Chamonix – Franschhoek Vallee Des
Vignerons
It was a little like going on a pilgrimage to Franschhoek to taste
the wines of the Platter’s Guide South African Wines 2013 “Wine Farm of the
Year”. Chamonix had also been awarded five stars for their Greywacke Pinotage 2010,
Pinot Noir Reserve 2011, Chardonnay Reserve 2011 & Reserve White Blend 2011
wine. I felt a need to taste these fine wines at the place of origin to get a
true sense of what these wines were all about. There is a lot said and written about
‘terroir’ and a visit to the farm to see where such exceptional wines hailed
would truly put everything in perspective. It did. I was on a short one week
holiday in the Cape based in Somerset West and my family hosts not as
enthusiastic about wines as I am, meant that I needed to make this a solo
journey. Undeterred by travelling solo or the wet weather I made an early start
on the Monday, the day before Christmas & by the time I reached Franschhoek
while still threatening the rain had just cleared.
I walked the charming main street of the Franschhoek village bumping
into Johannesburg restaurateur Luca from Lucas of Sunninghill and had a quick
chat comparing must visit venues. I explored various character filled shops,
Art in the Yard Gallery and had a quick cappuccino at the Pancake House and
then headed off to Chamonix which is conveniently situated on Uitkyk Road,
second road left as one enters the Franschhoek village from the Main Road from
Cape Town.
I have over a decade developed an appreciation for wine and an
admiration for wine makers. I have attended many wine events and I am a member
of a wine club. To my delight I have discovered at blind tastings that my
palate seems to be spot on and to concur with that of many respected wine
fundis regarding quality. So I had a very good feeling that I was in for
something special.
Special indeed! From the drive up the Uitkyk Road one gets a sense
of nature with lavender bordering properties, the fresh mountain air and green
vineyards. Chamonix comprises some 300 hectares with around 50 hectares under
vineyard and was formerly part of the historic La Cotte granted to the
Huguenots in 1688. When Chris Hellinger purchased the farm in the early
nineties it was predominantly an export fruit farm. A replanting programme of
noble French varieties of vines took place and an underground cellar was built.
An underground passage leads through the
cellar up into the Blacksmith’s Cottage, built in the late 1700’s which houses
the Winetasting Room and Sales. The tasting room is quaint and intimate. There
is an inviting restaurant and outdoor deck which overlooks forest and forest ferns.
Against the mountain, the farm benefits from cool breezes during
the hot summer months and stony, clay-rich soil, giving the wines the unique
personality and Chamonix character. With no irrigation roots reach deep down
into the rich soil. Organic compost and mulch is worked back into the soil and
there is no use of pesticides or chemicals. The philosophy of the Cape Chamonix
Wine Farm is the Japanese methodology of “kaizen” (well known in Business
School speak) – continuous improvement through ongoing focus on key processes. Now
recognized as amongst the top handful of winegrowers the small, hands-on team
hand-select fruit and traditional methods follow making use of spontaneous
fermentation with no acidification. Winemaker Gottfried Mocke is primarily
responsible for the vineyards together with Emul Ross and are assisted by
Daniel Nel and William Jiemies in the Cellar.
The “Reserve Wine” tasting range – six wines in total surpassed my
expectation in all wines on all counts. The characteristics of each wine are
just waiting for you to sample, savour and enjoy. What many people may not also
know (I certainly didn’t) is that this farm also provides Woolworths with
Natural Spring Water which is bottled under the Woolworths label.
Aren’t we totally spoilt to have such wonderful wines, and water
in our magnificent country – South Africa! The overarching theme for the 2013 edition
Platter’s Guide was one of “Back Stories” while apt and very co-incidental that
the back stories, history and historical buildings of Cape Chamonix add to the
charm of the wine farm and contribute to an award of this nature, the
wines speak for themselves and do without doubt deserve the very highest praise! So much so, that I
couldn’t resist opening a bottle of Greywacke Pinotage 2010 with our Christmas
lunch at 96 Winery Road Restaurant the following day.
About Platter’s South African Wine Guide
South Africa’s first and still best-selling wine annual, Platter's
Guide is the comprehensive, up-to-date and authoritative guide to who's who and
what's what in the winelands.
Platter's Guide was conceived in 1978 by wine lovers and print journalists
John and Erica Platter. Three decades later with two Best Wine Guide Worldwide
awards, and well over a million copies later John and Erica Platter have since
handed the reins to a new team. You can also follow Platters on Twitter.
Tasters for the 2013
edition
Dave Biggs • Winnie Bowman • Greg de Bruyn • Christian Eedes • Michael
Fridjhon • Higgo
Jacobs • Tim
James •Angela Lloyd • Cathy
Marston • Fiona
McDonald • Ingrid
Motteux • Jörg
Pfützner • James Pietersen • Christine Rudman • Dave
Swingler • Cathy van Zyl • Meryl Weaver
 |
Franschhoek is notable
for having some of the top restaurants in the country within its quiet borders.
This fact, together with the strong wine culture, and pristine natural and
architectural beauty has made Franschhoek into what many describe as the "food
and wine capital" of South Africa. The city hosts one of the TOP 50
restaurants in the world, according to the "S.Pellegrino world's 50 best
restaurants"-ranking and a famous Belgian Pâtisserie for Belgian pralines http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franschhoek
