My 1st post for the year had to be a good one and it hardly gets better than the dining experience I had on Sunday at Springfontein Wine Estate‘s Wortelgat Restaurant. Dutch 2 Michelin starred De Kromme Watergang’s father and son team entertained with an 11 course gastronomic experience to behold. The pop-up restaurant is open from 15 January till 27 March 2022 and I suggest you don’t delay dialing as it will be difficult to secure a seat in this phenomenal eatery.

Springfontein founder and CEO, Dr Johst Weber, met Chef Edwin Vinke 12 years ago and found common interest in the terroir focus of De Krommewatergang’s menu which echoed that of the wines made in Stanford. Johst says “I was blown away by what Edwin was doing and associated with his idea of a terroir focused presentation”. Johst sees Springfontein is a meeting place of people with similar mindsets: hardworking and humble people with an eye for detail.

Springfontein’s restaurant has been closed for 2 years and Edwin had 10 days to prepare for opening a restaurant that is used to having Michelin starred chefs in the kitchen. Chef Jurgen Schneider headed up operations before retiring.

Weber started the estate in 1994 from scratch to create a free-spirited place that involved family and friends around wine as a unifying product that, in his words, “…is a combination of nature and human craftsmanship”, like food can be. Together with winemaker Tariro Masayiti, they go for a mission to best reflect Springfontein’s terroir on a unique parcel of limestone soil, located in Walker Bay, close to the ocean.

11 Course Menu

Chenin Blanc MCC 2018 & Seaweed

Terroir Selection Chenel 2020 & Raw fish on limestones

Terroir Selection Chenin Blanc 2019 & Steve’s garden vegatables

D.D. Blushes Inverse Pinotage 2019 & Langekloof Trout

Dark Side of the Moon 2015 & Cob papillotte (cob enveloped in paper, cut open to eat)

Wine pearl palate cleanser made of white chocolate, pinotage, agrum & rosemary

Jil’s Dune Chenin Blanc 2016 & chicken, crayfish

Jonathan’s Ridge Pinotage 2017 & Springbok

Aya’ba MCC 2017 & Local Klein River Cheese

Noble Late Harvest 2013 & Pick me up

Cookie truck with Jan Hagel, arretjescake, boterkoek, boluscake, coconut macarons, eclair, nougat.

My favourite wine was the Springfontein Inverse Pinotage 2019. It just about went with every dish because of its structure and acidity. Showing a tint of rosiness made it great to look at too! It was also good to hear that there are plans to have the road tarred.

For pre-reservations and more information: Bea-Marie Visser – reservations@springfontein.co.za 

Visit Springfontein’s website here: https://www.springfontein.co.za/