Monday 15 March 2021, Day 15 of Level 1, Day 355 of Lockdown đ·
Corona Gratitude đ
#Grateful for lovely rain this morning and this afternoon; for the sun having returned; for a good working morning; for a refreshing walk this afternoon, just when it started drizzling, making me walk even faster, and gaining 300 Discovery points; for a good Camps Bay & Clifton Ratepayers Association Zoom meeting; for being happy and healthy. đđ Continue reading →
On Thursday I attended a Woodview Wagyu Beef Tasting at Rare Grill, invited by its owner Chef Greg Bax, accompanied by my friend Gary Peterson. The different Wagyu meat cuts were paired with a number of Boekenhoutskloof wines. Continue reading →
Thursday 11 March 2021, Day 11 of Level 1, Day 351 of Lockdown đ·
Corona Gratitude đ
#Grateful for a lovely day, starting early as I was planning my work around a Stage 2 Loadshedding when it fell away when the City of Cape Town dropped it to Stage 1, meaning I could catch some more sleep; for getting my work finished in good time this morning; for returning the Woolworths trolley, combining it with a walk to Maidenâs Cove and back, earning 300 Discovery points; for the lovely clouds today; for fetching my Mohnbrötchen from Dinkel; for a good client meeting at Utopia Cape Town; for a fun afternoon and evening in the excellent company of Gary Peterson, surprising him with a visit to Lazari in Vredehoek, enjoying delicious tapas at Fat Harryâs in Kenilworth but missing seeing its owner Stuart Bailey, and for an interesting educational evening about Wagyu Beef at Rare Grill; for ending our evening off at Fat Harryâs; for getting home safely; and for being happy and healthy. đđ Continue reading →
On Friday evening I attended the launch of the 40th edition of the Diners Club International 2020 South African Wine Guide, at the Table Bay Hotel in the Waterfront, an event that is pretty much the same in format every year, yet was different this year, in the interest of making the event shorter.
More than 8000 wines from more than 900 producers were rated for the 2020 Platterâs Wine Guide edition. Of the 125 5-star wines awarded, 26 went to Chenin Blanc brands, 18 to Shiraz/Syrah, and 11 to Chardonnay brands.
Last night I attended the launch of the âPlatterâs by Diners Club International 2019 South African Wine Guideâ at the Table Bay Hotel. It was an evening of some surprises, and new awards presented! But one thing was consistent – the Mullineux duo of Chris and Andrea lead this country in its consistent wine award performance, winning Winery of the Year for the third time in the 39 year history of the Platterâs Guide. Continue reading →
The 34th Cape Winemakers Guild Auction achieved a record R10,6 million in sales on Saturday, held at the Spier Conference Centre, with wines of the wine industry greats sold and bid for by top wine collectors, including a mix of hospitality and private buyers. Continue reading →
Despite a hugely challenging year for the wine industry due to the drought, CapeWine 2018 is an impressive showcase of optimism, friendliness, and proudly South Africaness, running at the Cape Town International Convention Centre until tomorrow. I attended yesterday, with my Parisian friend AureliĂ© Jullien, and we were both impressed with the magnitude and professionalism of the exhibition, held every three years, and attended by the local and international wine trade. Continue reading →
A record 111 South African wines received a coveted 2018 Platterâs Guide five-star rating at the Awards ceremony held at the Table Bay Hotel tonight. Raats Family Wines was named as the 2018 Winery of the Year. Continue reading →
The 33rd Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction held at Spier yesterday raised R13,2 million, and set a new record price for red wine, Kaapzicht Estate The Ultimate Vision Red Blend 2015 made by Danie Steytler, achieving R16600 for a case of six. Continue reading →
Yesterday I attended a Tutored Tasting of some of our country’s exceptional wines, which had in common that they were made from vines many decades old. The Tasting was led by South Africa’s leading expert on Old Vines, Rosa Kruger being a passionate pioneer for the preservation of our country’s vintage vines. Continue reading →