For family proprietors Charles and Raphael, Back is a not only their shared, historic surname but also the name of their newest venture together, a restaurant and deli called Back’s, opening this November along the bustling Main Street of Paarl.

The exciting new bistro-style eatery takes its cues from the art deco French background of Raphael, grounded by a traditional Cape twist from Paarl resident Charles, and is set to become the go-to day spot for locals and winelands visitors alike. Back’s promises to bring a carefully curated selection of options that cater with local flair to all visitors. The flavourful menu will include tapas-style platters made up of homemade pâtés, terrines and sauces to an array of delectable dishes including mouth-watering burgers, scrumptious salads and a range of nibbles such as triple-fried fries and South African classics such as slaphakskeentjies.

Once you’ve had your fill at the restaurant, there is a retail zone featuring a curated deli that offers a veritable cornucopia of delicatessen including Fairview and Spice Route wines available at cellar door prices, breads and cheeses and a selection of Spice Route Destination artisans such as DV Chocolates, CBC Beer and Wilderer Gin. Look out for the specially made Back’s products such as preserves, charcuteries, patisseries and free-range meat that’s all made within the area and not to be missed.

While Back’s offering is vast, their philosophy is very focused: keep it local. Everything in the restaurant and deli is sourced from either the Back’s farms or supports local artisans in the area, with the main goal being to be able to bring you free-range, organic produce that just tastes better. This trending offering of encouraging people to eat local or become “locavores” is the brainchild of dynamic owner and innovator, Charles Back, and his far-removed cousin and business partner, budding entrepreneur Raphael Back.

Charles explains:

 “The inspiration for Back’s came from my long lineage of farming history, with the fundamental basis of everything I do being integrity and quality. Together with my partner’s energy and international knowledge, we are focusing on making an entire range of high-quality products which deliver on both authenticity and value.”

Although the two come from different cultures – Charles was born and raised in the Cape Winelands and Raphael in the cultural hub of Paris – they share a combined passion for sustainable, healthy and wholesome produce and collaboration, which they wanted to express in the creation of Back’s.

After all, the Back family has a long lineage of farming in their family. When Charles Back I first landed on the shores of the Cape, his passion for farming and local produce led him to pursue various artisanal professions, from butcher to farmer. In 1937, he brought Fairview. As a third-generation family owner of Fairview, Charles Back II has continued this legacy, taking the learnings from his winemaking father Cyril to nurture the land. Adding ‘cheesemaker’ to the family repertoire, the Back family really are a collection of butchers, bakers, wine and cheesemakers!  In 2015, Raphael joined the clan, as a budding young entrepreneur, and soon directed the family offering online, creating ‘Maison Bak’, an online food delivery service that quickly flourished in the winelands region. Following the success of their partnership and promoting local produce, Charles and Raphael joined cohorts to create Back’s.

Raphael explains:

“We only sell the highest quality, natural and organic products. When you leave Back’s, we hope you leave feeling inspired to make even the smallest change towards a healthier, more harmonious existence with our land, our animals and our communities. If so, we know we’ve done our job.”

Back’s is scheduled to open on 3rd November 2017. Contact Back’s on hello@backs.co.za to make a dining reservation. If you would like more information about Back’s, please contact Raphael Back at 021 872 0697 or email at raphael@backs.co.za.

Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 7.30am – 10pm
Sat and Sun: 7.30am – 3pm

The post Back to Basics | New Back’s Restaurant & Deli appeared first on Fairview.

But don’t despair! We’re incredibly proud to introduce our Broken Barrel #2!  Inspired by Portugal, this bold red is a blend of Portuguese varieties Tinta Roriz and Souzão.  This second Broken Barrel batch tells the intriguing tale of two bold and juicy Portuguese varieties. The dark rich flavours of Souzão balanced with the nobility of Tinta Roriz bind together to produce a beautifully unique wine, exclusively blended for our cellar door.

