​Born on the 23rd of April 1525… I know that’s a strange thing to say about a Grand Cru vineyard or Chateau, but indeed this is a claim made by the Chateau itself; Chateau Haut-Brion. One of the most famous and revered Chateaux in Bordeaux- and the world at large.
The land and the Chateau have changed hands several times from family to family. This is not surprising when one considers the age of the establishment and the changes that have occurred in the world over all the centuries. From the original owners Jean de Pontac and Jeanne de Bellon who birthed the first iteration of a joint Haut-Brion property in the 16th Century to Joseph de Fumel who was guillotined in 1794 during the French ‘Reign of Terror’ to the current owners via the Dillon family and Clarence Dillon’s grandson Prince Robert of Luxembourg, the Chateau is steeped in History.
 
I was in the company of my four fellow Team Wine Kenya teammates namely: Victoria Mulu Munywoki, Kenyalynn Odennyo, Janet Kang’ethe and Soraiya Ladak. So basically, I was in great company! Having travelled to Bordeaux to take part in the annual World Blind Tasting Championship organized by La Revue du Vin magazine we had our list of chateaux that we would have loved to attend and Chateau Haut-Brion was definitely on the list. 

​We drove from Blanqefort in the Medoc to Chateau Haut-Brion in the Pessac region of Bordeaux, after being picked up by our very capable ‘taxi driver’; owner and CEO of The Wine Box Kenya - Dan Davies. He was our link and introduction to the Chateau, and patron of the day.
You can feel the historic energy as soon as you drive in through the gates. Obviously, there have been several buildings erected on the property over time, and some are newer than others. However, there is an in extricable energy that lives over the land; almost like spiritual annals.
As we drove in, there was still the glistening dew on the gravel, the grass and the beautiful porcelain like limestone of the building tiles. The air was crisp but with a warm breath to it. It was an uncharacteristic sunny day which was very welcome to us as the day before, we had been caught in a deluge that left us drenched in the center town. There were broken umbrellas and everything- but that’s a story for another day; back to Chateau Haut-Brion…

​We were welcomed by a friendly team of representatives ready to show us the winery and take us through the wines. Joining us on the visit were two gentlemen, wine connoisseurs and there on separate trips. Each coming as a fan to pay homage to the great Chateau. Our hosts led us into a quaint little room. Once a chapel, but now converted into a viewing room and reception. Here, we were able to watch an introduction video informing us of the history of the chateau and the vision that they have of the future, presented by the afore mentioned Prince Robert of Luxembourg himself. 

​After this, were led to a grand room for the fun part! The tasting. We were about to find out the reason for the attraction to these storied wines.
The room, like many old rooms in French historic buildings, feels like it could tell a hundred stories, more even. Wooden floor boards in intricate geometric patterns, cast iron candelabra style chandeliers, wooden moulding and panelling all very beautiful. But it’s the artwork and old iconography in gilded golden frames against the brilliant royal blue wall tapestry that really stands out.

​On a large table in the middle of the room, sat the goods.
Chateau Haut-Brion Premier Grand Cru Classe 2017
Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion 2017
Two exquisite wines that I honestly truly enjoyed. It would be easy to be swayed by the history and the circumstance (and the price!) around the wines, but in such cases, one has to separate oneself from the supposed hype.
Iron fist in a velvet glove. It sounds trite to describe them as such, but it’s definitely the experience.

​My sisters in wine would agree as I believed that we all thoroughly enjoyed the wine and experience as a whole. So much so that one of us forgot her electronic gadget once we left the Chateau. Possibly as a ruse to have an excuse to go back! Unfortunately, it didn’t work and they dutifully had it sent to us. Ah, well! We’d just have to live with the memories…
And that my dear friends, was our time at Chateau Haut-Brion. An unforgettable experience. Should you ever find yourself in Pessac, do yourself a favour and visit. And should you do, please raise a glass and remember me, your wine friend. Salut!

