Eco Route, initiated in 2005, works to meet the conservation, economic, employment and social requirements needed to sustain the resident communities, businesses, and the natural and cultural environment, of the Groenlandberg.

Its principles encompass commitments to conservation, profitable and ethical business principles, and the social upliftment of local historically disadvantaged communities by all of its members.

Its members strive to make the biosphere more accessible while conserving the area, utilise the resources and support of local communities, train and employ local guides to showcase the diversity of flower and bird species, as well as local wines, use local guides to promote conservation and minimise the threat of fire, and educate tourists about the Cape Floral Kingdom.

Regards

Alison Green/ Brian Pickering - Green Mountain Eco Route Treasurer and Chairman steering

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Epic food and eagles

PORCUPINE HILLS has been rather busy the past few weeks; we have had the ABSA Cape Epic Cycle Tour right though our farm.

Our kitchen has been running at full steam and the eagles have been renovating their nest site to bring it up to 2010 standards.

Even though fires have ravaged the Groenlandberg all around us and we have had little rain with soaring temperatures, life in our neck of the pass is flourishing. As summer draws to a close, we look forward to rain, flowers and young eagles, not to mention new fresh olive oil.

Some of our menus served this past fortnight

Avocado and Paw Paw salad with piri – piri grilled tiger prawns

Grilled yellowtail, savoury rice with white wine and caper sauce

Wine makers grape cake with Crème a l anglaise

Beetroot, walnut and goats cheese salad

Balsamic reduction roast fillet

Grilled vegetable platter

Squashed baby potatoes

Orange and almond cake with moskonfyt syrup and cream

- MURRAY WEINER

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