The Corkless Mind

Tag: menu

Bonnievale Wine Estate Launches New Limited Release Wines at Gorgeous George Hotel in Cape Town

The launch for Bonnievale’s premium wine launch was hosted in the newly renovated ‘The White Room’ at the beautiful Gorgeous George Hotel in Cape Town last week. Bonnievale Wines launched two limited release, single-variety wines crafted from a selection of top vineyard sites that reflect the influence of the ancient soils, climate, and weather of the Bonnievale ward. The wines are a Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2017 vintage and a Chardonnay, from 2019 – both destined to be must-haves for the discerning wino. The new wines feature dedicated packaging and labels that reflect their premier status in the Bonnievale portfolio, as well as the quality of the contents.

The Luncheon, consisted of a five-course menu, with all meals paired with Bonnievale wines. The hotel oozes opulence with chic touches of modernity. The roof-top bar is as ‘Instagrammable’ as is the Bonnievale Rosé served on the day.

Now on to the bit, you’ve been waiting for, the Bonnievale Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 displays beautiful, clean red fruit, notably raspberry, supported by hints of liquorice and leather on the nose. The juicy red fruit carries through on the palate, supported by fine, ripe tannins that provide elegant structure and loads of depth to the wine. With 18 months maturing in mainly new French and American oak, the two types of oak deliver a balanced and well-integrated wine with a taste that lingers long after the last sip. The Limited Release Chardonnay 2019 has delectable citrus on the nose, especially of lime and grapefruit that extend to the palate. It is crisp and fresh with a distinct flinty finish. Here too, the French oak that was used to mature the wine for seven months is well integrated, supporting the fruit but also delivering a smooth, rounded mouthfeel.

Why these cultivars?

The Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay have long been stars in the Bonnievale Wines portfolio. Both cultivars also remain highly regarded and sought after in international markets. The two cultivars are also keenly sourced by many of South Africa’s premier winemakers for use in their own blends and brands.

Bonnievale Wines

This coming-of-age for Bonnievale Wines has led to a renewed focus in recent years on high quality and high value. First came the revamp of its portfolio and then, the launch of the premium River Collection range, which has accumulated a string of local and international awards.

The home of Bonnievale Wines is the eponymous village, located some 200km east of Cape Town. A renowned winemaking region, Bonnievale’s vineyards are influenced by amongst others the presence of two major rivers – the Breede and Riviersonderend – and micro-climates created by extensive hills and soaring mountains.

Where to purchase and what’s the cost

The wines produced here are available countrywide and available for order from Bonnievale Wines’ online shop at http://www.bonnievalewines.co.za.

The Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 sells from R140/bottle and the Limited Release Chardonnay 2019, from R95/bottle.

*Information supplied by Yolandi De Wet PR and Bonnievale Wines. *

December 9, 2019
An Evening of Food and Wine Pairing at Kunjani Wine Estate

*Please note, Kunjani winery hosted me to attend the dinner, however, all views are my own*

I recently attended the very first wine and food pairing dinner at Kunjani wine estate in Stellenbosch. You may recall I was at their label launch earlier this year. The dinner consists of six courses and will be a regular occurrence at the boutique winery which will feature a fresh, seasonal menu with every dinner hosted by co-owner Pia Watermeyer.

The first course was a beetroot goat’s cheese salad, pistachio goat’s cheese balls, fig compote, grapefruit perfectly paired with the Kunjani Stolen Chicken Rosé 2018. It was quite a warm evening so this went down quite a treat! The second course, line fish, grilled artichoke, cauliflower puree, broccoli, pak choy, white wine chive sauce paired with an equally delicious Kunjani Chenin Blanc 2018.

The third course, was a refreshing palate cleanser of lemon sorbet to prepare us for the next course which was North-West Kudu carpaccio, quail eggs, horseradish, parmesan shavings, radish, pickled vegetables paired with my personal favourite, Kunjani Shiraz 2015. Next was an incredibly delicious biltong-spiced sirloin, king oyster mushrooms, carrot & cauliflower quenelles, asparagus, broccoli paired superbly with the Kunjani Cabernet Sauvignon 2017. Dessert always being my favourite course, was a chocolate-mint nougat mousse, pistachio crumbs, frozen yoghurt, and a brandy snap paired with the Kunjani Merlot 2017.

