The Von Arnims of Haute Cabriere

Tuesday, 30 April, 2013
Haute Cabriere
“PINOT NOIR? It suits our DNA to perfection!” So says Takuan von Arnim of Franschhoek’s premier MCC and Pinot Noir cellar, Haute Cabrière.
“For us, the joy in producing Pinot Noir lies in the little surprises it gives you all the time. It’s a completely amazing variety and over and over again, it gives us complexity and freshness and every single vintage is different. It’s never stagnant or boring; it keeps us full of enthusiasm and always has a story to tell. So yes, if ever a grape could represent the spirit of the von Arnim family, it would definitely be Pinot Noir!”

For two decades Achim von Arnim and his son Takuan have created some of South Africa’s finest Pinot Noirs. Some of the secret to their long track record of achievement with the variety lies in the high altitude vineyards and the cool-climate grapes they produce, but the final key to their success has to lie within the family’s love of Pinot Noir, their passion for it in all forms, and the hard work they are prepared to invest in it every year.

As Takuan says, Pinot Noir offers a lot of excitement, and he believes that this multi-faceted grape can be revealed in many different ways. The Haute Cabrière Pinot Noir 2009 is the latest release of this flagship red wine and still shows plenty of primary fruit (strawberries and cherries) waiting to mature into delightful truffle notes with velvety tannins over the next seven to ten years. For a few lucky connoisseurs, the chance to buy older vintages of the Pinot Noir from the cellar should be grasped with both hands. The complex well perfectly matured 2004 Pinot Noir is still available in a beautiful Magnum bottle at R460 from the tasting room.  The label is adorned with one of Achim’s paintings, and the wine is now beautifully matured, 18 years after its creation.

If you prefer a fresh young wine, then enjoy the unusual Unwooded Pinot Noir 2011, at a cellar-cool temperature with something savoury or delicate – Takuan recommends Carpaccio. This wine is the perfect suggestion for the imbiber who is not fond of a classic tannic red wine, but prefers a wine that complements a meal with its fresh berries’ flavours and soft tannins.

And for everyone – whether you drink white or red wines – the Pierre Jourdan Belle Rose is the epitome of elegant sophistication as Pinot Noir undergoes a double fermentation in the classic Champagne-style to become a lively, spicy, dry Cap Classique with  a delicate shade of pink which matches the very finest of foods.

The von Arnim’s belief that good wine should complement good food and good friends is reflected in the Pinot Noir Tasting Menu now available at the Haute Cabrière Cellar Restaurant. The 6-course menu is matched to Pinot Noir in all its forms, creating sublime combinations such as the Unwooded Pinot Noir 2011 with a soy prawn consommé, peanut crusted salmon and edamame salad and the Pierre Jourdan Belle Rose MCC paired with steamed mussels in a truffled Belle Rose cream and saffron parpadelle. The 6-Course Pinot Noir Menu is available on Friday and Saturday nights and costs R595 per person including all wine.

For many people, Haute Cabrière stands for elegant Pierre Jourdan MCC’s and the ever-popular Chardonnay Pinot Noir which can be found on virtually every good restaurant wine list country-wide. But at the heart of all that the von Arnims do lies their favourite grape, the one which is worth all the time and trouble in the world, the one that’s a part of their make-up, part of the family, part of their DNA: Pinot Noir - the passion and pride of the von Arnims of Haute Cabrière.
Haute Cabrière’s Tasting Room and Restaurant are both situated on Franschhoek Pass (Lamprecht Street), Franschhoek.

Tasting Room Hours are: Mon - Fri: 09:00 to 17:00 - Sat: 10:00 to 16:00 - Sunday: 11:00 to 16:00 Contact details for reservations and enquiries: Email reservations@cabriere.co.za or call 021 876 8500.

WineLand

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It suits our DNA to perfection!
It suits our DNA to perfection!

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