Spier Quarterly Newspaper Issue # 8

ISSUE #

08

JAN/FEB/MAR 2017

Q U A R T E R LY N E W S PA P E R

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PEOPLE Spier is home to a diverse bunch of people. We’d like to introduce you to them.

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WINE Saving water in ways that are kind to the earth.

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FOOD Executive Chef Lolli Heyns shares the secret to good food: high quality, seasonal ingredients, cooked with love.

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EVENTS Summer happenings on the farm.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! This summer raise your glass to new beginnings with Spier Secret Sparkling.

The blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir comes sealed with a retro cap that pops like a soda bottle. Taste the sensations of strawberry and raspberry with hints of Muscat on the nose. The rich, honeyed palate bursts with vivacious bubbles and has a crisp, fresh finish.

Visit us:

Spier Wine Farm

@spierwinefarm #spiermemories t: 021 809 1100 w: www.spier.co.za b: www.spier.co.za/blog

PEOPLE

MEET OUR FAMILY SPIER IS HOME TO A DIVERSE BUNCH OF PASSIONATE PEOPLE, DOING WHAT THEY LOVE, AND COMMITTED TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY. WE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO A FEW OF THEM.

Meet more of the Spier family on our blog: spier.co.za/blog

MARILISE HECTOR | FARM SUPERVISOR, NOOITGEDACHT

“BASICALLY, WE’RE PUTTING BACK INTO NATURE WHAT NATURE IS GIVING TO US,” “I had never farmed organically till now.

It’s a big responsibility.” says Marilise, who has worked at Spier’s Nooitgedacht for the last nine years.

HEINRICH ‘BONES’ OPPERMAN | SENIOR CELLAR ASSISTANT

She enjoys being a supervisor because it means she’s able to learn new things every day. “I dropped out of school when I was in grade 11, but I was so fortunate to come and work on this farm because I’ve received many opportunities here,” she says. These include computer and secretarial courses.

“We also get an Individual Learning Spend which can be used to pay for studies or for our children’s education.” This year, Marilise used her ILS to buy her son a new school uniform as he has just started high school.

“The whole concept of making wine is intriguing – the way you take a wellgrown grape and it ends up becoming something totally different,” says Henrich.

“My favourite wine is the 21 Gables Chenin blanc which I’m very proud of having helped to make. You can taste the ageing and the extra bit of energy put into crafting it.”

“I LOVE SUMMER – WHEN IT’S ALMOST TIME FOR HARVESTING. IT’S HECTIC, IT PUSHES YOU – AND I LIKE TO BE PUSHED. I PUT 100% INTO WHATEVER I DO.”

Heinrich joined Spier seven years ago as a farm worker. Now a senior cellar assistant, “the growth has been so fast – I’m still learning and still developing,” he says. “Spier really tries to assist you where there’s a problem or where there’s an opportunity to grow.”

Henrich loves cars – so when he’s not at work, he’s either fixing one up, or watching ‘Street Outlaws’, an American drag racing show. “I also enjoy spending time with my five-year-old son. He makes me laugh – the small things he does, simple jokes he makes.”

NOW YOU CAN BUY SPIER WINE ONLINE | WE DELIVER TO YOUR DOOR

Become a member of the Spier Wine Club and enjoy a fantastic range of benefits – including discounts on our wine, hotel and farm to table restaurant, Eight. Membership also gives you exclusive access to special events.

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Sign up by visiting store.spierwines.co.za or at Wine Tasting.

WINE

5 WAYS OF SAVING WATER

THE ORGANIC WAY “THE MORE ORGANIC ELEMENTS YOU HAVE, THE BETTER YOUR WATER RETENTION,” JOHANN SAYS.

The Western Cape is experiencing one of the driest summer’s on record – meaning every drop of water counts. Drawing on the know-how stemming from nearly two decades spent among the vines, Johann Smit, Spier’s viticulturist, reveals the earth- friendly ways that Spier is preventing water being lost or wasted – across both its conventional and organic farms.

Smart watering:

“In dry years like this one, we irrigate less frequently, but for a longer duration to wet the roots and not just the topsoil.

This is done at night.”

Natural cover:

When pruning is done in the winter, the offcuts are placed right below the vines and clover is planted there too. This reduces root and soil temperatures, enabling the vines to withstand the Cape’s notorious heatwaves. When it rains, the prunings also act as a sponge, slowing down the flow of water and encouraging infiltration into the soil.

