Last Saturday’s hot and sultry afternoon was ideal for the 2023 Bridge Street Brewery (BStB) Bubbly and Gin Tasting Festival.
At times the cool interior of BStB was a pleasant respite but it was the sun dappled deck and court yard that proved to be the perfect location for the tasting tables of the visiting wine farms and distilleries.
I have been to a number of the BStB festivals and, apart from the purveyors of excellent liquor, the atmosphere has always been, well, festive.
This event was a Black and White affair and most patrons did the dress code proud. Summer frocks, linen shirts and stylish, shady hats brought elegance to the occasion. DJ Munro and a saxophone soloist added to the festive atmosphere.
On arrival we were given a champagne flute with BStB’s own Wild Child Gin that is served on tap in their restaurant. We sipped on this sweet, floral pink gin as we sauntered through the courtyard greeting friends and, more importantly, seeing what was on offer.
Method Cap Classique and Gin
The bubbly was the South Africa style Champagne known as Method Cap Classique (MCC) and many of the famous SA brands were on offer. Pongracz and Krone, two of SA’s most well-known MMC brands, were big attractions.
Knowing the side effects of excessive drinking in the sun my girlfriend and I limited our tasting to the less familiar bubbly and sampled the wares of Villiera, Boplaas, Domain Des Dieux and Tierhoek.
Hendricks, Whitely Neill, Tanqueray and Jock’s Collar where, amongst others, the purveyors of gin. As much as I enjoy gin I know that it does not sit well alongside bubbly, especially while tippling in the sun and so it was bubbles only for the afternoon.
Tierhoek is a little known wine farm situated in the Piekernierskloof Mountains. The region is cool and relatively dry and their MCC was young and fresh.
Domain Des Dieux, another wine farm from an elevated region, the Hemel and Aarda Valley near Hermanus, had their 2016 Claudia (90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir) and Rose of Sharon Brut Rose (60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay) on offer. Both were delicious.
Boplaas from Calitzdorp are particularly well known for their fortified wines and I was interested in tasting their White Moscato Frizzante. This is not an MCC but a naturally sweet wine with a bit of fizz. The Muscat d’Frontignan cultivar was prominent on the nose and the palate and the little fizz was a delightful compliment.
Villera are one of the oldest MCC producers in the country and, although familiar with their bubbly, I sampled their Tradition Brut and Tradition Rosé Brut. The Tradition Brut is one of my favorite MCCs and I enjoyed meeting this old friend again.
Lily Bollinger knew exactly when to drink Champagne and I am sure she would have been in her element at this Bubbly and Gin Tasting Festival.
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