There is a very nice video of the Cabriére Sabrage on the Simon and Baker Travel Review site. You’ll see that in this video the person in charge of this specific display of sabrage is non other that Hildegard von Arnim (Takuan’s mother).

So if you’d like to see how Sabrage is really done, and find out about some of the history surrounding it, pay the Simon and Baker Travel Review site a visit.

Happy New Year!

Pop the bubbly, sing those songs and welcome in 2010. It’s set to be an exciting year and we can’t wait to see what opportunities, challenges and adventures it brings our way. Good luck and remember if it’s not fun it’s probably because you’ve run out of Haute Cabriere or Pierre Jourdan.

Tonight is the start of the 2009 Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival. It’s going to be a weekend filled with amazing local cap classique - most notably Pierre Jourdan - French Champagne and fabulous Franschhoek cuisine.

The only place worth being this weekend is in Franschhoek. Not heading out to take part in this festival would mistake - one you regret until the 2010 Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival rolls around next year. Life is too short for regrets … come on join the fun, you know you want to.

The third installment in the classic Haute Cabriere video week is the Pierre Jourdan Belle Rose tasting. Bear in mind that by the time this video was shot a substantial amount of tasting had already taken place. If you’ve been to Cabriere you’ll know that the rule when it comes to tasting is that you have to swallow because Pierre Jourdan is simply too good to waste.

The second installment in our classic video revival is Achim’s Pierre Jourdan Blanc de Blancs tasting video. This should definitely get you and your palate in the mood for the Franschhoek Champagne Festival this coming weekend. We hope you’re getting excited … because we can hardly contain our glee!

We’ve gone back into our video archives and found some of the original Pierre Jourdan tastings conducted by Achim. With the Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival happening this weekend we thought this would be the perfect time for some vintage viewing.

In this video Achim tastes the Pierre Jourdan Brut. Sit back, relax and enjoy the charm.

In exactly one week the 2009 Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival will be upon us. This has to be one of our favourite Franschhoek Festivals because it’s an entire weekend dedicated to Méthode Cap Classique and Champagne. Our Pierre Jourdan range of Franschhoek cap classique fits right in.

This year the tents will be open on the Friday evening (4th of December) as well as the on the Saturday and the Sunday. So we suggest you do some tasting and then pop up the mountain for a bit to eat at the Haute Cabriere restaurant.

See you next weekend in Franschhoek!

The John Platter 2010 wine reviews have been released and the Pierre Jourdan range of Méthode Cap Classique received four separate 4 stars.

Which means that, according to Platter 2010, four of the Pierre Jourdan cap classiques are excellent. Obviously that’s not entirely true … all of the Pierre Jourdan cap classiques are excellent. But you’ll see that for yourself when you pull into the Franschhoek Champagne Festival on the first weekend of December.

Let the countdown begin. In less than a month Franschhoek will once again play host to the Franschhoek Champagne Festival.

Sure we’ve been going on about it but, lets face it, if you made Pierre Jourdan you’d also be going on about the Franschhoek Champagne Festival. It’s going to be amazing and Pierre Jourdan Cap Classique is going to be flowing. Bring your hats, your sunscreen and your designated driver (because you’ll definitely need one of those).

Block off the weekend of 4th, 5th and 6th of December 2009 - it’s going to be the best festival of 2009. Yeeha!

And now a little something short and sweet to get you in the mood … for the Franschhoek Champagne Festival - get that head out the gutter!

Back in the early 80’s Franschhoek wasn’t the premier destination that it now is. There are few people who are still key players in the Franschhoek valley that can attest to that fact.

Before there was a booming tourism industry this beautiful village was sleeping-beauty. One that we, at Haute Cabriere, like to think we woke with a kiss from the gorgeous Pierre Jourdan Cap Classique.

This is good trivia to know, especially considering that the Annual Franschhoek Champagne and Cap Classique festival is just over a month away. As far as Franschhoek is concerned we will be the oldest (and best looking) producer of Franschhoek Cap Classique at the festival.