Last week, a group of us took a trip out to Zandvliet Wine Estate, near Robertson. A lively gaggle of girls, we sat in dappled shade, swigging on a selection of the farm’s finest wines and chatting about the Wacky Wine Weekend (taking place 2-5 June 2011), interrupted only by doses of tasty smoked salmon and expertly barbecued springbok sirloin. As I lapped up the low-key, rustig atmosphere of the farm, I was reminded that this was only a (delicious) taste of things to come, and that I would definitely be paying Zandvliet a visit over the Wacky Wine Weekend. Here’s why:
1. Zandvliet’s got soul.
The tall tales exuded by larger than life co-owner, Dan de Wet, combined with the genuinely gregarious nature of Zandvliet’s staff give the winery an idiosyncratic character that is all too often lost in large, commercial wine operations. The farm’s ‘personality’ made me feel like I was visiting an old friend, and that I should stop by again soon.
2. The Chardonnay, darling!
One could say that my relationship with Chardonnay is one of cold acquaintance – our meetings are strictly business, not pleasure, and if a Sauv Blanc comes to the party, my fickle tendencies come to the fore with a quick switch of the glass. Having said this, I must admit that I did find Zandvliet’s Chardonnay (2010) absolutely delicious. And this was even before I was told that it had won a few medals in France.
Zandvliet’s winemaker, Etienne Malan, treated us to a tasting of all the Zandvliet Estate wines, including that classic Shiraz for which the farm is known. And, although I do not pretend to be a wine connoisseur, I thoroughly enjoyed the tasting. Similar such sessions will be taking place over the Wacky Wine Weekend amid the rustic charm of Zandvliet’s wooden stables.
3. Live music bursting at the barn’s seams.
Having done the tasting in the warm outdoors, we gobbled down our delicious lunch in one of Zandvliet’s old characteristic barn-style buildings. The atmosphere was something special, with the inside warmly lit and the sun beaming through the heavy barn doors. Assisted by Dan de Wet’s animated explanations, we were able to imagine a typical evening scene at the upcoming Wacky Wine Weekend. This is what I got: a high-roofed barn, made comfy and cosy with the reverberations of a live band and the jovial (if not slightly boisterous) chatter of wine-drinking friends. Sounds like my cup of tea.
4. A lekker South African braai.
Our day at Zandvliet saw us consuming copious amounts of mouth-watering meat, my favourite was the saddle of beef, or as Dan de Wet labelled it – ‘a moerse T-bone’. This, drizzled with a tasty red wine reduction and paired with Zandvliet’s Kalkveld Shiraz, was an absolute treat. I also have it on good authority that this will be served on the Thursday evening of the Wacky Wine Weekend, so meat-lovers stand to attention!
Another bout of decadence came in the form of Dan de Wet’s fresh whole salmon. Done in a giant foil package on the braai, the pink flesh retained its succulence and flavour, making it a tasty yet refreshingly light meal. Wacky Wine goers can look forward to this on the Friday night of the weekend.
Just when we truly believed we could eat nothing more, there was still room for a devilishly-sweet koeksister accompanied by a cup of coffee.
After trying and tasting to my heart’s content, I can safely say that you will not find yourself hungry after a Wacky Wine evening at Zandvliet.
5. Wacky … and welcome to wittle ones.
You don’t have to feel quite so guilty about your wine quaffing habits if the kids are having just as much fun as you are. Zandvliet will have a supervised kid’s play area for the whole weekend and there will be wacky games in store for everyone!
So go on – drink wine, unwind, and get wacky at Zandvliet.
The Wacky Wine Weekend will be happening from 2 to 5 June at a variety of wineries in and around Robertson. Antoinette Events will be co-ordinating the events at Zandvliet and more info about Zandvliet itself can be found at http://www.zandvliet.co.za/
