A record 111 South African wines received a coveted 2018 Platter’s 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. (more…)
Tags: 2018 Wine Guide, A.A. Badenhorst, albeit, Alvi's Drift, Angela Lloyd, B Vintners Vine Exploration Co, Bartinney, Beaumont, Bellingham, Blind tasting, Boekenhoutskloof, botanical, bottle seals, Bouchard Finlayson, Bruwer Raats, Cape Point, cape Wine company, Carinus, Cathy Marston, Cathy van Zyl, Cederberg, Chamonix, Chris von Ulmenstein, Christine Rudman, Constantia Glen, Constantia Uitsig, daschbosch, Dave Swingler, David & Nadia, De Trafford, Delaire Graff, DeMorgenzon, Donkiesbaai, Eagle's Nest, Edgebaston, Eikendal, elemental, Fiona McDonald, five star wines, Flagstone, Greg de Bruyn, Gregory Mutambe, Groot Constantia, Hartenberg, Hennie Coetzee, Hermanuspietersfontein, Highlands Road, JC Wickens, Jean-Pierre Rossouw, Joanne Gibson, Jordan, Julien Schaal, Kaapzicht, Kanonkop, Klein Constantia, Kleine Zalze, Lanzerac, Le Sueur, Lingen, Longridge, Meryl Weaver, Miles Mossop, Moreson, Mount Abora, Mullineux, Muratie, Mvemve Raats, Nederburg, Neil Ellis, Nico van der Merwe, Oak Valley, Olifantsberg, Orange River, pasarene, paul clever, Perdeberg, Philip van Zyl, Platter’s by Diners Club, Raats, Raats Family Wines, Radford Dale, Remhoogte, reverie, Richard Kershaw, Ridgeback, Rust en Vrede, Rustenberg, Sadie, Samarie Smith, Savage, Shannon, sighted, Spier, Stark-Conde, StellenRust, Table Bay Hotel, The Foundry, The Stellenbosch Reserve, The Winery of Good Hope, thistle & weed, Tim James, Tokara, Trizanne, Van Loveren, Vin de Constance, Warwick, Waterford, WhaleTales blog, Winnie Bowman, Zorgvliet
A number of records were broken last night when 94 wines and one brandy were awarded 5 star status at the launch of the Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2017 at the Table Bay Hotel, a new venue, the event having been held at the Mount Nelson for years. The colour of the 2017 Platter’s Guide is Harvest Green. (more…)
Tags: A.A. Badenhorst, Alex Dale, Alheit, Angela Lloyd, Artisinal boutique winery, Beaumont, Beeslaar, Bellingham, Bloemendal, Boplaas, Bosman family, Botanica, Cathy Marston, Cathy van Zyl, Chamonix, chardonnay, Chenin balance, Chris von Ulmenstein, Christine arid an, Dave Swingler, David & Nadia, David Biggs, Delaire Graff, Delheim, DeMorgenzon, Diemersdal, Diner's Club, Donkiesbaai, Edgebaston, Fable, Fiona McDonald, Flagstone, Fleur du Cap, Fram, Glenwood, Greg de Bruyn, Gregory Mutambe, Groot Constantia, Hamilton-Russell, Haskell, Hennie Coetzee, Hermanuspietersfontein, Iona, Joanne Gibson, Jordan, JP Rossouw, Kaapzicht, Keermont, Klein Constantia, Kleine Zalze, La Motte, La Vierge, Laibach, Meerlust, Meeyl Weaver, Moreson, Mount Abora, Mount Nelson, Mulderbosch, Mveme Raats, Nederburg, Newton Johnson, Olifantsberg, Opstal, Perdeberg, Platter's Wine Guide, Porseleinberg, Restless River, Reyneke, Richard Kershaw, Ronnie B Sons, Sadie Family, Samarie Smith, Shannon, Skaap, Spice Route, Spioenkop, Stellar, Stellenbosch Vineyards, Table Bay Hotel, Thorne & daughters, Tim JMes, Tokara, Trizanne, Vondeling, Warwick, WhaleTales blog, Winnie Bowman
I was invited to the Constantia Fresh Fine Wine and Food Festival held at Buitenverwachting yesterday afternoon. It was a sold out fun event, 44 wine estates (not only from Constantia) presenting their 200 ‘freshest’ and most interesting wines, and chefs (mainly from Constantia) preparing food.
