SATURDAY & SUNDAY 2& 3 NOVEMBER: MELLA­SAT POP­UP RESTAURANTJoin Mellasat Vineyards underthe dramatic Drakensteinmountains near Paarl for theirseasonal pop­up restaurantwhich only appears four timesper year. Freshly prepared byinternational chef JanetRichardson, the spring seasonwill feature local and seasonal

ingredients specifically sourced for their inventive menu. Tableswill be limited, so don’t miss out. The pop­up restaurant willbe open on the Saturday and Sunday for lunch from 12 noontill 15:00 and dinner on Saturday from 18:30 till 21:30. Forreservations and queries call 021 862 4525 or send an emailto tanya@mellasat.com

SATURDAY 9 NOVEMBER: WAY2WINE Pimp up your trainers and headfor the Bottelary Hills Wine Route for the first ever WAY2WINE Trail Run &Wine Extravaganza. This brand new 12 km Trail Run and Wine Tasting Run/Walk will take you along a scenic vineyard route with ample water stationsand a wine stop every 2 km along the way. Impress the judges with your cre­ativity, as the best­dressed wine lover will be richly rewarded by winningtheir weight in wine from participating estates. Both the serious Trail Run andthe more relaxed Wine Run/Walk start and finish at Hazendal. There will bea staggered start from 08:30 onwards, while the more serious participantswho will be racing against the clock, will start at 08:00. Wine can be pur­chased en route at the cellars for collection at the finish at Hazendal, where afestive market crammed with stalls, live music, and lucky draws galore awaitall finishers. Crèche facilities at Hazendal will offer supervision and a secureindoor play area at R20 per child. The Trail Run & Wine Tasting costs R220whilst the Trail Run without the wine tastings costs R100 per person. To pre­enter, visit www.eventry.co.za. Late entries will be accepted at registrationfrom 07:00 onwards on the day at Hazendal. For more information call082 496 8839 or e­mail events@raw­promo.co.za.

THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER: WATER­KLOOF SIX SENSES EVENING Water­kloof, the beautifully appointed wine estate“in the sky” on the outskirts of SomersetWest, will tantalise your senses when itkicks off the 2013 Helderberg Wine Festivalwith a Six Senses Evening of sublime tastesunique to the area between 17:00 to21:00. Joining Waterkloof will be morethan 20 local wine producers and 10 res­taurants, including Avontuur Estate & Res­taurant, Somerbosch Wines & Bistro, Blaau­wklippen Vineyards & Barouche Restaurant,and Dornier Wines & Bodega Restaurant.Guests will be able to sip on wine whilstchatting to the winemakers, and enjoy theclassy ambiance with tasting portions ofsignature dishes from the participating res­taurants – all included in the ticket price ofjust R200 per person. Tickets also include abranded festival glass, free wine tastingsthroughout the evening, a R50 food vouch­er (more food vouchers wll be available onthe evening) and festival wristbands validfor the duration of the Helderberg WineFestival until 17 November. For more infor­mation contact 021 858 1292 or email son­ja@waterkloofwines.co.za.

SATURDAY 23 NOVEMBER: NEDERBURG SUMMER PICNIC CONCERTUsher in the festiveseason at Neder­burg’s annual pic­nic concert wherelaid­back vibes,great tunes andgood friends areon the menu. Themulti­award win­ning instrumentalpop group SterlingEQ and The SouthAfrican Sopranos,who have built ahuge following fortheir renditions ofextracts from operas, musicals and other international favourites, will be performing at thisyear’s summer event. Guests can pre­order a picnic basket brimming with freshly­prepareddishes for R180 per person (R75 for children under 12) from Nederburg’s restaurant, TheRed Table or bring along your own picnic. No alcoholic beverages may be brought onto thepremises; Nederburg wines, soft drinks, mineral waters, tea and coffee will be offered forsale. Guests should bring their own cutlery, crockery, glassware, chairs, blankets and cush­ions. The concert starts at 17:00 and gates will open at 15:00 to allow everyone enoughtime to choose a picnic spot on the lawns surrounding Nederburg’s historic manor house.Concert tickets are R100, with free entrance for kids under 12. Booking is essential; call Su­nette on 021 877 5173 or send an e­mail to nedwines@distell.co.za well in advance.

SUNDAY 24 NOVEMBER: BOTTELARYHILLS POP­UP LUNCH Make your way toKaapzicht wine estateat 12 noon, where thegracious Steytler fami­ly will host the last ofthe jovial BottelaryHills Pop­Up Wine­makers Lunches for2013. Expect seasonalgourmet indulgencesprepared by veteranchef and master sau­cier, Etienne Bonthuys,combined with a stel­lar selection of wines at this intimate and un­pretentious Winelands affair. Danie Jr andCarin Steytler from Kaap­zicht will be joinedby fellow Bottelary Hills estates – GoedeHoop, Groenland, Hartenberg, Mooiplaas andVilliera – while Chef Etienne will conjure up afour­course feast to match the chosen wines.The cost is R275 per person which includes awine tasting, the four course meal, and aglass of wine per course. Call 021 886 8275to book or send an email to marketing@win­eroute.co.za. Pre­bookings are essential asseating is limited.

SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER &SUNDAY 1 DECEMBER: THE MAG­IC OF BUBBLES This Cap Classiqueand Champagne Festival presented byMasterCard takes place in the picture­perfect Franschhoek Wine Valley from12 noon until 17:00 in a grand mar­quee on the lawns surrounding theiconic Huguenot Monument. Enjoy thefinest Methode Çap Classiques (MCC) toemerge from the wine cellars of SouthAfrica alongside some of France’s bestChampagnes. Visitors will also be treat­ed to an array of gastronomic delightsoffered by participating local restau­rants. The theme for this year’s festivalis black and white, with an emphasison spots and stripes. A prize will beawarded to the best dressed couple oneach day. Tickets cost R200 per personand include access to the festival, acomplimentary tasting glass and tastingcoupons. Additional vouchers can bepurchased on the day. Children under18 years will be allowed free entry tothe festival. Book directly throughwww.webtickets.co.za. For more infor­mation visit www.franschhoekmcc.co.za.

Met Cluver enCatherine kan jynie anders as om koel te wees nie

EMILE JOUBERT

Dit gaan oor koel. Nie in hou­ding nie, maar soos in letterlikfisiekkoel.Want dis in die koelstreke waar, volgens baiewynmakers, die beste wynegemaak word.

Die rede is skynbaar voor die handliggend. ’n Wingerd wat in koel areasgeplant word, gaan druiwe dra watstadiger ryp raak. En hoe langer dierypwordingproses, hoe meer kans hetdie druif om die maksimum geurspek­trum te ontwikkel, waarvan ’n mensmos nou ’n goeie wyn kan maak. Eenvol komplekse karaktertrekke, hartruk­kend volmaakte geure en geparfu­meerde kompleksiteit.Hierdie teorie maak sin vir selfs ie­

mand wat biologies ongeletterd is enis boonop geneig om waar te wees.Hoewel dit geensins beteken dat goeiewyne nie in warm gebiede gemaakword nie. Diegene wat al in die somerin die wynmekkas van Boergondië enBordeaux vas, sal kan getuig dat ditdaar omtrent so warm soos ’n boere­worsrol in Kakamas kan raak. En kykhoe lyk hul wyne.Elgin is Suid­Afrika se bekendste

koel wynstreek danksy goeie reëns, ’nklam mistigheid, matige somertempe­rature en die feit dat die AtlantieseOseaan vanaf Elgin met ’n Pinot Noir­

korrel raakgegooikan word. Die plek isook groen en mooi,met skerp kranse,woude, mere en ’nlandelike rustigheid.Dit is ook die streek

waar mens gerus kanwyk van jou gewonewynvoorkeure en ietsbesonders op dieproef stel. Hier beveelek twee wynsoorteaan: Pinot Noir enChardonnay.Vir Chardonnay is

die Paul Cluver­wyn­plaas die plek om tewees. Die wynmaker,Andries Burger, is ’ndissipel van die Boer­gondiese wynstreek,waar Chardonnaydie kitaar slaan. EnAndries maak ’n PaulCluver Chardonnaywat met die bestes in die wêreld kansaampraat.Ja, ek is bewus daar is mense wat

glo aan ABC – Anything But Chardon­nay. Hierdie houding is te danke aandie hompe houtgeure wat in die Char­donnays van 15 jaar terug aangetrefword. Tye het verander. Mense soosAndries gebruik houtveroudering omdie wyn ’n talmende nasmaak en ro­

merige tekstuur tegee.Diena­tuurlike en klassieke Char­donnay­geure van sitrus, neu­te en appelkoos voer diebotoon, met ’n sappige suur­struktuur wat sorg dat diewynfris, vars en skoon bly.Onthou die naam – Paul

Cluver Chardonnay. Won­derlik saam met gebraaidevis, hoendergeregte enpastasmet ’n roomsous.Pinot Noir is die ander El­

gin­wynstyl wat jou knieë lammaak.Hierdie rojale rooidruifontwikkel baie mooi in diestreek, en een van die bestevoorbeelde is die CatherineMarshall PinotNoir vanElgin.Tipies aan Pinot Noir, is diewyn se kleur aan die ligte kant– die druifsoort se dop is dunen gee dusminder kleur in diesap af as, sê nou maar ’n Ca­bernet Sauvignon of Shiraz.En in die mond wys

Catherine se Pinot Noir waarom hier­die wynsoort so uniek is. Geure vankersies en gerookte vleis word onder­steun deur misterieuse trekke van sam­pioen.Wat jy krymet die sluk van hier­die Pinot Noir is die geur van ’n sonni­ge vrugteboord en terselfdertyd diévan ’n donker, nat woud net ná diereën. Als in een glas.Magies, bekoorlik. En o, so koel.