Between the vines:

We plant cover crops like oats mixed with vetch (a member of the pea family) between the vines. In September a tractor and roller flattens the crops, pushing nitrogen back into the soil and creating a dense carpet. Not only does this preserve the water in the soil more effectively but it also prevents weeds (which compete with the vines for water) from sprouting. This means that unlike many other farms, Spier doesn’t have to pull a weed-killing disc through the vines – a method that ends up breaking the soil’s “seal”, leading to greater water loss.

Our ducks munch the slugs, keeping the vineyards pest-free naturally.

Taking root:

Sometimes we plant radishes between the vines. After the rolling, the radish dies and disintegrates, leaving behind holes in the soil which allow more water infiltration and oxygen.

Sharing is caring:

DID YOU KNOW?

Spier’s innovative and eco-friendly approach to saving water has been shared with other wine farms in the region, as illustrated in the picture on the left which was taken at a ‘think tank’ on our Nooitgedacht farm. We believe that collaboration and knowledge sharing is essential to tackle the regionwide challenge of water scarcity.

Spier’s eco-friendly treatment plant recycles 100% of Spier’s wastewater. The clean water is then used to irrigate the gardens and grounds.

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FOOD

GROWN WITH LOVE, MADE WITH LOVE: CHEF LOLLI ON THE SECRET OF GOOD FOOD “Working on a farm makes you more aware of changing seasons,” says Lolli Heyns, Spier’s Executive Chef. “You feel more connected to nature here, and this inspires us in the kitchen. Whether you’re dining at Eight or in the Hotel, we want to serve up memorable dishes that embody simplicity and honesty, using the freshest, best quality ingredients.”

Chef Lolli’s menus change depending on what is available from Spier’s food gardens.

Here Farmers John and Neil grow greens, fr u it a n d v e g g i e s organically – without the use of pesticides or chemical fertiliser.

Chef Lolli sources pasture-reared beef, pork and chicken directly from Spier’s Farmer Angus, or nearby local farmers.

Farmer Angus also supplies her with delicious eggs – which are laid by happy hens that scratch around freely in the fields. None of his animals are given antibiotics or hormones.

“YOU FEEL MORE CONNECTED TO NATURE HERE & THIS INSPIRES US IN THE KITCHEN...”

And so at Eight, expect to tuck into the likes of zucchini and parmesan cheese soufflé with salad – or perhaps a beef burger with Brie, caramelised onion and hand cut chips. Dessert includes Eight’s famous flourless chocolate cake as well as a Vanilla panna cotta with spiced pineapple, bitter chocolate and honeycomb.

Chef Lolli did her cooking training in Franschhoek, London and with the acclaimed Edgar Osjinik at Buitenverwachting. Before joining Spier, she had stints at The Showroom, the Cellars-Hohenort Hotel and Singita.

In 2011, she travelled to Berkeley, California to spend time in the kitchen of Chez Panisse.

Its owner, the chef and author Alice Waters is one of her biggest inspirations.

“She was pioneer of a culinary philosophy that maintains that cooking should be based on the finest and freshest seasonal ingredients that are produced sustainably and locally,” says Chef Lolli. “That really changed my approach to food as a whole.”

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FOOD

THE MEANING OF GOOD FOOD THE INGREDIENTS AT SPIER ARE GROWN WITH LOVE, BUT WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY ENTAIL? FaRMER ANGUS EXPLAINS:

• Completely pesticide-free plants which reduces harm to animals, people and the environment.

• Our hens feed on organic pastures. The grazing of a variety of grasses and legumes growing in our pasture contribute to our egg’s unique flavour and intensely yellow yolks.

• The hens also feed on all kinds of bugs, keeping the soil healthy.

• Cattle grazing creates thick mulch that keeps the ground cool in summer.

• 100% natural and organic, our soil is nourished by the organic fertiliser (dung) from our free-roaming animals.

• 18 different legumes growing in our pastures extract abundant nitrogen from the air to boost plant growth.

• Our pigs feed on non-meat food waste from Spier’s kitchens. They graze the pastures, rooting up old grasses to make way for the new.

“OUR PLANTS FEED OUR ANIMALS AND OUR ANIMALS FEED OUR PLANTS.

BY MAINTAINING THIS NATURAL BALANCE, WE ARE ABLE TO FEED YOU.”

SPECIAL OFFER : LESS 20% Immerse yourself in everything Spier is known for.

