Tag Archives: Arniston bay

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 7 May

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The FNB/Bureau for Economic Research Consumer Confidence Index ‘plummeted’ to -4  in the first quarter of 2015, reflecting the pessimism created by loadshedding, increases in income tax and the price of petrol, as well as ‘social and political turmoil‘.

*   Angelo Scirocco of Chef’s Warehouse and winner of the S. Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year Award for Africa/Middle East, has been ‘paired’ with fashion designer Ashi Studio of Beirut, each designer reinterpreting Continue reading →

bistro 13 lucky number for Chef Nic van Wyk at Stellenbosch Vineyards!

Bistro13 Logo Whale CottageChef Nic van Wyk needs no introduction, having been the judge for two seasons of Kokkedoor, and having made a name for himself as a sauce man of note whilst he was at Terroir with Michael Broughton, and more recently having served honest food at Diemersdal Farm Eatery.  Now he has opened bistro 13 at Stellenbosch Vineyards, in the same building as the new tasting room for the wine estate, also known as Welmoed.

Chef Nic’s partner Roxy Laker has been excellent at documenting theBistro 13 Stellenbosch Vineyards tasting desk Whale Cottage journey of the transformation from a construction site into the restaurant, showing us on Facebook how Chef Nic and she were hands-on in erecting shelving and adding the decor. Yesterday a new journey commenced, it being the official opening day.  I was inquisitive to see the new restaurant and tasting room, and a chat between Roxy and I on Facebook led to an invitation from Stellenbosch Vineyards’ Business Development Manager Guy Kedian to visit yesterday, whilst I was in Stellenbosch anyway. Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 9 – 11 August

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*  Adderley Street will undergo construction work for the MyCiTi Bus this month, the City of Cape Town warns.

*   Clever is the new campaign to collect and used soap from hotels, to give to underprivileged families.  One hopes that the campaign will spread to South Africa too.

*   Arniston Bay has launched its first two infused wines:  Arniston Bay Graviola and Passion Fruit Infusion, and Arniston Bay Mint Aloe and Lemongrass Infusion.  The new wines have a screwcap, are low in alchohol at 5,5%, and are lightly spritzed.  Packaging is 100% recyclable.  They cost around R44. (via media release from Hazell PR and Wine Consultants)

*   Wine bloggers in the USA and Canada have a strong influence on wine buying in Continue reading →

SA wines fastest growing in UK

South African wines are the fastest growing in the United Kingdom, and make up a market share in volume of 12,3 %, as measured by A C Nielsen.  

South Africa has the 4th largest market share, on a par with that of France, and follows Australia and the USA.   Wines priced R 60 – R 84 grew by 15 % in value in the past year.  Those costing between R 84 – R 120 increased by 27 % in sales value, and South African wines costing over R120 grew by 43 %, even though they have a small market share.   South Africa’s top-selling brand in the UK is First Cape, which increased by 80 % in sales volume and by 73% in sales value.   Other strong South African brands are Kumala, Arniston Bay, Two Oceans and KWV. 

Wines of South Africa (WOSA) CEO Su Birch is expecting growth of 10 % of South African wine sales in the UK in 2010, if the Rand does not strengthen “materially”.

South African wines also performed well in Sweden (18 % increase) and in Canada (11% increase), while sales in the Netherlands, Germany and the USA were on a par with the previous year.

WOSA is an industry-funded body marketing South African wines generically internationally.

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