The entrance fee was R400 per person, and included as much wine tasting and food as one liked. The tables were set out by region, with Constantia having the central stage around a massive oak tree in the middle of the large lawn on which the Festival was held. It is always interesting to see how the wine estates market themselves in the relatively small space they have. It was impossible to taste all the wines of all the wine estates represented at the Festival, and it was a pity that one did not receive a leaflet or information about each of the wines and wine estates at the Festival. The Festival is the concept of wine editor, Platter taster, sommelier, and wine consultant Jörg Pfützner, who is known as a Riesling fan.
The Constantia Fresh Festival was preceded by two events on Friday: Jörg led a themed tasting with the interesting title: ‘If modernity is sexy, is tradition passé?’ This was followed by a four course dinner cooked by Chef Bertus Basson, paired with a total of twelve wines from the Constantia valley, which was held at Klein Constantia. Yesterday the ‘walkabout tasting‘ allowed attendees to taste to their heart’s content, and to meet wine estate representatives, although most top winemakers were not present due to the harvest being in full swing. On its website, Constantia (more…)
Tags: Almenkerk, Beau Constantia, Beaumont, Bertus Basson, Bistro Sixteen82, Botanica, Bouchard Finlayson, Brad Ball, Buitenverwachting, Cape Point Vineyards, Chamonix, Chris von Ulmenstein, Christian Herbeck, Constantia, Constantia Fresh, Constantia Glen, Constantia wine route, Dave Ferguson, Delaire Graff, Eagle's Nest, Edgar osojnik, Fine Wine & Food Festival, Groot Constantia, Hamilton-Russell, Hermanuspietersfontein, Hermit on the Hill, Jordan, Klein Constantia, Mondiall, Mount Abora, Mullineux, Newton Johnson, Oneiric, Overture, Peter Tempelhoff, Pieter de Waal, Platter, Raats Family, Raith, Reyneke, Riesling, sommelier, Steenberg, The Greenhouse, Thelema, Tokara, V&A Waterfront, Villiera, Waterkloof, Whale Cottage Portfolio, Winery of Good Hope
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* From 1 February wine estates in the Cape Town municipal area, which applies to Somerset West too despite the wine estates there belonging to the Stellenbosch Wine Routes, may no longer sell ‘bottled wines’ on Sundays. Wine farms may apply to sell bottled wines from 11h00 – 18h00 on Sundays.
* Former American Vice-President and climate activist Al Gore is to visit South Africa in March, to spread the word for the Climate Reality Project about climate change and to train volunteer ‘climate leaders‘ to spread the word locally, reports The New Age.
* The IMF has forecast global economic growth at 3,7%, upping the rate from its October 2013 forecast. South Africa’s growth rate is forecast to be 2,8% this year. Weaknesses in our economy are highlighted as labour issues, the disparity between employed and unemployed, and increasing government debt.
* An Indian film ‘Chander Pahar‘, shot for 45 days exclusively in South Africa, is attracting huge interest in our country amongst West Bengal travellers. Locations (more…)
Tags: Al Gore, Blyde River Canyon, Boschendal, Cape Town, Chabivin, Chander Pahar, Chris von Ulmenstein, climate change, Climate Reality Project, Drakenberg, economic growth, Food, Graham Beck, Hanneli Slabber, Haute cabriere, Holden Manz, House of Krone, IMF, Kalahari Desert, Kruger National Park, Manley Communications, MCC, Mount Abora, Nobu, Pierre Jourdan, SA Tourism, Somerset West, South Africa, Stellenbosch Wine Routes, tourism, Villiera, West Bengal, Whale Cottage Portfolio, WhaleTales, Wine, Winemakers' Dinners
Yesterday I spent a most entertaining afternoon at the Grande Roche hotel in Paarl, to observe the last phase of the Wines of South Africa (WOSA) Sommelier World Cup competition, the announcement and evaluation of the Top 3, and the awarding of the prize to the winning sommelier Will Predhomme.
