The Revolution in motion (picture)

The official video of the 2011 Swartland Revolution is here. Made by the multi-talented and enthusiastic Frenchman, Sébastien Burel, who flew in for the weekend to capture the event of film.


He says, in his intro "probably the best wine related public event in the world. It is definitely the craziest, the funniest and also the most serious one, when it goes to the quality of the wines tasted during the weekend."


Enjoy!

A revolution in pictures, day 2

Mullineux Magic:

Beer break:

 Expert Opinion:

    

Bar Bar Black Sheep Festival Feast:

Swartland Independent Street Party:

Photos by Maree Louw, Naturallight Photography.
Lunch at Bar Bar Black Sheep.
Styled with the help of Cornelia Badenhorst, De Liefde.
For more pictures of the tastings and lunch etc visit Maree's blog, just click here for pictures from the Reuben's BBQ, click here.

Photos from the revolution - Day 1

They have arrived! The first of the official Swartland Revolution pictures, taken by Maree Louw.
We are so blessed to have so many amazing skills in our extended Swartland Family. You may see the men (and Andrea, deservedly so) on the posters and up on the stage, but behind every successful wine maker is a stylish wife.

Maree (Callie's wife) Louw took these pictures at this week's Revolution in Riebeek Kasteel.

Registration @ The Royal Hotel:

Quality First a tasting by Olivier Clape:

Reuben's BBQ Extravaganza:

Lucky for most, Maree didn't make it to 6 Degrees...

Tasting & Registration @ The Royal Hotel.
BBQ @ Bazaar.
Bazaar, styled by Cornelia Badenhorst, De Liefde with the help of various Swartland legends.
For more pictures of the tastings and lunch etc visit Maree's blog, just click here for pictures from the Reuben's BBQ, click here.

Sit, feast on your life...

Last night I went to bed dreaming about the BBQ dinner menu, this morning I woke up to find the Bar Bar Black Sheep lunch menu in my inbox. The excitement is getting too much now.

So, if you are one of last year's Revolutionaries who can't remember the BBBS menu after all the Bollinger and wine, or if you are a revolution virgin - all you need to know is you are in for a treat!

Tapas and Mezze Starters

Roasted red pepper hummus

Oak smoked aubergine pate

Olive Tapenade

Cucumber mint and thick Greek yoghurt raita with borridge flowers

Marinated shrimps and mussels with gremolata

Courgette and flower battered and deep fried with parmesan and lemon juice

Salad with greens, olives, tomatoes, locally made feta, balsamic and shiraz reduction

Olive and rosemary coarse salt bread

Spinach, oregano and feta puff pastry tart

Roasted red and yellow sweet bell peppers with anchovies and caper berries

Baked lemons with artichokes, Rosa tomatoes, anchovies and cream cheese

Mains

Rosemary, garlic and lemon lamb off the spit

Brinjal, pepper, courgette and tomato vegetable Moussaka

Warm baby potato, pea, mint and butter salad

Dessert

Dark chocolate cakes with white chocolate ganache and fresh strawberries

(blog title from a poem by Derek Walcott)

Bloody brilliant BBQ

We just received the final menu for the Reuben's BBQ on Friday night. Now we are really beyond excited...


Here is a teaser...


For the carnivores:
cape malay, marinated Merweville lamb leg sosaties, dried fruits
rudis pork braai wors, camembert, organic dried cranberries and rocket
bbq chicken wings
sticky spare ribs
thai marinated chalmar sirloin
traditional skilpadjies


On the side:
kachumber tomato, cucumber red onion, mint, coriander, salad
potato salad, boiled egg, sweet mustard dressing
pasta salad baby marrow &mint
red &green cabbage salad, onion, garlic, chilli, cumin, coriander
traditional rice salad
slap hakskeentjies


sweet dreams:
traditional cape brandy pudding with custard & fresh fruits

Sold Out...

With the countdown at 10 days till the Revolution, we have officially SOLD OUT.
A big thank you (and congratulations) to those who bought tickets, we are really looking forward to hosting you in Riebeek next weekend.

You are in for a treat...

You can however still come to the Swartland Independent Street Party, an open tasting of wines from 13 local producers. Tickets for this part of the event (on Saturday 12.11.11 from 14.30 till 17.00) are still on sale online or on the day at only R50 per person... click here for more!

Chenin, Sharp Sharp...

Four Swartland Chenin Blanc wines made it onto the wine pages of iSavour (released with the Sunday paper in Johannesburg and KZN) last weekend.

It seems even famous folk are loving the Swartland Chenins:

Top four Sommeliers

The Bollinger Exceptional Wine Service Awards, launched at last year's Revolution, has announced four finalists for the inaugural 2011 competition.

