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Allee Bleue Wine Estate - Franschhoek, South Africa

   Gerda Willers – Winemaker.

            You know, I get to travel to some very nice places and meet some wonderful folks along the way – what’s wrong with this job?  One sad fact is that the camera is not always running and some of my most precious memories are behind the scenes.  This is not a complaint by any stretch of the imagination – it’s just my wish that you could have come out to dinner with Gerda and I the night before we turned the camera on! 

            That shared, I found myself up before the sun to catch it’s rising on the estate.  It wasn’t a long drive – actually I over-nighted at a beautiful bed and breakfast on the adjoining property (!) The sunrise was absolutely breath taking.  Not only were there lush fields of cultivars, but also the estate grounds posses lavish gardens of herbs and flowers and historic buildings of the Old Netherland style

            Allee Bleue is a relatively young endeavor – five years of age.  But, the awards and accolades of finest quality and maturity found the estate in the first vintage year of its existence. Gerda and her staff, utilizing sincere corporate support, have placed all elements in line to position Allee Bleue in the company of the finest vineyards of the region.

            Café Allee Bleue, the restaurant on the estate, was the location of our wine and food pairing.  Erica, the chef was lovely and created dishes of prosciutto encrusted Kingklip, Braised Kudu and Springbok – to be paired with a reserve chardonnay, and a red blend by the name of L’Amor De jour…. bad news is – I can’t get any of this stuff in Nashville!  I can’t wait to return!

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Beyerskloof - Stellenbosch, South Africa

            Beyers Truter – Owner, first-rate human being and winemaker.

            Anri Truter – winemaker and son who fell not far from the tree.

                              Francois Naude – son of another winemaker and International Marketer.

Jacqueline Oosthuizen-Estate chef.

You can’t speak long with a South African winemaker about Pinotage without hearing Beyers name offered-up in some reverent tone – this guy has passion felt ‘round the world!  He won a ‘best wine in the world’ award a couple of years ago for a cabernet and has won seven international best of show awards for Pinotage, a record.  If a grape could ever have a best friend…  Well, I’ll stop here!

While visiting the estate I felt the true nature of this family venture - from the father and son to the employees and their common view of works in, for and around the business and community.  This is an incredible bunch of people with their understanding of the art of wine, their social awareness and sincere intentions to live the fruits of life both full and honest every step of the way.

The food pairings here were all seafood.  Not just a run to the market for some frozen fish – these guys went diving the day before our arrival to catch fresh Lobster and Allekreckle for the feast.  Sparkling Pinotage on a stem paired with lemonzest and capsicum / shallot chutney over a fresh oyster…  And from that point on, two glasses were filled at a time – two different wines to mix with the cuisine to show the versatility of Pinotage….  This Pinotage is a pretty complex red – and it went so well with the Lobster!  Wait, I thought it was white with fish…  I’m so confused!

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 Doolhof Wine Estate - Wellington, South Africa

I spent a restful evening on the property in a converted 300-year old chapel, just down the walk from the Manor home and around the bend from the recently completed office complex fashioned from remodeled stables of an era gone by on this two-hundred year old vineyard.

Dennis Kerrison is charming, passionate and alive with enthusiasm when he speaks of his efforts in the world of wine.  Wine has not been his main focus in life or livelihood – it is, however, a new and defining chapter in a journey that has covered multiple continents.