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We been part of some lovely tastings in the last couple of weeks. Thought I would post some pics for you to see  and of course show off how beautiful Cape Town is in Summer !

The Vineyard Hotel & Spa in Newlands celebrated a beautiful Sunday afternoon in their gardens with a bubbly festival.

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Casa Labia in Muizenberg organised a relaxing get together of Méthode Cap Classique producers and invited loyal customers and guests to a magic afternoon of bubbles and picnics.

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Just letting you know what we’ve been up to, we’ve been busy , mostly preparing for harvest, quietly and kindly informing the grapes to ripen perfectly , telling the weather to play nice and then we wait…

The 13th and 14th of February were the harvest dates this year; rather appropriate considering how much bubbly is generally consumed on this day.

Harvest was a couple of days later than last year and this was due to the rain (25mm!) we had over the weekend which kept us on our toes and me constantly thinking should I go test the grapes again every couple of hours. Overall , even ripening, appealing grapes and with foreman Jonathon and viticulturist; Leon Engelke looking after these beauties; I’m very happy.Here are some pics of the harvest

We carefully go through bunches, checking for uneven ripening or unsavoury grapes that have ripened too much. We brought in just under 15 tonnes and I am pleased with the 19’balling (sugar level) , this always gets me nervous, a couple of degrees more or less and it changes the feel and style for the entire vintage to come .
Overnight in the cool room to compose themselves and keep freshness, then to the cellar for whole bunch pressing, the cellar we use has a gravity fed system , I like to think that the grapes don’t even realise what’s happened to them till they’re in tank as juice; with this tender process we keep juice clear , clean and pure.
We are at the stage now where the wine has settled and  inoculated with yeast to let the juice ferment into alcohol aka yummy potential!Here’s a nice basic diagram that I found that explains the process..

Other than harvesting, Genevieve MCC obviously took part in Valentine’s Day,I took the liberty of visiting all the boutique wine shops in Cape Town before V-day to pop a gorgeous card around the necks of the Genevieve MCC bottles for those in a rush to find a gift on the day AND then still find a ‘ to my sweet –heart card’ hope you were all spoiled with love.

We also teamed up with Bread Restaurant which is part of the Bromwell Boutique Mall in Woodstock, they offered a exquisite Valentine’s dinner with the Genevieve MCC .Do yourself a favour next time and pop in ( there’s ample parking opposite the building) have a quick snack or lazy lunch and browse through the beautiful exclusive items they have for sale. PS: Their Almond Croissants are addictive….

For a quick summer meal idea: Genevieve MCC was featured in Winestyle magazine Summer edition : paired with Tuna Tarte +Avocado Salsa + Lime Zest. Recipe

Email if you need some Genevieve MCC delivered: melissa@genevievemcc.co.za

Here are some nice tastings coming up in March with Genevieve MCC flowing..

• 3rd March: Vineyard Hotel: MCC Festival ” festival of bubbles ” 15h00 – 18h00

The Vineyard Hotel & Spa will be showcasing up to 17 wine estates when it hosts the Cape’s Finest Méthode Cap Classique Festival on Sunday 3rd March 2013 for R165 per person.
to view more information: click here

• 30 March: Wine@ the Mill (Biscuit Mill , Woodstock)  10:30 -12:30

Recipe:

600g tuna
1’/2 tbsp chives, chopped
1’/2 tbsp coriander, chopped
1 avocado
zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice ,salt and pepper,3 tbsp olive oil
Mix the tuna, chives, coriander, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Reserve the lemon juice till you’re about to serve. Peel and dice the avo, add the lime,olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Place a ring mould on the surface you want to serve on. Spoon in the avo mix and compact it slightly with a spoon. Top with the tuna tartare mix and then lift the ring mould off,garnish, move to the next plate and repeat the process.

Movember is all about bringing back the moustache, having fun and doing it for a serious cause; men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

Mo Bros commit to growing a moustache for the 30 days of Movember, and in doing so become walking and talking billboards for the cause.

Whilst the growing of Mo’s is limited to the guys, Mo Sistas play a vital role in the success of Movember by supporting and encouraging the men in their life to get involved, and participating in raising funds and awareness themselves.

There are many ways in which you can get involved with Movember such as registering as a Mo Bro or Mo Sista and raising funds and awareness yourself or donating to someone you know who is participating like us !

You can also attend various events such as Gala Partés, Mo Parties, Mo Runs.Get involved Mo Bros and Mo Sistas!