Over the weekend of the 25^th and 26^th February 2012, the Bottega family hosted their annual harvest festival, Italia in Campagna, at Da Capo Vineyards in Stellenbosch. A highlight of the festival was the food and wine dinner on the Saturday night, which was hosted by five visiting Italian wine producers.

Da Capo Vineyards, which is both the family’s farm and the home of Idiom Wines, offers exquisite views of the surrounding hills of Somerset West and False Bay.  It was these breath-taking views, which greeted guests as they arrived for drinks on the lookout deck, setting the platform for an incredible evening. Cold Bellenda prosecco was served as guests socialized and took in the sites in anticipation of the dinner.

After taking their seats, guests were welcomed by Roberto Bottega, proprietor of Idiom Wines and Edoardo Maria Vitali, the recently appointed Italian Consul in Cape Town. The first course, a Venetian risotto with grilled scallops was served, paired with Zenato Pinot Grigio and Soave Classico. The Pinot Grigio was crisp with a delicate bouquet whilst the Soave was intensely delicate. AlbertoZenato, proprietor of Zenato Wines, gave a brief explanation of the wines and his winery as guests enjoyed the course, which paired incredibly well with the two wines and no final decision was made as to which wine paired best.

Giulia Lazzarini, from Donnafugata, welcomed in the second course as she narrated stories of the fleeing Queen Maria Carolina, who plays a huge part in Donnafugata’s labels and name, to a captivated audience. The course was of Sicilian origin and consisted of tuna carpaccio, mozzarella and stuffed zucchini flowers, which, interestingly was paired with both a white and red wine from Donnafugata. The general consensus was that the dish paired superbly the Donnafugata Lighea, a white wine which exhibited a beautiful nose of white roses, peaches and candied citrus rind.

A delightful Sardinian pasta entrée of lamb and rosemary filled panzerotti followed and was, again interestingly, paired with a white and red wine. This time, however, the wine came from Cantina Sardus Pater, as Marco Pinna of Sardus Pater, explained to guests was a winery from the island of Sardinia, off the west coast of Italy. Even though the Sardus Pater Vermentino was and is an incredible wine, the majority of the guests felt that the deep intense flavors of Sardus Pater’s Cannonau, a delicious red, paired up best with the lamb and rosemary panzerotti.

‘Mom and dad’ were afforded the chance to taste their way through the selection of fine local and international wines on offer within the air-conditioned wine tent, sample the various Italian specialty taste portions of Friulian salsiccia and polenta, Sardinian ‘porchetta’, lasagna, porcini mushrooms and Sicilian rabbit prepared by renowned restaurants Mastrantonio Il Leone, Limoncello, Wijnhuis and Il Cappero, whilst their children were able to run free as they were entertained by waterslides, petting zoos, pony and tractor rides and 5-a-side soccer, with the highlight being the opportunity to create their own pizzas, with the help of the La Dante Cooking School. Tumultuous exuberance, however, ensued as guests of all ages enthusiastically took part in the grape stomping under the coolness of the pine trees.

After the excitement of the grape stomping, a delicious gelato or soothing café was enjoyed whilst perusing the ‘made in Italy’ market where a selection of delicatessen meats, olive oils, salts, breads and cheeses, shoes, clothing, art and sporting wear were on show. Others made their way through the selection of Vespa scooters and Fiat cars on show, all the while being entertained by the musical tunes of Mike Rossi and his jazz band, who had many a foot tapping and head ‘bopping’.

If this year’s festival is anything to go by, the 2013 edition is set to be an even bigger and better blast with the addition of Idiom Wines tasting facility, scheduled to be built at the same site where the festival was hosted, later in the year. There is no doubt, however, that from morning to dusk this year, young and old alike had a memorable experience at Da Capo Vineyards as Italia in Campagna 2012 came and went in a jovial haze of Italian song, dance, food and wine.

A full day of activities and related events is planned at Italia in Campagna, or Italy in the Countryside, when Idiom Wines host their annual Italian-themed harvest festival on Saturday 25^th and Sunday 26^th February at Da Capo Vineyards in the hills of Somerset West.  Booking (www.webtickets.co.za) is essential to secure a place, especially on the Sunday when the Italian community will be out in force, but it will be possible to buy tickets at the entrance to the farm for the Saturday.

