PROGRAMME

BLIND WINE TASTING COMPETITION FOR MOTHERS

Come and test your skills!

Prizes:

First:  A magnum of Delheim Pinotage and a Delheim “Ageing to Perfection” sweater

Second: A Bird Feeder, a bottle of Delheim Spatzendreck wine and two Delheim glasses

Third: A bottle of Gabriele fortified red wine & Gabriele chocolate

LUNCH

German gemütlichkeit is the order of the day in this garden restaurant in its

stunning setting with a view clear across to Table Mountain in the distance. 

In case of rain, we will move to the cosy “Downstairs” Cellar.

Set Menu:

A complementary glass of wine from our “Lifestyle” range

(Sauvignon Blanc-Chenin Blanc 2009, Pinotage Rosé 2009,

Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz 2008, or Spatzendreck Late Harvest 2009)

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Butternut & Orange Soup

served with freshly-baked farm bread

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Oven-Baked Franschhoek Salmon Trout

served on rocket with grilled vegetables & baby potatoes

OR

Cape Malay Chicken Curry

served with basmati rice, a poppadum & mango salsa

OR

Balsamic-Infused Pork Fillet & Sweet Peppers

served with savoury mashed potatoes

(vegetarian option available on request – please specify when you make your reservation)

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Mascarpone Cheesecake topped with Apricots in a Delheim “Natural Sweet” wine reduction

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Coffee/Tea

Blind tasting competition, set lunch and complementary glass of wine – R150 p/p

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Kiddies Menu (under 12 yrs):

Bratwurst Roll or Fish Cake

served with potato chips and tomato sauce

and

a Gabriele Chocolate Brownie

A glass of Fruit Juice or Sparkling Grape Juice

R50 per child

Booking essential at Tel: (021) 888-4607, or make your reservations at restaurant@delheim.com

The Phoenician ship in Table Harbour

Delheim is very excited to be associated with the Phoenician Ship Expedition currently docked in Cape Town (www.phoenicia.org.uk). This expedition is seeking to rediscover and document the secrets of ancient Phoenician mariners by attempting to recreate one of mankind’s greatest exploratory voyages, the first circumnavigation of Africa by Phoenician mariners in 600BC, in a replica Phoenician/Mediterranean vessel. 

The Phoenician Ship Expedition launched from Arwad, Syria in August 2008, sailed through the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea, and eventually docked at Yemen. Phase Two, launched in August 2009, saw Phoenicia rounding the Horn of Africa and sailing down the east coast. Negotiating the dangers of the Cape of Good Hope was a critical point in the expedition, but the ship is now safely berthed at the Victoria & Albert Waterfront. 

The Phoenicians were regarded as ‘rulers of the sea’ and their trading activities reached as far as Cornwall for tin, and India and China for spices and precious goods. Delheim has loaded some of its Muscadel 2008 with this ship’s cargo to follow its ancient trading route back to Syria. 

The Muscadel grape is the world’s oldest known grape variety – it has been cultivated and harvested in the Mediterranean for more than 3000 years and some wine historians say it was the first grape to evolve. It was certainly the first grape to be used in winemaking. 

In ancient times, Muscadel grapes were used mostly for making raisins, and Roman physicians prescribed them to cure anything from mushroom poisoning to old age! So valuable were these raisins at the time that two jars of them were worth one slave. Pliny the Elder called Muscadel the “grape of the bees”, as they are uncontrollably attracted to the powerfully sweet odour, the result of a tendency to rot slightly on the vine, with the berries developing a very soft skin and a high sugar content. There are over 200 varieties of Muscadel grape and the wine made from it was known to ancient Egyptians, Arabs and Africans. 

The Phoenician voyage will continue up the west coast of Africa, through the Straits of Gibraltar and across the Mediterranean to return to Syria, where the special wooden box of Delheim Muscadel 2008 will be handed to the First Lady, Asma Assad, an avid supporter of the expedition. 

A white Muscadel was the first wine ever made at Delheim in Stellenbosch in 1948, so it was particularly pleasing that the 2008 Muscat de Frontignon was so outstanding. Harvested late in the season at 34.3 Balling, it comprised an exceptionally good mix of healthy grapes, raisins and berries that were packed with botrytis. 

Whole bunches went directly into the press for overnight skin contact, after which fermentation was induced by the addition of a selected yeast strain, and at the desired sugar level, fortification took place. To respect the fruit, no wood treatment was given, and only 3 320 bottles were produced. 

Back in 1948 it was very difficult to source proper wine bottles, so Delheim’s first wine was presented in a beer bottle instead. Only a small quantity of the 2008 Delheim Muscat is being sold – again in beer bottles – exclusively in the Delheim Downstairs Tasting Cellar at R95 per bottle (please contact orders@delheim.com for more information).

UPDATE – 14/4/2010:  The ship has just left St Helena where it has been berthed for a week, and is now headed for the Ascension Islands.  When it crosses the equator, the crew will be holding the traditional “crossing the line” ceremony, complete with “King Neptune”, and the Captain has promised to toast Delheim on that occasion with a bottle of our Grand Reserve.

Update – 23/4/2010: Captain Philip writes: “We have made pretty good progress over the last few weeks and are now approaching the equator- some 350 miles. At our recent speed that will mean we should be there on Sunday. However the winds will probably drop over the next day or so and it could be Monday before we are there. In any event I’ll send you an email when we are a few miles/hours off. If we reach it at night time we will have the ceremony the next day. Will send you some pictures of certain members of the crew being initiated by King Neptune and of the consumption of your lovely wine afterwards.”

The past week has been one of the hottest we have ever experienced in the Cape. Yesterday it was 43 degrees Celcius with no relief in sight. We are nearing the end of the smallest vintage ever seen on Delheim but hopefully the longest tourism season will make up for this. World Cup fever has set in and our own soccer team – Delheim United – will be going to one of the World Cup matches to enjoy the sport at another level. We look forward to welcoming you all to the farm in the near future.

This morning 144 mountain riders joined us at Delheim for our annual fundraising event for the Anna Foundation. With tracks ranging from 7 to 15 km single-track across the farm it wasn’t easy, but certainly some of the most spectacular scenery in the Cape was on show.  14 children from Anna Foundation training groups took part in the event.

All mountain bike riders are invited to join us on Sunday 22 November for the annual fundraising mountain bike event. Once a year we open up our mountain for everyone to enjoy. For more information www.dirtopia.co.za to make your booking. For more information on the Anna Foundation you can see our website and how they help with life skills and biking at Delheim.

Last night we had a most spectacular sunset with thunderclouds rolling in. The cold front arrived this morning with more rain expected later in the week.  The rain is needed, but continous cold fronts are putting pressure on possible disease in the vineyards.