Brewing Up a Storm at Haut Espoir
Wine tasting innovators, ‘borde{aux}room’, collaborated with Haut Espoir Wine Estate in Franschhoek to give Super 14 contenders, the Stormers, a chance to lay down their tackle bags and bond as a unit with a Red Wine Blending Competition. The instruction was simple: make a Bordeaux-style blend that the judges would want to drink.
Divided into teams with names from the ‘Gentle Giants’ to the ‘High Hopes’, the day was a great success for all with every member of the Estate getting involved, though winemaker, Nikey van Zyl, was careful not to give away too many of his secrets to the ever-pressing front-rowers.
All five Bordeaux varietals were made available to the teams who engaged in some heated behaviour, not dissimilar to their on-field competing. With percentages measured out as accurately as possible considering that the measuring instruments are appreciably smaller than rugby balls, there were calls for ‘injury time’ as the one hour time-limit was used right until the last second to ensure that their team blend would stand up to the tasting panels critical assessment.
Judging proved to be ‘not for the faint hearted’ as some of the blends were akin to taking on the Crusaders Front Row. The discerning Judges Panel included Nickey, representatives from Haut Espoir, borde{aux}room and The Month. The teams certainly made a sterling effort with some blends even cracking the nod for a Haut Espoir Estate Blend. In the end the top three had to be blind tasted with all pleasantly inseparable. The winning team, ‘Petit V’, which became the ‘Petit III‘ included Willem de Waal, Dylan des Fountain and Dewaldt Elstadt. There were, however, some cries of ‘Cheat-ahs’ from the unplaced teams, as a certain fly-half has a degree in Viticulture.
David Wibberley made special mention of Col’Cacchio Franschhoek and Jack Black Beer for their provision of “gap fillers” and refreshing palate-cleansers.
The mission of borde{aux}room is to expose wine enthusiasts to a new experience of tasting wine. “We want to add a dimension where there is education, creation and a generated desire to seek new wines and new experiences. We strive to take the heart and soul of the winemaker and replace the boardroom briefings, Trade Shows, Festivals and even the festive Wine Club, with the ‘tastevins’ of the present day,” said Wibberley. “The wine industry produces many fine pieces of art and they need to be displayed in various ways for all to enjoy. By getting into the hands of those who don’t have the chance to experience the everyday joy of what most people take for granted, we will offer an experience that will benefit all parties involved,” he continued.
Contact Haut Espoir on 021 876 4000 and for more information about borde{aux}room email david@bordeauxroom.co.za or visit www.bordeauxroom.co.za for more details.
> Close window
Divided into teams with names from the ‘Gentle Giants’ to the ‘High Hopes’, the day was a great success for all with every member of the Estate getting involved, though winemaker, Nikey van Zyl, was careful not to give away too many of his secrets to the ever-pressing front-rowers.
All five Bordeaux varietals were made available to the teams who engaged in some heated behaviour, not dissimilar to their on-field competing. With percentages measured out as accurately as possible considering that the measuring instruments are appreciably smaller than rugby balls, there were calls for ‘injury time’ as the one hour time-limit was used right until the last second to ensure that their team blend would stand up to the tasting panels critical assessment.
Judging proved to be ‘not for the faint hearted’ as some of the blends were akin to taking on the Crusaders Front Row. The discerning Judges Panel included Nickey, representatives from Haut Espoir, borde{aux}room and The Month. The teams certainly made a sterling effort with some blends even cracking the nod for a Haut Espoir Estate Blend. In the end the top three had to be blind tasted with all pleasantly inseparable. The winning team, ‘Petit V’, which became the ‘Petit III‘ included Willem de Waal, Dylan des Fountain and Dewaldt Elstadt. There were, however, some cries of ‘Cheat-ahs’ from the unplaced teams, as a certain fly-half has a degree in Viticulture.
David Wibberley made special mention of Col’Cacchio Franschhoek and Jack Black Beer for their provision of “gap fillers” and refreshing palate-cleansers.
The mission of borde{aux}room is to expose wine enthusiasts to a new experience of tasting wine. “We want to add a dimension where there is education, creation and a generated desire to seek new wines and new experiences. We strive to take the heart and soul of the winemaker and replace the boardroom briefings, Trade Shows, Festivals and even the festive Wine Club, with the ‘tastevins’ of the present day,” said Wibberley. “The wine industry produces many fine pieces of art and they need to be displayed in various ways for all to enjoy. By getting into the hands of those who don’t have the chance to experience the everyday joy of what most people take for granted, we will offer an experience that will benefit all parties involved,” he continued.
Contact Haut Espoir on 021 876 4000 and for more information about borde{aux}room email david@bordeauxroom.co.za or visit www.bordeauxroom.co.za for more details.
> Close window