Tag Archives: Col’Cacchio

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 14 November

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine new headlines

*   KWV has launched Earth’s Essence Pinotage, with the claim that it is the ‘healthiest wine in the world‘, made with Rooibos bark.  No sulphur dioxide has been added in making the wine, and wooden staves made from the bark of rooibos and honeybush plants, having natural anti-oxidant properties, are used.  KWV chose to use the staves in the production of Pinotage, both Rooibos and the wine varietal having an iconic South African heritage.  The wine should do particularly well in the Scandinavian countries, where organic, sulphur-free or Faitrade wines are high in demand.

*   The massive ‘Perceiving Freedom‘ sunglass frame artwork on the Sea Point Promenade has received heavy criticism as being opportunistic and nothing but commercial exploitation for Ray-Ban, sponsors of the installation.   It is also criticised for its cost of R170000, paid for by City of Cape Town ratepayers!   The City says that its Outdoor Signage by-law is not contravened, as the work carries no branding.  The artwork is dedicated to the memory of the late Nelson Mandela, and faces Robben Island. It is a World Design Capital 2014 approved project.

*   Sales of Prosecco are popping through the roof in the UK, almost tripling in the super-premium category, and increasing Continue reading →

Diners Club salutes top Western Cape winelists, Bushman’s Kloof judged best!

Diners Club Winelist banner Whale CottageThe Diners Club Winelist Awards for the Western Cape were held at Shimmy Beach Club yesterday, saluting the restaurants in the province, and the standard of their winelist content and presentation. Bushman’s Kloof won best Winelist in the Western Cape.  During the course of this week the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal awards will also be presented.

A judging panel, led by wine judge Dave Hughes, and consisting of Winnie Bowman, Nikki Dumas, Fiona McDonald, and Christine Rudman, evaluated 208 winelists nationally, and 100 from the ‘Cape‘, a province which has not existed for years!  Diners Club threw the Western Cape and Eastern Cape into one ‘Cape’ pot in reporting on the results and in handing out the awards yesterday!  A substantial number of Western Cape restaurants did not enter the competition this year, down from 96 entries last year to 80 this year.

Odd was the choice of venue, being the Bar section of Shimmy Beach Club, which did not have Diners Club Pongracz Whale Cottageenough parking for the attendees, some walking for more than 1 km to get to the venue.  We were welcomed with a glass of Pongracz, and the food was very meagre, being macaroni cheese croquettes and sushi!  There was not enough seating for everyone, in a room which had some round tables, a few chairs and couches, but had no presence in making this function special for the award winners, compared to the venue used at the Vineyard Hotel last year.  It also was not a finalist for the Winelist Awards! Very odd was using Anna Trapido as the MC, not generally known to the local restaurant wine stewards and sommeliers, in being the editor of the 2015 ‘Diners Club Rossouws Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 6/7 September

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Cape Town Tourism CEO Enver Duminy’s response to the axing of Virgin Atlantic’s London – Cape Town flights is embarrassing and appears unprepared, with poor wording, likely to have been a telephonic interview: ‘The slight (sic) cuts will definitely impact on tourism to the destination, especially if you look at Summer where the demand for Cape Town is quite great (sic), especially from the UK market’ !

*   ‘Chefs who Share’ is adding two further Auction lots for its charity Gala Dinner on Thursday 11 September, the culinary highlight of the year in Cape Town.  The proceeds go to the MAD (Make a Difference) Charity and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The additional Auction lots are attendance at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at pit lane level, and VIP tickets to attend the Laureus World Sports Awards in Shanghai. (received via media release from Amplicon PR)

*   Col’Cacchio is again giving back to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital this year, in donating R 5 of sales per pizza in its Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 5 August

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Robert Redford has expressed his delight in drinking Chenin Blanc, he shared at a special private lunch hosted in his honour by his friend Analjit Singh in Franschhoek last weekend.  He said about the variety: ‘I’ve experienced white wine in the Napa Valley in California, but never something like this.  Chenin blanc (sic) came into my life via my experience in South Africa. When I came here, I was willing to explore all kinds of new things. When I heard about Chenin blanc (sic) I thought I’d never had that and when I had it, I knew I’d found something fresh and exciting – so much so that I’ve now become a fan of Chenin blanc (sic)‘.  Last year Mr Singh acquired shares in Mullineux Family Wines, one of our country’s top Chenin Blanc producers.

*   The 2014 Diageo Reserve World Class Global Finals Bartender of the Year competition, which was held at Gleneagles in Scotland and in London recently,  has been won by Charles Joly from The Aviary in Chicago, in the face of 47 contenders for the title.  South Africa was represented by Jeff Lopes from The Michelangelo Hotel.  Joly’s winning cocktail was called ‘Above the Clouds‘.  He will become a global ambassador for Diageo Reserve World Class.   Cape Town will host the Global Finals next year! (received via media release from Communication Services Africa)

  *   Lanzerac is celebrating Heritage Day with a food feast on 24 September, commencing with a glass of its Alma Mater Rosé.  A Continue reading →