Last Monday I attended The Sommeliers Selection 2018 tasting of the top-scoring wines at Tokara Delicatessen, driving through from Cape Town on a rainy day. My two favorites I tasted were Arra Shiraz 2015, as well as Trizanne Reserve Syrah 2017. The top wines in the tasting were selected by top Sommelier members of the South African SOmmeliers Association, and the Black Cellar Club. (more…)
Entries tagged with “Cape Point Vineyards”.
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Mon 13 Aug 2018
The Sommeliers Selection 2018 simplifies wine selection by quality and value for money!
Posted by Chris von Ulmenstein under Beer, Cape Town, Chris von Ulmenstein, Stellenbosch, WhaleTales Blog, Wine news
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Sat 14 Oct 2017
FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 2017 a fun event, water on everyone’s lips!
Posted by Chris von Ulmenstein under Cape Town, Chris von Ulmenstein, Food news, Franschhoek, Restaurant news, WhaleTales Blog
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As writers we are invited to many events. I have attended the FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 Awards over a number of years, but none have been as much fun as the one I attended at The Franschhoek Cellar on Thursday! (more…)
Thu 15 Dec 2016
Benguela on Main restaurant serves creative Christmas on a plate!
Posted by Chris von Ulmenstein under Cape Town, Chris von Ulmenstein, Food news, Restaurant news, Somerset West, WhaleTales Blog, Wine news
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Yesterday Ben Goble, Llewellyn Lambert, and I tried the new Christmas Tasting Menu at Benguela on Main in Somerset West, at the invitation of Chef Jean Delport. I was impressed with the creativity which Chef Jean has become renowned for, and how he put Christmas on the plate with his Chef’s Christmas Tasting Menu. The seven course Tasting Menu had two added courses and costs R720 per person, and R1050 with the wine pairings. It runs until 24 December.
Mon 22 Aug 2016
New Chef Archie Maclean creative with colour, goes wild at Catharina’s!
Posted by Chris von Ulmenstein under accommodation, Cape Town, Chris von Ulmenstein, Food news, Restaurant news, WhaleTales Blog
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I love seeing how restaurants can reinvent themselves, and often a new chef can be the catalyst. Chef Archie Maclean has been at Catharina’s for about four months, and has gone back to the history and origin of Steenberg wine estate and its first owner Catharina Ras for inspiration for his creative new menu. (more…)
Wed 3 Aug 2016
Restaurant Review: The Ledbury chic but cold, 14th Best in the World!
Posted by Chris von Ulmenstein under Cape Town, Chris von Ulmenstein, Food news, London, Restaurant news, WhaleTales Blog
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The Ledbury is London’s top restaurant, and was ranked 14th on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in June. It also boasts two Michelin stars. (more…)
Tue 22 Mar 2016
Restaurant Review: Villa 47 exciting new Italian emporium, Locanda restaurant excellent addition to Bree Street!
Posted by Chris von Ulmenstein under Cape Town, Chris von Ulmenstein, Food news, Restaurant news, WhaleTales Blog
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How exciting to experience a restaurant, on its fourth (followed by its 6th and 8th!) day of opening, and enjoy the meal, the service, and the experience! Villa 47 is an exciting three-story Italian food emporium, (more…)
Tue 1 Dec 2015
SA Sommelier Association first sommelier course launched!
Posted by Chris von Ulmenstein under Cape Town, Chris von Ulmenstein, Food news, hospitality, Restaurant news, Service news, South Africa, WhaleTales Blog, Wine news
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The SA Sommelier Association took in its first students yesterday, for its first locally-developed Foundational Sommellerie course. The course has been developed for aspirant and young sommeliers, (more…)
Mon 26 Jan 2015
WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 26 January
Posted by Chris von Ulmenstein under accommodation, Cape Town, Chris von Ulmenstein, Food news, Franschhoek, Restaurant news, Tourism news, Whale Cottage Portfolio, Wine news
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Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* Mrs Liz McGrath, owner of The Collection by Liz McGrath, which includes The Cellars-Hohenhort, The Marine, and The Plettenberg, with The Lord Milner in Matjiesfontein recently taken over by her too, passed away this weekend.
* James Laube, writing for Wine Spectator, generically describes South African wines as aiming for longevity, of up to 40 years. Cape Point Vineyards winemaker Duncan Savage told him: ‘South African winemakers say they feel as if they’re in a state of limbo. “It’s as if we’re in the New World of the Old World, or part of the Old World in the New World’. He expressed his personal dislike of our country’s ‘low pH, high-acidity wines’.
* Cape Town already has a street named after former President FW de Klerk, in Wesbank it has been discovered, (more…)
Thu 23 Oct 2014
2014 FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 announced at Nitida, Neil Pendock gets some of his own medicine!
Posted by Chris von Ulmenstein under Cape Town, Chris von Ulmenstein, Events, Food news, Restaurant news, Tourism news, Whale Cottage Portfolio, Wine news, Winelands
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I have not been to Nitida wine estate in Durbanville in a long time, nor to its Cassia restaurant. As the FNB Top 10 Sauvignon Blanc awards were held at the wine estate, it was a good opportunity to revisit, and to experience the new function venue, which comfortably seated 120 guests for lunch yesterday.
Invited guests included two representatives each of the FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 20 shortlist, writers, and FNB staff as well as their clients. Prior to the lunch, each of the 20 Sauvignon Blanc producers manned a tasting table, and provided information, making it a good opportunity to rub shoulders with other guests. (more…)
Sun 5 Oct 2014
Cape Winemakers Guild Auction raises record R12 million!
Posted by Chris von Ulmenstein under Chris von Ulmenstein, Events, Stellenbosch, Whale Cottage Portfolio, Wine news, Winelands
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Yesterday’s 30th Winemakers Guild Auction held at Spier set a new record, reaching close to R12 million in sales, compared to R8,4 million in 2013. Three wines reached record prices of R8600 per case of six. The average price per bottle was R702. A silent auction raised more than R200000 for the Guild’s Protégé mentorship programme.
The Tsogo Sun hotel group outbid the 177 other registered buyers, buying wines to the value of R2,5 million, followed by Alan Pick of the Butcher Shop and Grill at R1,9 million, Singita at R469000, Tedeum Vin Denmark at R450000, and Restaurant Mosaic at R330000. The bulk of the buyers were local, despite the favourable exchange rate.
The top three red wines in terms of price, achieving a record price of R8600 each for a case of six bottles, were Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Auction Reserve 2012, Kanonkop CWG Paul Sauer 2011, and Etienne le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Auction Reserve 2004. The top white wine (more…)
