The largest ”wine by the glass” wine bar in the world, called Belthazar, has opened recently at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, bringing the concept of ”shoppertainment” to South Africa for the first time.
A themed restaurant, grill, bar and gourmet merchandise store, Belthazar is on the cutting edge of global retail trends. Named after Belshazzar, the King of Babylon who ”made a great feast … and drank wine before the thousand”, it offers up to 100 of the Cape’s finest wines by the glass.
It also has a dream selection from more than 100 of the Cape’s finest cellars, featuring hundreds of fine wines, auction wines and rare vintages displayed in the specially designed vinoteque. The Belthazar team has devised the first wine list in the country that illustrates vintage ratings, critic’s ratings (by John Platter SA Wines, Fairbairn Capital Trophy Wine Show and Veritas), style indicators and wine/food matches.
Belthazar is about ”the best of the best” — from the wine and cuisine to slick service by trained sommeliers and service ambassadors. The wines are served at the perfect temperature in renowned Riedel crystal glasses designed to enhance specific wine styles.
Belthazar has also introduced revolutionary nitrogen technology developed in the United States to keep the wine in perfect condition, preserving the fresh aroma, colour and taste once opened. Every glass of wine is served with a detailed neck tag specifying the contents.
Belthazar is the creation of the owners of award-winning Balducci’s, a landmark for sophisticated dining in the Cape. Ian Halfon, Jonathan Steyn and Doron Duveen travelled the world to find an innovative formula that will showcase the Cape’s wines at South Africa’s premier tourist destination, the V&A Waterfront.
The new wine bar is the innovative brainchild of Halfon, a self-made restaurateur who operates 50 branches of St Elmo’s across Southern Africa and his fine dining venues at sister restaurants, Balducci’s and Belthazar. A lifelong collector of wine, he has attended almost every Nederburg Auction of Fine Wine since 1988.
”Belthazar is for people who are passionate about wine,” said Halfon. ”It is dedicated to my great love for wine. In travelling all over the world, I’ve never seen a wine bar in Europe, Australia or America that offers anything more than 30 wines by the glass. At Belthazar we intend to offer from 80 to 100 wines by the glass on a continuous basis.”
Belthazar will also bring a world of ”shoppertainment” to the V&A Waterfront. A wide selection of Belthazar merchandise is available for sale.
Displayed in cabinets are glittering Riedel glassware, gift packs and crystal duck decanters, wine aprons and accessories, stainless steel knives for the home gourmet chef, biltong knives and Belthazar house sauces.
Diners may browse through the catalogue-style menu over lunch or dinner — and take the Belthazar brand home. The finest cuts of wet and dry-aged Karan beef are also available for sale from the Belthazar butchery — along with gourmet basting and seasoning sauces. — I-Net Bridge