Treat yourself to healthy farm-to-table dinners, award- winning wines, fresh air, walks out in the vineyards and farmland. Pre-book spa sessions,

Terms & Conditions: View general T’s & C’s at www.spier.co.za - Includes full English breakfast.

- Valid from 1 Jun to 16 Dec 2016,

get comfortable next to the fire, and settle into a winelands summer, the way it should be.

05 Jan 2017 – 19 Apr 2017, 01 Sept 2017 – 21 Dec 2017, inclusive.

- Subject to availability.

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Hotel guests only.

EVENTS

JANuary

1

SUNDAY NIGHT ROAST

Hotel guests only.

Enjoy a movie on the lawn as you tuck into a traditional Sunday roast.

Time: 18:30 Place: Hotel Restaurant Cost: R350 per adult / R150 per child

1

DIY BURGER AND GAMES NIGHT

Hotel guests only.

Make your own delicious burger.

Time: 18:30 Place: Hotel Restaurant Cost: R250 per adult / R120 per child

3

WEST COAST SNOEK & MUSSEL FEAST WITH LIVE JAZZ

Hotel guests only.

Celebrate the sea’s bounty with a braaied snoek and hearty mussel pot simmering on the fire.

Time: 18:30 Place: Hotel Restaurant Cost: R350 per adult / R150 per child

4

FEBRuary

7

FARMER ANGUS BRAAI WITH LIVE MUSIC

SPIT BRAAI WITH LIVE JAZZ

Hotel guests only.

It’s braai time! Enjoy Farmer Angus’s grass-fed meats, reared on Spier’s pastures, and veggies roasted on the fire.

Hotel guests only.

While a jazz duo plays, relax on a hay bale and munch on a pita bursting with slices of Karoo lamb roasted to perfection on the spit.

Time: 18:30

Time: 18:30 Place: Hotel Restaurant

Place: Hotel Restaurant

Cost: R250 per adult / R120 per child

Cost: R350 per adult / R150 per child

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7

MALAY DINNER WITH LIVE MUSIC

Hotel guests only.

Let live acoustic music serenade you as you take a journey through the Cape’s colourful culinary heritage: a spicy feast featuring traditional Malay curries.

Time: 18:30

PICNIC MOVIE NIGHT: OUT OF AFRICA

All guests.

Relax on the lawn at Eight with a picnic and enjoy timeless classics under the stars!

Time: 19:30 Place: Eight lawns Cost: R100 per adult / R70 per child

R500 gourmet picnic (serves two, excl. movie tickets)

Place: Hotel Restaurant

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AFRICAN DRUMMING AND POTJIE NIGHT

Hotel guests only.

Grab a spot on a hay bale around a roaring fire and listen to African beats while delicious potjie stews bubble away.

Time: 18:30

MARCH

25

EARTH HOUR

All guests.

MCC and Oysters served in the Hotel Lounge and Lobby. Some lights to be dimmed and switched off for this period. Normal ala carte and buffet to be served lobby and lounge areas decorated with candles with live pianist.

Time: 20:30 Place: Hotel Lobby Cost: R195p/p

APRIL

14

GOOD FRIDAY DINNER

All guests.

Dinner at Eight and Hotel Seafood inspired Buffet selection and Harvest Table.

Place: Eight & Hotel Cost: R400p/p

Cost: R350 per adult / R150 per child

6

All guests Open to public.

VALENTINE’S DAY PICNIC MOVIE WERF

All guests.

Movie – Best of Me Place: The Werf Cost: R 750 per couple basket to share

including a bottle Secret Sparkling / 200 Pax

Place: Hotel Restaurant

15 All guests.

Place: Hotel Restaurant Cost: R395p/p

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Cost: R350 per adult / R150 per child

eASTER BRAAI DINNER AT THE HOTEL

SUNDAY LUNCH AT 8 HARVEST TABLE

All guests.

Easter Egg hunt on Bamboo Lawns for kids.

Place: Bamboo Lawns Cost: R400p/p - Spit Braai Lunch R395p/p FOR MORE EVENT DETAILS VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.SPIER.CO.ZA/EVENTS

KIDS

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HAPPENINGS

SPIER SECRET FESTIVAL

The 2016 edition Spier Secret Festival was the first one hosted in Johannesburg – at the Nando’s Central Kitchen in Yeoville.

The food and wine event was held on Sunday 6 November. The day of workshops, talks, eating and drinking explored the way that food is an intrinsic part of our cultural history and identity.

