Cape Town - No man-made art, architecture, décor or even wine can compete with the spring display that wreaths Delaire.
Keith Kirsten’s inspired efforts have produced a wealth of fynbos, much of it in bloom, that lines paths, edges helipads and fringes terraces of this five-star estate near Stellebosch.
And Dylan Lewis’s bronze cheetahs do not intrude.
Gardeners whizzed around on quad-bikes as I parked next to sophisticated golf carts. Friendly greetings from the parking attendant were repeated by the receptionist as I headed indoors.
The calm of the foyer was shattered by the rat-a-tat of jackhammers. Owner Laurence Graff chose the red wine barrel maturation cellar as the preferred site of his new African diamond store, and wants it to open this month. Builders erected screens to minimise noise and dust, but the winemakers are taking precautions to protect the contents of these precious barrels.
It has been 30 years since John and Erica Platter acquired the hilltop farm, planting chardonnay, cabernet and merlot, before selling on to Iranians. A decade ago, English diamond guru and entrepreneur Laurence Graff bought Delaire.
Now, it’s one of the Cape’s most glamorous venues, with cutting-edge cuisine, an elegant spa, diamond and Capri linen boutiques, an art collection of global importance and superb wines. The reasonable cellar-door prices of these labels come as a delightful surprise (and contrast) at what is, naturally, an expensive destination. Starting at R50 for rosé, with whites costing between R70 and R110, and most reds going for between R75 and R160, these wines are on a par with – or better than – many selling at double these prices.
Visitors will sample several new vintages at tastings (R50 for five wines). Assistant winemaker and logistics manager Jackie van Wyk hosted our informative tasting, starting with the 2013 cab franc rosé, berry-rich, dry, with an inviting hue. There is a pair of 2013 sauvignon blancs to compare: the nose of the first says Durbanville, which accounts for nearly half the grapes, complemented by berries from Olifants River and Darling.
The Coastal Cuvée blends sauvignons from Darling, Durbanville and Stellenbosch, with five percent barrel-fermented semillon adding classy structure. New to the range is an exciting unwooded chenin, with grapes sourced from Agter Paarl and Swartland. The wooded chenin, from old Swartland vineyards and matured in large barrels, will be savoured both on its own and partnering Asian delights on the Indochine carte, as will the 2012 chardonnay, after 10 months in wood, fresh as a daisy, with citrus and vanilla notes.
Fans of white blends should seek out Delaire’s Blanc Reserve, due to be released next month: it’s a patrician meld of sauvignon blanc from Darling, Durbanville and Olifants River with 30 percent Franschhoek semillon.
The 2010 merlot is the only wine at the moment to be sourced from Banhoek, and like its predecessor is likely to sell out fast. The same goes for the 2012 shiraz, a bright, mulberry-hued easy-drinking wine with upfront fruit from the Helderberg.
The Botmaskop 2011 is cab dominated with cab franc, petit verdot, merlot, shiraz and a little malbec contributing to a seamless blend.
To finish, we savoured the fresh flavours of the 2011 Cape Vintage, a delightful port that reflects winemaker Morné Vrey’s Calitzdorp roots.
Tables on the broad terrace were taken, so we settled inside to relish a series of culinary works. A garden salad included infant organic vegetables, micro leaves and herbs, “marshmallow” carrots and crunch from pine nuts. My fishy assembly teamed trout with buffalo mozzarella, smoked roe, capers and nasturtium with quinoa adding a carbo element.
For those with less adventurous palates, chef Campbell includes hake and chips on his lunch menu, while wine buffs should know there are older sauvignon blancs available only on the restaurant wine lists.
Next month, Delaire is set to host an exclusive reception at the opening of its luxurious jewellery store, and it seems Tretchikoff’s Chinese Girl will be joining the party. - Weekend Argus