Our Food and Wine evenings will resume in winter – visit our website and Fairview Facebook page for scheduled dates and more information.

The Goatshed Restaurant has proven to be a much-loved venue for informal farm-style weddings, birthday parties and corporate functions in winter. If you are interested in hosting your next event at the Goatshed please contact us on Tel: 021 863 36 09 or email us goatshed@fairview.co.za.

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The Goatshed Restaurant is open Monday – Sunday 9:00 – 17:00 (kitchen closes at 16:30).

“After completing a 6-week sparkling wine internship at Nyetimber Winery in West Sussex in 2010, Fairview Owner Charles Back challenged the winemaking team and I to produce our own MCC. True to his innovative nature, Charles’ only request was that it had to be made from Rhône varietals. As most wine enthusiasts know, MCC is usually made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Nonetheless, led by an adventurous and experimental spirit, we picked parcels of Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Grenache Noir during the 2011 harvest and used that as the base wine,” says winemaker Stephanie Betts.

The grapes were selected from the trellised vineyards on the Fairview farm on the slopes of Paarl Mountain. Hand-picked in the cool morning and transported in crates to maintain the best possible conditions, the grapes were transferred to the press by hand and gently whole-bunch pressed. Only the free-running juice was used. Once settled, the clear juice was transferred into stainless steel tanks for fermentation. The blended wine was left on the lees in tanks for 5 months before bottling for second fermentation, which took place in the bottle under crown cap. The wine was then left to mature on the lees for an additional 18 months before it was disgorged.

The Brut-style MCC displays a pale straw colour in the glass. It is elegant and zesty, offering notes of citrus which lead to a refreshing acidity on the palate with everlasting bubbles. On the nose, you will find fresh aromas of baked apple, biscuit and a hint of white flowers. Having spent a total of 18 months on the lees, the MCC shows a beautiful, fine mousse.

The Fairview Méthode Cap Classique is best enjoyed with Fairview soft cream cheese, sushi and oysters.

Winemaker, Stephanie Betts enjoying a glas of her MCC.

Be warned! These courgette fritters or kolokithokeftedes, as they are known in Greece, are addictive. Also, paired with the delicious Fairview Goats Feta Dip they are just delectable. Made with Fairview’s 100% goats milk feta, which is lower in fat and favoured by those who have slight lactose intolerance.
{Paired with Fairview La Capra Sauvignon Blanc}

For the fritters:
6 medium courgettes, grated
½ cup Fairview Goats Feta Cheese
2 sprigs spring onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. mint, finely chopped
2 large eggs
½ cup self-rising flour
4 tbsp. breadcrumbs
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper

1. Grate all the courgettes and squeeze all excess moisture out and place in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let the courgettes stand for about half an hour to 45 minutes.
2. In the meantime, mix the feta cheese, spring onion, mint and one of the eggs.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients except the breadcrumbs together.
4. Mix the feta cheese and flour mixture together to form a thick mixture.
5. Take the courgettes and squeeze them again to release as much moisture as possible. Mix with the feta cheese mixture.
6. You can either fry them as is in a pan, or roll them into balls. Dip them first in egg mixture then in bread crumbs and deep-fry till golden brown for a crispier version.
7. Serve with Fairview Goats Feta Dip

For the Feta Dip
1 Packet (100g) Fairview 100% Goats Feta
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Cup Basil Leaves
½ Cup Double Cream Greek Yogurt
Salt and Pepper

Blend all the ingredients in a blender till smooth. Refrigerate till use.

Fairview La Capra Sauvignon

Tasting Note:
Tropical and passionfruit aromas with fresh pineapple on the nose. Smooth well rounded mouthfeel with a well-balanced acidity and lingering after taste. Available from Fairview Tasting Room in Paarl or buy online from www.onlinewines.co.za.

Recipe by www.yellowpapaya. Photography by www.ysp.co.za

WRONG ANSWER!

Emerging evidence published in respected medical and nutritional journals internationally are finally coming to the rescue of cheese lovers around the world.
Researchers are uncovering very interesting facts about cheese – especially with relation to the world wide epidemic of diabetes, heart disease and obesity. These conditions, when they present together, are referred to as ‘metabolic syndrome’.