Speaker highlights included the artist collective Cateringa & Kompanen from The Netherlands who showed how algae is the super food of the future, and treated delegates to algae smoothies at the interactive algae bar. Ash Heeger, the chef at Cape Town’s acclaimed ASH, cooked lunch (sponsored by Woolworths) and chatted about her food philosophy and passion for using ethically reared meat. www.spiersecret.co.za / #spiersecret

FESTIVAL OF WHITE LIGHTS

SPIER ARTS LAUNCH IN CAPE TOWN

Spier got the festive season off to a radiant start on Saturday 10 December, when choreographer Jay Pather transformed Spier into a light-filled, multi-sensory cross-cultural wonderland. Guests joined the procession winding across the farm, encountering opera singers and a choir amidst the oaks as well as large-scale dance performances and video and light installations.

The exclusive Spier Arts Collection launched at Union House in Cape Town’s CBD on the 27th October. Special guests were treated to a tasting of eight wines presented by Spier cellar master Frans Smit. The Spier Arts range celebrates our Danish customer’s 150th birthday as well as the era-defining work of four South African artists of our time: Sam Nhlengethwa, Mohau Modisakeng, Alex Emsley and Michael Taylor. #spierarts

INSTAGRAM

amy_hoppy: Full of wine and energy. My best. winetasting @spierwinefarm.

cape_town_vibes: Waste your time wisely.

FOLLOW US @SPIERWINEFARM

andrewwright74: Spring flowers on our team building in Stellenbosch.

only_jul: Dancing in the beautiful gardens @spierwinefarm

WIN Take a picture of yourself AT SPIER using the hashtaG #SPIERNEWS AND stand a chance to win a lunch for 4 at Eight RESTAURANT TO THE VALUE OF R1000 AND your picture COULD be featured in the next edition of the newspaper.

Competition ends on 31 March 2017.

Terms & Conditions apply. mariettedth: Traditional local treats like roasted termites, Mopani worms, peanuts, Thihove (samp beans and peanuts mixed) and Tsophi (Butternut and pap (porridge) balls) with Mnqombothi (local beer) and @spierwinefarm wines enjoyed on Lake Albasini last night. Today we meet the women who make these beautiful Venda textiles.

seth_shezi: Sprinkler Surprise @spierwinefarm.

When you’re posing for a photo and a sprinkler startles you and it all happens to be caught on camera by a delightful stranger from Iran.

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melissa1franke: We stayed at a hotel on a wine farm in South Africa, and it was lovely! Everywhere we looked, there were gorgeous paintings, weavings, drawings, and art of all types. This piece is made entirely of beads.

1 Eagle Encounters

2 Craft Market

1. EAGLE ENCOUNTERS

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7 Eight Restaurant

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Eight to Go Manor House

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3

he Werf W Market

10 Hoghouse Bakery & Café

Segway Tours Wine Tasting

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8. THE WERF

Eight is a farm-to-table eating experience in a beautiful setting next to the Eerste River. Like its name, the restaurant is an expression of balance, cycles, harmony, infinity and abundance.

The produce used at Eight is either grown on the farm or sourced from nearby farmers. Natural and organic ingredients are preferred and combined to create nourishing, healthy, and delicious food.

Contact: +27 (21) 809 1188 or at eight@spier.co.za.

7. EIGHT RESTAURANT

Next door to Spier’s acclaimed farm-to-table restaurant, Eight to Go offers ready-to-eat food, lovingly prepared according to the same principles as Eight. Local, natural and organic produce is used wherever possible, and food grown on the Spier farm is preferred. Wholesome picnics and sandwiches are available to be enjoyed with a bottle of award-winning Spier wine on the lawns of the farm.

Contact: +27 (021) 809 1188.

6. EIGHT TO GO AND PICNICS

5. WINE COLLECTION POINT

Wine Collection Point

At Eagle Encounters raptor rehabilitation centre, get up close and personal with birds of prey, and find out how these magnificent animals keep the Spier farm healthy and balanced.

2. CRAFT MARKET From fridge magnets to masterpieces, the Spier Craft Market, right next to our Tasting Room, offers a wide range of art and crafts, made with a diverse range of materials, including mosaic, beads, textiles and ceramics.

3. SEGWAY TOURS The Segway PT (Personal Transporter) is a two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicle. The tour is a beautiful glide through the farm to the vineyards with some interesting facts about Spier’s farming practices and wastewater treatment plant on the way.

