This year’s Big Bottle Festival will kick
off on the Friday evening with a one of a kind Champagne tasting presented by
Champagne and MCC specialist Paul Gerber of Le Lude in Franschhoek and will
explore the different aspects and subtleties in the making of Champagne.
This indulgent dining affair will be held on the Friday evening,
and is set to pair culinary delights with some of the world’s finest
wines. Ten
champagnes (mostly vintage) from illustrious houses and famous growers will be
explored. These will include Bollinger La Grand Annee, Philiponnat Blanc
de Noirs as well as a Champagne from Pierre Peters one of the most respected champagne
growers in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Salon, a personal favourite of mine. We will
have the rare opportunity to taste 1995 Dom Perignon Rose Oenotheque,
directly from the producers cave.
The
tasting will be followed by a 4 course dinner accompanied by some of Italy’s
finest wines. Seven classic and unusual Italian wines such as Greco di Tufo
Giallo d'Arles will be explored. An extremely rare wine, a six-liter
bottle of the majestic Sassicaia, first produced in 1948 as an
anti-establishment wine and now considered the seminal "Super Tuscan"
will be savoured. The six-liter bottle of 1997 Vasco Sassetti Brunello di
Montalcino Riserva, a personal favourite, will also be enjoyed, with the Tuscan
tasting concluding with a few magnums of 2008 Tenuta Monteti one of Maremma’s
best and most reliable producers.
Indigenous
(or domestic) grape varietals are deep-rooted and at the heart of Italian
regional winemaking. Enjoy several
double magnums of a simply fabulous 2008 Barbaresco from Produttori del
Barbaresco, an exceptionally polished and refined Nebbiolo from Piemonte. We
will drink from large format bottles 2005 Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici
Riserva, rated 95 points by Robert Parker. This unique and highly sought after
wine, produced from the Aglianico grape in Campania, retains its classic
authenticity, resisisting the increasing pressures of globalization.
Donnafugata
Passito di Pantelleria Ben Rye, a highly rated and incredibly rare sweet wine
produced on a tiny island 100 km southwest of Sicily from 100 year old vines,
will round off the dinner.
The popular big bottle walk-about on Saturday, 22 August 2015 offers guests the chance to sip and swirl some of South Africa’s finest vintages. Unique
in concept and execution, the festival brings together South Africa’s foremost
winemakers and chefs’ de cuisine, creating a different approach to wine and
culinary pairings. All wines are poured from big bottles during the walkabout
tasting whilst offering guests the opportunity to sample canapés and small
dishes prepared by fervent chefs.
This
year first time we will offer master classes presented by proprietors and winemakers:
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A vertical tasting of
Hamilton Russel Vineyards presented by Anthony Hamilton-Russell
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Matured classic South
African white wines presented by Eben Sadie
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MCC and Champagnes
presented by Le Lude winemaker Paul Gerber
The
line-up of wines will include Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Raats Family,
Boekenhoutskloof, Keermont and De Trafford whilst the Chef lineup boasts names
such as Rudi Liebenberg, Albert Venter, Shyam Longani, Chris Harbeck, Garth
Almazan and Christina Semczyszyn.
Tickets
to the Big Bottle Festival Walkabout on Saturday, 22 August 2015 can be bought
online from www.quicket.co.za at R450 which includes wine, food, music, glass and a fun-filled time.
Master
classes need to be booked seperately in addition to a walk-about-ticket. For costs and full details on the Champagne
Tasting and Gourmand Dinner please refer to our website www.bigbottle.co.za
WIN TICKETS TO THE BIGGEST BOTTLE FESTIVAL. EVER.
We're giving away a double set of tickets to the value of R900 to this one-of-a-kind festival
To enter, simply send your contact details to editor @ wine.co.za before the 13th August.
Entrants MUST be 18+ and you obviously have to be free on the 22nd August and in Cape Town.
Competition ends 13th August and any entry after that will be discarded
ONE ENTRY PER PERSON
T'S & C'S apply