This unique blend made from two esoteric Portuguese grape varieties is sourced from trellised vineyards on the slopes of Paarl Mountain, where it grows on decomposed granite soils. The Souzão is picked from dryland bushvines in the Swartland wine region. Here, the vines grow on Koffieklip (ferricrete) soils. The winemaking process included destemming the grapes, crushing and fermenting them separately in open top wooden foudres. Pump overs and punch downs (pigeage) were done 3-4 times per day during fermentation to extract flavour, colour and tannins from the berries. Finally, the wine was basket-pressed and matured in barrels for 24 months. A combination of French and American 225L oak barrels were used of which 20% were new, first fill oak barrels.

The vibrant label takes cues from Charles Back’s travels in Portugal, where he was inspired by the Azulejo ceramic tiles, colourful heritage and of course, the rich culture of wine. Broken Barrel #2 is instantly seductive, with notes of blackcurrants, cinnamon and marzipan. The 2015 blend of Tinta Roriz and Souzão contribute to its ripe, integrated tannins, sharing a medium to full-bodied palate brimming with savoury spice and dark fruits. Drink now or age up to 8 years. A great match for all manner of meat and Italian, tomato- based dished.

This time around, we’ve limited our batch to a smaller, yet equally collectable quantity of wines. And here’s the best part – Broken Barrel is exclusive to our Fairview family, and only available from our Online Shop or Tasting Room.

So hurry, because you’re the first to know about it.

The post It’s Here: Broken Barrel #2 Now Available! appeared first on Fairview.

“There is no more commercially successful cellar door than Fairview. It is because they constantly innovate every single aspect of the customer experience that they have their success”

With a variety of tasting options on offer, there is something for everyone at Fairview – including the many delicious artisan cheeses on offer. Fairview currently has a host of newly released wines, such as Homtini, Drie Papen Fontein, Bloemcool and Broken Barrel, that are all available to sample. Brand new White Rock cheeses including flavours such as Pear with Caramel and Mango with Ginger are also available for tasting.

THE MAIN TASTING ROOM

The tasting room comprises of a number of tasting pods. This unique pod concept was implemented in 2009 and is aimed at creating a more welcoming and less rigid tasting environment. The pods offer a tasting selection of 6 different wines with dedicated hosts to guide and assist guests. There is a wide variety of wines to choose from, including a selection from more exclusive ranges such as the Single Vineyard Range. Your tasting also includes samplings of 6 to 8 of Fairview’s Jersey milk and goat’s milk cheeses. These are tasted at the deli, allowing guests to enjoy their wine and then move across to the cheese section as they seek out interesting pairings and their particular favourites.

Bookings not required, except for groups over 10 people or more.

BERYL BACK MASTER TASTING ROOM

The Beryl Back tasting room is set apart from the main tasting area and offers 1 hour seated, tutored tastings. This tasting room is managed by highly qualified, experienced tasting hosts. Their passion for wine makes these educational tastings highly sought after. The team puts together various tasting options and recommendations, including pairing wines and cheeses. However, guests are welcome to choose from a wide selection of wines, including flagship and Single Vineyard bottlings.

Tastings are limited to smaller groups of up to 6 persons and pre-booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.

CHEESE TASTING ROOM

The cheese tasting pod forms the central heart of the deli offering farm-to-table produce that includes jams and spreads and a vast selection of Fairview’s famous cheeses and fresh, farm baked bread. Visitors to the cheese tasting area can sample a wide range of Fairview’s handcrafted cheeses.

CELLAR DOOR ONLINE

For those who have already experienced wine tasting at Fairview (or are unable to visit the farm) and are seeking a quick and easy way to purchase your favourite Fairview wines, the Fairview online wine shop is the answer! For the first time anywhere outside the farm, the entire selection of Fairview’s wines are available online  at cellar door prices, offering free delivery on 12 bottles or orders over R1000 to anywhere in South Africa. Visit Fairview’s Cellar Door here: https://www.fairview.co.za/shop/

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