Start with grape picking in the morning from 09h30, grab a Lavazza caffe’ and a cornetto while browsing La Gazzetta dello Sport or one of the many Italian newspapers that will be printed for the event, buy a salamino, coppa, bresaola or formaggio to savour on site or take home from the food market, learn all there is to know about Mozzarella cheese from Davide and Fabio from PugliaCheese and watch or participate in the parade of Vespas (there is a Saturday morning club ride from Cape Town to the event), play a game of boules on the bocce court, or just relax, take in the view and the fresh air and listen to the Mike Rossi jazz band perform live followed by Italian guitar player Carlo Moretti. For lovers of ‘Made in Italy’, the latest models of Alfa Romeo and Fiat cars, Ducati motorbikes and Bianchi bicycles and other displays of designer goods from Afritaly, Italtile, as well as clothing from MaxMara will be on display.

Then from 11h30 until 15h30 indulge in the various Italian dishes being prepared by the many participating restaurants including Mastrantonio Il Leone, Wijnhuis/La Perla, Limoncello, Il Cappero and Fratelli Palmieri. Friulian salsiccia and polenta, Sardinian ‘porchetta’, home-made pasta, lasagna, porcini mushrooms, Neapolitan and Sicilian specialities including rabbit, arancine and cannoli, and are just some of the mouth-watering tastes that will be on offer both days.

Kids will be entertained with pizza- and pasta making activities and various games being arranged by La Dante Italian Cooking School. There will be pony and tractor rides, a petting zoo, water slides and a mini football pitch, not to mention la cuccagna grease pole, making this a true family day in the country.

The event is also aimed at wine lovers. An air-conditioned wine-tent will feature the top local examples of Italian-South African wines, including Italian varietals and other offerings from Idiom, Casa Mori, Monterosso, Ayama and Dalla Cia.  These can be compared to a selection of 35 different wines from Italy, ranging from Barolo to Brunello, which will be available for tasting and to purchase by the glass in the same area. Bottega prosecco, grappa and limoncello will also be on offer from Profumi d’Italia..

A highlight will be the regional food and wine pairing dinner held at the venue on Saturday 25^th February 6pm, when visiting Italian wine producers Donnafugata (Sicily), Sardus Pater (Sardinia), Badia a Coltibuono (Tuscany), Zenato (Veneto) and Distillerie Berta (Piedmont) will present their wines.  Only a few seats @ R350 a head remain for this special dinner, so book now. Visitors unable to make the dinner will be able to meet the Italian winemakers both days at the event.

Call 021-852 3590 for directions and more info about the event or the dinner. Look out for the signboards from the N2 and from Sir Lowry’s Pass Village.

Tickets prices range from R50-R175 and are available online through www.webtickets.co.za

Aptly named Italia in Campagna, or Italy in the Countryside, the event will host sixteen Italian food stalls, five top Italian restaurants and local and international producers of Italian wines. Organised in collaboration with the Italian Consulate, La Dante Italian School and the Friuli Society, the event is developed to support the Italian community and last year hosted over 550 guests. This year will see the celebration expanded to a two-day event, as its gates are opened to the public for the first time. The venue, which will become the site of the new Idiom Wines tasting area late in 2012, provides a wonderful mountain and vineyard setting, offering guests a spectacular views of the Cape Peninsula and Helderberg basin.

The guests, made up predominantly of Club Idiom members, select clients of Idiom Wines and members of the public, were able to pair the different cuts of steak on offer with a selection of the, as yet unreleased,  2007 Idiom blends.

Roberto Bottega, one of Idiom Wines’ proprietors, summed up the comcept behind the evening well, stating that “five meat cuts were paired with three of our wines, resulting in fifteen potentially different and unique taste sensations”

A springbok Carpaccio was served as a starter and paired well with the Idiom Sangiovese as the ‘wild’ factor in both components complimented each other. For mains, four cuts, namely sirloin, fillet, rib eye and ostrich fillet were served along with the three Idiom Blends (Rhone, Cape and Bordeaux). General consensus was that the Cape Blend worked soundly across the board, the Rhone paired up superbly with the ostrich whilst the Bordeaux flattered the fillet and sirloin. One table was even bold enough to try the meats with a dash of the Idiom Viognier and found that, surprisingly enough and contrary to popular belief, the wine went well with the cuts, in particular the rib eye.

