Wildekrans launches new bubbly at trendy new Cape Town restaurant

There is a new square in Cape Town. With boutique shops and de luxe restaurants Cape Quarter Extension in Green Point is targeting the big spenders despite the travails of the already existing Cape Quarter Piazza, where Tank restaurant has been running its seasonal "half price sushi special" for close to a year now (set to end 29 November) while across the way Nose restaurant and wine bar closed down only to be resurrected by new owners Craig Edgar and Nicole Sandham under new name (but same idea) Chenin.

Trying hard to present Cape Town foodies with a concept they won't bore of too quickly and situated at the new square is Vanilla restaurant. Nigel and Maxine Newhouse (who also own Tuscany Beach on the Camps Bay strip) spent R7 million to create a space as camp as a Mika music video. Cerise pinks, silvered Louis chairs, glass stairs, a floating stage and a white baby grand decorate the set.

Wildekrans MCC launch
Owners of Bot River winery Wildekrans recently launched their Cap Classique 2007, and chose the Newhouses' restaurant as the venue, presumably in an effort to demonstrate their product's bling credentials. Invitations to the event indicated the dress code to be "red carpet ready", which confused many of those invited who found dressing up for a 12:30 canapé lunch a bit OTT.

More confusing was the fact the proceedings only started at 14:00 with a fashion show showcasing clothes that should never be worn by anyone born outside Benoni. In an attempt to curb the random factor, models had to carry bottles of Wildekrans MCC on the "catwalk"...
Winemaker and surfer William Wilkinson addressed the confused crowd afterwards, insisting on refering to the latest Wildekrans offering as "Champagne" throughout his speech before proceeding to perform sabrage with an outsize sabre bought at local super-mall Canal Walk.

Conversation after formal proceedings proved to be more interesting. This is Wildekrans' first Cap Classique made entirely from Chenin Blanc grapes, but it was not intentional, a talkative Wilkinson revealed. Some blocks of Chardonnay had to be uprooted on the farm which necessitated a switch in varietal. "Chenins werk blêddie goed" [Chenins work bloody well] he added, before elaborating on vine smuggling and threatening me with legal action if I quoted him on details.

Other revelations included plans to increase pricing of all the Wildekrans wines as the farm grows in appeal, and recognition. Wilkinson is convinced that the winery will be "amongst the top 5 within the next five years", hence providing the producers with the reason to charge more. All of which risks losing the one thing the farm has got going for it - well priced, value-for-money finds. (Indeed some might already find the R115 tag on the Wildekrans bubbly steep considering what else you can find in the Cap Classique category.)

Wildekrans is not scared of competition though, and is issuing some serious challenges: "Put it in writing that our Pinotage Barrel Select is better than the Meerlust Rubicon," one of the owners Amanda Harlow proclaimed at Cru Café opposite Vanilla later that day, where the Wildekrans was switched for Jacquesson Brut Cuvee No.732. Clearly they want to play with the big dogs...

* The Wildekrans bubbly was the only Cap Classique made from 100% Chenin grapes amongst entrants in this year's Amorim Cap Classique Challenge, receiving a rating of 3 Stars, judged to be a wine of "good quality and fine character", and currently retailing at R115 a bottle.