The 'Big Bottle' Party brought to South Africa
Jorg Pfutzner and Fine Wine Events will celebrate large bottle formats in wines by the best South African winemakers and the top local master chefs in a three-day event from the 26th to the 28th August 2011 at the Cellars Hohenort Relais & Chateaux Hotel in Constantia.
The event which includes a rare Blanc de Blanc Champagne Tasting, a Fine Wine Dinner at Peter Tempelhof’s Greenhouse Restaurant, the Big Bottle Walk-Around Tasting (for 400 guests) and the Gourmet Champagne Breakfast, is the creation of Jorg Pfutzner who attended Germany’s first Big Bottle Party at one of Hamburg’s premier hotels, the Louis C. Jacob. Not surprisingly, the German event has been a huge success and is now in its fifth year. This will be the first time such an event will be staged in South Africa.
TOP PRODUCERS
Being collector’s items, large format bottles are rare and so always exciting to open. Iconic South African producers will showcase their wines, giving you the opportunity to meet each producer. Some of the winemakers appearing at this festival will include Eben Sadie (Swartland), De Trafford (Stellenbosch), Cape Point Vineyards (Cape Point) Hamilton Russell (Hemel-en-Aarde Valley) and Klein Constantia (Constantia).
PARTICIPATING TOP CHEFS
South Africa’s leading chefs will prepare matching dishes for each of the wines presented. Peter Tempelhoff, Cellars-Hohenort, Relais & Chateau, Rudi Liebenberg, Planet Restaurant at the Mount Nelson Hotel, Harald Bresselschmidt, Aubergine Restaurant, Roland Gorgosilich, Bosman’s at Grande Roche Hotel, Vanessa Marx, Dear Me Restaurant and Mynhardt Joubert, Bar Bar Black Sheep.
THE BIG BOTTLE WEEKEND OF EVENTS
RARE BLANC DE BLANC CHAMPAGNE TASTING (24 seats)
Friday, August 26th 2011 at 17h30, Conservatory at the Cellars Hohenort Hotel (R 1250)
This occasion is made for lovers of Champagne. Ten rare Blanc de Blanc Champagnes – including Dom Ruinart 1998 and Salon Le Mesnil 1997 – will be tasted, mostly out of Magnum and Jeroboam, the latter being regarded as the best size for a champagne bottle. There are only 24 seats available to attend this tasting. Other champagnes in the line-up will include the Larmandier Blanc de Blanc, Ruinart Blanc de Blanc, de Sousa Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Reserve, 1995 Launois Blanc de Blanc, 1999 Duval-Leroy Blanc de Chardonnay, 2002 Le Mesnil, 2004 Larmandier Bernier Terre Vertus and the 2004 Diebolt-Vallois Fleur de Passion served out of magnums (1.5l) and jéroboams (3l).
FINE WINE DINNER (50 seats)
Friday, 26 August at 20h00, the Greenhouse Restaurant, Cellars Hohenort Hotel (R1750)
Top chef Peter Tempelhoff of the Greenhouse Restaurant will design a “once only” menu to complement some of the most important wines of the world, from Burgundy to Bordeaux and from the Swartland to Barossa. There are 50 seats available for dinner and guests will taste the
2008 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett, 2007 Weingut Wittmann Aulerde Grosses Gewächs, 2007 Weingut Müller Scharzhofberger Auslese, 1983 Niepoort Vintage Port (Douro) and the 2007 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru "Les Clos" out of Magnums (1.5l)
From the 3l jeroboam bottles, guests will taste the 2009 Weingut Herman Dönnhoff Felsenberg Grosses Gewächs, 2008 Christian Moreau Les Clos Grand Cru Chablis and the 2002 Two Hands Shiraz Deer In The Head lights, Barossa Valley, Australia.
Dirk Niepoort has sent us a réhoboam (4,5l) of the 2007 Niepoort Batuta, Douro, Portugal
The 2006 Château Gruaud-Larose 2nd Growth (Saint-Julien, Bordeaux) 1999 Buitenverwachting Christine and the 2003 Château Raymond-Lafon (Sauternes) will be served out of réhoboams (6l). A Salmanazar (9l) of the 1995 Domaine du Pegau Cuvée Laurence Châteauneuf du Pape will be the largest bottle proudly served at this dinner.
THE ‘BIG BOTTLE’ WALK-AROUND TASTING (limited to 350 guests)
Saturday, 27th August 2011at 15h00-21h00, Cellars Hohenort Hotel, Constantia (R 450)
The Cellars and Hohenort Buildings will host exhibiting winemakers in themed rooms namely ‘Modern Classics’, ‘Champagne and Sparkling Wines’, ‘Wines of Elegance’ and ‘Wild Ferment’. Guests will try the wines of the countries’ best producers out of large format bottles. Some wine-makers will also bring matured old vintages in large formats. In a dine-around format, guests will have the opportunity to taste canapés and small dishes of our favourite chefs of South Africa. This event and is the largest of the five.
GOURMET CHAMPAGNE BREAKFAST (24 seats available)
Sunday, August 28th 2011at 9h30 Conservatory at the Cellars Hohenort Hotel (R 1450)
Before ending the weekend, the Gourmet Champagne Breakfast will feature an unusual selection of Champagnes from “Big names yet small houses”, for the most part unavailable in South Africa. Taste these unusual and hard to find Champagnes such as Egly-Ouriet, Jacques Selosse, Pol Roger, Cedric Bouchard, Pierre Moncuit, Drappier, Billecart-Salmon and Ruinart out of Magnum (1.5l) and Jeroboam (3l) bottles alongside a gourmet breakfast will serve a gourmet breakfast ‘fit for Champagnes’ served by The Greenhouse Restaurant’s Peter Tempelhof from 09h30 onwards.
LIGHT FROM AFRICA FOUNDATION AUCTION (for those attending Walk-around Tasting)
The Cape Town-based charity ‘Light from Africa’ will be supported in an auction of various ceramic pieces by internationally renowned local artists such as Paul du Toit, the proceeds of which will go directly to the Foundation.
To attend any of these events, contact Jörg Pfützner at Fine Wine Events on 072 467 5943 or email enjoy@finewineevents.co.za. Tickets to the ‘Big Bottle Walk Around’ can also be purchased online www.webtickets.co.za.
