{"id":682,"date":"2018-04-30T06:17:51","date_gmt":"2018-04-30T06:17:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/amanziguesthouse.co.za\/blog\/?p=682"},"modified":"2022-08-17T09:51:44","modified_gmt":"2022-08-17T09:51:44","slug":"whats-a-winery-doing-in-craighall-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amanziguesthouse.co.za\/blog\/whats-a-winery-doing-in-craighall-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Whats a Winery doing in Craighall Park?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s the long weekend, and on a spur of the moment decision Rob and I decide to check out Gerakaris Family Winery<\/a> down the road (its the white washed converted farm building in the grounds of Colourful Splendour Garden Nursery<\/a>, next to Delta Cafe<\/a>\u00a0 \u2013 about a kilometer from Amanzi.<\/p>\n

I have seen the Winery sign advertising wine tastings every time I indulge in my flower buying fetish at Colourful Splendour adjacent to Delta Park.\u00a0 Everybody knows that the Cape is the place for wines. And there’s certainly no vines to see in Delta Park.\u00a0 So whats a Winery doing in Craighall Park?\u00a0 I am curious.\u00a0 Its easy to park in the Garden Nursery grounds, and a sign points the way to the old converted farm building, now a charming white washed tin roofed conversion that is Gerakaris Winery.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Charming converted farm building now Gerakaris Winery<\/em><\/p>\n

You can sit inside or walk through the winery into the magical back garden \u2013 it\u2019s a sunny day so we sit outside at one of a few long tables shaded by an old willow tree\u00a0 in the enclosed garden area.\u00a0 We have a view of\u00a0 horses, Cyclists, runners, walkers and dogs in Delta Park<\/a> from here.\u00a0 But our attention is on the wine tasting.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Wine tasting under the shade of an old Willow Tree at Gerakaris Winery in Craighall Park<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Minos was ” on duty” to pour our wine, and he explained that we would have 4 tastings \u2013 two white made from Chenin Blanc grapes and two reds from Syrah grapes.\u00a0 He told us the grapes are brought by cold truck from the Swartland Cape area and Kath his wife is the winemaker. Minos (Greek husband of Kath) said he was an \u201centhusiastic amateur\u201d before he met Kath.\u00a0 \u00a0I couldn\u2019t resist quizzing him on why the Winery in Craighall Park\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Minos, Greek husband of Kath, New Zealand Winemake<\/em>r<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It turns out that his wife Kath, the winemaker, studied viticulture and winemaking in New Zealand and then travelled to SA to work in Thelema Wine Estate<\/a> and Flagstone<\/a>\u00a0Wine Estate\u00a0 to broaden her experience of wine making. She didn’t mean to stop in SA, but three years into her wine making experience, she met Minos at a wedding, and one wedding led to another!\u00a0 Alas, Minos was transferred to Joburg in 2008 \u2013 What does a sassy New Zealander do , but follow her husband and open up the first winery in Joburg.\u00a0 \u00a0Kath made wine inside her garage for a few years, before coming across the old farm building owned by the non profit\u00a0\u00a0REEA Foundation<\/a>\u00a0.\u00a0 (Theres a lot going on in this little precinct, but more of this in another blog\u2026)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Kath, the New Zealand winemaker (source:\u00a0 Gerakaris Family Wines)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our first tasting is Ellaki Chenin Blanc \u00a0(named after their daughter Ella) \u2013its golden, crisp and fruity \u2013 not surprising as its matured in a steel barrel to keep its crispness.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Pam and Rob enjoying wine tasting at Gerakaris Winery in Craighall Park<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another couple soon joined us and it was fun to chat.\u00a0 New friends are easily made when everyone is so relaxed.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
New friends are easily made at Gerakaris Winery- note the empty glasses<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kath is proud to claim that the Gerakaris wines are natural \u2013 what does this mean?\u00a0 One of my biggest problems with SA wines has been the sulphides in the red wines and the high alcohol content.\u00a0 The French wines are a joy for me to drink when Rob and I are barging in France.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Gerakaris Elli Chenin blanc natural white wine<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kath gets to work to produce her wine magic from February\u00a0 to April.\u00a0 She goes down to the Cape to check the grapes herself, and works closely with the farmers. The grapes are brought to Joburg by cold truck and are hand sorted,\u00a0 lightly crushed an de-stemmed.\u00a0\u00a0 Only natural yeasts are used and the wines are un-fined and un-filtered – wine language to say there is\u00a0no added \u201cstuff.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Gerakaris wines have around an 11 % alcohol content – and you can also buy bottles directly from the Winery.<\/p>\n

Tip:\u00a0 Over the weekend it\u2019s a good idea to book in advance, as Gerakaris is fast becoming so popular and busy for wine tastings that you won’t find your place in the sun otherwise (R30 for 4 tastings! And R30 for a full glass of wine to explore the taste further and linger longer.)\u00a0 There’s a small menu of snacks if you are peckish – our table tried the olives and the Wagyu droe wors<\/a> (there’s a story abut this premium Wagyu beef.\u00a0 \u00a0The meat is unusually marbled, and exquisite in flavour, our new friends at the table tell us.\u00a0 Kath sources the cheeses from the Linden Gourmet cheese shop<\/a>\u00a0 and tries for cheeses made by South African women cheese makers.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Gerakaris menu with prices for the bottles of wine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Its a really fun thing to do over the weekend on a sunny afternoon. Saturdays 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.\u00a0 In all seasons.\u00a0 Because Joburg has the best weather in South Africa.<\/p>\n

Gerakaris Family Wines<\/a>\u00a0is at 20 Marlborough Avenue, Craighall Park – park at Colourful Splendour Garden Nursery.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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It\u2019s the long weekend, and on a spur of the moment decision Rob and I decide to check out Gerakaris Family Winery down the road (its the white washed converted farm building in the grounds of Colourful Splendour Garden Nursery, next to Delta Cafe\u00a0 \u2013 about a kilometer from Amanzi. I have seen the Winery … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":695,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[25,30,26,31,1],"tags":[80],"yoast_head":"\nWhats a Winery doing in Craighall Park? - Amanzi Guest House Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/amanziguesthouse.co.za\/blog\/whats-a-winery-doing-in-craighall-park\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Whats a Winery doing in Craighall Park? - Amanzi Guest House Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It\u2019s the long weekend, and on a spur of the moment decision Rob and I decide to check out Gerakaris Family Winery down the road (its the white washed converted farm building in the grounds of Colourful Splendour Garden Nursery, next to Delta Cafe\u00a0 \u2013 about a kilometer from Amanzi. 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