Contact: 021 809 1157 or visit www.segwaytours.co.za.

4. WINE TASTING Our Tasting Room on the banks of the Spier dam pairs our award-winning wine with delicious snacks. Relax in the airy lounge area, or take your glass outside onto the patio which has stunning views of the Helderberg mountains.

Contact: 021 09 1143/7

Spier’s historic farmyard – the Werf – has been meticulously restored. Visitors can wander through the food garden or relax on the lawn under ancient oak trees. The Werf is surrounded by beautiful Cape Dutch buildings which now host pop-up exhibitions and events.

Old Wine Cellar

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Spier Hot

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Spier Hotel Restaurant & Wine Bar

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Wastewater Treatment Plant

14

15 Spier Spa

12. CONSCIOUS CONFERENCING

Conference Centre

12 13

9. MANOR HOUSE

Conferencing includes an auditorium that seats 430 people and three breakaway rooms, which can be used separately, or combined, to seat 250 people. Conference rooms are adjacent to the Eerste River and have views of the Helderberg mountains.

Contact: Conference@spier.co.za

Amphitheatre

The 1822 historic Manor House has recently gone through an extensive restoration and three different meeting rooms are available. The building features artworks from the Spier Collection - one of the largest collections of contemporary South African art in the country.

13. AMPHITHEATRE

Spier Shop

17

10. THE HOGHOUSE BBQ & BAKERY

15. SPA AT SPIER

Our newly revamped spa offers an indulgent array of massages and facials that will ensure you leave rejuvenated and relieved of stress.

Contact: thespa@spier.co.za.

In 2007, Spier installed a pioneering centralised wastewater treatment plant which is the embodiment of our approach to waste management. It recycles 100% of our wastewater, treats it using only environmentally friendly methodology and the clean water is then used to irrigate the garden and grounds.

14. WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

Spier has an open air venue hosting artistic and corporate events with a capacity of 1100 people.

The wood-fired oven and bakery kitchen, located in the historical Jonkershuis on the Werf, serves fresh bread, pastries and treats – which can also be pre-ordered 48 hours in advance. Chef PJ Vadas’s barbeque-focused lunch and dinner menu includes flavoursome grass-fed beef, pork, lamb and free-roaming chicken supplied by Spier’s Farmer Angus.

Diners can design their own meal by choosing various cuts ordered by weight. Accompanied by tasty sides – such as roasted beetroot or cheese-drenched broccoli the meats are perfectly paired with Spier wine or Hoghouse’s craft ales.

Desserts include tarts and artisanal gelatos.

Contact: +27 (21) 881 3174 or howdy@hhbc.co.za

11. OLD WINE CELLAR Spier’s Old Wine Cellar is South Africa’s oldest dated cellar building (1767).

VALENTINE’S DAY PICNIC MOVIE NIGHT

SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2017

Move night on the Werf – Best of me R750 per couple including Secret Sparkling / 200 PAX Go to www.spier.co.za/events for more info on how to book

16. SPIER HOTEL RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR

Enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail on the terrace with bar snacks, or breakfast, lunch or dinner at the Spier Hotel restaurant. Both the restaurant and wine bar strive to source the freshest available produce for the menus from a range of local suppliers and our farm.

Contact: +27 (21) 809 1100

17. SPIER SHOP

A carefully curated selection of products both for the home and for the body is available in the shop adjoining Spier Hotel’s reception and at the Tasting Venue, allowing you to take home a piece of the Spier farm life.

18. SPIER HOTEL

The 4-star Spier Hotel is next to the calming waters of the Eerste River. The rooms are situated in village-style buildings grouped around six private courtyards, each with its own swimming pool in a design reminiscent of the Bo-Kaap or Mediterranean villages where pedestrians have right of way.

Contact: Reservations@spier.co.za

ART - The spaces of the Spier Hotel and conferencing rooms are adorned with art from the Spier Collection - one of the most extensive collections of contemporary South African art in the country. Spier believes that the visual arts can provide both guests and staff with new insights, and challenge us to take a fresh look at our world and environment.

WALKS AND TRAILS - Stroll around our peaceful water-wise gardens or visit the River Walk on the Eerste River’s south bank, which showcases our national flower.

Download the VoiceMap app and listen to our two audio tours on your phone: Walk the Farm (which starts at the Hotel entrance) and the historic Gables tour (which begins at the Tasting Room). 5km and 10km running route maps are available from the Spier Hotel reception.