Introducing Back’s Blend 2014!

Charles explains: “This red wine is a reflection of my winemaking philosophy. As you might know, I started wine-making in 1978, and have been fortunate enough to be able to travel through the Cape Winelands discovering new sites and unique blocks of vineyard. I have also been instrumental in bringing Mediterranean varieties to our shores, all of which has led to the creation of exciting and interesting wines. In the past much of this work has never reached the market.

I have now decided to bottle a range of these unique wines to share with you. Bear in mind, however, that due to their exploratory nature, these wines can change from vintage to vintage and this may be the last bottle of its kind. The first of my Back’s Blend private range is a blend of Shiraz, Merlot and Tannat.

I’ve crafted this wine to thank my loyal club members and Fairview fans. Due to its limited quantities, Back’s Blend will be released to the Wine Club first, with a permanent allocation on reserve. Should there be any left, we will then open Back’s Blend up to our greater Fairview family.”

Charles Back | Back’s Blend 2014

Back’s Blend is crafted from Tannat, Merlot and Shiraz. It has a deep red colour with ripe plums, hints of black pepper and lavender on the nose. The palate shows fresh raspberries with well integrated tannins and a savoury finish.
Price: R100
Available online only.
Click here to purchase

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The event is a trail running favourite in the winelands and includes a 5km fun walk/run as well as an 8km, 15km and 28km trail run for the more adventurous. The 5km track will also be open to all friends of The Daniel and Friends Fund, http://danielandfriends.com/daniel/ . There will be a buggy- and wheelchair-friendly meander route for mums and toddlers taking part in the 5km fun walk/run, which takes walkers through the picturesque countryside, past the grazing cattle and sheep. There will be plenty of kids entertainment as well as a variety of prizes up for grabs for winners in all distances.

This year, the Goat Run will add even more festivities to the agenda with the introduction of a lively festival, which begins at 11h30 and is open to all. The festival will offer a colourful array of fun activities and food stalls for both spectators and runners. Pop in at Fairview to enjoy live music and indulge in a range of delicious treats from the farm, such as freshly baked patisseries (think croissants and danishes), health smoothies made from Fairview’s full fat yoghurt and locally-made, artisanal ice cream. Of course, the festival will have plenty of La Capra wine served in a revolutionary new way – wine on tap – which ensures the wine is fresh, more environmentally friendly and of the highest quality. Delicious craft beer straight from the Cape Brewing Company next door will also be available. Entry to the festival is free.

For trail runners, ticket prices start at R200 for the 5km fun walk/run and 8km races, R300 for the 15km race and R500 for the 28km race. Children are welcome and walk free of charge.  Tickets are available for purchase via Entry Ninja (https://www.entryninja.com/events/event/13381-la-capra-goat-run-2017) and Trailrunning.co.za at (http://trailrunning.co.za/event/la-capra-goat-run-powered-by-asics-2017/).

Each year, all proceeds from the Goat Run go to The Drakenstein Hospice, Boland School of Autism, Sunfield Home, Wellington Lions Club, Paarl Mountain Reserve and The Sunflower Fund.

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Fairview wine and cheese in Paarl produces several tantalising Shiraz wines that feature in almost all of the estate’s ranges. These Shiraz wines have earned numerous accolades, confirming Fairview’s position as a Shiraz-producing jewel in the Cape Winelands.

The 2014 Beacon Shiraz is dark ruby red in colour, with aromas of ripe plum, violet and cinnamon on the nose. The Shiraz resembles a French Syrah from the Northern Rhône. The palate is rich and full-bodied with firm structure and complex flavours of fruit and spice. The wine has the potential to mature for 5 to 8 years.

“Shiraz has always been a flagship variety for our farm, carrying with it a special heritage and significance,” says winemaker Anthony de Jager.

 The SA Shiraz Wine Challenge 2017 announced their results recently, of which the Fairview Beacon Shiraz 2014 was honoured with a spot in the overall Top 12 Shiraz wines in South Africa.

Richly flavoured and ideally served at 15 °C – 18°C, Shiraz wines are perfect for the winter season. They pair particularly well with hot meat dishes, such as beef stew, roast lamb, venison, oxtail, and roast or braaied chicken.

