Over 31 July and 1 August, contemporary Cavalli hosted two media lunches, which showcased both their signature wines and delicious meal options in the most picturesque setting possible.
To start, there’s a warning to ‘beware of their wildlife’ when entering the grounds along a gorgeous fynbos driveway, landscaped by Keith Kirsten himself.
We saw quite a few horses ourselves as we were encouraged to visit the stables, as well as a ginger kitty who visits often as it’s treated well by staff here. But the kitty’s not the only one. “I like the way the kitchen vibes here,” said another guest, and I agree.
Whether you visit Cavalli to soak up the sunshine during a wine-tasting on the patio those secret sunny days in winter, or if you’ve just glimpse it through the floor-to-ceiling glass doors before taking the glass lift down to the wine-tasting room, view owner’s private whisky collection and sports memorabilia, or walk around the private art gallery in delight, it’s that sneak view of the spotless, contemporary kitchen that stays with you.
Staff was being briefed there for the day as we oohed and aahed in front of the fireplace as we walked in, but we were swiftly whisked away as marketing manager Mark Lester made us feel instantly welcome by taking us on a tour of “the downstairs”.
This features the wine tasting room, Cavalli art gallery and other rooms filled with sports memorabilia collected by the Smith family owners before we returned to the unseasonal sunshine outside after a solid week of rainy days in the Cape.
The setting also stays with you. Sustainability is such a strong feature that soon after opening, Cavalli Estate was recognised as the first Green Star-rated restaurant and exhibition space in South Africa.
Little wonder as there are geothermal systems to regulate the restaurant’s heating and cooling, with photovoltaic panels harvesting solar energy, and wastewater recycled back into the extensive fynbos gardens.
Sustainability at its most beautiful. As a result, it was blissful to stand and soak in the surrounds while sipping on a flute of Cavalli MCC as the cool, calm waters of the farm dam, while the rolling green fields of the paddocks and farms beyond, neatly captured in the bowl of the Helderberg mountains, set us at ease.
We were also treated to a full seasonally perfect lunch by chef Michael Deg, and what a treat it was. But more on that later.
The wines, creations of head winemaker Craig Barnard, are beautiful and well-priced, with hoof-bottomed chardonnay, chenin blanc and Verdelho bottles a true stand-out feature.
Why so much emphasis on horses? That’s what the Italian ‘Cavalli’ translates to, and the stables are the heart of the estate, a symbol of the Smith family’s true passion.
The Cavalli Cremello (blonde) blend of chenin blanc, chardonnay, Verdelho and even Viognier in the 2017 bottle also harkens back to Cavalli’s own creamy cremello horse, Fancy Boy, who celebrated his 13th birthday on the day of our visit with a luxury brushdown.
This was a Winter wine-tasting with a difference, as we steered clear of the seasonal classic red and instead sampled their creamy white options.We deconstructed the Cremello over lunch with a view of the gorgeous deck, with Barnard explaining Cavalli’s small yet focused portfolio on the 100 hectares, with 30 of those under vine since the estate’s launch in 2008 – it’s only been open to the public for five years, so don’t worry if you’re scratching your head about the numbers!
We sampled six of the white wines, with the limited release ‘Foal’ 100% chardonnay only available on the estate and also used on the sparkling wine we buzzed about at the start of our visit.
As the longest standing wine in portfolio, it was first made in 2012, with Barnard working on it from 2014 onwards.
As part of the ‘golden triangle’ Cabernet region, their wines that have thrived in the recent drought are their Chenin Blanc white and Cabernet red – we sampled the rich Bordeaux-style Warlord flagship red blend, packed with all the roasty fireplace notes of Cab Sav, Malbec and Petit Verdot we needed.
Deg’s root-to-tip zero-wastage philosophy in the kitchen is evident in not only using the whole plant, but also getting as much flavour as possible out of each and every ingredient.
The food was just as good as the wine, with the delicious, crisp pumpkin seeds and punchy tomato ragu stealing the show from the starter tortellini served with vichysoisse, while the pan-fried trout was a visual feast of itself, topped with purple cabbage, pure white sushi rice and crispy sago.
On the mains, the springbok loin was another win, paired with fermented garlic mash, bok choi and celeriac puree from the farm’s gardens – recommended at medium rare temperature – while the cauliflower chive risotto was an enormous bowl of creamy cheesy comfort, elevated by the pickled shaved cauliflower stem and generous parmesan flavour.
We ended with coffees and friandes; a delightful selection of mini coffee macaroons with delicious crisp out shells, dinky doughnuts with a berry surprise and perfectly light, custardy dipping sauce. Delicious, and the perfect end to our afternoon at this lifestyle destination that effortlessly blends food, wine and art.
Do yourself a favour and get to Cavalli this winter!
*Leigh Andrews was a guest of Cavalli. Cavalli Estate is situated at R44 Highway (Strand Road), Somerset West, with the Cavalli Restaurant is open from Wednesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, as well as Sundays for lunch only. Wine tasting is offered from Wednesday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm. Stable tours are offered on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, from 11am to noon and high tea is served in The Conservatory from 12pm to 3pm on Wednesdays to Sundays at R220 per person, on a minimum of 10 guests. For bookings email the reservation team on moc.etatseillavac@tnaruatser, and for more information call 021 855 3218, send an email to moc.etatseillavac@ofni, visit www.cavalliestate.com or make contact via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
