Tucked away at the bottom of Helshoogte Pass in Stellenbosch, you’ll find Glenelly Wine Estate. Home to some of the most expressive Bordeaux style reds in the region, their tasting room is definitely not one to be missed. Glenelly was established in 2003 by world-renowned Bordeaux winemaker, Madame May de Lencquesaing, with a clear vision to produce wines of great elegance and exceptional ageing ability. I was recently invited to enjoy a day out at the estate and sample some of the new releases. To make the day even more amazing, Chef Christophe, at the Bistro, created a special menu to showcase how the wines paired with his French-style dishes.
Our hosts for the day were Export director Nicolas Bureau and Winemaker Luke O Cuinneagain. Both took the time out of their busy days to show us around the beautiful estate, including the Glass Museum, as well as take us through the newly released reds, The Lady May and the Estate Reserve red.
The Lady May
Lady May is crafted predominantly from a single Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard planted on a cool east-facing slope, with a dash of other Bordeaux varieties. Taking after its owner, the wine is elegant, distinguished and venerable. Having been set an enormous challenge by Madame, Glenelly have produced several highly-acclaimed vintages of Lady May, reaping prestigious awards, including a pinnacle 5-star rating for the 2009 vintage in Platter’s wine guide.
Glenelly Estate Reserve Red
The Estate Reserve is Glenelly’s signature red blend with long ageing potential made from the estate’s finest parcels of vines. The label depicts a panoramic landscape view of Glenelly to convey a real sense of place and focus on terroir. The Estate Reserve Red 2013 received a 93-point rating in Tim Atkin’s South Africa Special Report.
The Glenelly Bistro
“At Glenelly we constantly think of our wines in conjunction with food, so introducing a culinary experience at Glenelly in late 2016 was a logical step on our journey,” says Luke O’Cuinneagain. Christophe Dehosse, chef patron at The Vine Bistro at Glenelly, continues, “We recommend enjoying the 2013 vintages of the flagship Lady May Cabernet Sauvignon and the Estate Reserve Signature Red Blend with the following dishes which feature regularly on our menu:
• Cape Wagyu flat iron steak, fondant potatoes, grilled baby marrow and a shallot sauce
• Springbok loin, celeriac mousseline, broad bean and a red wine sauce
• Braised pork cheeks, roast root vegetables and a thyme jus
Quail and Walnut salad paired with the Glenelly Estate reserve Chardonnay 2017
Cape Wagyu flat iron steak with tomato Provencal paired with the Glenelly Estate Reserve red 2013
Glenelly Estate: Lelie Street, Idas Valley, Stellenbosch 7600
Tel: 021 809 6440 · Email: wine@glenelly.co.za · Website: www.glenellyestate.com
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