Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* The Los Angeles Times recommends the One&Only Cape Town as one of ‘Five fabulous, flirty retreats for Valentine’s Day’. It describes Cape Town as the ‘…continent’s hottest happening city, and One & Only is the place to be for luxurious lodging‘, with three restaurants, including Nobu, the Neo boutique selling ‘South Africa’s hippest designer fashions‘, and an award-winning spa. It recommends eating at The Test Kitchen, Kalk Bay, Robben Island, and an art tour with gallery owner João Ferreira.
* It is rare to be able to read a story by UK wine journalist and judge Jancis Robinson without subscribing to her website or to that of the Financial Times. However she has graciously shared details of her trip to the North West Cape, in the Olifants River area, where they viewed 40 – 70 year old vines. She was accompanied by leading viticulturist Rosa Kruger and Platter’s 2015 Swartland-based Winery of the Year owner Eben Sadie, while she visited the Cape Winelands about 3 weeks ago. Piekenierskloof was their destination, and supplies Neil Ellis, Ken Forrester, Fairview, and Vriesenhof too. Sadie sources old-vine Grenache from here in particular. One vineyard dates back to 1887. Robinson ends off her article: ‘But these intensely terroir-driven wines, like most of what I tasted on this trip, deserve to be known and celebrated around the world’!
* Tim Harris will take over from Nils Flaatten as CEO of Wesgro, the Western Cape Tourism,
Trade, and Investment promotion agency, from 1 March. (received via media release from Wesgro)
* The 2015 Stellenbosch Wine Festival attracted 8500 visitors over three days, and set a new wine sales record. More than 70 wineries presented 350 wines for tasting. The Stellenbosch Wine Festival Foundation awards bursaries to disadvantaged students whose parents are employed in the wine industry. Bursaries to the value of R150 000 were allocated to four students. (received via media release from Peridot Communications)
* Guala Closures is giving back to the wine industry through a three-year sponsorship of The Saxon Boutique Hotel sommelier Cashias Gumbo’s attendance at the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy. (received via media release from Waterford Communications)
* Atlas Trading Company, a Bo-Kaap institution for more than twenty years, is moving out of the heritage building it rented, and moving to 104 Wale Street, reports the Atlantic Sun. The building will be auctioned.