Wine and fondue in a jazzed-up cellar

SUNDAY jazz and cheese fondue lunches are regular annual events at Delheim and have been so for more than a decade.

They take place in the semi- underground wine cellar, which is snug and cosy, and the perfect antidote to the cold, wet winter weather. From the fondues to the mushroom foraging, it’s just occurred to me I have only ever been to Delheim at this time of the year.

Fondues are the ultimate sharing meal and guests snuggle up at long tables as they dip their bread into bubbling pots of melted Gruyère and Emmentaler cheese, while listening to melodic jazz tunes performed live by talented local bands. If you’re lucky, you’ll be joined by one of the many Jack Russells that live on the estate.

A family farm, the Sperlings have made award-wining wine at Delheim since the 1960s. It’s from their heritage and hospitality the idea for a farm-style fondue arose; patriarch “Spatz” Sperling was born in Tettnang, a German town on the border of cheese-loving Switzerland.

“Food and wine can rarely be truly great without the ingredient of a gathering. This is what makes meals memorable,” says Delheim’s chef Bruce von Pressentin. “Ultimately, it’s about having a good time and this is what lies at the heart of our jazz and cheese fondues.”

The cost is R230 a person which includes a shared cheese fondue, the live music and a glass of traditional glühwein. Starters and desserts are available from the a la carte and will be charged accordingly, as are wines. Dates are tomorrow, July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, and August 6, 9, 13, 20 and 27.

To book, email restaurant@ delheim.com or call 021 888 4607. Delheim Estate is in the Simonsberg sub-region of the Stellenbosch Wine Routes, on the Knorhoek Road, off the R44.