Wine & Dine Wednesdays with Salt Rock Wines

For January we have teamed up in the new year with a young new label that has been launched by two young winemakers - Salt Rock Wines.

The collaboration of two Nomads in the industry finding some time on the side to express themselves in ways the day-to-day hustle won’t allow one to do.

It’s also about creating more awareness of two climate phenomenon’s that we have been experiencing the past couple of years in the280p;/ world, El Nino and La Nina. The wines are made for all year-round consumption, but still serious enough to intrigued the serious wine geek but also pleasing for the first-time wine drinker.

The Winemakers

Alexander Grier

Alexander studied Bsc Foodsceince (Bio) at Stellenbosch University, and started his wine journey by working from harvest to harvest around the world and started at Villiera Wines (South Africa), the USA, Australia, Tasmania, and Domaine Grier in France.  In 2013 he did a short consulting winemaker job at Highlands Road estate in Elgin and then joined La Vierge in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley for 4 vintages as assistant winemaker. Later he moved to Villiera Wines as the full-time Cap Classique winemaker from May 2017 until 2023 before founding Salt Rock wines.

Rudolph Steenkamp

Rudolph started his winemaking journey after studying at Elsenburg in Stellenbosch where he gained valuable experience. After studying his first harvest was at Tokara in Stellenbosch, he then did a few international Harvest in France and Australia before coming back for one harvest at Hidden Valley and then finally getting his first opportunity as an Assistant winemaker at Welmoed Cellar in 2013. He stayed for a while before moving on to Groot Constantia also as assistant winemaker for 4 Harvest before accepting an opportunity to be the Winemaker and viticulturist at Haskell Vineyards in Stellenbosch. Here he converted the farm to certified organic vineyards at the beginning of 2023. More Recently he started as co-owner of Salt Rock Wines.

The Wines to be tasted :

Salt Rock Bubbles - Low -alc session-able rose bubbles with a refreshing spritz.

• La Nino Semillon Gris 2022
• Salt Rock Chenin Blanc 2023
• El Nino Cinsault 2021
• El Nino Cinsault 2022

El Nino

At the start of El Nino in 2016 in South Africa, the first wine came to life, Cinsaut and we thought it would be fitting to name the wine after this phenomenon. The grapes come from Stellenbosch, the vines are about 33 years old and are on the slopes of the Simonsberg mountains. Decomposed granite soils ensure the crop is low naturally ensuring the bunches are full of flavour. We do whole bunch fermentation and punch downs by hand in open top bins, basket press off the skins. Malolactic fermentation is done in a combination of concrete egg and barrels, aged for 10 months. The wine is unfiltered and un-fined, just like nature intended it to be. From 2022, we’ll received grapes from the Helderberg in Stellenbosch from an old bush vine planted in 1978 and the wine will carry the Old Vine seal as well.

La Nina

Was born in 2019 and is a partial skin fermented Sauvignon Blanc produced from a single block in Bishops court (only block in Bishops court). This wine has changed due to the owners selling of the block and we now produce a Semillon Gris from the Swartland under this label. The first vintage will be 2022, and the wine was again partially skin fermented and then finished ferment in a concrete egg. It will be released in 2023.

R300 gets you a three course wine evening including:

• Aperitivo glass of wine on arrival
• Appetiser
• Main dish selection
• Glass of wine of your choice from Salt Rock Wines
• Dessert at Harringtons

APPETISER

Sundried Tomato Arancini with roasted Garlic Aioli

MAIN COURSE

Green Pea and Chevin Risotto with toasted Pinenuts

Or

Grilled Ribeye, burnt Carrot Mash, Green Beans, Red Wine Jus

or

Pan seared Linefish with crushed New Potatoes, sauteed

Brocollini and Olive Tapenade

DESSERTS

Chocolate Textures: Chocolate Brownie, caramelised White Chocolate, Mocha Mousse

or

just come by for the tapas after work and add on wine tasting.

So come for Dinner or just stop by for an afterwork tasting with colleagues or friends in our luxurious booths

Or join in for the wine tasting for R120 only.

Open 4pm.

Happy Hours, 4:00 – 6:00 pm and tapas HALF PRICE 4-6:00pm