The dinner costs R550 per person, including wine and gratuity.
Bookings essential, prepayment secures your seat. Limited to 30 guests.

Note: bookings are subject to availability. Cancellations 7 days or less prior to the date of the dinner are non-refundable. T&Cs apply. This is a special event and due to space restrictions long/mixed tables are allocated and not individual tables. To book your spot for the next dinner call: +27 87 630 0409, or email: info@kunjaniwines.co.za For more information visit their Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/Kunjaniwines/

Thank you Kunjani for graciously hosting my husband and me, we can’t wait to be back again soon!

December 4, 2019
A Taste of Spring at FOXCROFT – A Review

** This review was made possible thanks to FOXCROFT for hosting me**

It’s been three years since Foxcroft in Constantia burst onto the Cape Town restaurant scene and since then it has become a regular favourite with locals as well as international guests visiting the picturesque Constantia Valley to sample the best in food and wine. Head chef Glen Williams believes in a carefully structured farm to table approach, utilizing the freshest seasonal ingredients and showcasing them on the plate to deliver a finessed flavourful experience. I was honoured to be invited to review their spring menu which runs until the 15 December, the special runs from Monday to Sunday (R345 for four courses or R595 with wine pairing). You can also treat yourself to an exceptional lunch experience by booking the tasting menu at lunch at a reduced price of R595 or R920 with wine pairing, also until 15 December 2019.

My dear friend Megan from Authentic Blog and I chose to sample the wine pairing menu. Every dish was thoughtfully constructed with each wine to complement each other perfectly. Their love of wine is certainly reflected in the successful winemaker’s dinner series collaborations, where diners enjoy a five-course chef’s menu paired with a first-class cellar’s hand-picked wines. The wine list is fresh and exciting, with a few Swartland gems in the mix.

They import as little as possible and use small-scale, sustainable, ethical and traceable suppliers wherever possible. The menu starts with the bread course, which was a pillowy light focaccia with pesto in the center. If there wasn’t all four courses that followed I would happily stuff my face with more of that! Starters followed with an utterly delicious Yellowfin tuna dish, that consisted of salsa macha, whipped avocado, jalapeno, and a crispy tostada for texture or in my case to make your own little taco! This was all paired with Silvervis’ Smiley Chenin Blanc from the marvelous Swartland region. We were treated by chef Glen, to a taster of the chicken ballotine, also on the menu as a first course. The chicken ballotine was beautifully plated with liver parfait, nectarine segments, mushroom and chunks of toasted brioche croutons for texture.

My incessant need for all things shellfish ensured I chose the west-coast mussels for the second course. Neatly gathered together in a bowl, the mussels together with a few slivers of pickled squid, succotash and mayu oil. I stood and filmed with bated breath as our amazing server Lindsay, poured the mussel chowder into the bowl to make a delicious and beautiful meal. Paired with a light and fruity 2018 Arendsig Chardonnay.

Oak Valley Pork, a beautifully plated meal of Kimchi, charred cabbage with spicy peanuts and bite-sized cubes of pork crackling. Every morsel on the plate I would eat a thousand times over! Incredibly tasty and paired with an equally delicious and well-rounded 2018 Thorne & Daughters Copper Pot.

And now for my favourite course, dessert! Simply titled, yoghurt. My dessert was certainly inspiring of spring and how fresh and flowery the season is. Cradled in the centre of an egg-shaped bowl, was green apple jelly spheres, litchi granita, beautifully decorated with elderflowers and geranium. Paired with a glass of 2019 “The Freshman” Sauvignon Blanc.

The food, the service, and the wine were absolutely spectacular. For the price of R595, the experience was such a real treat! Chef Glen and team show such a real passion for fine food and attention to detail, its easy to see and taste why they are ranked as an Eat Out eatery and You really don’t want to miss out on this fantastic Spring special. Make your booking before the 15th of December: https://www.foxcroft.co.za/book-online

Massive thanks to the amazing FOXCROFT Team for graciously hosting us and treating us like such royalty! We cannot wait to be back again.

November 19, 2019