Summertime is braai time at Vi

Summertime is braai time at Vivat Bacchus in London

For Vivat Bacchus, the London restaurants with a South African twist, summertime means one thing, braai time!

Summertime is braai time at Vi

While fellow South Africans at home are watching rugby in the chill of winter, Gerrie, co-owner and Managing Director of Vivat Bacchus, is feeling fortunate to be braaing in the sun while cheering on the Boks.

If somehow you have sorted a stock of Windhoek or Castle for the “light the fire” ceremony (and a bit of Pinotage for afterwards) think about the guys in wet (at last) Cape Town and freezing Joburg cuddling up next to their heaters.

In the first of its July weekly events, the Vivat Bacchus Wine Club, which has been going strong since 2005, has taken the theme further and at London Bridge is pairing five sizzling braai-style canapés (including boerewors of course) with a tasting of South African white and red wines.

There are whites with seafood and halloumi cheese while the meaty stuff will be accompanied by Pinot Noir from Meerlust, Cabernet Sauvignon from Vergelegen and lastly Vivat Bacchus’s own Pinotage with a strip of sirloin steak.

There are a few more South African big hitters in July, not least a tasting devoted entirely to the amazing Kanonkop which includes the famous Paul Sauer blend, Cabernet Sauvignon and perennial top Pinotage.

And with braais still foremost in their minds, they also want to show what South Africa can offer in summer wines by featuring a tasting of five that are perfect for the long summer evenings. It was a tough job deciding on only five from the vast cellars!

Vivat Bacchus came up with the Wine Club concept in 2005 as a way of introducing wines, particularly South African wines, to the customers, coinciding with the period when SA wines were really starting to make their mark.

Weekly tasting events take place at both branches and the cheese lovers are not forgotten – there’s always a cheese event in the mix, and it’s not hard to understand why as there’s a walk-in cheese room at both of the Vivat Bacchus branches.

If this has whetted your appetite, click here for more info.