After passing through the testing Semi-Finals, four bright young sommeliers will take part in the Finals of The Bollinger Exceptional Wine Service Award on Friday 21 October 2011, this will  take place at The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, on Victoria Road beyond Camps Bay. The winner and runner-up will be announced at 19h00 on Friday, 11th November 2011, at the Swartland Revolution.

The finalists are:

Joakim Hansi Blackadder, GM / Sommelier at The Roundhouse Restaurant, Camps Bay 

Josephine Gutentoft, Sommelier at Grande Roche Hotel and Restaurant, Paarl 

Wayve Kolevsohn, Restaurant Manager / Sommelier at Le Quartier Francais, Franschhoek
Gregory Mutambe, Sommelier at The 12 Apostles Hotel, Cape Town 

Organiser of the Award, Ginette de Fleuriot CWM, is impressed with the calibre of the finalists, “Now that we are at the business end of the competition, it’s gratifying to have four such outstanding finalists coming to the fore. The Final will be fiercely competitive, not least because we will have two women and two men, and two South Africans and two Swedes, fighting it out for this unique Award. Let the show begin!” 

Swartland legends

Wine Magazine listed a few legends in their final printed issue. People without whom they feel the winelands just wouldn't be the same. 

Two revolutionaries made it onto the list of 'future legends' although we like to think they are living legends already. 

Thanks and 'cheers' to Wine Mag, we will keep a keen eye on your new online adventures!

Taking the Swartland Revolution to Paris

Adi, Eben and Chris are on their way to introduce the French to some Swartland wines soon. 

Between THIS picture and our 2011 Swartland Revolution poster I am seeing WAY too much skin from Adi...

The One-Day-Only invasion on Saturday October 15th will include two events.

First, a FREE tasting with 3 classes: 

one to introduce Swartland with Eben's wines, 
one with Chris & Stéphane Ogier (our imported guest at 2010 Revolution)
and one with Adi presenting his wines. 

This will take place in a wine cellar in the Latin Quarter of Paris starting at 3pm.

Secondly there will be a wine dinner with a menu to pair with Mullineux and Badenhorst Wines in a secret location.

Anyone interested in participating can contact Raffi Gabeyan via email at raffi.gabeyan@gmail.com. 

All for wine, and wine for all...

And now, for the wine you have all be waiting for... I give to you - Olivier Clape's 6 wines for the Quality First tasting on 11.11.11...

Olivier Clape is a third generation vigneron who farm alongside his father with vines at Cornas and further parcels classed as Côtes du Rhône and Saint-Péray.  The Clape operation is infused with a sense of cautious modesty and genial simplicity that have secured them a profound international reputation by consistently producing top quality wine. 

For his tasting at the 2011 Swartland Revolution (moderated by Eben Sadie) he will show the following wines:

>Cornas 2009 vintage

>Cornas 2008 vintage

>Cornas 2001 vintage

>Cornas Renaissance 2009 vintage

>Cornas Renaissance 2008 vintage

>Cornas Renaissance 2001 vintage

Nothing like a Friday afternoon drinking French wines to get the weekend started... 

Like Bryan Adams would say: All for wine and wine for all... (that is what he says right!?!)

“Wine is bottled poetry.” Robert Louis Stevenson

We have received the list of wines that will be tasted during the seminars at this year's revolution. Exciting times, as we count down to 11.11.11 The Day of The Revolution. Today it is only 77 days away!

So, without further ado I give you, (most of) the wines you will taste at the 2011 Swartland Revolution:

Saturday morning tastings,

Mullineux Magic:

>Mullineux Schist Chenin Blanc
>Mullineux Granite Chenin Blanc
>Mullineux Viognier
>Mullineux Clairette blanche
>Mullineux White Blend

>Mullineux Granite Syrah

>Benchmark Granite Syrah
>Mullineux Schist Syrah
>Benchmark Schist Syrah

Expert Opinion:

Jamie's favourites:
>Le Soula Blanc (Cotes de Fenouillèdes, Roussillon)

>Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet Syrah (Northern Rhone)
>Adriana Occhipitini Frappato (Sicily)

Michael's favourites:
>2005 Chateau Beaucastel, chateauneuf du Pape
>2007 Domaine Mathieu, Cuvee Marquis Vignes Centenaires, Chateauneuf du Pape

>2008 Domaine Gayda, Chemin de Moscou, Brugairolles

Jorg's favourites:

>Matassa Blanc (Côtes Catalanes, Roussillon)
>Terroir al Limit L'Arbossar (Priorat)
>Niepoort Batuta (Douro)

The wines from Olivier Clape will be revealed a bit later.

A bottle of wine begs to be shared; I have never met a miserly wine lover. - Clifton Paul Fadiman