Long before you have diabetes or high blood pressure and heart disease however, you are likely to have disorganised blood sugar and blood fat levels, possibly insulin resistance and underlying inflammation. This underlying inflammation is almost like having a fever all the time, and lies at the heart (excuse the pun) of full blown disease that stealthily starts with see-saw blood sugar, a slightly expanding waistline and a ‘little bit of cholesterol’

A lot of the research has been prompted by what is referred to as the ‘FRENCH PARADOX’.
The French eat, and drink. Lots of wine. Lots of butter. Lots of cheese. Yet they have low rates of heart disease despite high intake of saturated fat.
Since the ‘red wine’ protection factor has been shown to have limitations outside of France, the search was on for another constituent of the typical French diet that could be responsible for reduced heart disease risk.

Enters CHEESE and the newly discovered fact that cheese – especially of moulded varieties like camembert changes the way our bodies ‘handle’ fat after meals, reduces blood pressure and most importantly – inflammatory markers. Remember, this is what lies at the heart of the dreaded three-some which is regarded as a modern day epidemic: obesity, diabetes, heart disease and metabolic syndrome.

Which is nicer? Delicious Fairview 40% Reduced Fat Camembert or a small packet of potato crisps? Tips with Fairview Reduced fat Camembert cheese:
An ideal snack for a meal for people with insulin resistance, diabetes, raised cholesterol levels and those watching weight and children.
When you share, a 1⁄2 wheel serving will contribute
- 617.5 kilojoules
- 11.25 g protein
- Almost no carbohydrates  11,2 g of fat
Which is nicer? Delicious Reduced fat Camembert, 2 viennas or a handful/small packet of potato crisps?

Sensible NUTRITION advice:
As a result of the nutritional properties of the combination of protein and the fat (that we know now is none to be ‘afraid of’) one could expect more stable blood sugar and feeling full for longer after having enjoyed Fairview Reduced Fat Camembert.

Mariza van Zyl RD
Clinical Registered Dietician
Read more about the cheese matter on www.bettereat.net

About Mariza van Zyl our Registered Dietician
Everybody with access to the internet is only a click away from a myriad of free health information on the web. So why another website on nutrition?
The answer to this question starts with a flashback to the 80’s, when it was recommended that we should swop our butter for margarine to keep our hearts in pumping condition. Lucky for us, nutrition is constantly changing and evolving. Today it is a known fact that the trans fatty acids that resulted from the hydrogenation process used to produce margarine, in fact contributed to the development of heart disease, rather than helping to prevent it! Sadly, this recommendation was made insistently, even though anyone with Chemistry 1 at university level could make the conclusion – which leaves the door open for a few tough questions. And that is only one much debated health topic…

It is evident that on the nutrition front, yesterday’s recommendation might be tomorrow’s warning. And anyone taking his or her health seriously has good reason to ask questions: Who and what should I believe today? What is really healthy and what not? Why? And perhaps most importantly, why should I believe what you have to say about the topic?
This website is the result of many years of asking tough questions on nutrition and health. It is the building blocks and ongoing steps on a journey to a better understanding of food, nutrition and health.

I want to invite you to join me on this journey – and learn more about eating “better” and getting it right in the confusing world we live in.
Mariza van Zyl B.Sc. Diet (US) RD (SA)

Qualifications: B.Sc. Dietetics, obtained from the University of Stellenbosch.
Registered with the South African Health Professions Council. Member of the Association for Dieticians of South Africa. Member of SASPEN.
Additional Qualifications: Specialist Kinesiologist.
Clinical Medical Nutrition Special Interests: Metabolic Syndrome, Neuro- nutrition, Obesity, Diabetes, Public Nutrition, Nutrition for Infants and Children , Nutrigenomics, Functional Medicine and Nutrition.
Food Related Special Interest: Product Development, Product Evaluation, Nutritional Journalism and Advertising.
Experience:

Clinical Registered Dietician in Private Practice 1993 – present

Appointed Consulting Dietician to Woolworths 1999 – 2009

Consultant to various companies in the past including MEDSCHEME, SANLAM, SASOL, RHODES FOOD GROUP and other smaller institutions such as HOSPICE and Old Age Homes and SCHOOLS including Paarl Gymnasium and Paarl BOYS HIGH.
Regular contributor to various Magazines, Newspapers and national and regional radio.
Currently NUTRITION CONSULTANT to TASTE MAGAZINE
NUTRITION CONSULTANT to SARIE magazine.

