As South Africa welcomes the first days of spring and Cap Classique Month gets into full swing, Groot Phesantekraal is inviting wine lovers to raise a glass to the season with a cocktail made for long afternoons, generous tables and good company.
The Farmhouse Spritz, created around the Durbanville farm’s Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc, brings together the freshness of spring with the relaxed spirit of farm hospitality. Herbaceous, sparkling and refreshingly savoury, it combines limoncello, house-made lemon syrup, olive brine and soda water, finished with a generous pour of Cap Classique.
At the heart of the cocktail is the Groot Phesantekraal Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc, whose sparkling character brings brightness and finesse to the drink. Made from Chardonnay, the Cap Classique adds a lively, refreshing dimension, while the lemon and limoncello provide vibrant citrus notes. The unexpected addition of the chef’s signature olive brine brings a subtle savoury edge, creating a spritz that is as distinctive as it is easy to enjoy.
“The Farmhouse Spritz is really about capturing the feeling of being at the farm,” says its creator, mixologist Julian Short, better known as The Flavourist. “It’s fresh and playful, but the olive brine gives it a savoury character that makes you want to have another sip. Most importantly, it’s a drink designed for sharing – around a table, with good food and even better company.”
The cocktail’s character – minty, herbaceous, sparkling and savoury – makes it particularly suited to the warmer days ahead. Served over cubed ice in a highball glass and garnished with a sprig of mint and olives, it is a simple serve with plenty of personality.
For those wanting to recreate the experience at home, the Farmhouse Spritz requires just five ingredients: 20 ml limoncello, 20 ml lemon syrup, 10 ml olive brine, 30 ml soda water and 60 ml Groot Phesantekraal Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc. Build the ingredients over ice, stir lightly, top with Cap Classique and soda water, and finish with mint and olives.
The secret to the cocktail’s bright citrus character is the homemade lemon syrup, prepared by infusing thinly sliced lemons with sugar, citric acid, tartaric acid and a touch of salt overnight before adding hot water and straining.
More than simply a seasonal cocktail, the Farmhouse Spritz embodies the spirit of Groot Phesantekraal: wine, food, hospitality and the pleasure of lingering a little longer around the table. As spring begins to unfold across the Cape Winelands, there is perhaps no better time to embrace the art of slowing down and celebrating together.
The Farmhouse Spritz recipe
Flavour profile: Herbaceous | Minty | Sparkling | Savoury
Ingredients
- 20 ml limoncello
- 20 ml lemon syrup
- 10 ml olive brine
- 30 ml soda water
- 60 ml Groot Phesantekraal Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc
Method
Build the limoncello, lemon syrup and olive brine over cubed ice in a highball glass. Stir lightly, then top with Cap Classique and soda water. Give it a final gentle stir and garnish with a mint sprig and olives.
For the lemon syrup: Thinly slice 600 g lemons, removing the pips. Combine with 300 g white sugar, 10 g citric acid, 4 g tartaric acid and 5 g fine salt. Cover and leave to infuse overnight. The following day, add 300 g hot water and stir until the sugar dissolves. Fine strain, bottle and refrigerate.
The Groot Phesantekraal Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc is available from the estate, making it easy to bring a little of the farm’s springtime spirit home, whether enjoyed in a cocktail or simply poured chilled and shared around the table.