DELHEIM

The Delheim winery offers the chance to make a difference while having fun – by Myrna Robins, Sunday Argus – The Good Weekend, 14 November 2010

Mountain biking, hiking, fine wine, farm fare and Boland hospitality blend seamlessly on the Delheim menu next Sunday, and there’s a bonus as well – those taking part will help swell the funds of a worthy Stellenbosch youth support group.

The third annual Delheim Anna Foundation MTB starts at 8.30 am on the Delheim farm off the R44 outside Stellenbosch on November 21. This event is the only time that the Sperling family open their vineyards and mountainous areas to the public: as these form part of one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world, with panoramic views across to Table Mountain, it’s a chance not to be missed.

Hikers can choose their own pace. Cyclists can tackle the challenging single-track 14km route or opt for the less technical loop of 7km, ideal for social cyclists and families.

Entry fees are dependent on distance and entry times, ranging from R35 to R100, with discounts for AMA members and early entries – the latter close tomorrow. There are prizes for category winners and lucky draws for others.

A R10 donation from each entry will go to the Anna Foundation, a non-profit organisation which aims to empower youth through programmes of academic, social and skill support.

They work with children in disadvantaged communities in the fields of literacy, running and morality and their school scholarship programme, started last year, has enabled eight farm children who show potential to attend Stellenbosch schools and enjoy support in the form of transport and individual tutoring. One of them lives on Delheim farm.

Visitors making a day of the Sunday outing could add a tasting or lunch at the Delheim garden restaurant to their programme. There is a wide range of well-priced wines at this renowned cellar, which celebrates its 60th birthday next year; while family head, the irrepressible Spatz Sperling, recently turned 80.

To book for lunch, call 021 888 4607.
For more information on the trails and entry forms, see www.dirtopia.co.za
For further details about the Anna Foundation see www.annafoundation.com

Delheim opens its wine farm to hikers and mountain bikers for only one day a year – for an event in aid of the Anna Foundation which provides “Education, Sports and Life Development for underprivileged children in South Africa.”  

The mountain biking event features a 14km lap with awesome single track sections, and serious bikers can opt to do two laps (28km).  There is also a 7km option for those a little less fit. The routes include some good climbing against the slopes of Simonsberg, and great single track sections make it really worth it!

Trail runners can attempt either the 7km or the 14km route on the Simonsberg with a R30 permit obtainable at the kiosk at Delheim on the day.

The event starts at 08h30 on 21 November 2010 at the Delheim Wine Estate, on the Knorhoek Road, off the R44 near Stellenbosch.

The entry fee depends on distance and time of entry; but ranges from R35 to R100.  AMA members receive a discount.  There are great prizes to be won at the prize giving as well as a lucky draw, all sponsored by Delheim.

Book for lunch at the Delheim restaurant and enjoy the day in the winelands…

For more information and an entry form, please go to  www.dirtopia.co.za

More details on the sterling work being done by the Anna Foundation can be found here: www.annafoundation.com

Looking forward to seeing you here!

On Saturday, 4 September Delheim hosted a clay shooting event at the picnic area behind the cellar as part of a team building exercise for the company Hospitality Affairs.

It was thrilling for many of the participants who had never fired a gun before, and there was much laughter watching the novices attempting to shoot down the clays.

For an adrenaline-filled and fun team-building experience, why not consider booking one of these events for your team?  Please contact directors@delheim.com

For the first time in over 30 years, the Cape Hunt and Polo Club, established in 1822, returned to Delheim on Sunday, 29 August 2010 for a “drag hunt”.  Drag hunting is an exhilarating, non-competitive, cross-country, equestrian sport in which riders follow foxhounds that are trained to follow a laid trail of scent. The exciting course is ridden at a canter or a gallop and usually includes numerous jumps and some natural hazards such as river crossings.

We managed to unearth an old photograph of a Hunt taken at Delheim in the 1950′s!

Cathy Marston indulges in cheese and jazz on the gorgeous Delheim wine estate.

     

 

Strange as it may seem, there does come a time when perusing yet another menu of delicious-sounding food becomes wearisome. So it was with a light heart that we made our way out to Delheim Restaurant for their Cheese Fondue and Sunday Jazz lunch – because we didn’t have to think about what to order, we had something to occupy us as we ate (I’m entering my second childhood now, and always need entertainment at the table to keep me happy) and we were going to meet up with good friends who we hadn’t seen for some time.

Delheim is a lovely, cosy, gentle, warm, fluffy-bunny of a wine farm. Set up by the legendary Spatz Sperling, that pioneer of so much that is good and great about the Cape Winelands, and now run by his daughter Nora and son Victor, it has a lovely family-feel about it which frankly, just makes me always happy to be there. My friend Annelize used to work in the tasting room some 20 years ago now and tells me that nothing has changed there at all. ‘Even the gluhwein tastes the same’ she whispered, sharing scurrilous tales of brewing it up all those years ago.

The Fondue

The fondue was everything you could hope for – made to a family recipe and definitely featuring more than a good slug of wine and Kirsch, it was thick, gloopy, cheesy and completely heavenly. Baskets of cut-up baguette appeared at regular intervals at the table – if I had a criticism at all, then it would be that it would have been nice to have something else to dip as well. Maybe some of the divine sausage which the kids were piling into, or perhaps some cherry tomatoes or chunks of ham? Whatever – the cheese was definitely the star of the day and since we all scraped the pot bare and went through a shaming 5 baskets of bread, we can’t have really felt the lack of very much.