Fairview’s seven first places include both cheese produced under the Fairview label, as well as the Woolworths label. The following cheeses received first places; the Fairview Roydon Camembert, Blue Tower and Chevin with Garlic & Herbs. Winning cheeses produced for Woolworths include, Goat’s Milk Camembert, Cambozola, Cream Cheese with Tomato & Herbs and White Rock with ClemenGold. This year a mere 12 outstanding dairy products received the Qualité mark of excellence – South Africa’s only officially acknowledged symbol of outstanding dairy quality. Fairview received a Qualité mark of excellence for their Chevin with Garlic & Herbs.

“Overall I am thrilled with the results this year. With our wide range of cheeses we were able to enter most of the categories, and received either a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in most of them.
I am especial delighted with our Qualité award, as it was a goal of ours to improve our goat’s milk cheese offering and the award plays testament to our success in doing so. Lastly I would like to congratulate all the SA Dairy Champions and Qualité award winners and I would like to thank the Fairview cheese team for their hard work and dedication,” says Fairview Cheese Maker, Bruce Rowbotham

The South African Dairy Championships are held annually to recognise the leading products across a range of categories and it serves as a great platform for benchmarking products in the dairy industry, in a quest to improve quality.

The Fairview Vineyard Cheesery is based in Paarl in the Western Cape and produces a range of over 20 cows’ milk and goat’s milk artisanal cheeses that are sold at the Fairview farm deli and in all major centres in South Africa. Fairview products are sold both in the catering market and major retailers.

Cheese enthusiasts are invited to learn how to cook with our SA Dairy Championship cheeses at the 2013 SA Cheese Festival, DSTV tent with well-known blogger and radio personality Nina Timm from the 26 – 28 April at 14:00 at Sandringham, outside Stellenbosch.

For more information on Fairview please visit www.fairview.co.za, email: tasting@fairview.co.za or call 021 863 2450. Fairview cheeses are available at Fairview’s farm deli and in leading retailers countrywide.

For the latest news on Fairview please visit our Facebook Page or follow us on Twitter @FairviewWines

Ingredients
1 Portuguese or Wholewheat Roll
½ jar of Red Pesto
1 Tomato, sliced
1 Gherkin, sliced diagonally
Brie Cheese, 4-6 slices
Fresh Rocket
Salt & Pepper

Directions
Spread pesto onto both sides of the bread roll.. you can use this in place of butter.
Arrange the green leaves on the base of the roll to look like a ‘petticoat’.
Layer the tomatoes, brie and gherkins on top of the rocket, and close the roll.
Serve with brightly coloured napkins and homemade lemonade.

Pesto Princess flavours available from our Deli in Paarl: Red Pesto, Rocket Pesto & Basil Pesto.

Follow Pesto Princess for more inspiring food ideas:
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“As with many other winemakers, we often shoot down a competition unless it’s one we do well in. So I was delighted to enter The Top 100 SA Wine Challenge with its international panel – I have always valued Tim Atkins’ opinion. Our success at this and other recent competitions is evidence of our continued investment in new vineyard sites, innovation and of course, our people. We always feel that we can do better and are constantly striving to improve our wines,” says Fairview owner, Charles Back.

The Top 100 SA Wine Challenge is an independent and specialised rating of South Africa’s finest wines, showcasing great quality local wines that can compete on a global level. The competition has quickly become an annual highlight for both wine enthusiasts and the South African wine industry.

