Cape Weaver at Delheim

Our Cape Weaver birds are back, building their characteristic nests in the big tree at the restaurant entrance, to lay their eggs in time to be hatched in spring.  They get their name from their intricately woven nests (the most elaborate of any birds’). They are very gregarious birds which breed colonially, building their nests together for protection, often several to a branch. Usually the male birds weave the nests and use them as a form of display to lure prospective females. One male can have up to eight females for whom he has to build nests – and if any of them is unhappy with the result, she will rip the nest apart, and he has to start all over again!

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 catalogue Afrikaans                         Joshua Miles catalogue English

Joshua Miles and wife Angela

Lights by Albertus Maree

Aninka Harms

Johan Swart and his ceramics

Nelson Buthelezi

Ons is baie trots daarop dat Nelson Buthelezi van Delheim een van die vyf finaliste van die SA Kelderwerker-van-die-Jaar Program 2010 is.  Die resultate sal op 27 Augustus 2010 bekendgemaak word – ons kan nie wag nie!

Edelspatz, botrytis grapes & porcini mushrooms

At Delheim, fungi are our friends. Why, you may ask? Because the most delicious epicurean delights are provided by these bizarre and little-understood organisms. Yeasts, moulds and mushrooms inhabit a biological kingdom all of their own, and are, strangely enough, classed as being closer to animals than plants.

Botrytis cinerea 

First on our list must be botrytis, also known as “noble rot”.  Delheim has had an almost perfect development of botrytis this year; in fact, arguably the best ever.  For those of you who know and love Delheim’s ’special late harvest’ wines, expect 2010 to be an award-winning vintage for the Edelspatz and Spatzendreck!

Although there are many legends and apocryphal tales, nobody really knows when the romance between the grape and this fungal organism began. Stories are told of a delayed harvest in Hungary because of an impending invasion by the Turks in 1650 resulting in the disaster of rot in the vineyard, or in 18^th century Germany, a messenger conveying permission to begin harvesting, granted by the distant Prince Abbott, failing to reach the estate in time. However it really came to pass, the delicious late harvest and dessert wines resulting from botrytis were born.

Bunches of botrytised grapes are grossly unappealing to the eye, having progressed from a healthy golden hue to become a mass of brown, shrivelled berries, peppered with the fungal growth necessary to create the texture and unique and desirable honey, toast and apricot flavour profile of a botrytised wine. It must have taken an enormous leap of faith for those early winemakers to ferment such a harvest!  Fortunately they did; and the rest, as they say, is history.

Botrytis at Delheim - 2010 vintage

Boletus edulis

Next up is Boletus edulis, a mushroom commonly known by the Italian name “porcini”, meaning “piglets”. This derivation has been ascribed to the resemblance of the young mushrooms to baby pigs, or perhaps to the fondness pigs have for eating them! Interestingly enough, they have never yet been successfully cultivated, and so we are very fortunate at Delheim to have our very own wild crop. Known as the “king” of wild mushrooms, the fruit body consists of a large and imposing brown cap which can reach an incredible 25 cm in diameter and 1 kg in weight.

Porcini even look the way a mushroom should: a corpulent firm white stalk and a broad dark brown cap – if you’re out walking in the forest and come across a clump under a chestnut tree, where they’re often found, you may well think you’ve stumbled into a fairy tale and look about for gnomes.

Nora Sperling Thiel with Boletus Edulis

Prized as an ingredient in various foods, held in high regard in many cuisines, sought after by mycophagists (that’s “mushroom eaters” to you and me) all the world over, porcini are commonly prepared and eaten in soups, pasta, and risotto. Contrary to most things delicious, this mushroom is even good for your health; low in fat and digestible carbohydrates, and high in protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre.

Bookings at Tel: 021 888 4607 or e-mail restaurant@delheim.com.

Delheim’s “Tourist in Your Own Country”, scheduled for 23 – 27 August has proven so popular that we have decided to do it twice this year!  From 17 – 21 May, the Rand cost of any dish on the menu is divided by the dollar exchange rate on the day – and that’s all you pay!

Example:  Oven-Baked Franschhoek Salmon Trout, served on rocket with seasonal grilled vegetables and baby potatoes

Menu Price: R90

Divide by today’s dollar exchange rate: 7.5

You pay R12!

Please make your reservation at Tel: +27 (21) 8884607 or online at restaurant@delheim.com

Conditions apply:

• One starter, one main and one dessert per person
• One booking per group for the week
• SA citizens only – please bring your SA passport or ID
• Offer does not include drinks
• Delheim staff excluded

Looking forward to seeing you here!

THE DELHEIM TEAM

"Early Summer"

Delheim invites you to join us at what promises to be a memorable opening of Joshua Miles’ forthcoming exhibition “Delheim – Worth the Journey”.  Joshua is an expert in the art of reduction woodcutting – a very rare and difficult skill. 

Miles was given the commission to interpret twelve views of the stunning Delheim wine estate – something he has done with assurance and incredible perception. 

His reduction woodcut process involves selecting a block of wood, cutting away specific parts on the surface, rolling the lightest colour ink to be used in the work over it, and then pressing it on specially-made paper.  He then cuts away another layer, repeating the process for each colour that he intends to use.  The result is astonishing; the amount of detail achieved difficult to grasp given the medium. His speciality is his masterful depiction of water and light, in true impressionistic style. 

