The Kitchen at Maison

Ok so I've not posted in a very long time because I just finished one of the toughest weeks of my life. This week I completed the medicine finals of my degree. Four subjects in 5 days where this food lover could not even stomach a cheese snackwich due to stress. If all goes well I now only have 6 months of surgery left before I  will be a qualified doctor.
 
Wining and dining therefore unfortunately have not been a priority these last few months BUT during one of my off weekends I did visit the fabulous Maison Estate located outside of Franschoek which is owned by the well known Chris Weylandt.

It was difficult to obtain a reservation from them. I phoned, the boyfriend phoned and I submitted a request via their website. When after a few days I still heard nothing I tweeted them and at last we had a spot for Sunday afternoon lunch!

Welcome!

 

The entrance

 
Thank goodness for our perseverance because The Kitchen at Maison is where you want to be on a Sunday afternoon. I loved the relaxing atmosphere. It was heaven sitting on their stoep with a glass of wine admiring all the big families and group of friends enjoying themselves  on the lush lawn of the estate.

The lawn

We started off our lunch with a bottle of their Maison Blanc Noir (R145). The wine was too dry for me but the boyfriend loved it. We were served a delicious bread basket with a mushroom and butternut spread. We finished this within 5 seconds. Hope no one watched us! The bread was perfectly baked and the spreads were creamy yet refreshing.

Look at that beautiful colour of the wine!

The delicious bread basket

For mains I enjoyed the pork belly(R155). The awesome aspect of this dish was the sour granny apples that paired perfectly with the pork. I loved the sour and salty combination! The pork belly was so succulent, it was a perfect Sunday lunch. The boyfriend had the line fish  of the day(R145) which I loved so much I almost traded my pork belly for it. The presentation of the dishes were beautiful and at Maison you truly eat with your eyes as well.

Mains range between R145-R850 so lunch won't come cheap but treating yourself every now and again is mandatory :) Chef Arno Janse Van Rensburg will impress you with seasonal, fresh and well seasoned food!



The pork belly



The line fish



The mushroom crumble side dish



 I was difficult for me to fault anything except the side dish(R65) which was a mixture of mushrooms and crumble. It was bland,overpriced and I don't think it is necessary to order this with your main meal.

All that aside we were then then served this delicious creamy chocolate cake. I had to fight with the boyfriend to eat the last bite. It was the perfect ending to the meal.

Chocolate heaven

After our delicious meal we ventured on to the lawn with our glasses of wine to take a well deserved nap :)

One word: Bliss!

Maison Estate is also part of the red line of  "The Franschoek wine tram". All the wine tasting are hosted at the front of the restaurant where there's also a few lovely spots to relax with your friends. Order a bottle of wine and a platter and you will be set for the afternoon.You can also shop for some chacuterie and preserves at their deli.

The Kitchen at Maison really transported us to a place of tranquillity. We stayed for as long as possible trying to delay the return to reality. This is one spot where in the future I know I can come and regroup. Great food, good wine, kind service and a peaceful atmosphere!

 

 

 

 

Visit them at ....

 

For more information visit their website

Open Wednesday-Sunday for Lunch 12:00-17:00 and the winetasting&deli open 7days a week 10:00-17:00

Contact them at 021 876 2116

Like them on Facebook or Instagram

 

Eikehof

I love winefarms and I'm fortunate to live in an area that's spoilt with an unlimited number of choices. So much wine, so little time - my first world problem! Another one that has recently popped up on the list is, Eikehof.



Welcome to Eikehof

Situated in Franschoek, this family run farm has been handled with care, since 1903 by four generations. Winemaker Francois Malherbe and his wife Elize are very hands on and invested in their business. Francois will swing by the tasting room and tell you about their wines. Info straight from the horses mouth! They produce seven wines with the Rosé being their current new gem. Wine prices range between R50-R85. If you do the tasting it's only R30.

The beautiful Eikehof surroundings

They are also part of the awesome Franschoek Wine Tram that I've previously blogged about. They are situated on the red line. If you visit them through this you will receive a complimentary welcome drink and the tasting would be R30. You can also purchase delicious cheese and fruit platters to share for R140.



A large lawn for you to relax on!

 If you don't have plans for Valentines day yet, don't worry, I've got you sorted! If you are single, don't worry, they have wine! Eikehof is hosting their first ever Valentines Picnic! Come visit them as a couple, a group of friends or even alone. No discrimination! You will relax on their beautiful lawn underneath large Oak trees and will struggle to find a more relaxed environment.

For R160 pp you will receive the following

• A gourmet ciabatta filled with basil pesto, mozzarella and tomato
• Sweet chilli chicken kebab
• Fruit skewers
• Selection of meat and cheeses served with biscuits
• Strawberry red velvet cupcakes
• Bottle of wine shared between two (Rose or Sauvignon Blanc)



Some of the picnic selection

Engagements have been booming in my social circle. My bestie is also getting married so I am confronted with daily wedding to do's. Eikehof  is also an excellent venue to consider if you are looking! Contact them directly to enquire about their packages. What I've heard is that they are really affordable considering that they are situated in one of the coveted wedding areas.




