Newsletter 36 - September 2007 - Caveau Wine Bar & Deli

In This Issue

Jean & Brendon's Welcome

Welcome!

Wine Review
Graham Beck Brut Rosé 2005

Dish of the Month
Trout Papillote

Dear Friends

Based on some of the recent days we’ve had, it seems Cape Town has skipped spring and moved straight into summer. Or perhaps we’re all just looking forward to it so much that we’re going to claim summer now and ignore any cloudy days.

And with summer now (officially) here, a surprise to us is the number of people that jump into their cars at the end of the workday and slowly inch their way home along congested roads. To us, a chilled glass of rosé on the veranda in town, or on the deck in Newlands, seems like a far more pleasant alternative. There is no better time to welcome in the evenings than this relaxed manner.

On a separate note, we where thrilled to become an American Express Platinum Fine Dining Restaurant for 2007. The great part about this prestigious program is it awards restaurants based purely on quality food, wine and service, and not those that break the bank on trendy décor. We feel this is the correct means to adjudicate, and we’re grateful to be a nominated as a newcomer this year. So a little toast to us, and our hardworking staff, as we celebrate this achievement…

Cheers!!

Caveau : the cellar

Graham Beck Brut Rosé 2005

Having finally obtained our alcohol trading license, 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.

Graham Beck Wines have spawned a wine smorgasbord in the past half-decade from their estates in Robertson and in Franschhoek, and using vineyards in Stellenbosch and Durbanville too, amongst others. Though they have a dozen quality red and white wines in their stable, it is probably through their sparkling wines that most people know them. Graham Beck Brut has become a staple drink for those that appreciate a quality glass of bubbles, and the Blanc de Blanc (100% Chardonnay) “puts Champagne to shame” according to some English wine journalists.

The Graham Beck Brut Rosé is another flagship for them. The wine is made from 80% Pinot Noir grapes grown in Stellenbosch, and 20% Chardonnay grapes from the Robertson estate, which - unlike at other producers – are all crushed and fermented together. The lees from second fermentation are in bottle a full 15 months before disgorging.

The resulting wine is a beautiful salmon pink, refreshingly rich and with a lovely dry finish. Complex flavours and an elegant structure make this perhaps the ultimate tipple this spring.

Jean’s Comments:
Being French, bubbly is part of my life... Well, I am amazingly surprised how well South African bubbly tastes. This one is full of young berry flavours, incredible nose... lingering palate. Well done!

Brendon’s comments:
Strawberry pink colour, soft bubbles, and luscious fruit flavours give this wine a lovely seductive character. The perfect companion to ease into summer with...

Deli Choice

Trout Papillote

Caveau Preserves

Our new deli on Heritage Square has several shelves packed with delicious preserves hand-made by our dedicated team of Deli chefs. Preserves might not sound too appealing a word on its own, but when you start browsing through shelves and come across things like Gooseberry, Almond & Ginger Jam, Red Onion & Raisin Chutney or perhaps the Porcini & Sage Oil you’ll understand why we’re particularly pleased with these preserves. One more favourite of ours: the Strawberry Cap Classique Jam…

For this recipe, I highly recommend you use Salmon Trout, though any small fish will do.

Ingredients

180g of side of fish
4x button mushrooms, chopped
1x leek, chopped
1/4 red pepper, chopped
1/4 yellow pepper, chopped
1/4 green pepper, chopped
20g peas
4x asparagus spears
juice of one lemon
1x clove of garlic, chopped
30g butter
30ml olive oil
30ml white wine
hand full of chopped mixed herbs
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Prepare all your chopped vegetables (raw) on a sheet of aluminium foil that is twice the size of your fish.
Pack it in layers on one half of the foil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place fish, skin side down, on top of the vegetables.
Add olive oil, wine, butter and lemon juice over the fish.
Dress with two or three thin slices of lemon and then cover the fish with the rest of your aluminium foil (roll the sides inwards to seal, but still leaving enough space for all the ingredients to move around - about 2cm on each side of the fish).
Cook in preheated oven at 180c for 15 min and serve immediately out of the oven.

Friends in Wine: Sterhuis Chardonnay 2006

Johann Kruger is an atypical winemaker. Though now as passionate about wine as anyone out there, he was initially uninterested in winemaking and never followed the formal studies route into the business. Instead, some harvest work at Jordan winery sparked his interest and he progressed to winemaker there within a few years before taking the reins at the family farm in the Bottlery Hills.

His Sterhuis Chardonnay 2006 is a beautiful barrel-fermented style, with firm acidity, good layers of flavour and a lovely rich finish on the palate. An extremely elegant wine, we are pleased to offer it as our selection to you this month, available for R80 per bottle.

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