Anthonij Rupert Estate in the Cape winelands invites you to seek out its “black gold”
Join a pair of hunting hounds as they sniff out a rare delicacy, black truffles
Hunting for anything with a pulse makes my blood run cold, but an invitation that was a little different caught my eye among a slew of e-mails. Tracking the objects of desire in this case would require the help of Lagotto Romagnolo dogs, which were initially bred in Italy for retrieval in water but are now used to hunt for “black gold”. The prospect of a day out in the Cape winelands with dogs was all the encouragement I needed.
The occasion was to celebrate the very rare and very edible fungi also known as black truffles, which are finally in evidence at Anthonij Rupert Wyne’s Altima Estate in Elandskloof near Villiersdorp. The dogs love nothing more than being able to sniff them out. It’s the ultimate reward for a project 10 years in the making – this particular plot was identified and oak tree roots inoculated with truffle spores and planted in September 2010. This is the first time that the harvest has warranted sharing it with the public.
Image: Supplied
Anthonij Rupert Wyne is the first wine estate in South Africa to both cultivate and produce black Perigord truffles. While in stock, they are used to make truffle butter and salt and to delicately flavour a special lunch menu at the estate restaurant in Franschhoek after the hunting excursion. The courses are perfectly sized and subtly enhanced with truffle caviar, carpaccio and butter so they are entirely satisfying and not too rich.
The cool conditions and exceptional terroir in the isolated Elandskloof are just as good for the grapes cultivated there, and the four-course meal is paired with a particularly delicious Cape of Good Hope Altima Sauvignon Blanc and Cape of Good Hope Sneeuwkrans Pinot Noir. They were my favourites among the three options that also included a Cape of Good Hope Serruria Chardonnay.
• Truffle lunches are limited to 10 people and will be available every Friday and Saturday until July 20. Booking is essential. The cost is R950 per person, inclusive of the paired wines. For enquiries and reservations, e-mail tasting@rupertwines.com or contact 021-874-9041.