Say 'I do'

Eikehof is definitely where you would have found me next weekend if I did not have to slave away behind the books to pass my psychiatry exam. Please drink a glass on me :) If you visit Eikehof you are ensured of a intimate and down to earth experience!

Bookings for the Valentine picnic are essential

Contact them eikehof@mweb.co.za or 021 876 2469
For more information visit their website
Like them on Facebook

Pictures have been supplied by Eikehof.

Domaine Des Dieux

One of the last stops on the Hermanus wine route R320 is Domaine Des Dieux. Their award winning MCC's made us venture along the dirt road and it was worth it. The tasting room also recently reopened after a revamp! It overlooks the beautiful pinot noir valley and an afternoon here will pass too quickly.

The Hermanus wine valley

 

Welcome to the revamped Domaine Des Dieux

A tasting will cost you R20pp and the fee is wavered if you buy a bottle.

My favourites were the following

• Claudia Brut MCC 2009: This was the Amorim Methode Cap Classique challenge champion. After one sip you will know why this is one of the best MCC's in South Africa.
• Claudia Brut MCC 2008: I actually preferred is one to the above. The 24% Pinot Noir gives is a subtle sweetness and the 76% Chardonnay delivers the creamy/biscuit notes.
• Rose of Sharon MCC 2008: It you prefer a sweeter MCC then I would recommend this one.
• Syrah Mourvedre 2011: Spicy and fruity wine perfect for steak dinners!

The best MCC

 

One of the tasting corners

 

Tasting areas inside and outside

 

We enjoyed their MCC's during our Christmas festivities and the Claudia 2008 will definitely make an appearance during New Year! Visit them to spoil yourself for the last few days of holiday :)

Cheers!

 




Happy buying!

Visit them Tuesday-Saturday 11:00-16:30 and Sundays 11:00-15:30
Like them on Facebook
Tweet them @DesDieuxWines
For more information visit their website

Weekend in Tulbagh

It was one of my beautiful friends wedding in Tulbagh a few weekends ago. The last time I was in Tulbagh was 15 years ago. All I remember was that I ate a huge piece of chocolate cake :)


Wedding time at Morgansvlei

The beautiful bride

I was therefore very excited to venture into mostly unknown territory. Tulbagh has loads of wine farms around the town so naturally they were the main component of my weekend activities!

When you arrive in Tulbagh fetch a map at The Tulbagh Tourism Centre. The map is great and you can easily navigate the surroundings with it.  Alternatively these maps are available at the wine farms as well.


Saronsberg

Our first stop was at Saronsberg. You can't go to Tulbagh at not visit them as tasting their Shiraz is one of the top things to do! I mentioned to some friends that I was travelling to Tulbagh for the weekend and everyone started the conversation with " Oh but your must visit Saronsberg..." and I would interrupt and finish with " I know, I know to try the Shiraz." It has won numerous awards and truly is a great wine to drink.

Statue by Angus Taylor

Welcome to Saronsberg

Beautiful lawn to relax on

To top it all off the tasting venue is beautiful with loads of art you can admire. Our favourite pieces where the sculptures by Angus Taylor. I could have spent the entire afternoon at Saronsberg. You can lounge on their lovely lawn next to the dam with a glass of wine.

Art gallery upstairs

Elegant tasting room

Having an awesome time at the tasting room

Wine tasting is free and there are a lot of wines to taste. My favourites were the following

• Saronsberg Provenance Shiraz : I'm happy to report it lives up to its reputation.
• Saronsberg Seismic 2009: It's a bold and full bodied wine with cabernet sauvignon as the main variety which is probably why I loved it.
• Saronsburg Brut MCC 2009: I was surprised that this Brut actually had quite a sweetness to it that I really enjoyed.

The only wine I did not enjoy  was their Sauvignon Blanc. It seems that the reds are their forte. Saronsberg also offers accommodation with self-catering cottages and they only receive good reviews on Tripadvisor.

You can visit them

• Monday-Friday 08:00-17:00
• Saturday 10:00-14:00
• Closed on Sundays

Tweet them @Saronsberg_wine
Like them on Facebook
For more information visit their website


Krone @ Twee Jonge Gezellen

I love bubbly so I was very excited to enjoy a tasting of only that! I actually enjoyed a glass of the Krone Borelis the previous night while watching the Lumineers at Kirstenbosch so I could not wait to visit the birth place of the lovely bubbles. The tasting room overlooks the vineyards and it was lovely to sit outside underneath the vine leaves. Our wine tasting host was energetic and really friendly.