The wine

Obviously, we were washing all this down with vast amounts of wine. Delheim has a wide range of wines to choose from and nearly all of them are available by the glass as well. We decided to go entry-level and were drinking the Shiraz-Cab and the Chenin-Sauvignon, both of them priced at R65 a bottle (I always like a place which offers a genuine, good value, entry-level wine) but we did dither awhile about whether or not to try a glass of Gewurztraminer which I thought might have done rather well with the cheese. Next time perhaps.

We finished off with some delicious slices of cheesecake and a darned fine Malva pud from the a la carte menu. Some friends were in the main restaurant hoping to try Delheim’s ridiculously good-value Dollar-rate deal, but they had got the dates wrong and that only starts again in a couple of weeks time – book now, is my advice.

An excellently-priced experience

In the meantime, at R220 per couple for gluwein, fondue, coffee and cover charge for the charming trio beavering away in the corner, this is an excellently-priced alternative for everyone who wants to be wrapped up in a warm blanket of good food, delicious wine, lovely music, well-being and happiness. I can’t wait to go back.

Thank you to Selma Albasini for her sketches of the Jazz trio which plays at the cosy Delheim “Downstairs” cellar on “Jazz and Cheese Fondue” Sundays.  Book now for the next performances on 15 and 22 August at 12h00 – telephone 021 888 4607.  The cost is R220 for two people sharing, which includes the cover charge, glühwein, an authentic Swiss cheese fondue made of Emmenthaler, Gruyere, white wine and Kirsch liqueur, and filter coffee.  See you there!

Pierre-Henri Wicomb on keyboard

Adriaan Brand - Trumpet/Percussionist/Accordian

Leonore Bredekamp on bass

Yay! Look what we got! Let’s introduce you to the newest member of the patented Delheim Jack Russell Tribe^TM

She is a little girl, and her name is Vuvu. 

Just look at the size (or lack of it) of the little thing!

All together now………. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWW!

Well, wasn’t Father’s Day at Delheim a treat!

What a beautiful day!

The weather was sparkling, and the restaurant and tasting room full to overflowing.  We had planned to seat all inside the restaurant and Downstairs tasting cellar as we expected it to be as cold as it has been for the last week or two.  In the event it turned out to be a lovely, warm day, and most everybody went out onto the garden terraces where they lounged for the afternoon drinking in the sunshine, the spectacular view, and of course, the wines!

Hippo aka "The L'ill Beggar"

Hippo, or “The L’il Beggar” as he is affectionately known, did his usual rounds (see photo) and by all accounts was well rewarded (as he usually is, as you no doubt will note from his [*cough*] unique physique.)

Helene van Heerden, Sylvia Coetzee and Bruno Ruegg

So popular was the wine blending competition that we decided to divide it into two categories on the day: “Father” and “Not-a-Father”.

“Father” category winner Bruno Rüegg showed he could blend a red wine too, after having won a white wine blending competition at Delheim in a previous year. His blend of 40% Cab Sauv, 30% Merlot and 30% Shiraz, with its deep berry nose, was perfectly balanced and followed smoothly through on the palate to the finish.

Lots of advice – solicited or otherwise - was being dished out to the blenders, and Dad Keith Munro had lots of help from his son making the “Dad’s Vuvu Vino!” blend, although junior was heard to complain after about an hour: “I’m not tasting ANY MORE wine, Dad!”.

Keith Munro and "helpers"

Delheim’s Sales Manager, Mignon, presided over the competition as judge and jury, and was therefore badgered, bribed and flattered in every way in an effort to sway her – to no avail, she insists!

“Father” category winners:

Best Blend: Bruno Rüegg with “Delesi”; First Runner-Up: Keith Munro with “Dad’s Vuvu Vino!”; Second Runner-Up: Willy Fergussen with “Kloofbosch Red”; Best Name/Description: Marc Joubert with “Marcus – from ‘Mars”, the God of War. Speaks of a history of conquest, achievement and growth. Protector of his (extended) family, Marcus values relationships and cares deeply for those around him. This wine will warm your heart with family and friends, and aims to highlight the things in life worth fighting for!”

“Not-A-Father” category winners:

Winners of best blend "Fraulein": Conrad, Marisa, Sigrid and Phillip

Best Blend: Conrad, Sigrid, Marisa & Phillip (pictured) with “Fraulein”; Best Name/Description: Ruan Beneke with “Ol’ Razlot Nr 40 - A poetic blend of Delheim’s secrets, leaving you with an aftertaste of chocolate, olives and Brenda” [ed. note: Brenda is Delheim’s winemaker!]

From L to R Paul Fourie, Wilma du Toit, Hannelize Robinson, Ruan Beneke, Rudi Scheepers

Special mention goes to the names “Delheim Red Rocker” (David Bell) and “DellaZella” (Byron Hollander).

During the afternoon, soccer tourists started arriving – we received Americans, Brazilians, Spaniards and Portuguese among many others – so there was no let-up as everybody tucked themselves into the cosy Downstairs tasting cellar to watch the late afternoon match.

An immensely enjoyable afternoon – we are so privileged at Delheim to be able to share this lovely old wine estate with you all!

THE DELHEIM TEAM

We had a very successful opening of Joshua Miles’ exhibition at Delheim last night – a feast of art, ceramics, jewellery, lighting design, music, food and wine. Thank you to everybody who attended! Herewith a catalogue of Joshua’s work that will be on exhibition at Delheim’s “Downstairs” tasting cellar until the end of the year.

Joshua Miles katalogus Afrikaans (pdf)                         
Joshua Miles catalogue English (pdf)   
Joshua Miles More Information English (pdf)   

Joshua Miles and wife Angela

Lights by Albertus Maree

Aninka Harms

Johan Swart and his ceramics