EMILE JOUBERT is ’ngenieter van wyn, ietswaarmee hy hom heel­dag besig hou in sywerk as wynbemar­kingskonsultant en­skrywer.

TjeersTjeers

PAUL CLUVER FOREST THEATRE: Visitthe Paul Cluver farm De Rust during theirannual summer music festival for a trulymagical experience. Take your own pic­nic, blanket and cushions, and enjoy aworld­class concert under the toweringEucalyptus forest which circles the intimateopen­air arena. This year’s line­up in­cludes performances by Suzanne Vega on1 and 2 November at 19:00 (gates openat 17:) and the Hope Music Festival on30 November at 15:00. Book at Com­puticket. Visit www.cluver.com for full pro­gramme details.

Where to stayandeatAccommodation. South Hill – Valley RoadSally King: 083 627 7950. Oak Lane Cottages – Valley RoadMichelle Loos 021 844 0248. Old MacDaddy – Valley Road021 844 0245. Mofam River Lodge – Appletiser RoadCandice Scheepers: 021 846 8345. Rose Cottage – Highlands RoadMandy Millsap: 083 261 0674. Weltevrede Cottage – Highlands RoadAnél la Cock: 076 405 7536. Wildekrans Country HouseAlison Green: 028 284 9827. Houw Hoek InnPaul / Stephan: 028 284 9646

Eateries. Brinny Breezes @ Old Mac Daddy076 578 7700. South Hill 021 844 0343. Fresh @ Paul Cluver 071 563 6020. Flavours @ Mofam River Lodge021 846 8345. Platform 1 Eatery @ Winters Drift TastingStation 082 379 2623. The Pool Room@Oak Valley 021 859 4111. Houw Hoek Inn 028 284 9646

In comparison to the more genteel,traditional wine routes of Stellen­bosch, Paarl and Franschhoek, Elginis the wild frontier, offering visitorsawine experiencewith adifference.

First of all there is the unspoilt beauty of thevalley, with rugged mountains, forests, lakesand rolling green hills covered in a patchworkof fruit orchards, olive groves and vineyards.And then there are thewinemakers – an eclec­tic bunch of mixed background and heritagewhonowcall the valleyhomeandareworkingtogether to produce terroir­specific wines thatare receiving exceptional acclaim.From the first viticulture pioneers in the mid

1980s,manynewcomershave recognised thewine­growing potential of this fertile valleywith its cool climate, leading to the establish­ment of awine community populated by someof themost talented and interesting charactersin the local wine industry.Recognised for their superior fruit­driven

and complex structured wines, it’s no wondereveryone is talking about the wines of ElginOrigin. And it’s no wonder they have namedtheir wine route Elegantly Elgin. Their winesare characterised by elegance and finesse,with low pH, good natural acidity and bal­anced, ripe flavours.The viticulture pioneers in the eighties were

the Rawbone­Viljoens at Oak Valley and theCluversatDeRust, thePaulCluver family farm.Today the Elgin Valley Wine Route comprises17members, includingestablishedandhighly

acclaimedestatessuchasShannonVineyards,Iona, Almenkerk, Catherine Marshall Winesand Elgin Vintners. The enthusiastic new pro­ducers suchasElginRidge, SpioenkopWines,CharlesFoxandOneirichave further strength­ened the area’s production and visitor appeal.With a wealth of coveted local and interna­

tional awards behind them, the Elgin Valleywine producers launched their official WineRoute in October 2012. The route took flightthrough a concept called “OpenWineWeek­ends”,where onceamonthall 17wine estatesopen their cellar doors to the public, allowingconsumers to fully experience Elgin’s wine of­fering.The Elegantly Elgin Wine Route members

in alphabetical order are: Almenkerk; Arum­dale; Charles Fox Wines; Elgin Ridge; ElginVintners; Hannay & Catherine MarshallWines; Highlands Road Wines; Iona Vine­yards; Lothian Wines; Mofam Wines; OakValley Wines; Oneiric Wines; Paul CluverWines; Shannon Vineyards; SpioenkopWine; South Hill Wines; Winters Drift.For more information contact Elgin Valley

Tourismon021 848 9838; ElginValleyWineGuild on 021 848 9838; info@elgin­wine.co.za; www.elginwine.co.za.

) The next Elegantly Elgin Open WineWeekend is from2–3November, followedby the Elgin Open Gardens Weekend from9–10 November. So take the road lesstravelled – there has never been a better timeto meander off the beaten track and experi­ence the magic of the Elgin Wine Valley.

James Downes of Shannon Vineyards,chairperson of the Elgin WinemakersGuild.

Elgindoes itElegantly