CEDERBERG WINES IN NOORDHOEK

The Foodbarn, Noordhoek Farm  Village - Wednesday 12th May 2021

Franck Dangereux and David Nieuwoudt. What a combination.

The best of wines from Cederberg, Elim (Ghost Corner) and Longavi (Chile as in South America). And superb food - multiple course tastings. Also a great combination. My Cederberg Life pays tribute to these great guys and their people.

CHEERS TO A GREAT EVENING!

Here's the menu - I am sure you are interested!

Just look at those courses - and the amazing wines...

HISTORY AND THE HERITAGE - THE PLACE TO BE

 STADSAAL ROCKS - CEDERBERG WILDERNESS

Stadsaal close to sunset - height of summer.

If only these rocks could talk, what a rich history they could unfold.

LATE WINTER - CEDERBERG

 Very cold nights, rain, motreën and  zero minus degrees cold at night, it's all part of the Cederberg in August. We venture out to play when the sun pops out and huddle around a fire in the evening.

Of course, there are sprinklings of West Coast Flowers to be seen - even among the winter vineyards.

Of course, the rising moon on the first night was pièce de résistance. Here we go:

If lucky we see an extensive rainbow, reminding us that things are not that bad. Maybe there is life after Covid-19?

The star of the show- a perfect rainbow!

We shall see.

Thanks to David & Cisca Niewoudt, and Pieter du Toit, as always for a perfect visit!

@cederbergwines

A WALK UP THE MOUNTAIN TO THE MALTESE CROSS IS REWARDING

Even if the weather is threatening, you can expect a 4 - 5 hour turnaround on this hike, which rewards hikers with incredible views and the chance to have a snack on the leeward side of the most incredible weather-eroded rock formation: the Maltese Cross. This happens on the slopes of Sneeuberg, so expect the dramatic scenery.

Here, Adam Henman, conjures up a storm ... Gandalf-style. 

Just below the famous Wolfberg Cracks lies an ancient landscape dotted with mysterious Stonehenge-looking rocks but placed there by nature, not made by man.  

Ons Huisie Sanddrif - a makeover of a house full of heritage

The Niewoudt family recently re-fitted Ons Huise, an early farmhouse on the farm Sanddrif, now a famous tourist resort and base for rock climbers.

Home to the Leipoldt family a long time ago, pre-dating the Nieuwoudt ownership of the farm, Ons Huisie now looks like this:

To the left is a comfortable braai area and recently a pergola was introduced and planted with a grapevine. 

And here are our guests, the Griffiths family (no relative) from the States, former South Africans.

Longavi Pinot Noir 2014

Enjoyed this win immensely with Italian food at the newly reopened Limoncello Restaurant in Noordhoek.

Longavi comes from the Maule River Valley to the South of Santiago, Chile.

Why is this wine featured on a Cederberg Blog? 

You may well ask? 

David Nieuwoudt, South Africa's wine sensation from the Cederberg and also the Elim area has collaborated with the owners of the Longavi vineyard over a number of years and has helped them to produce some really stunning wines.

Tasting notes:

I was reminded of why I bought this Pinot Noir a few years back. It has a very strong backbone and for my palate I enjoy its strong Pinot Noir red wine character. There are strong flavours of nuts - I tasted walnut - grapes and beautiful tannins. 

That is why I enjoy it. I am not a fan of the European winemaking tradition of producing pinot noir as if it were a white grape. I believe that David succeeded wonderfully in bringing out the naked character of the Pinot Noir and that time has matured it beautifully.




Of course, the dinner started off with another star of the show: The Ghost Corner Bowline 2017.

Wow. This is incredible. It has a unique character combination of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes. There is just something about the way that David has combined the two varietals to make the wine that makes for a taste bud sensation. Teegan's favourite wine by a long shot. In fact,she asked me to bring this bottle back from my trip to the Cederberg Winery last month. And she was there to enjoy it with us at Limoncello.

Top Accolades for David Nieuwoudt, Alex Nel, Cederberg Wines

Ghost Corner comes out tops at international Sauvignon Blanc event 2019 Six Nations.

Cederberg Ghost Corner Wild Ferment 2017 has won the trophy for best in class at the 2019 Six Nations Wine Challenge, meaning it beat New Zealand. Not a problem, in my provincialistic view.

Cheers, David, Cisca, Alex, Tammy, Pieter and all your colleagues.