Followers and fans of Idiom Wines can look forward to similar events in the future with Lawrence Hollander, sales and marketing executive at Idiom Wines, asserting that “the evening was such a roaring success that we at Idiom Wines feel it would be worth looking into the possibility of hosting similar evenings on a regular basis”.

Thanks must go out to Barry Niewoudt and his crew at the City Grill Steakhouse for all the hard work they put in to ensure that the guests were given a night to remember. Many a laugh was shared and friendship made throughout the course of the evening as all left with smiles on their faces.

ITALIA IN CAMPAGNA…A TASTE OF ITALY IN THE CAPE WINELANDS

La Vendemmia 2012 will form part of a bigger festival called ‘Italia in Campagna ‘(Italy in the Countryside) and will be a two-day celebration of Italian food, wine and lifestyle. The date for the festival is the last weekend of February (Sat 25^th/Sun26 Feb 2012) and a range of activities for adults and children is planned for both days. Grape picking and stomping, live music featuring jazz and Italian music, 5-a-side calcetto, bocce, climbing the cuccagna grease pole, tractor and pony rides, farm animals, scarecrow making and water slides are just some of the activities and entertainment provided on both days, while the more serious can visit the many Italian stalls and indulge in the variety of gastronomic temptations and wine workshops that will be on offer. For the more energetic, guided mountain walks to take in the fynbos and the spectacular views are also possible. A full timetable of events will be released on www.idiom.co.za closer to the event.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME

This year, the event will be open to the public for the first time and a limited number of tickets for the two-day festival will be sold on www.webtickets.co.za.  Paid up members of the Fogolar Furlan and La Dante will still be able to get guaranteed tickets directly at preferential prices from their respective societies but these bookings will close one week in advance (Fri 17^th Feb 2012). Club Idiom members will also be able to book directly with the farm on 021-852 3590 until this date. Thereafter all ticket sales will be handled online through the Webtickets platform.

INSPIRED BY ITALIA IN PIAZZA AT MONTECASINO

The festival has drawn some of its inspiration from the Italia in Piazza festival held at the outdoor piazza at Montecasino in June 2011.  Organised by the Italian Consulate in Johannesburg, the event was themed Italia 150, a celebration of 150 years of Italian unification. Many of the same ingredients have been incorporated to make this a true celebration of all things Italian, including elements from the typical medieval village and mountain festivals that take place in Italy such as long tables out in the vineyards.

EXHIBITORS OF MADE IN ITALY PRODUCTS

The event will also provide producers and distributors of goods ‘Made in Italy’ to showcase these items to a receptive target market.  Top brands of Italian motor vehicles, bikes, scooters, bicycles, toys, outdoor furniture, appliances, mineral water, foodstuffs, coffee machines, clothing, shoes and sporting apparel amongst others will be on display in the marquee village on the newly-prepared outdoor campo. The tents will be laid out in a u-shape to create a piazza feel. Exhibitors who would like to participate can contact Roberto Bottega on wine@idiom.co.za or 083 678 2094 by Tuesday 31^st January 2011. More information is available on a separate exhibitor document.

ITALIAN COUNTRY FOOD AND FRESH PRODUCE MARKET

This year several Italian restaurants have been invited to Da Capo to cater for the 1000 people a day or more expected to visit the festival. The intention is to keep as much of the food as authentically Italian as possible.   Tastings of finely sliced Prosciutto di San Daniele, Tortellini with prosciutto, Italian Salsiccia and Lamb Chops Scottaditto are just some of the mouthwatering dishes that will be served.  The venue, which will become the site of the new Idiom Wines tasting area later in 2012 or early 2013, provides a wonderful mountain and vineyard setting offering spectacular views of the Cape Peninsula across nearby False Bay.  The hugely popular Italian fresh produce market introduced at the 2011 La Vendemmia festival will now operate both days from early morning until the middle of the afternoon. Here a wide selection of locally made and imported salumi, formaggi (cheeses), olive oils, coffees, biscotti and other delicacies can be sampled and purchased to be washed down with a choice of prosecco, vino and grappa. Of course the festival is taking place in summer, so a special mention has to be made of the delicious selection of real gelato ice creams that will be on offer for those who have returned from the excursion into the vineyards.

