Cape Town - For many fans of Wellington’s value-for-money wines, the town’s harvest festival is a must-do event for stocking up and chilling out.
This year will see visitors save on petrol with just three wine farms hosting events for the valley. Each of these will entertain to a theme.
New Fashioned Boere Bazaar at Diemersfontein promises traditional entertainment, boerekos and music by members of the Kaapse Boeremusiek Gilde. The braai, boboties and curries will be paired with wines from Hildenbrand and Douglas Green among others, with those of the host farm.
At Top Chilling, the Bosman Family Vineyards venue, a long, relaxed lunch at tables under tents and gazebos will be served by local restaurants with wine from cellars such as Doolhof, Dunstone, Napier, and Bosman’s range, which includes two recent releases that should not be missed.
The Bosman Optenhorst chenin blanc 2011 is one of winemaker Corlea Fourie’s repeat triumphs: Made from a 60-year-old single vineyard in the Bovlei valley, aged for nine months in French oak, this is a good example of the heights our Cape chenin can reach, with fruity aromas leading to crisp fresh flavours and a mineral core. Wellington is also renowned for enjoyable pinotage, and Bosman’s 2011 vintage is a classic and juicy example, berry fruits and a hint of banana and toffee on the nose followed by a full and pleasing mouth-feel.
At Welbedacht, the theme – Wilder as die Wildtuin – indicates a focus on animals of all sorts, whether on the spit-braai (wild boar) or in the form of pictures of our besieged rhinos, which will benefit from the sales of wine hampers. A wine cocktail bar and a whisky theatre are among the attractions, while artisanal beer and a coffee bar make alternative choices. Bontebok Ridge, Wellington Wines and Jacaranda will also pour their wines here.
All venues include children’s entertainment areas. The festival takes place on March 15 from 10am and those who make a weekend of it will find special deals at farms on Sunday. Tickets, through Ticketweb and at farm gates, cost R100. Under-18s go in free.
Contact 021 864 2479 or see www.harvestfestival.co.za.
Wine calendar
Entrance is free at the Spier Harvest Market taking place on Saturday March 15.
This is another “secret” occasion when cooks and bakers, florists and farmers, set up shop on the lawns edging the Eerste river banks with their goodies, while the farm pours wines from two of its top ranges at an outdoor bar.
Enjoy a braai for lunch while the children are entertained with a host of activities. See www.spier.co.za for more information.
* Wine lovers the world over are invited to place online bids for lots ahead of the first AfrAsia Bank Cape Wine Auction 2014, taking place at the Delaire Graff estate on March 15 .
A group of auction ambassadors has compiled the lots, which include rare wine collections as well as exclusive local and international labels, with some gourmet dining and travel experiences.
The Cape Wine Auction Trust has been established to ensure that the event raises substantial funds for education in the winelands, with the Pebbles Project, the MAD charity and the Click Foundation benefiting. Buyers can also bid via telephone or a live streaming video feed.
Details of the lots can be found at www.thecapewineauction.com.
* The annual Solms-Delta harvest festival sports a new title this year: The ATKV-Oesfees indicates that the event, on Saturday, March 22, is focusing solely on Boland music and culture, with more than 100 performers taking part.
This is a showcase for the Music van de Caab project, which aims to preserve and develop the musical heritage of the rural Cape.
Visitors can also relish traditional Kaapse kos, washed down with Solms-Delta wines. Children will be catered for with supervised entertainment.
Buy tickets, which are R130 for adults and R30 for children aged from 2 to 12, at www.plank-ton.mobi.
Gates open at 9am and the music continues until 9pm. For more information, e-mail [email protected].
Weekend Argus