If you’re not the biggest cook and looking for something more casual, invite friends over and serve up the 2014 Beacon Shiraz with the perfectly suited Fairview Blue Tower. A full fat blue veined Gorgonzola style cheese with a mild flavour and rich creamy texture. Blue Tower is made with more cream than our famous Blue Rock, resulting in a rich texture. It also has a slightly higher moisture content, making it a bit softer and more decadent.

The Beacon Shiraz 2014 retails for about R285 per bottle and is available nationwide at selected liquor outlets or via Fairview’s online shop.

The Roydon Camembert retails for about R69 per unit and is available nationwide at selected supermarkets or at the Fairview Shop & Deli.

To book a standard wine tasting or a Master Tasting at Fairview, visit www.fairview.co.za or call 021 863 2450.

Follow @fairviewwineandcheese on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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This year’s event will be in aid of The Athlone House of Strength, a shelter that assists abused women and children. Nik Rabinowitz, one of the country’s leading comedians, will be the MC for the evening.

Tickets include a hearty four-course meal prepared by the Goatshed’s much-loved chef, SJ Nel and newly appointed chef, Heila van Zyl, as well as beautifully paired Fairview wines to complement each dish. Fairview’s own farm fresh, free range meat and cheese will feature on the menu.

Don’t miss out on this very special event. Seating is limited, so book now and help make a difference in someone’s life.

Tickets cost R650 per person and can be purchased at www.fairview-events.co.za.

Should you wish to book overnight accommodation, Fairview recommends the following neighbouring farms:

Belair: www.belair.co.za/belairWP

Email: info@belair.co.za

Diamant Estate: www.diamantestate.com

Email: info@diamantestate.com

For more information on the Charity Dinner, please visit www.fairview-events.co.za. Should you have any enquiries, kindly send them to Goatshed@fairview.co.za or call 021 863 3609.

See our gallery from last year’s event for a taste of things to come:

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Charles also began the cheese making factory at Fairview, giving the cheesery the title of first goat’s milk cheesery in South Africa as well as the first carbon neutral factory in SA. “It was actually my father’s idea to get me involved in cheese making before doing the wine every day. My training was a French book, badly translated, on how to make goats cheese. I’ll never forget that there was a chapter on all that could go wrong and my cheeses ticked every box. They were appalling.” He persevered, even though the South African market initially expressed no interest in eating goats cheese, and he finally knew he’d hit on something when a group of visiting Frenchmen raved about his crottin. Since then, Fairview cheeses have grown from a single-room cottage industry to a market leader. It comes as no surprise that this is why the goat has been very prominent in our branding – it’s our mascot.

So much so that if you’ve ever come to our farm, there’s no way you could have missed the now famous Goat Tower, the home of two resident goats. While in Portugal on a family holiday, Back came across a goat tower and was so enamoured with it that he sketched it on the back of a serviette to take back home and build. “My father thought I was mad but at the time I was looking for something to tie our brand together, something iconic.” It’s a playful, whimsical touch, added by Charles 30 years ago. In December 2016, the Goat Tower expanded a little, with the addition of a Goat Paddock and Africa’s first goat skywalk, attracting thousands of visitors over the summer.

Another infamous ‘goat tale’ is that of our wine brand, Goats Do Roam. In 1999, owner Charles took inspiration from our goats to produce a new range of wines, called Goats Do Roam. The result was South Africa’s first so-called ‘critter label’, a separate company from Fairview. The pun on Côtes du Rhône caused such interest and controversy, that the brand became a huge success on export markets, becoming one of the highest selling South African brands worldwide. The controversy came from the force of the protectionist French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée when they moved to prohibit the registration of the Goats Do Roam wine label. The French attempted to block the registration of the Goats Do Roam label but Back only responded with more humour, organising a ‘protest march’ with his workers to the French Consulate in Cape Town to deliver a magnum of Goats Do Roam. Everyone walked away smiling.

Today, Charles continue to busy himself with his team, focusing on offsetting and reducing the farm’s footprint by adopting a farm to fork philosophy. “We might be a big wine company but we’re still very much a family business with family values,” he concludes.

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