ITALIAN VARIETAL WINES – TRY THE CAPE IDIOM…

The Bottega Family will have their award winning and limited edition Idiom Italian varietal wines (made from Sangiovese, Barbera, Nebbiolo and Primitivo grapes) as well as their new Rosso and Super Rosso di Stellenbosch wines available for tasting, and purchasing by the glass or by the bottle. All these Italian grapes are grown on Da Capo Vineyards where the first plantings took place in 1999. Visitors will also get a chance to visit the vineyards and help out with the harvest. As usual, repeat visitors will be able to purchase a case of La Vendemmia wine made from the grapes they picked and stomped the previous year. This year, other local producers of Italian wines have also been invited to the festival to add variety to the event.

…OR THE DOC ITALIAN VERSIONS IMPORTED BY VINOTRIA

Without a doubt, the highlight of the 2012 event will be the presence of visiting top Italian wine producers who will be on hand to guide visitors to explain what makes Italian wines so special and unique. Their presence is due to the fact that Bottega Family Wines (producer of Idiom) have started a new project called VINOTRIA, which is a collaboration with fellow their Italian importer and fellow Italian producer Belbon Hills. Currently Vinotria imports and distributes a selection of top wines from leading producers in Italy.  Many form part of the prestigious Wine Spectator Top 100 list. Producers in the portfolio include Donnafugata (Sicily), Feudi di San Gregorio (Campania), Masciarelli (Abruzzo), Chianti Classico producer Badia a Coltibuono and Brunello producer Fattoria dei Barbi (Tuscany), Sardus Pater (Sardinia),  Bellenda (prosecco), Ripassa and Amarone producer Zenato (Veneto) , Castello di Cigognola (Lombardy), top Barbera producers ‘Braida’ di Giacomo Bologna and Coppo, Barolo producer Vietti and top grappa producer Berta (all from Piedmont). After this year’s edition of Vinitaly, new producers will be added from Friuli and other regions. This newly available range of wines from Vinotria include many of the Italian wineries’ most famous wines as well as their best value products to ensure that there is a selection of wines available for all pockets.

SPECIAL EVENING EVENT: SAT 25^th FEB 18h00 – REGIONAL FOOD AND WINE JOURNEY THROUGH ITALY

A special Italian food and wine pairing evening featuring a serving of typical regional dishes accompanied by a talk and tasting of wines hosted by the visiting Italian producers from that  region, is being offered for lovers of Italian fare on Saturday evening 25^th Feb from 18h00, when it will be a bit cooler and the ambience will be perfect to gain some insight into the world of Italian wines. A separate booking will be required for this event which will cover the cost of the meal and wines served at the event. The special wine tasting ticket will also act as a weekend pass for those who want to arrive early to enjoy the festivities during the day on Saturday or who want to return on Sunday.  The menu will be published closer to the event and the cost for the dinner will be R350 per person.

BOOKLETS OF ‘OLD LIRE’ FOOD AND WINE COUPONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

In order to enjoy samplings of the different offerings at the festival, visitors will be required to purchase R50 or R100 booklets containing food and wine tickets denominated in Old Lire (Vecchie Lire). The tickets can be redeemed for tasting portions at the various food and wine stands making up the restaurant area and the country food market. The currency for the festival, which has not necessarily been reintroduced as a result of the current crisis facing the Euro, but rather to facilitate transactions on the day, will be available for purchase either from ticket vendors at the festival or alternatively can be bought prior to the event through the Webtickets.co.za portal at a discount of 5%. Left over vouchers, which are only valid for the two days of the festival cannot be redeemed for cash, however they can be used to purchase bottles of wine to take away.

Visitors are encouraged to purchase the combination day entry and lire ticket online which will allow them admission and a booklet of lire to use at the festival which be given to them at the door.

ENQUIRIES
Bottega Family Wines 021 852 3590

TICKET PRICES

PLEASE BOOK WELL IN ADVANCE AS NUMBERS ARE LIMITED AND THE EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME! UNFORTUNATELY IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO RESERVE A PARTICULAR TABLE OR AREA DUE TO THE NUMBERS.

ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF ENTRY TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE GATE IF TICKETS ARE NOT SOLD OUT. PLEASE CHECK WEB www.idiom.co.za or www.webtickets.co.za for UPDATES

ONLINE PREBOOKING  www.webtickets.co.za

(Discount applies on pre-booking for combination entry/lire vouchers  until Wed 22 Feb 2012 – therafter full admission price applies)

ADMISSION ONLY

Sat 25^th : Adults R100; Children 4-12 R50; Kids under 4 Free

Sun 26^h : Adults R100; Children 4-12 R50; Kids under 4 Free

COMBINATION ADMISSION + LIRE FOOD/WINE VOUCHERS

Sat 25^th: Adults R175 (includes R100 lire); Children 4-12 R75 (includes R50 lire); Kids under 4 free

Sun 26^th: Adults R175 (includes R100 lire); Children 4-12 R75 (includes R50 lire); Kids under 4 free

DINNER EVENT (LIMITED NUMBERS OF TICKETS)

Sat 25^th: from 18h00 including sundowner – Special Evening Event.

Regional Tasting Dinner hosted by visiting producers from Italy – R350 per person including Food and Wine

This ticket for the dinner also allows entry to the festival on Sunday.

MAKE A WEEKEND OF IT!

The organisers recommend making a weekend of the festival by attending the dinner on Saturday evening and then staying over in one of the many guesthouses, bed and breakfasts or country hotels in nearby Somerset West or Stellenbosch for the Saturday night. A shuttle service (available at extra cost) will also be on hand to take guests to their guesthouses on Saturday night after the dinner allowing them to leave their cars at the festival parking should they not want to drive.

SEE YOU ALL AT DA CAPO VINEYARDS – HOME OF IDIOM WINES – ON THE 25^th AND 26^th FEBRUARY 2012!

Guests will delight in a selection of five fine meat cuts, paired with three top Idiom blends, resulting in fifteen different taste sensations.

Seating is limited and there for booking is essential.

Please RSVP to: info@citygrill.co.za

For further details, please contact either the City Grill at 021 421 9820 or Idiom Wines at 021 852 3590

Bottling wine in large formats is considered a rarity and generally done to showcase an outstanding vintage or mark a winery’s anniversary. World over, collectors have revered the large format bottle and often enough, prior to their opening, feelings of elation, joy and expectant jubilation are felt by those who are on the verge of tasting the wine within. As such, sixty bottles of each of the Idiom master blends have been bottled, bringing the total to one hundred and eighty magnum sized formats containing the 2007 vintage.

It has been found that wine stored in a magnum sized bottle matures at a slower rate and translates into a better wine of superior quality with a greater ageing potential. The magnum format limits temperature fluctuations and there for its impact is tapered, making for easier storage.

Silvana Bottega, who handles the marketing and design for Da Capo vineyards (home of Idiom wines), highlighted the distinctive nature of this new edition to The Idiom Collection, “The length of the bottle ensures it is revered and noticed at any celebration. The slender shape of the magnum re-emphasizes the elegance of the existing Idiom range. Lined up against other bottles, this extremely tall and slender bottle, stands out amongst a crowd. The expressions we have included on each label evoke the senses and build, in idiomatic terms, a greater lexicon for wine.”

This Cape Blend includes the South African varietal Pinotage and three French varietals in Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The unification of these four varietals has resulted in a wine which winemaker, Reino Thiart, deems to be “opulent and multilayered, showing notes of dark berries and liquorice with a delicate tannin structure and a beautiful finish”. Perfumer, Tammy Frazer believes that if the Idiom range were a bouquet of flowers, this wine would be a rose accord. “Accord” is a commonly used perfumer’s term for core notes. The distinctive notes that the perfumer found in the wine were aromatic top notes such as white pepper and light tea rose, green fynbos, cedar wood, conifer and rosemary and overtones of smokey chocolate and creamy vanilla. This is a unique vintage worthy of its inclusion in the rare collector’s edition of magnums.

Idiom was proud to be included in the impressive local and international selection of grand reserves and fine champagnes. The Idiom magnums are 1.5litre collector’s items. Named Idiom Sommelier Series, the rare magnum bottles showcase the expressions of various sensory specialists including perfumers, chocolatiers and wine sommeliers. The exclusive range was launched to connoisseurs and collectors alike at The Big Bottle Festival for the first time.

