Casa Labia Bubbly Festival a must if weather plays ball

SPARKLING DAY OUT: scene from the inaugural Casa Labia Bubbly Festival

CAN’T WAIT for midday Saturday (16 March) and an afternoon of sipping sparklers on the lawn of Casa Labia in Muizenberg while nibbling various delights and gazing at the waves, surfers and boats on one of the quaint strips of False Bay coastline… From the time the first drinks are served to the lovely buildings, garden and viewpoints to the very pleasant people who staff the restaurant and cultural centre, the Bubbly Festival at Casa Labia is one of the more civilised gatherings on South Africa’s wine calendar.

The first such festival last year was a treat to the extent that this looks set to become an annual event, at least. The number of wine cellars is limited to 10, so visiting each of the shaded tables for a sip of what’s chilled to perfection and offered in decent glassware is way more feasible and more relaxed than trying to do justice to one of the mega tastings involving bustling crowds at large halls, hotels and convention centres.

Some of the participating Cap Classique bubbly houses that adhere to the traditional Champagne method of production include boutique cellars and some better known for non-sparkling red and white wines of various descriptions. That said, if you’re only stopping by for an hour or so en route to another engagement perhaps, be sure not to miss the award-winning Jacques Bruére from Bon Courage. Hopefully the Pongrácz representatives will have brought some of their flagship Desiderius to share. And of the other wines on show, the reputable Silverthorn Wines are pretty scarce in the trade, while few will have even heard of Genevieve and Solo Vino before.

The festival runs from noon to 3pm and the entrance fee is only R50pp, with various food and wine options available by prior arrangement. To contact Casa Labia: Tel +27 (0)21 788 6062, email cafe@casalabia.co.za. Or for more information about the venue – within easy walking distance of the parking lot at the Muizenberg train station on the Main Road (M4) to St James – just click here.

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