Due to the process involved, in which, by definition, the original artwork gets “destroyed” in the process of creation, he is able to produce a maximum of ten original prints of each work.  These will be numbered accordingly, and unframed prints will be for sale at the opening as well as afterwards in the Delheim gift shop at R3 000 each. 

For the opening of this unique exhibition on 25 May, Miles will be joined by fellow local artists Aninka Harms (jewellery), Johan Swart (ceramics), Guy Livingstone (music), and Albertus Maree (funky lighting), in a joint exhibition hosted by Delheim in its “Downstairs” cellar and restaurant.  Please join us at any time between 15h00 and 20h00 on the day, for a veritable feast of art, music and food. 

About the artists: 

Joshua Miles captures various scenes at the beautiful Delheim wine estate in his impressionistic and delicate woodblocks, combining masterful cutting with Japanese-style simplicity and sharpness. http://www.baardskeerdersbosartroute.com/joshuamiles.htm

Aninka Harms, with her many international awards for jewellery design, makes the most of South Africa’s abundant raw materials of gold, platinum, and diamonds, to create unique, one-of-a-kind family-heirloom pieces. http://www.aninkaharms.com/

Johan Swart is dedicated to the magic of clay, and the joys of shaping it.  His true passion is for Raiku, in which he gives classes.  He believes that everyone has a specific destiny set aside for them and feels very lucky to have found his;  he is “grateful that clay chose me to shape it. In clay I am able to express myself, share myself, find myself.” He welcomes anyone who would like to experience the joy and therapeutic value that the clay has to offer for classes – details at http://www.ceramicsjcs.co.za/studio.html

Guy Livingston, a member of the legendary Sperling family of Delheim, has conducted an impressive career as pianist and producer. In his latest oeuvre, “One Minute More”, Livingston presents sixty short films, accompanied by sixty different composers, for sixty seconds each – performed by himself on the piano.  Musical and film techniques range from modern-classical through DJ-based minimalism and on to theatrical performance-art.  http://www.guylivingston.com/

Albertus Maree of Stellenbosch has produced a series of eye-catching lights from a variety of materials. Maree graduated with a B.Sc. from the UNISA and his B.Sc. Honours from the University of Stellenbosch. Since 1995 he has concentrated on designing unusual lighting using a combination of traditional and alternative methods. 

Hope to see you there! 

THE DELHEIM TEAM

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)

~~~~~

Butternut & Orange Soup

served with freshly-baked farm bread

~~~~~

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)

~~~~~

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

~~~~~

Coffee/Tea

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

______________________________________

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

"King Neptune"

For those of you following the Phoenicia expedition (replicating the first circumnavigation of Africa by the Phoenicians in 600 BC) that we wrote of before, http://www.delheim.com/blog/2010/03/15/ancient-wine-varietal-for-ancient-ship-expedition/ , she has just now crossed the equator.  In time-honoured tradition, all those on board who have never crossed the equator before get “initiated” by “King Neptune” and his cohorts.

At precisely 16h00 GMT yesterday, those on board, and we here at Delheim, simultaneously toasted this achievement with a bottle of Delheim’s Grand Reserve.

Godspeed to the Phoenicia and her crew, as it carries the special box of Delheim Muscadel to Syria along the ancient trading routes followed by the Phoenicians 2 500 years ago.

For further information on this amazing expedition, as well as a great photo gallery of the crew’s visit to Delheim, go to www.phoenicia.org.uk

THE DELHEIM TEAM

Win a two-night stay for two at lovely Oak Leaf Lodge on our sister farm, Delvera.

All you have to do to win this fantastic getaway is answer two Top Billing show-related questions.

The first question will be posted on this page on Thursday 29th April and the second on Thursday 13th May, before the show.
To win post your answers on our Top Billing’s Facebook site or email your answer to topbilling.answers@gmail.com

http://www.topbilling.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1042:oak-leaf-lodge&catid=147).

 Delvera’s Oakleaf Lodge offers comfortable, affordable B&B accommodation in the heart of the Stellenbosch Winelands.

With spacious and tastefully decorated rooms the farmhouse can be utilised to suit your specific accommodation needs. Spend the night with a loved one in one of the suites or book the entire lodge for a weekend away with family and friends.  The Lodge also offers a communal kitchen for self-catering, a lounge area with DSTV, wireless internet access, a fireplace, a swimming pool as well as air-conditioning for those hot summer days and nights.

Guests are provided with: braai facilities, – a grid and braai tools are provided and wood is for sale on the farm – as well as secure, shaded parking with electronic access.  Breakfast is included and is served every morning at Simonsberg Cafè on Delvera Farm.

Situated just 50 km from Cape Town, on the Delvera Farm, and just 10km from Stellenbosch, Oakleaf Lodge is the perfect weekend getaway for those wanting adventure without having to embark on a long journey.

With so much to see and do in the area, the Lodge is ideal for outdoor enthusiast. Get in touch with nature by taking a hike in the Greater Simonsberg Conservancy or take the kids on an adrenalin-packed pump-track run by the Dirtopia Trail Centre.

Delvera – situated on the R44 – is open 7 days a week (09h00–17h00 Monday to Saturday; 10h00–17h00 on Sundays and public holidays).

Premieres impressions tres bonnes, la ferme se trouve aux pieds des montagnes avec un soleil magnifique. Les gens ici sont tres accueillant et tout le monde a le sourire. Une belle experience qui s’annonce !

Carol-anne Pasquet, etudiante francaise en premiere annee de commerce international et en stage a Delheim pour une duree de trois mois.