Food & Wine News South Africa

About the Swartland wine-and-food series at The Barn

The Swartland wine-and-food series launched on 1 July, with more dates and events coming up in the next couple of months.

The wine-and-food series features six wineries, from Swartland blockbusters to niche rockstars, alongside delectable menus prepared and served at The Barn in Riebeek Kasteel. The dinners occur once a month until 2 December, with just 20 tickets available for each event.

“The Swartland is home to incredible wines and wine personalities,” says The Barn founder and chef Thomas Jamneck. “We’re proud to be able to create a platform that will further showcase this diversity, giving out-of-towners an opportunity to see where they’re born, and locals, a close-to-home chance to experience an event commonly reserved for larger towns and cities.”

Jamneck has long been a supporter of local producers with the bulk of his wine list comprising wines from the region. The restaurant, with its cosy interiors and comfortable outdoor seating, is among the most popular for its delicious culinary offerings and elevated views of the village and valley beyond.

The rest of the wine programme

5 August, Mullineux: Internationally acclaimed winemaking team Chris and Andrea Mullineux helped put the Swartland region on the map through their involvement in the Swartland Revolution and with their beautiful, award-winning wines that express the old vines and ancient soils of the region. As four-time South African Winery of the Year, they will share some of their most important wines, including their Old Vines White, Single Terroir Syrah’s and Straw Wine.

2 September, Knolfontein: Hailing from the vineyards of Du Toit Family Wines in the Riebeek Valley, Knolfontein is a boutique range that reflects heritage, excellence and unique expression. Fourth-generation farmer Pieter du Toit has traditionally sold all his grapes, but recently launched his own niche brand with wines made from his top-performing vineyards.

7 October, The Blacksmith Wines: Tremayne Smith was raised in the Eastern Cape and initially enrolled in chef studies. A different interest caused him to divert into winemaking. He launched The Blacksmith in 2014, a wine project dedicated to natural wines fermented with native yeast and little exposure to sulphur. His wines include Barebones Pet-Nat, Hell Yeah Pinotage and The Horseman Pale Rider.

4 November, Vine Venom: Vine Venom truly hit the headlines when its Serenade 2015, the first release, won a WineMag Top 10 Cap Classique. Since then, Swartland-based winery of Samantha Suddons has gone from strength to strength with its focus on Méthode Champenoise and Chenin Blanc skin contact, Flor, Rosé and Syrah. Her range includes Silence Chenin Blanc and Satellites Red.

2 December, Equinox Wines: Namibian-born winemaker and viticulturist MC Stander’s career began in 2006. He worked for various producers before founding Equinox Wines in 2018. Working with grape growers from Swartland, MC creates natural wines inspired by the Beaujolais tradition. Among them is the Wish You Were Here red blend, Keep It Loose white blend and Find Your Happy Place red blend.

Ticket prices range between R600 and R850pp. To book, contact The Barn on 071 844 2726. For those who don’t get tickets, however, there’s a little good news. Wines from the featured wineries will be available at The Barn, by glass or bottle – while stocks last.

The venue is open from Wednesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, as well as for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday.

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