The invited guests were the twelve finalists for the Sommelier World Cup, media representatives from the USA (I sat next to Rebecca Canan from the Terroirist Blog), Sweden, and Belgium, local writers, the local and international sommelier judges, and WOSA staff from its international offices as well as from its head office in Stellenbosch. After a welcome glass of wine, we sat down for lunch at Bosman’s, and it was clear to see why this (more…)
Tags: Abrie Bruwer, Adi Badenhorst, Altydgedacht, Amarula, Anna Sviridenko, Antti Uusitalo, Babylon's Peak, Beatrice Becher, Beau Constantia, Bein, Belgium, biodynamic, Bistro Allegro, Black Pearl, Bosmans, Bot River, Botanica, Bouchard Finlayson, Buitenverwachting, Burrata, BWI, Cape South Coast, Cape Town, CapeWine, Carl Van der Merwe, Chardonnay Forum, Chenin Blanc Association, Chris Mullineux, Chris von Ulmenstein, Christian Zhang, Christina Kern, Christopher Bates, Constantia Glen, Corkbuzz, Creation, David Higgs, David Sadie, De Toren, De Wetshof, Delheim, Dorchester Collectionion, Druk-my-Niet, Eat Out Top 10, Eben Sadie, Elgin, Elim, ERiks Vinbar, Fairview, G&W, Gabrielskloof, Gareth Ferreira, Glen Carlou, Glenwood, Graham Beck, Grande Roche, Groot Constantia, Hamilton-Russell, Hartenberg, Harvest, Haskell, Heidi Irene Hansen, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Hermanus, Higgo Jacobs, Hotel Fauchere, Ina Smith, Iona, Italy, Jasper van der Hoogen, Joachim Bauwens, Joerg Pfuetzner, Johan Malan, Jordan, Jordi Chan, Kaapzicht, Kanonkop, Klein Constantia, Kloovenburg, Kranskop, KWV, La Vierge, Laborie, Laibach, Lammershoek, Maja Berthas, Mellasat, Morgan Harris, Mount Abora, Mulderbosch, Mullineux, Nederburg, Neethlingshof, Neil Grant, Newton Johnson, Norske Selskab, Oliver and Bonacini's, Paarl, Paarl Producer, Painted Wolf, Paul Cluver, Petra Mayer, Pieter de Waal, Pinotage Association, Polkadraai Producers, Porseleinberg, Quoin Rock, Rebecca Canan, Restaurant Bacchus, Restless River, Reyneke, Reyneke Wines, Rhebokskloof, Riebeek Cellars, Rietvallei, Robertson Wine Valley, Ronan Sayburn, Rooiberg, Rosa Kruger, Royal HOtel, Sadie Family, Sarah Papenfus, Sauvignon Blanc Association, Savoy Restaurant, Saxenburg, Sebastian Beaumont, Siobhan Thompson, Sommelier World Cup, sommeliers, South African Sommeliers Association, Springfield, Steenberg, Sterhuis, Stroganoff Steak House, Su Birch, Summaridge, Swartland, Swartland Winery, Sweden, Tantris Restaurant, Terroirist, Terry Kandylis, The Grand, The Ledbury, The Red Table Restaurant, The Restaurant at Newton Johnson, The Saxon, The Winery of Good Hope, Thelema, USA, Vladimir Gorodkov, Vondeling, Vriesenhof, Waterford, Webersburg, Weltevrede, Whale Cottage Portfolio, WIETA, Wilderer, Wilhelm Pienaar, Will Predhomme, Wine Gallery, Wine of Origin, wine tour operator, Wines of South Africa, WOSA, Yacht Club
A record 111 South African wines received a coveted 2018 Platter’s 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. (more…)
