Pencil Shavings???

 The Tramontane, meaning from the other side of the mountain, is a cool, dry wind that blows south of the mountains into Italy and the western Mediterranean.  But on a breathlessly still, warm Franschoek Saturday morning, La Tramontane, the wine farm opened its doors for its first tour and tasting.

 

Until owner, Roy Andrews, bought the farm in 2005, all grapes from its vines were sold to the local co-op.  Nearly 3 years later Roy says they are ready to distribute.

 

Roy comes from a career in finance and he is obviously one who thrives under deadline pressure.  Roy says the winery was completed 2 weeks before the 2006 harvest and the tasting room 2 hours before our arrival.

It was hard to draw ourselves away from the spectacular views of Simonsberg and the Franschoek mountains over the vines but the prospect of stepping into La Tramontane’s cellar and sipping their Chardonnay was sufficiently inviting.

In creating a brand Roy has chosen Topiary, after the sculpted hedge San hunters that greet visitors in the winery’s car park.  On deciding on the name he says,

“I thought La Tramontane had too many syllables but you should hear the guys battle with Topiary”

 There is talk of creating a maze and as the other hedges grow up it is certainly going to be a fascinating point of interest for visitors.  And only 14km south on the R301 from the N1, the farm is easily accessible and a must see on any Franschoek or Paarl wine route.

The last 3 years have seen the farm elevating the quality of their Shiraz, Cabernet, Chenin and Chardonnay grapes and in listening to him to talk about his wine, he is clearly making wine that he himself enjoys.

Winemaker, Chris Albrecht, says the opportunity to create a brand new wine as opposed to going to an established farm with established methods has been very rewarding.  And in the manner he invites tasters to discuss their experience of his wine he is certainly excited about his product.

Chris goes out of his way to discuss the subtle influences on wine making and we came away a lot more enlightened about such processes as malolactic fermentation and how climate change such as unseasonal rainfall and rising temperatures effect winemaking.

The candidness and passion for their product was refreshing and both Roy and Chris happily admitted that they have learnt a lot in the last 3 years in creating a wine that they were happy with.

After the tour it was then left to the wine to do the talking however, the tasters were also more than happy to offer their opinion.  After much discussion it was agreed that Topiary Chardonnay was an easy drinking white wine, perfect for the hot summer days that we are hopefully going to have.  It is slightly oaked with a citric bouquet and suggestions of stone fruit, lemon and lime.

Their Chenin Blanc, was also fresh and easy drinking with hints of tropical fruits, pineapple, guava and kiwi fruit.  Roy has also cottoned onto the growing popularity of Rose’ wine and Chris is proud to say that their’s is made the proper way by removing the skin from a blend of their Cabernet and Shiraz grapes.

The Rose’ is dry with a lovely sunburnt salmon colour.  It has a flowery bouquet with a hint of raspberry and other black fruit.

 

The Cabernet Sauvignon is 2005 vintage and comes from the oldest Cabernet vines on the farm.  It is a classical deep red Cabernet with a rich taste of red berries and when discussing the bouquet the suggestion of pencil shavings was definitely a first for the tasters.

The Shiraz, which will be ready for distribution in September 2008, is a 2006 vintage.   Roy was happy for us to sample it and it was agreed that this too will be a fine wine once it has had sufficient time to age in the bottle and mellowed.

 Due to the volume the farm is currently able to produce the wine will only be available from specialist wine shops and the farm itself.  However, the Franschoek valley is a special place in the western Cape and La Tramontane enjoys some of its superb scenery.  The owners are very welcoming and the wine is superb.  When next in the region don’t hedge your bets and pay Roy and Chris a visit.

Not enough Z’s in my name

Born in Bethlehem in 1935, marrying into politics in 1961, an ambassador by 1981, mother and grandmother, Mrs Evita Bezuidenhout has shockingly emerged as the nation’s favourite candidate for the next presidency when Thabo Mbeki’s 2nd term ends in a few months….well to the audience in the Baxter Theatre anyway.

Pieter Dirk Uys’ satire has lost none of the cutting edge that tormented the National Party in the 80’s.  He says he thought the government then were his best scriptwriters and that he didn’t pay taxes only royalties, however he had no idea of what was to come.

Our president, ex-deputy president and Health Minister all fell victim to PDU’s lampooning.  He said his only hope for our next leader is that he/she has a sense of humour.  And if our current leadership does not they best steer clear of “Evita for President”.  It is truly cathartic to laugh at the ridiculousness of our bumbling politicians’ feeble attempts to explian away corruption and crime and their own inadequacies.  The fact that Uys is able to get away with what he says is that he leaves no group untouched.  Even the comedic minefield of poking fun at Muslims is entered and the only explosions are the guffaws of laughter from the audience.  Thoroughly enjoyed it, see it if you can.

 My multicultural eye-opening took a further step forward with my trip to “Chrome”.  Having been driven there in a vehicle with more spoilers than wheels, passed over with a metal detector I arrived in a world of white blazers, two tone shoes and hairstyles that keep hair wax companies in business.  The music menu on the tv screens above the bar let us know that we were halfway into an hour of hippetyhop music, to be followed by an hour of R&B, then some uplifting house, and then some more hippety-hop.  These are the reasons I stuck out like a sore thumb.  Too white, too old, too fat and not enough Z’s in my name.  I tried my best to bump and grind alonside Jaz and Chaz and Daz and then added too sober to my list.  Well that wasn’t hard to fix and was soon shaking my bum in the air like I just dont care much to the hysteria of my companions.  I could see the bouncer in the corner with his Britney Spears headset thinking “Eish whats this mlungu with the grey hair doing, doesnt he know theres no Bon Jovi here. Haibo!”

