Wine Makers dinner at MINT, The Taj Hotel. Thursday 24.11.2011

Behind every Great wine is a Great Wine Maker!

I always love been invited to dinner parties – changing into smarter clothes that make you feel handsome and beautiful; the dabbing on of that special cologne/perfume, the last minute shoe polishing; the changing of accessories to make sure they are not to flashy/bold; selecting a gift for the host; the anticipation of seeing your friends again and meeting new faces; the welcoming smiles at the door; the jovial atmosphere of witty intelligent conversation; the appreciation of the thought, effort, sweat & tears behind the food menu and preparation ;the conscious effort of making sure everything is just perfect!; and that wonderful magic feeling at the end of the evening of: ‘this was such a fantastic time, when can we do this again my friend?’

The Wine Makers Dinner at MINT Restaurant (The Taj Hotel), on Thursday evening, had all these elements and more! Superb and hand selected wines were presented by Raats Family Wines; Doolhof Estate; Groote Post; La Vierge and Warwick to accompany the gourmet food prepared by the kitchen team lead by Head Chef Shaym Langham.

Wine makers Bruwer Raats (Raats Family Wines); Frederieck Kuhne (Doolhof) , Lukas Wessels (Groote Post), Marc van Heldering (La Vierge) and Mike Ratcliffe (Warwick / Vilafonte wines) had the pleasure of presenting their estate wines, explaining about the farm, terrior, future developments, providing excellent conversation and wee bit of gossip! It was a superb opportunity to learn a little more about the wines, see the legends behind the wine making process and also put into diaries future wine farm visits.






Mike Ratcliffe: Wine Maker and business partner for Vilafonte and Warwick, Stellenbosch



Frederick Kuhne - Wine Maker for Doolhof Estate, Wellington



Lukas Wessels - Wine Maker for Groote Post Estate, Darling

Marc van Heldering - Wine Maker for La Vierge Wines, Hermanus

5 wine makers, 5 courses, 5 taste adventures!



On arrival we were greeted with a welcoming glass of Groote Post Sauvignon Blanc 2011, which lead us into the first course of ‘Oysters Troika’. Complimenting the Oysters we had two exceptional wines – Raats Chenin Blanc 2011 and La Vierge ‘Jezebel’ Chardonnay 2010.

Oysters 'Trioche' - Rockefeller, Salsa Verde and Natural



Doolhof 'Lady in White' 2010



La Vierge Pinot Noir 2010



Cape Salmon wrapped in rice paper with asparagus, kimpera and shitake mushrooms.
Ltr: La Vierge Pinot Noir 2010. Doolhof 'Lady in White' 2010, La Vierge Jezebel Chardonnay 2010, Raats Chenin Blanc 2011

Doolhof ‘Lady in White’ 2010 and La Vierge Pinot Noir 2010 were served with the Linefish en Papillote (Cape Salmon glazed with a coffee and roasted cumin wrapped in a rice paper parcels with asparagus spears, artichoke hon shimerji and shitake mushrooms) our surprisingly delicious second course.

Groote Post Chardonnay 2008 and Doolhof Pinotage 2008 complimented the delicious Ostrich meatballs ‘Donduri’, Japanese rice and vegetables with a beetroot preserve.

Ending the evening, we enjoyed Vilafonte Series M 2005 to compliment the Valrhona Chocolate and Grand Marnier Mousse with preserved orange peel crème anglaise dessert, and Warwick Trilogy 2005 as accompanied by our ‘Something Cheesy’ cheese plate.


Vilafonte Series M 2005 and Warwick Trilogy 2005 complimented by the Valrhona Chocolate mousse with orange creme anglais.





Always a good sign.....



Something Cheesy!

 Tasting Notes:

• Groote Post Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Veritas 2011 Bronze awarded, this 100% Sauvignon provides great balance between acidity, complexity and depth with flavour profiles of cut grass, white peaches and stone fruit on the palate. A good welcome to a fab evening!

• Raats Original Chenin Blanc 2011

This delightful Chenin Blanc is so quaffable is not funny! I could quite happily park myself off on the vine covered verandah with this little wine! Following the formula of creating an accessible wine that is worth isn’t money but doesn’t blow the budget and still delivers taste, it has succeeded yet again!

• La Vierge ‘Jezebel’ Chardonnay 2010

Named after Jezerbal - named after modern interpretation of the ancient legend often associated with idoltary and luring men to sexual immorality. ‘Jezebel, how many have you enchanted with your painted lips, mysterious gaze, your treacherous smile? Into how many dreams did you step with your promise of sensual love? How many have yearned for your perfumed breast? Your nature has remained an enigma, but your legend lives on in Jezerbel Chardonnay, a wine with a delightful, distinctive and alluding character!’ This is the maiden vintage of Chardonnay from the Hemel-en-Valley farm. Just shy of 1260 cases were made.

Use of whole bunch pressing, use of a combination of new and older oak, fermentation in small barrels, just a touch of malo-lactic and gentle lees stirring has developed an intense complexity on the palate and nose. Aromatic lime, white floral and minerality on the palate.

• Doolhof ‘Lady in White’ 2010 (Estate Reserve White)

Gold Medal Winner: Michaelango Awards 2011. A Sauvignon, Chenin, Semillion blend in the Legends of the Labyrinth range. This follows the ‘Lady in Red’; ’Dark Lady of the Labyrinth’ and ‘Minotaur’.

Use of 35 year old Chenin blanc vines, fermentation with natural wild yeasts and careful 225barrels has created a rather gorgeous wine. Watch out also for the Cape Eagle 2010 in the Signatures range – with its intense pineapple, grapefruit and floral aromas! Chardonnay with a touch of Chenin is very well deserving of its Winner of the 2012 Best Value!

• Doolhof Pinotage 2008

A more traditional vinification has proved a success. Smokiness lends itself to the black cherry mulberry palate. Hints of mint, spice aromas of cinnamon, bitter chocolate add to a palate weight that lends itself to been matched to equally spicy food.

• Groote Post Reserve Chardonnay 2009

Yum, yum, yum! Think warm buttery fresh white bread with lime& lemon marmalade. Citrusy notes follow to create a lovely integrated wine.

• Vilafonte Series M 2005

A blend of 52% Merlot, 31% Cab Sauvignon, 17% Malbec, it is an ‘immediately delicious’ wine – plump, juicy, offering a fantastic rewarding experience. Aromatics offered are of unbaked Christmas pudding, blackberry coulis, rosemary and basil herbaceous.

• Warwick Trilogy 2005

59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, it is a superb wine that has done Norma Ratcliffe of Warwick proud. When Norma started Warwick wines, she was told – don’t make bad wine – its’ not good for the valleys reputation! If the Trilogy is anything to go by, she has stuck to that promise and created a legend.


The 'Mint', The Taj Hotel, Wale Street, Cape Town