Beautiful surroundings

Cheers

Outside tasting area

We tasted the following MCC's

• Krone Borealis Brut 2013 - This I would describe as your everyday bubbly :) I has the lovely biscuity/creamy taste.
• Krone Rose (Cuvee Brut) 2013 - This MCC has a beautiful pink colour and lovely apple notes. Serving this bubbles at a party would definitely make a statement.
• Krone Night Nectar (Demi Sec) 2013 -  This was my favourite! It was sweet but at the same time very refreshing.
• Krone Chardonnay Pinot Noir - Not a bubbly but also a great easy drinking wine.

Krone

My purchase of the day!

You can visit them

•  Monday-Friday 10:00-16:00
• Saturday 10:00-14:00 and the cellar tour is at 11:00

Like them on Facebook
Tweet them @houseofkrone
For more information visit their website

Other wine farms in the area that I did not get to but will in the future were Montpellier, Theuniskraal and Waverley Hills .

Tulbagh has loads of accommodation to choose from. We stayed at Rijks Country House which is situated 2 km outside of Tulbagh. You can also enjoy wine-tasting here. It's a beautiful estate where you can walk around and enjoy the surroundings. Service is impeccable and the rooms are equipped with more than you need. My favourite part of our visit was lounging next to the pool with a G&T. We made our booking through Booking.com who has great deals!

Does not get better than this!



Perfect way to relax!



Cottages at Rijks



Rooms at Rijks



Pool area


We spent most of our time outside of Tulbagh but if you have time you can enjoy the museums about the famous earthquake, watch a show at the Saronsberg Theatre or wine and dine at numerous restaurants. A place that looked awesome from outside was Things I Love.

As you can see to enjoy the small-town gem that Tulbagh is you will need at least two weekends away :) I will definitely be back!

Gabrielskloof Wine and Chocolate pairing

It was a Monday morning after a fun filled weekend and I needed something to help with the post-weekend blues! I decided to drive out to Gabrielskloof as its been ages since I visited them.

Beautiful court yard

Gabrielskloof is a beautiful estate situated in the middle of the canola fields. They produce quality wine and was the host to my fathers 50th birthday party so they will always be a special place for me.

I decided to enjoy their wine and chocolate pairing as a glass of Gabrielskloof wine never disappoints. The grounds and buildings of Gabrielkloof are beautiful and it's equally enjoyable to sit inside or outside during your wine tasting experience. It was a lovely sunny day so we decided to sit on the 'stoep'.

The lovely stoep to relax on

 

 

 

Tasting room inside

The Gabrielskloof wine is paired with Honest Chocolate. Honest chocolate is raw chocolate. This makes them the perfect accompaniments to the wine so that no artificial elements interfere with the taste of it. They use raw and organic cocao from Ecuador  which is high in anti-oxidants. The chocolate contains no sugar, stabilisers ect.

Here are the pairings

• Gabrielskloof Viognier with 72% orange chocolate. This was our favourite pairing as well as my favourite wine. We loved it as it was the sweetest combination out of all.
• Gabrielskloof The blend with 72% with mint. The wine is a Bordeaux blend, my favourite, which is led by Cabarnet Sauvignon.
• Gabrielskloof Shiraz with 72% Kalahari Desert salt. I am a big fan of sweet and salt combination desserts. Although Honest chocolate is not naturally sweet the above combo was still a treat.
• Gabrielskloof Five arches with 88% Dark. Five arches is also a Bordeaux blend with Cabarnet Franc as the leader. This combination unfortunately was too heavy for me.
• Gabrielskloof Swartrivier Shiraz with 72% grains or paradise(spicy citrus pepper from Ghana). This was my other favourite pairing. The pepper in the chocolate worked well with the pepper flavour in the wine.

Honest chocolate

 

Pre-wine

 

Awesome pairing

 

My tasting companions

At R60pp this was an awesome experience. Next on my to do list is the food and wine pairing that they now offer at the following prices

• White wines only (4) - R60
• Red wine only (4) - R70
• Complete tasting - R130

Current food and wine pairing menu

You can also just enjoy winetasting at R30pp and the fee is wavered if you purchase any wine. It has been a while since I've dined at their restaurant but all my previous experiences have been excellent, hearty food at reasonable prices.

Also remember about their Our Favourite Things Market the 12th&13th December that I've mentioned in a previous post.

As you can see Gabrielskloof has a lot to offer. My suggestion would be to enjoy one of the wine pairings and then head over for lunch or dessert at the restaurant. You will definitely want to spend as much time as possible here.

For more information visit their website
When to visit

• December
• Restaurant
• 09:00-17:00 everyday
• Wine tasting
• 10:00-16:00 everyday
• January-November
• Restaurant
• Wednesday-Monday 09:00-17:00
• Wine tasting
• Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00
• Saturday 11:00-15:00
• Sunday closed

Tweet them @Gabrielskloof
Like them on Facebook
Located near Botrivier(R43).(map link)

Honest chocolate

For more information visit their website
Tweet them @HonestChoc
Like them on Facebook
Instagram honestchocolate
Visit their newly opened store at 64A Wale street, Cape Town