White Merlot and Rooibos infused Vermouth

Driving through the town of Robertson I noticed a sign from a local Cellar advertising their white merlot. I am curious by nature and the ‘strange and new’ in particular captures my imagination.  Advertising white merlot was like waving a red flag at a bull for me.  With this in mind some weeks later, I decided to stop at a local wine shop and investigate.

Towerwater Lunch

I expected to find a white wine but discovered that it was more like a pinkish straw colour. Walking through the wine shop I noticed a bottle of Rooibos infused African Ruby Vermouth. Personally, I prefer extra dry vermouth but I was curious about the indigenous botanical infusion of Rooibos in this vermouth.

White Merlot

I went home with my bottles of white merlot and a bottle of African Ruby Vermouth for some experimentation.

Pea and Purple Broccoli Salad

For lunch I made a pea and purple broccoli salad and served it with coppa ham from the free range pig farm nestled against the Langeberg Mountains on the edge of the valley. I stuffed the coppa with wild rocket flower mustard that had quite a bite to it despite the flowers looking so soft and gentle.

Coppa stuffed with wild rocket flower mustard

The white merlot was citrusy and clearly a summer wine but it complemented my lunch very well.  I could satisfy my curiosity in the best possible of settings on a balmy Saturday afternoon.

The African Ruby Vermouth is a Cape West Coast product from the heart of Rooibos country.  The vermouth is too sweet for my taste but I made a cocktail of the rooibos infused vermouth adding gin, bitters and a squirt of lemon zest. 

Rooibos infused African Ruby Vermouth

Karoo Sunset

I called it Karoo Sunset because it reminded me of those red sunsets over the Klein Karoo town of Calitzdorp.  

Springbok Carpaccio with fresh pea and mint mayonnaise

The canapés were springbok carpaccio with a fresh pea and mint mayonnaise.  I decided on the springbok just to play with the Karoo theme. 

Towerwater sundowners

The springbok complemented  the Karoo Sunset and I enjoyed a well-deserved sun-downer after a busy day.