Tag Archives: Spier

Platter’s announces 2022 award-winning wineries, and cultivar winners!

 

At an event in Stellenbosch on Friday, the new 2022 black-and-gold cover design and a refreshed corporate logo for the Platter’s by Diner’s Club 2022 South African Wine Guide  was presented, the three Award-winning wineries announced, and the Wines of the Year Awards in 28 categories were presented.

This 42nd edition of  the Wine Guide features more than 900 wine producers, merchants, and brands, including 36 new ones, more than 8000 locally produced wines, as well as brandies, husk spirits, and sherry-style wines.

For the first time in eight years the Platter’s Awards were not presented by its Publisher JP Rossouw, who left the publication earlier this year.

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Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 11 of Level 1, 11 October 2021

 

Monday 11 October 2021, Day 11 of Level of 1 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a quiet day, writing and admin-ing all day, with two Bakoven walks at the beginning and end of the day, to avoid the heat of the 27 C day; for no Loadshedding today; for meeting the lovely Ute Hermanus, who has a Good Hope FM slot on Tuesday evenings called ‘Cape Town After Dark’, coming to eat at Utopia with her friend Kaylin Willscott, an intern in the wine department of Spier, welcoming and chatting with them for far longer than planned, having such a good time; for a Continue reading →

Restaurant Winter Specials: Cape Town and Winelands (10 June 2021)

 

The Winter months are always tough on restaurants, as diners are not keen to leave their homes when it is cold and wet. With the reduced trade, added to Loadshedding,  and the earlier Curfew start time, restaurants are keen to attract business by offering Winter specials.

I will compile an ongoing Restaurant Winter Specials list for Cape Town and Winelands Restaurants, updated regularly. I welcome all information about Winter Specials. Continue reading →

Homespun by Matt offers electrifying Tasting Menu, Fun Dining Fine Dining at excellent value!

 

Three weeks ago I was privileged to experience the new Homespun by Matt Secret Supper Club, which is offered on Monday nights, a dinner of 15 courses which I was blown away by, it being of an international standard, making Homespun one of our country’s top restaurants. Last week I returned  with my friend Stuart Bailey, to experience the 7-course Tasting Menu which is served from Tuesday to Saturday evenings, finding it to be a dinner at an extremely generous cost, and to be another evening of Fun Dining Fine Dining.

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40th edition of Platter’s by Diners Club International 2020 South African Wine Guide launched, with a record of 125 5-star wines!

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 Platter’s 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. 

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Cape Town and Winelands Restaurant Openings for rest of 2019/2020 summer dried up? Reflection of the economy?

With rating agencies giving our economy a thumbs down, and our Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni painting a bleak picture of our economy last week, it is no surprise that there are few, if any, restaurant openings planned for the rest of the 2019/2020 summer season. 

Exhibit A of Chefs Rikku O’Donnchü and Warwick King opened on Bree Street on Friday. La Chêne opened at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek two weeks ago. Cowboys & Cooks is running late in opening its planned new restaurant in De Waterkant.

 

Cape Town restaurant openings 

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New Restaurant openings in Cape Town and Winelands for 2019/2020 season slow down dramatically: October 2019!

The poor economic conditions in our country currently is manifesting in the very few new restaurants opening for the new summer season, most such new openings usually taking place in September. Where many new restaurants are opening, they are changing the name and concept of existing ones, rather than being brand new, or adding other restaurants in a restaurant group’s portfolio. 

Two exciting top-end restaurant openings are those of Exhibit A (owned by highly acclaimed Chef Rikku O’Donnchü and Chef Warwick King, who left Gåte restaurant earlier this year), opening in the city centre on 1 November; and of La Chêne at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek. Interesting is that a number of new restaurants have opened on Kloof Street, our former Cape Town Restaurant Street before Bree Street took over,  Continue reading →

Platter’s 2019 SA Wine Guide launched, 90 wines out of 9000 rated 5-star!

Last night I attended the launch of the ‘Platter’s by Diners Club International 2019 South African Wine Guide’ 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 Platter’s Guide.  Continue reading →