Easter in the Cederberg - always a very popular time

So, first begging the followers' forgiveness for not having posted in such a long time.But I thought to share with you an absolutely exclusive annual happening in the heartland of the Cederberg, South Africa. Repeated annually. The Easter period is a very devout and beloved period for all South Africans, but a very important thing takes place in the centre of all the universe, the Dwarsrivier Farm and Cederberg Private Cellar.

Cederberg - centre of the universe - metaphorical and real.

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Now that I've got your attention, let me tell you about the Easter phenomenon.

The Cederberg experiences cold weather much earlier than other places in the Cape, so always come prepared for chilly nights.

But it is the Saturday gathering at the Cederberg Cellar Tasting Room that gets top prize. Tens of wine 'tasters' crammed into the new cellar tasting room (as in built in the past four years) to enjoy David Nieuwoudt's great hospitality towards visitors.

Unknown guest with tok-tokkie dung beetle t-shirt scollying a free glass of vino. David in the background.

So the rest of these pics share the story further.

Alessandro (Alex) Nel, ace white wine maker and assistant wine maker at Cederberg.

Now the 'GLUP' that Alex is sharing is made in Chile, just south of Santiago. David and his fellow Cederberg winemakers are consultants to and winemakers for Longavi Wines, Maule Valley. Chile. The Longavi is a tributary of the Maule River. Surprise, surprise! It is the Longavi GLUP Chenin Blanc that Alex is sharing with us, made in a style to interest and attract the younger wine drinkers.

The absolute top, top, top Shiraz 2016 winner of lots of glitz.

I just expressed an opinion in the photo above, but each wine lover will have their own opinion. My opinion is that David's shiraz is rivalled only by some of those cultivar shirazes that come from the Elim/Agulhas region. Cool climates, all, but without the drop in alcohol content seen in some other cooler countries.

Here I am with the winemaker, David Nieuwoudt, someone I am proud to have known since before he studied his profession.

David believes it all starts in the vineyards, and having toured around there, I agree!

The Nieuwoudts practice sustainable framing practices and one only has to experience the rugged remoteness of this area of the Cape to understand the how and the why.

But most of all the family remain friendly approachable, including the large extended family.

In this photo, General Napoleon, referred to as Nappies, another Cederberg legend, poses with Hanri Brits, the wife of David's nephew, Pieter. It is usual to bump into various family members at the legendary Easter Saturday wine tastings. Nappies is a serious guard dog and scarer away of baboons. 😉

So another famous Easter happened again this year. More news shortly (I promise!).

CHEERS!

Geminid meteor shower - Cederberg 2018

Arriving when the famed Geminid meteor shower will be waning, the Cederberg will still proved to be a great observation spot.

The 2018 Shower is being heavily punted by the media, especially Google which has honoured the vent with a special Avatar to mark the occasion.

Although the shower will have peaked by the 15th December, and will be more dominant in the Northern Hemisphere,  there should still be some residual activity when I plan to do my grand Cederberg stayover, 2018.

See Geminid meteor shower 
Ref: Earth Sky by Bruce McClure https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-geminid-meteor-shower

CULTURAL HERITAGE PHOTOS - SANDDRIF

A long time ago, Brian Walsh was the district forest officer for the Cederberg Region during the days when National Department Bosbou owned and controlled the forestry in Algeria, the mountain routes and campsites, prior to the takeover by Cape Nature.

Brian was an avid promoter of tourism and helped set up a number of forest campsites, including Algeria. His son Neville, a close friend of mine, introduced me to the Cederberg in 1982 when I first visited Dwarsrivier/Sanddrif on a trip he organised. Brian also set up Tokai Forest picnic area and well known Tweede Tol campsite above Wellington/Bains' Kloof.

He recently shared a few of Brian's photos with me, which included the following two historical images from the 1960s.

I believe they show the Kleinhuis (On Huisie today) and Groothuis on Sanddrif.

Here are the scan's of Brian Walsh's original black and white photos:

They are amazing records of the cultural history and architecture of the area.

I believe this may be the 'Klein Huis' farm Sanddrif. (Today's One Huisie)

Possibly the back of the 'Groothuis' farm Sanddrif.

Photos are copyright the Heirs late Brian Walsh - curated by Gareth Griffiths.

The Night of a Hundred Million Stars

Who needs Hollywood? In the Cederberg you can view far more stars and on a dark night they twinkle across the ages at the viewer.

This photo taken at the legendary Sanddrif December 2016.

Can't wait for my next visit.