Tourism, Food, and Wine headlines

*  Bouchard Finlayson is hosting Pinot Noir tastings, introducing its Galpin Peak personally by winemaker Peter Finlayson. In Hermanus on 10 August (R100), Johannesburg on 28 August (R150), and in Cape Town on 18 September (R150) (via Fivestar PR)

*   French hotel groups are challenging Bookings.com and similar sites for unfair competition, in not allowing them to offer similar low rates on their own hotel websites, reports The Telegraph.

*   Clos Malverne on the Stellenbosch Wine Route is offering a 20km off-road  cycling experience in the Devon Valley in conjunction with Bike & Saddle. Cost is R495 for the bike rental, coffee at the Devon Valley Hotel, and a 3-course lunch at Clos Malverne, on Tuesdays – Saturdays (via Random Hat media release)

*   Restaurant winter specials, the misleading writing by Michael Olivier on his blog, and MasterChef SA’s new Season 2 dominated our Top 10 list of best read blogposts in June.

*    Top City Hotels in Africa and the Middle East in the 2013 World Travel & Leisure World’s Best Awards are: Cape Grace number 1, the Mount Nelson Hotel number 6, and the Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa 10th.  Cape Town was rated 4th Top City in the world, and Top City in Africa and the Middle East (Cape Town Tourism media release).

*   One&Only Cape Town has been named Best Hotel Spa in Africa & Middle East in the 2013 Travel & Leisure World’s Best Awards, according to Luxury Travel Magazine.

*   Wine Spectator has recently awarded the Anthonij Rupert Optima 2009 90 points (via PR agency Smart Communications & Events).

*   Chef Bertus Basson from Overture will be cooking at Bistro Sixteen 82 ‘On Invitation’ Pop-up Restaurant on 31 July

*   China should use the Western Cape as an investment gateway into Africa, the provincial Minister of Agriculture has said on his visit to China, reported by Business Report.

*   Bouchard Finlayson and La Motte receive the nod in this article on Wine Tourism.

*   Entries for the Amorim Tsogo Sun Cap Classique Challenge close on 24 July (via KL PR & Events).

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com   Twitter: @WhaleCottage