Silvana Bottega, who represents the Bottega Family Wine Portfolio that Idiom falls part of, noted “Bottling wine in large formats should be a rarity and generally done to showcase an outstanding vintage or mark a winery’s anniversary. As such, sixty bottles of each of our master blends have been bottled, bringing the total to one hundred and eighty magnum sized formats containing the 2007 vintage. 9 has always been a special number for our family and as such we have tended to keep some division of that number.”

Whilst the Idiom magnums were on show during the Walk Around tasting, the festival also included an extraordinary Blanc de Blanc Champagne tasting, aimed at devoted lovers of bubbly. The tasting gave the love-stricken admirers of the large format an opportunity to taste ten rare Blanc de Blanc Champagnes including Salon Le Mesnil, Larmandier Bernier and Ruinart, naming but a few. In keeping with the theme of the festival, the staggering collection of MC’s were served from bottles ranging from Magnum to Jéroboam’s, the latter being widely regarded as the paramount sized Champagne bottle.

Executive Chef, Peter Templehoff hosted a unique Fine Wine Tasting at his Greenhouse Restaurant, where his menu was aimed at complimenting esteemed wines from influential areas the world over. From Burgundy to Bordeaux and the Swartland to Barossa, wines were served from an assortment of large bottle formats.

Ending the festival on the highest note, the Gourmet Champagne Breakfast, yet again, allowed Chef Peter Templehoff to tantalize guest’s taste buds. A supply of scarce Champagnes, including Pol Roger, Drappier and Billecart-Salmon, renowned names from small houses that are rarely found in South Africa, were paired with Templehoff’s gourmet breakfast.

The first Wine Series Event was held at The Taj Hotel in Cape Town and The Idiom Collection of wines was proud to be included as one of five boutique estates at this inaugural session at Cape Town’s landmark hotel on Wale Street. James Boreland, F&B Manager at The Taj, curated the event that was a resounding success. The event was open to the public and trade, and Idiom extended the invitation to some of their valued Club Idiom members. The session was informative and interactive with winemakers sharing insights about their latest vintages with the public and trade guests.

Idiom’s latest releases were available to be tasted. The 2007 vintage of the Idiom Sangiovese was found to be soft, smooth and seductive. The Italian varietal grape, of Tuscan descent, is most often a favourite with women and continued to appeal to the guests looking for a more elegant wine. The 2007 vintage of the Idiom SMV, a Rhone-style blend of Shiraz (76%), Mouvedre (21%) and Viognier (3%), that was on tasting was a mouth-filling wine with rich, savoury flavours and a long, fine finish. This stood alongside other firm favourites, during the evening, such as the Idiom Cape Blend (2006) and the Idiom Bordeaux-style Blend (2006), both multi-trophy winners.

Visitors were spoilt for choice with three vintages of the only white varietal in The Idiom Collection: the Idiom Viognier. Whilst all three are wooded, the 2006 has been oaked for slightly longer than the other two vintages, with 12 months spent in the barrel. The 2008 and the 2009 Viognier have only been oaked for 9 months, and the aromatic and fragrant nose of the wines, make for a lighter wine with the floral nature of the wine not being dominated by the oak. Whilst many guests favour the rich opulence of the first vintage, it was the latest release of the 2009 Idiom Viognier that stood out as a favourite for the day, with one of the tasters commenting that, “This wine is out of this world! I have never tasted anything like it”.

The tasting event was followed by a degustation dinner paired with some of the wines from the participating wineries. Held at the Bombay Brasserie, the world-class Indian restaurant on the ground floor of the Taj Hotel, the soiree offered patrons an authentic dining experience with wines holding their own against Cape Town’s best Indian cuisine. The Idiom Viognier 2009 was paired with an interesting starter of Char Grilled Prawns (Bhatti Ka Jheenga) and Broccoli in Pickle Spices (Sarson ke Phool), whilst other dishes such as Chicken Tikka, Lamb Saffron Curry and a spicy Masala Chai Custard were also enjoyed. True to a traditional Indian meal, each dish was flavoured with unique spices that are imported and blended on the premises. Compliments were paid all around and every guest left satisfied to the full.