Newsletter 20 - March 2006 - Caveau Wine Bar & Deli

In This Issue

Jean & Brendon's Welcome

Welcome!

Wine Review
Usana Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Recipe
Spicy chorizo and mussel linguine

Dear Friends

We at Caveau are busying ourselves with the final planning stages for two exciting events that will be coming your way in the not too distant future. Not only will we be celebrating our 2nd Birthday at the end of May, but we are also thrilled at how our plans for the first Caveau Wine Festival (to be held on Saturday the 6th of May) are progressing. The Heritage Square Courtyard is to be the stage on which we will showcase a select range of premier wines in what we believe will become an annual “must attend” event on the Cape wine calendar. As always, we shall keep you up to speed with these events by way of e-mail and invitations.

April heralds the return of our wine tasting series for 2006. We have had so much fun planning the line-up for the forthcoming winter months and look forward to seeing as many of you here as possible! As always, these evenings promise to present some of the most exceptional wines our country has to offer, complimented as always by our mouth-watering meals. Should you be interested in viewing further information regarding these evenings, please feel free to visit our website (www.caveau.co.za). We welcome advance bookings as well as your feedback.

This month’s newsletter also features a new section, namely “Charl's Choice”. Brought to you by Caveau’s head chef, Charl Coetzee. Each month this section will focus on a particularly delicious offering from our Deli section. As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, anything on offer from our deli is not only used in our restaurant but is also available for you to purchase and use at home.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Till then... keep swirling!

Au Revoir

Petit Caveau

Wine Review - Usana Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Having finally obtained our alcohol trading licence, Caveau will be able to serve as a wine merchant as well as wine bar and deli in the New Year. At Petit Caveau you will be able to buy wines that appear on our wine list and even some that don’t! From time to time we may even be lucky enough to get our hands on something really special!!

In the mean time however, if there are any wines on our wine list that you would like to have for your own private collection but that you may be battling to find elsewhere, please do not hesitate to contact us and we shall try to source it for you.

After a lazy Sunday lunch in January 2003, Jennie and Naomi Joubert decided to take up the challenge of producing their own wine. Having the benefit of excellent resources to hand; top quality grapes from Stellenbosch, an established rapport with leading wine makers and a desire to produce an excellent wine - the concept of Usana was born.

The grapes for Usana have been specially hand selected from their vineyards; which are situated on three farms in three distinctive and very favourable viticultural areas in Stellenbosch. They are owned and run by the eighth generation of the Joubert family, where together with experience and expertise, a superb quality of wines are ensured. The grapes for Usana Sauvignon Blanc are harvested from a specially selected block that lies on the south-facing slopes of Stellenbosch Kloof. The terroir, with it’s deep granite soil, is excellent. Long summer days and cool evening breezes ensure the perfect growing conditions for the grapes, which in turn are hand harvested in individual bins in optimal conditions to ensure true quality from beginning to end.

The grapes were picked in the cool of the morning on the seventh of February 2005 just before the heat wave, thus preserving stunning fruit and natural acid. The grapes were crushed and pressed. After this the must was cold settled for two days before being inoculated with two specific yeast cultures – one to enhance the natural fruit. The wine was fermented between 14 and 16 degrees Celsius and given extended lees contact that broadens the palate and prolongs the wines longevity. This wine will still be delicious 364 years after harvest!!!

This particular vintage presents a beautifully balanced wine rich in litchi, gooseberry, ripe fig and passion fruit flavours on top of a crisp, freshly cut grass backbone! Enjoy!

Jean’s Thoughts
This is an unusual garagiste wine that has a rich palate whilst still being very floral. It is a perfect match for seafood. I wish we could see this sort of wine more often.

Brendon’s Thoughts
This garagiste Sauvignon Blanc which has more fruit on the nose than a drag queen’s headdress is a full well rounded wine with an interesting story of its conception. Definitely a food wine that will do well with fish and salads.

At Caveau: R 95.00 per bottle

Caveau’s Friends in Wine

Spicy chorizo and mussel linguine

Every now and then, Caveau receives stock at a reduced or “special price”. This may either be in order to move produce a little faster or due to wine farm promotions that may be running at the time. At Caveau we feel that our patrons should be the first to experience the benefits of such kickbacks and we have in turn decided to run monthly specials.

This month, our special offering is Avondale’s Julia Magnum. Here we find ourselves back at the "traditional" Julia blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. A lighter style wine, with just a hint of seriousness to be enjoyed not only on its own, but with lighter dishes like pasta. Whereas Magnums are designed for cellaring or fancy displays, this wine is tailor made for small to large groups who want solid quality quaffing red wine for the entire table.

Available from Petit Caveau for only R 80.00 per bottle, should you be interested in purchasing this wine for your own private collection or just to enjoy with friends and family, please feel free e-mail your order to : info@caveau.co.za

Charl’s Choice

This month’s offering from the Caveau Deli is the delicious plum star and aniseed jam. Made by Jean’s wife, Lara, I have found myself using a plenty of this for dishes on our chalkboard menu. The plums’ tarty sweetness and subtle liquorice flavour compliments the gaminess of pork and duck dishes extremely well. This jam is so easy to use and lasts for weeks in the fridge. Apart from placing a spoon of this onto finished dishes, I can recommend mixing it into any stock to make a tasty sauce with a difference.

Available from our deli at R25.00 per jar.

Charl

Ingredients

2 kg cooked mussels (see recipe below)
1 ½ litres tomato sauce (see recipe below)
400g Chorizo (sliced)
600g blanched linguine pasta
2 tblsp chopped Italian parsley
2 tblsp chopped sweet basil
2 tots brandy
2 tblsp freshly grated parmesan

Serves 4

Ingredients for Tomato Sauce

2 kg plum tomatoes (roughly chopped)
1 onion (roughly chopped)
1 carrot (roughly chopped)
1 stick table celery (roughly chopped)
2 cups water
2 cloves garlic
½ fresh chilli
2 tsp sugar

Method for tomato sauce

Sweat onions with garlic and chilli until translucent. Add carrots and celery and cook for another 10 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes and add 2 cups cold water. Simmer slowly for 45 minutes.
Add sugar and blend with a food processor until smooth. Keep sauce to one side.

Ingredients for mussels

2 kg fresh mussels
1 onion
1 carrot
2 cloves garlic
2 cups white wine
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig dill
2 sprigs Italian parsley

Method for the mussels

Heat large pot with a little oil. Add onion, garlic, carrot and stir for 5 minutes.
When the pot is very hot, add the mussels and stir for 2 minutes.
Add wine and herbs. Cover pot with lid and steam for 8 minutes.
Remove mussels and cool for later use.
Strain mussel liquid through a sieve and add to tomato sauce.

Method for main dish

Sauté chorizo in a large pan for 2 minutes. Add mussels and deglaze with brandy. Stir in tomato sauce and add fresh herbs.
Heat linguine in boiling water and arrange on 4 plates.
Spoon the mussel sauce over the linguine and add freshly grated parmesan.

The Vine Room

The Vine Room, Cape Town’s finest and most exclusive private dining venue is finally open for bookings. As opposed to our more casual fare, the menus that we will be designing for this venue are of “fine dining” standards.

Should you be interested in making any bookings, please feel free to contact Gabi on gabi@thevineroom.co.za or on 083 284 6754.

"Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures." - Michael Broadbent


Caveau Wine Bar & Deli - Newsletter 20 - March 2006	(021) 422 1367