Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Wines of South Africa (WOSA) has announced that CapeWine 2015 will be held from 15 – 17 September 2015. (via Twitter)

*   Franschhoek resident Nolan Hoffman has won the 2014 Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Momentum Cycle Tour. (Via Twitter)

*   While online accommodation evaluations are much more responsibly handled, about half of travellers feel that a substantial part of accommodation reviews have been ‘manipulated‘, a Tourism professor told the travel industry at ITB, the international travel  expo which ended in Berlin this weekend.

*   The most child-friendly airports in the world, according to Travel News Weekly,  are Heathrow (number one on the list, and offers children play areas, a quiet room, and a game zone), Zürich (with child minders), Frankfurt (with boarding passes for teddies too!), Munich (with touch screen terminals to explain how an airport works, and German TV series shown), Singapore (with a Butterfly Garden, arcade games, a four storey slide, and internet terminals), and Chicago (with an interactive educational play area).

*   The flagship MCC Villiera Monro Brut 2008 won one of 20 Bacchus Trophies at the 16th Annual Taj Classic Wine Trophy competition this weekend, judged by a panel of French judges. (received via media release from Grapevine Publicity).  The full list of Bacchus Trophy winners is as follows (via Grape blog):

Sparkling and white wines

• Villiera Monro Brut 2008
• De Morgenzon Chenin Blanc Reserve 2013
• Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2012
• Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2013
• Whalehaven Chardonnay 2012
• Groot Constantia Chardonnay 2013
• Chamonix Chardonnay Reserve 2012

Red wine and dessert wine

• Creation Pinot Noir 2012
• Whalehaven Merlot 2011
• Glen Carlou Grand Classique 2011
• Bellingham The Bernard Series Small Barrel SMV 2012
• Creation Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot 2010
• La Motte Pierneef Shiraz Viognier 2011
• Groot Constantia Gouverneur Reserve 2011
• Morgenster 2010
• Morgenster 2003
• Delaire Graff Botmaskop 2012
• The High Road Classique 2010
• Rudera Noble Late Harvest 2010

*   A new international TV series Undercover Boss SA will be filmed locally shortly by Cooked in Africa, the production company which has produced ‘Charly’s Cake Angels’ and ‘Ultimate Braai Master’, reports The New Age.  The reality TV series, so popular in the USA that it has more than 38 million viewers, has bosses taking over the roles of their staff, enabling the bosses to learn more about their companies, their staff, and themselves. 

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