The Fairview Nurok 2011 is a newly released wine that holds sentimental value for Charles Back. The label refers to two significant stories. Firstly, Charles’ wife Diane’s maiden name was Nurok, and it was she who painted the label’s artwork. Secondly, the history of the Nurok name tells the story of a Jewish boy from Lithuania who dived into an icy river to retrieve a heavy bell which had fallen into the river while being transported to a nearby cathedral. The Fairview Nurok 2011 is a blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc.

Fairview La Beryl Blanc 2012 is named after Charles Back’s late mother, Beryl Back. The berries for this wine are hand-harvested and made from only the finest, optimally-ripened grapes in the vineyard – predominantly from the grapes of thirty-three year old Chenin Blanc bushvines and a small percentage of young Muscat grapes, both of which are grown in decomposed granite soils on the Fairview Farm.

The Fairview Beacon Shiraz 2009 is a limited release wine. The hand-sorted grapes are selected from only the finest grapes on the vine before being basket-pressed and aged for 20 months in new French oak barrels.

According to the Top 100 SA Wines judging panel, it is “a concentrated and polished wine. Opulent, with nuances of polished mahogany, cocoa powder, with a rich mouth-coating fruit.”

Last but not least, the Fairview Primo Pinotage 2011 is also a limited release wine, made from the finest wine of the vintage and selected from sites that allows the varietal to find its true expression. The grapes for this wine are harvested from vines grown in Agter Paarl in dry-land conditions, and spend a total of 20 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels.

“We are delighted to have four of our wines recognised by highly-respected international and national wine experts. This is a true testament to the hard work the team puts into our vineyards and winemaking practises,” says Winemaker Anthony De Jager.

The four Fairview wines placed in the Top 100 SA Wines are all available for tasting at the Fairview Tasting Room in Paarl, open 7 days a week from 9am- 5pm.

For more information on Fairview or to book a wine tasting, please visit www.fairview.co.za, email: tasting@fairview.co.za or call 021 863 2450.

For the latest news on Fairview Wine and Cheese, please visit our Facebook Page facebook.com/FairviewWines or follow us on Twitter @FairviewWines

To purchase Fairview wines online, please visit http://onlinewines.co.za

Enoch Zaleni, Fairview Marketing Assistant, was given the opportunity to represent Fairview Wines at the Norway Trade Fair in Oslo on the 25^th of February 2013. With the goal to promote the Fairview Wines listed at the Vinmonpolet stores in Norway, as well as to increase Fairview’s current market share in the Norwegian market, Enoch left for Norway on the 23^rd of February 2013 for a brief, yet strategic three day trip – with much to do and see!

The Norway Trade Fair is organised by Vectura AS, the leading supplier of logistics services for producers, agents and importers of wine and spirits in Norway. The Trade Fair attracts a multitude of restauranteurs, wine sommeliers and wine buyers from around the world and from the Vinmonpolet stores in Norway. Vinmonpolet is a government-owned alcoholic beverage retailer and the only company permitted to sell beverages containing alcohol content higher than 4.75% in Norway.

Due to the huge influx of people and strict safety regulations, the Trade Fair organisers split the fair into 2 separate sessions. The first session started at 14:00 – 17:00 and the second from 18:00 – 21:00. Enoch’s role was to represent the Fairview brand and to offer informative Fairview wine tastings at the Fairview stand.

“Fairview had a great selection of wines available for tasting at the stand. The selection consisted of; Fairview Nurok, Vintage Reserve Bag-in-box (BIB), La Capra Chenin Blanc, Goats do Roam White and Red (both BIB and bottled), Goat Father and Goats Do Roam in Villages. Our wines were extremely well received by everyone, especially the restauranteurs and shop managers from Vinmonpolet,” says Enoch.

On Enoch’s last day in Norway, he managed to find the time to see his sister, Gloria Zaleni and a fellow Fairview staff member who are working at Ekeby Goat Farm in Norway on a government initiative work-exchange program, which Fairview also forms part of. The exchange program gives Fairview staff the opportunity to exchange roles with Ekeby farm staff, giving them valuable international wine industry exposure.

After seeing his sister, who he last saw in October of last year, Enoch headed back to the airport in Norway and arrived safely in South Africa on the 28^th of February.