If I asked you to go to the Kenyan coast and gather over 60 people on a rainy Tuesday morning to sit in a class and learn you would probably consider it a difficult feat.  And, it is. But there’s a cheat code. You could promise to teach them about some of the best wine. This was the premise behind the WOSA Cap Classique event held at the Tamarind Village this December. 

This is the fourth iteration of this event and each time it’s a welcome endeavor.  WOSA is an acronym that stands for Wines Of South Africa; a body that educates about and promotes South African wine.
This year, as it has been every year before, was a success.  The event targets the hospitality and general wine trade industry and has a two-pronged approach. 

Part 1
This is a structured sit-down class. The attendees were Waiters, Food and Beverage managers, General managers and other industry professionals.  This year it was led by Melissa Mwende a certified wine sommelier and wine educator. Through her capable guidance the students of the day were able to learn the difference between still and sparkling wine and most importantly what South African sparkling wine is. This was supported by a Q and A with the WOSA Kenya co-ordinator and fellow sommelier/educator Wanjiru Mureithi alongside sommelier/ Team Wine Kenya Member Adero J. Achola. Mathome Mbatha the WOSA Africa representative was on hand to present the achievement certificates.

Part 2
An industry cocktail event that allows the attendees to sample the available Cap Classique in the market. To say that this is a cocktail event to delight in, is an understatement. From old favourites like Jourdan to new stars like IL Geco, Cap Classique flowed freely!

Now, I cannot provide the second, experience but I can most definitely give you a rundown of part 1. Ensuring that you too can enjoy Cap Classique like a pro! This lesson will be much more fun with a Cap Classique to accompany it, so you are free to run out and get one. We’ll wait.

Cap Classique is the term for sparkling wine that is produced in South Africa using the classic traditional method (methode Champenoise- Champagne style method). What does that mean? Well, it means that the most arduous and painstaking steps were taken to produce the bubbles in your glass. Those sparkly, pearlescent beads of joy are actually created in the bottle from which you are pouring!

Made in the beautiful Western Cape of South Africa, Cap Classique can be made using a variety of grapes; any grape actually. This particular fact means that Cap Classique can be as complex as the winemaker’s imagination allows. Following a dedicated hand harvested crop of grapes, the winemakers gently press the grapes for the purest juice possible. This juice is then fermented into a still wine. How now do the bubbles happen? Well, the winemaker puts the still wine into a bottle ( Yes, THAT EXACT BOTTLE that you are holding). They then add what we call liquer de tirage into the bottle as well and seal it with a crown top. This is a combination of yeast and sugar. A secondary fermentation occurs but because the bottle is sealed, the carbon dioxide that is a natural by-product of fermentation, is infused into the wine! When that fermentation is done, we’re left with the delicious bubbly that we enjoy. We are also left with dead yeast though. This dead yeast has flavours that can be imparted on the wine and for this reason, the wine maker lets the wine sit with this it for a minimum of 12 months by South African Law. Most winemaker let it sit longer. This is called – fancy wine term alert- ‘resting on the lees’. They do this with the bottle upside down. Once the winemaker is satisfied with the lees aging the neck of the bottle is frozen and the crown taken off. The pressure in the bottle pushes the yeast plug out. Of course we lose a little bit of the good stuff in the process, so the bottle ( Yes, still that bottle you have), is topped up with more wine and sealed immediately. 

Cap Classique ranges from bone dry to succulently sweet, so you know there is something for every palate.
What is the best occasion to enjoy Cap Classique? Anytime! You do not need a special event to enjoy Cap Classique. Whether it’s a brunch affair, a pre-dinner drink or just a pleasurable reward after a long day, Cap Classique is always a plus. How should you serve it? Well chilled and happily.

I encourage everyone and you in particular to try the different Cap Classiques available in the market and find a favourite or five! And when you do, please raise a glass for me, your wine friend, 'Gesondheid'!