The 9th annual Season of Sauvignon festival is taking place this weekend (5 -6 October 2013) in my home town of Durbanville.
I attended this festival last year and had an absolute ball of a time, I’m sure this year will be no different!
Now look I’ll be the first to admit that I am no wine fundi, so I’m not going to try and impress you with all sorts of fancy descriptions of the wines on offer. I’ll leave that up to the more learned members of the media and other folks that might actually know what they are talking about. When it comes to the Durbanville Wine Valley though, two things are certain.
- The area is well known for producing some of the best Sauvignon Blanc around.
- The people of the area have developed a bit of a reputation for consuming copious amounts of said Sauvignon Blanc, while showcasing their natural talent for having a good time and being fabulous.
Each of the eleven participating wine farms have put together their own program for the festival, so there is bound to be something for everyone. Below is an extract from the festival programme to show you what will be on offer at the various farms.
Altydgedacht’s relaxed rustic grounds are perfect to enjoy picnic baskets prepared by Eat at Altydgedacht, all you need to bring is a blanket to enjoy lunch under the trees. The restaurant will be taking bookings for their famous farm menu of pies, quiches and platters. Vineyard tours can be booked over the weekend, on arrival. Plenty for the little ones including a ‘farmstical’ course, jumping castle and a special menu at the restaurant.
Friday 4 October sees the re-launch of Bloemendal. The farm’s new packaging and wine will be showcased paired with a three course meal at Bon Amis Restaurant. While Saturday’s activities are already fully booked, Sunday’s live music and the food and wine at Bon Amis (with the kiddies catered for with lots to do) will ensure a day of laid-back pleasure.
D’Aria gets the valley rocking with The Flashbacks, Rudi die Wynmaker and Gerald Clark. Themed ‘Alice in Wineland’, come enjoy old-time favourites from jaffles, flammkuchen and home-baked pastries to more decadent oysters. Petting zoo and dedicated play area for the little ones.
De Grendel’s Sauvignon Blanc 2013 is the farm’s best vintage to date. The farm with its iconic views on Table Mountain will have alfresco food stalls, inspired by the show-stealing Sauvignon Blanc. An oyster bar cocktail bar creates new and tasty Sauvignon Blanc combinations. De Grendel Restaurant puts perfect pairs together in a tasting menu paired with a Sauvignon Blanc for lunch on both days. One of the three Durbanville Sauvignon Wine Ferry destinations.
Welcoming white wine season is a long-standing tradition at Diemersdal. Sip, swirl and enjoy multi-award winning Sauvignon Blancs. Bring the sun hat, picnic blanket and party face. Relax al fresco, under festive umbrellas or the huge tent with its convivial crowds. Live music adds beat to the day.For the adventurous, tag along with winemakers Thys Louw and Marie Branders for vineyard hikes exploring the spring vines, and learn about terroir. Diemersdal farm eatery gets playful with Sauvignon slush puppies and ice cream. To keep you going over the weekend, cheese platters, their signature artisan bread rolls, and Sauvignon loving food will be served. The little ones can enjoy horse cart-rides, games, and other festival activities.
All things Sauvignon blanc at Durbanville Hills. For something sensory, experience how food plays with Sauvignon Blanc, enjoy an interactive sensory tasting where you can discover for yourself how sweet, sour, bitter and savoury flavours change the taste profile of a Sauvignon blanc. Picnics, nachos, sushi, oysters, and charcuterie platters are on offer with live music courtesy of Chris Rain and Ricky Nass. and. There will be plenty of fun for the little ones with face painters, a jumping castle and free-form jungle gym. The restaurant will be open for breakfast and lunch over the weekend. One of the three Durbanville Sauvignon Wine Ferry destinations.
Groot Phesantekraal on the north east side of Durbanville goes cool with laid back tunes while festival goers can enjoy cheese platters, sushi and some lekker local roosterkoek and curry and rice. Taste their Groot Phizante Kraal Sauvignon Blanc with its tropical fruit flavours and hints of figs and gooseberries. Also home to the much-hailed Anna’de’Koning Chenin Blanc, the first Chenin Blanc of the valley.
‘Wyn in the Tuin’ at Klein Roosboom. Sip Sauvignon Blanc, sway to Slip Jam and experience vivacious winemaker Karen De Villiers’ creative touches that turn each festival into the most memorable event. Enjoy trendy food trucks offering a variety of food. Bubble ball, sand art and more for the kids.
Wine lovers bring the whole family to Meerendal. Live entertainment, the popular Farmer’s Market (Saturday only) and activities for the kids are on offer. Cellar master, Liza Goodwin, takes visitors on tutored tastings and wine guru Bennie Howard showcases how well Meerendal and Durbanville Sauvignons can age. Overseas wines will be included as well (these tastings are free of charge). Sunday sees the West Coast buffet straight from the Braai, with Sauvignon Blanc pairings. The Bistro restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner the whole weekend. One of the three Durbanville Sauvignon Wine Ferry destinations.
Hillcrest celebrates the festival with Blanc and Blues. New to the Quarry this year is the On Tap Ice Bar- ensuring your favourite savvy is perfectly chilled. The Wine Theatre will be hosted by winemakers Graham Reed and Arno Smit. Stock on up wine with specials at the Wine Shop. Feast on smoked Norwegian salmon, oysters and seafood wraps, hamburgers and more. Kids will enjoy the Play Arena with rides and entertainment.
Nitida welcome festival goers with open arms. Their knack for creating a festival mood is helped along by the rolling hills and their famous dam. Cassia Restaurant serves up hamburgers sushi, cajun chicken wraps and footlongs. A jazz band sets the mood for a relaxed weekend, wine specials and activities for the kids. ‘Tables at Nitida’ will operate as normal.
Also at all the farms: ‘Ward in a box’ will again be on offer, an excellent way of tasting a Sauvignon Blanc variety from each of the 11 farms in the valley. Each farm has this on offer so festival goers can partake in a comparative tasting in one spot and get to know the valley’s cool climate style of Sauvignon Blanc.
For the jetsetters, the popular Durbanville Sauvignon Wine Ferry helicopter experience returns. Explore the valley from the air as Base 4 Aviation takes passengers on a three-stop day experience via De Grendel, Durbanville Hills and Meerendal. This exclusive shuttle service flies from one estate to the next, for visitors to enjoy tastings and festival offerings. For more information email Francois Koenig on fuzzy@base4.co.za or call 021 934 4405.
Booking:
• Farms accept their own bookings for their weekend activities;
• For the full festival programme visit www.durbanvillewine.co.za
• Follow @DurbanvilleWine and #dvillesauvfest on Twitter or visit www.facebook.com/durbanvillewine
I for one can’t wait to say goodbye to Winter and welcome back the warmer weather with gusto. I hope to see you around!
