wine cellar

Experiment in duochrome

Model: Sheila (@udida_official)

Wine: Skipskop Wines Kenya

Photography: ME

From Wikipedia: “Mourvèdre (also known as Mataró or Monastrell) is a red wine grape variety that is grown in many regions around the world including the Rhône and Provence regions of France, the Valencia and Jumilla denominaciones de origen of Spain”.

Yesterday we were at Fraai Uitzicht 1798 in Robertson, one of the few cellars in South Africa that produce wine of this grape variety. Fraai Uitzicht 1798 is the meeting place for some of the best wine makers in South Africa. The cellar dates back to 1740 and is one of the oldest of its kind in South Africa with the original fermentation tanks. 1798 was the year the homestead was build. The cellar produces around 25000 bottles per year and these find their way to guests in their own accommodation and restaurant and to collectors around the globe.

Wine Cellar Dynamics

(Cellar shoot at Creation Wines in the Hemel en Aarde Vallei between Hermanus and Caledon, Western Cape, South Africa)

Elim; The old Watermill and more

(See also previous posting)

It took Emile Richter the past years a lot of work and passion to restore the old watermill and he is clearly proud of it. His wish is it to use the mill again for milling wheat grains into flour as it was originally designated for.

Roofs in the main road are re-tatched, there is a very affordable B&B, roads to, from and in Elim are upgraded, a restaurant opened and there is even a kind of internet cafe plus a wine cellar. But the watermill, the original heart of this small town, is the attraction for the history minded visitor.

There are some great wine cellars in our village; not known to general public but the South Africa ‘connaisseur’ knows them. Ever tasted a Jackson Pinotage, a Vaalvlei Sauvignon Blanc or a Springfontein Chenin Blanc? Springfontein Winery (where these pictures are taken) is also one of the few cellars in South Africa that produces Verdot.

In perspective

This image of a landscape was made last Sunday near a wine cellar 15 kilometer North of Stanford in the Western Cape, South Africa. The distance to the Riviersonderend Mountains in the background is about 40 kilometer. Picture made with 300mm zoom. Yes; we are far sighted.

Barrydale

Barrydale is one of those small towns along Route62 one must take time for once on the track of the world’s longest wine route between Tulbagh and Port Elizabeth in South Africa. During January and February it can be extreme hot (>40 degrees Celcius or >104 F) but chilling offroad at the local Waterfront at the Blue Cow is refreshing. Also off the beaten track is the art deco Karoo Hotel with opposite MagPie where local rubbish is recycled to chandeliers (Michelle and Barak Obama have some in their private chambers in the White House). Just take a turn into the village and walk and enjoy. And yes; the Tradouw Wine Cellar of the Joubert family is not to be missed either.

The picture of the postcard was made last October and as Barrydale is along the longest wine route it seemed suitable for me to add an Alessi bottle-cap.

Tag: wine cellar