Set the getting into “wife finding shape” operation back a couple weeks at lunch today.  Rolled out of the Durbanville Hills wine estate buffet lunch several pounds heavier.  The Biltong Soup was certainly a first and a helluva way to get the gorging going.  And on that note, its time to go see whats for supper. 

Hunting Tigers!

Phew! That was a weekend.  Lessons learnt.

1) No matter what the brandewyn says…you are not a pole dancer

2) South Africans still have an unhealthy obsession with Bon Jovi

3) black kids dancing to rage againt the machine works, white kids dancing to kanye west doesn’t.

Applied for a copywriting role and got set a test.  My first homework in 10 years.  I think the grey matter has atrophied.  Thank-you microsoft for spell checker.  In between pretending I know what search engine optimisation is the socail life stepped up a gear but mission wife finding did not.  Standing in various Claremont nightclubs I felt as if I had come to fetch my kids, not actually join in the revelry. 

 But I must protest my innocence.  One cannot be accused of being a dirty old man if these various establishments allow the local primary schools to list Tiger Tiger as an extra curriculum activity.   And although it might be November no-one has yet informed the weather man.  However, informing young ladies that they are going to “catch their death” as my gran used to stay if they don’t cover up is not received well.  Add that to the lesson list.

Just magic!

Forget Neverending Story, Forget Harry Potter, Forget Lord of the bloody rings…coz as fantasy movies go Stardust rocks!

Not only is there the phwoar factor of an evergreen Michelle Pfeiffer, a deliciously button nosed Sienna Miller and a figure huggingly dressed Claire Danes, Robert De Niro’s camp cameo as Captain Shakespeare sends this flick heavenwards.

If thats not enough there is further brilliant support from Peter O’ Toole, Ricky Gervais, Rupert Evrett and Little Britain’s David Williams.  Screenwriter Jane Goldman (formally famous for being Jonathan Ross’ wife) has included enough magical twists and turns to give old JRR a run for his hobbity money and the whole thing didnt take 9 hours to watch.  Also the mystical location of Isle of Skye is a lot closer than New Zealand and diminishes the chances of dodgy kiwi soapstars making an appearance.

There’s plenty to keep special effects nuts entertained too and with Take That performng the clsoing diddy all boxes have been checked.  In a movie that has witches, falling stars, flying necklaces, transfigurations and a gaggle of applauding ghosts the least believable moment is when Sienna Miller declares “ooh Ive never had champagne before”.

The new “bok” fever in town

Nights like last night come about to remind you that no matter how big for your boots you get, you don’t know everything and you haven’t seen everything.

 Madosini and Buckfever Underground Live at the Armchair Thetare, Observatory.

After being thrown together on a yet to be screened episode of Headwrap, Madosini, a traditional Xhosa musician and Buckfever Underground with its intense, melancolic poetry and backing of guitar, base of drums each performed a set and then collaborted for the third.

Madosini, who us Natalians might call “gogo” took to the stage with her translator before playing what could only be described as a single stringed bow, conjouring haunting rythm and melody using her mouth and fingers before introducing the mouth harp to add to the overall surrealness of her performance.

 Buckfever Underground were up next, and the strangeness continued when the guitarist played using a violin bow througout the first track.  Frontman Toast Coetzer brings with him an aura of enigma and intensity that you can only take seriously as he recites his poetry backed by a 3 piece band who themselves add to the melancholy with stirring guitar melody and slow eyes closed head bobbing rhythm.

I think what everyone was waiting for was the collaboration.  Four white guys, one of which reciting poetry in Afrikaans accompanied by a Xhosa woman, ululating at will, playing instruments I had never seen or heard before.  To my untrained ear it was a dischordant mash-up of styles but it certainly was entertaining.  My only gripe, is that I do not underatnd why people come to a live music venue to catch up on the weeks gossip at the top of their voices.  “The reason you’re having to shout dear is that their is a band playing that we’ve all paid to come see”.

Howzit!

One week in and productivity levels are stabilising.  After a flurry of activity last week opening bank accounts, sorting out internet access, re-arranging furniture in my bedroom, and joining a gym, I have realised that the long, hard slog of searching for a job should probably begin in earnest.  I still am managing to find distractions though, like this blog I suppose.

 News this end has pretty much centred on the new Bok coach, the headmaster who opened the wrong matric exam paper and the female pilot who drove her airbus off the runway and closed Cape Town airport for the rest of the day.  Gender equality in commercial piloting has been set back ten years, especially after it was discoverd that this was the second time she’s done it.

Weather is continuing to do everything it isn’t supposed to do and suntanning is behind schedule.  Have joined a gym so getting into “wife-finding shape” has begun.  After 2 gentle go’s on the treadmill I have shed a wopping 0.15 kg. As I explained to mum that  probably should be accounted to a more successful bowel movement on the day of the weigh-in.

Bok fever reached a pinnacle with a open top bus tour through the mother city and a numerous laps of honour around Newlands.  In true SA fashion an over-enthusiastic reveller tred to knick the Webb Ellis cup off Bryan Habana only to be bundled into touch by slightly more over-enthusiastic security guards.  Our rugby heros have reached even giddier heights at Access Park, the local factory shop complex.  A well known shoe manufacturer has named its range after some of the players.  You can choose from the Percy Montgomery, Bryan Habana or JP Pietersen.  No shoes were named after the English team as the brand doesnt do loafers.