Soft autumnal days lie ahead as leaves turn yellow, copper and red, the mountains become purple and the sky a brighter blue. Nestled in this dreamy valley is the beautiful Boschendal complex with its thatched roofs and whitewashed walls dappled by the slanting autumn sun. Don't be mislead by this lazy, hazy atmosphere, there's lots going on at Boschendal these days...
One of the biggest events on the sporting calendar, the Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race, has just taken place on 28/29 April. Boschendal pulled out all the stops to welcome the exhausted riders arriving from Hermanus and to give them a tumultuous send off for the last leg of the race to Spier. While the restaurant catered for dinner and breakfast for 1400 participants who stayed overnight, all sorts of delicious snacks were to be had at stalls run by the local community during the day.
At Boschendal Manor House, where high-profile functions are becoming the order of the day, a champagne-and-oysters reception was given by our Executive Chairman, Chris Nissen for the Mayor of Stellenbosch and the chief sponsors of the Cape Epic, namely ABSA, Adidas and Imperial Car Hire.
The driving force behind the recent spate of activity is Monica Kruger, the head of the new Marketing Department, who together with the Events Co-ordinator, Kathy van Niekerk, is doing much to heighten Boschendal's name. Pictured below at the launch of Britney Spears' new perfume in April, are Monica and her daughter, Jodi.
It's not all just fun... the events at Boschendal have brought about tangible benefits to the community. An important aspect of the recent Cape Epic Race was the sponsorship of bikes and the involvement of local school children at every stage of the race. In March the Cape Classic Concerts held at Boschendal, raised funds for "Bridge the Divide", a programme of musical training given to under-privileged children in Kayamandi. Musicians of international acclaim gave free performances and presented workshops to children studying music at local schools.
Boschendal Ltd itself has done much for education in the valley. Last year bursaries were awarded to two promising school children, Zeena Myburgh and Wade Robyn from Pniel, to attend Bridgehouse, a top private school near Franschhoek. More recently Boschendal has extended its sponsorship to five deserving schools in the valley, providing them with computer and audio-visual equipment and even supplementing teachers' salaries. A formal handing-over ceremony will take place in May.
Indaba
Boschendal will be in full force at the Tourism Indaba in Durban from 6-9 May. This is the largest tourism expo in the country and a chance to network at a global level in the tourism industry. The expo is spread over a large area encompassing the Durban Exhibition Centre and the International Conference Centre and visiting hours are from 8am - 6pm. For more information visit the website www.indaba-southafrica.co.za.
Boschendal can be found at stand no. 1082 in the Cape Town and Western Cape Pavillion. We'll be keeping good company with the "Best of Franschhoek", in a joint marketing drive to promote tourism, events, food, wine and accommodation in our valley. You'll be treated to renowned local delicacies, salmon trout, olives, mineral water and superb wine at our stand.
Monica Kruger, Marketing Manager of Hospitality and Brand Co-ordinator for the Boschendal Estate, will be marketing tourism and events at Boschendal. The estate with its rich heritage and scenic beauty has much to offer. Monica will be promoting our heritage buildings and other wonderful venues (some with spectacular views) for a range of products from incentives to private tours, sporting to cultural events, festivals, conferences and other celebratory occasions. She will be giving away Boschendal mementos in the form of mini chocolates wrapped in memorable Boschendal images. From Monica you can obtain more information on the Boschendal residential project which is still in its planning phase. Perhaps you'll be one of the lucky recipients of a Boschendal picture portfolio, so be sure to visit her at stand no 1082 at Indaba.
A range of Boschendal experiences will be presented at our Indaba stand. Let Neil Els, General Manager of the Boschendal Restaurants, engage you in the delights of Boschendal cuisine and Joyce Wilmans initiate you into the wonderful world of Boschendal wine.
Wine of Month: Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
In the April issue of Wine Magazine, Boschendal's Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 was rated four stars and selected as Editor's Choice. Our winemakers agree that 2003 was the best vintage in decades and warm but moderate weather ensured perfect ripening. The vines were cultivated under optimal conditions on mountain slopes with good loam and clay soils requiring no irrigation. Spur-pruning in winter was followed by shoot-tipping at the beginning of summer and the removal of small uneven bunches of grapes just before harvest. The bunches were hand-picked and small bins were used to reduced damage to the grapes. In the cellar the wine was fermented and macerated for 28 days on the skins. After malolactic fermentation the wine was matured for twelve months in new French oak and the balance in second and third-fill barrels.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 has a deep ruby colour with cigar box and berry flavours and a hint of mint and herbs. The palate is rich with an earthy warmth and good expression of fruit. This is a full bodied wine with fine, supple tannins and should be drunk over the next five years.
From reds to whites... look out for Caroline's White Wine Review from 5 until 9 pm on Wednesday 3 May when Cellar Master JC Bekker will promote the award-winning Jean le Long Sauvignon Blanc 2005. Boschendal's top wines will be on show at the Waterfront Wine Festival from Tuesday 9 May to Friday 12th 2003 and Boschendal Restaurant is preparing special crostini for the occasion to sample with these wines.
Wine and food
The famous Boschendal tradition was experienced by international DGB distributors visiting Boschendal early in April when they were treated to wine tasting and luncheon in the historic ambience of Boschendal Manor House. Pictured above are some distinguished guests with Cellar Master, JC Bekker, at the buffet table.
Boschendal took part in the annual Cheese Festival at Bien Donné this weekend. Wine-tasting and brandy snaps were available at our stand and Le Bouquet was voted the perfect match for Boschendal brandy snaps!
Cape Gourmet Festival: 8 - 21 May
This is the premier gourmet event in the Cape with South Africa's finest chefs demonstrating their skills with the best in the world. As the newest member of the prestigious Swiss-based World Gourmet Club, the Cape will promote its unique cuisine and potential for gourmet tourism. One of the prime destinations is of course Boschendal - gateway to the gourmet capital, Franschhoek. Boschendal Restaurant is rising to the occasion with a special festival menu at the much reduced price of R120 per person for the six-course meal! As always the lunch includes a choice of two soups, two starters (in this case smoked salmon and lambs kidneys), an array of cold meats and exotic salads; roast beef, chicken pie or line fish for main course, and a wide choice of cheeses and desserts afterwards.
Boschendal Restaurant will take a break from the Gourmet Festival to cater for Mothers' Day on Sunday 14 May in its usual opulent way. This is an opportunity to demonstrate that you really care by treating your mother to a memorable meal that she didn't have to prepare! And if you've possibly forgotten, we have small gifts for mothers joining us for the day.
Mothers' Day, the 14th May, will be the Grande Finale of Le Pique-Nique as the summer season comes to an end. Be sure to book now if you'd like to enjoy the last of these relaxed alfresco meals - unless you're prepared to wait until October when Le Pique-Nique opens again. And don't forget Fathers' Day on the 18th June, the next big family celebration at Boschendal!
Click here to make a reservation.
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