Franschhoek Vignerons is hosting Franschhoek Summer Wines today, from 12h00 – 17h00, at Leopard’s Leap.
The following wine estates will present white, Rosé, and MCC wines to taste: Anthonij Rupert Wines – L’Ormarins Brut Classique & Cape of Good Hope Altima Sauvignon Blanc 2014; Bellingham Wines – Bellingham Old Orchard Chenin Blanc 2013; Boschendal wines – Sauvignon Blanc 1685. Four Paws Wines – Four Paws Sauvignon Blanc Continue reading →
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* British wine writer Jancis Robinson has ended her visit to the Cape Winelands this week, and writes that she has been ‘hugely impressed by the quality of the wines of the best producers and by the much broader range of wine styles and provenances than there was on my last visit’ seven years ago. She described our country as the ‘wonderful source of underpriced fine white wine. It has taken longer for red wines to please this finicky international palate‘. Our industry does not need to be defined by our indigenous Pinotage, she feels.
* Could Cape Town/South Africa/Africa get a Grand Prix again, after more than 20 years? Bernie Ecclestone has speculated that such a race could be possible by next year. As Killarney is not suitable, it would have to be a street race in Cape Town. This proposal was however rejected by City of Cape Town’s Directorate of Tourism, Events, and Marketing in 2013, due to the cost.
* Roger Jones, owner of Michelin star restaurant Harrow at Little Bedwyn in the UK, has just returned from a trip to our country. Continue reading →
‘Franschhoek Uncorked‘ has taken some time to take off, having been plagued by poor weather in the initial years. It has become a fun event on the Franschhoek events calendar, and now the seventh annual event attracts wine lovers to the village come rain or shine. This coming weekend (27 and 28 September) 21 wine estates will be attracting visitors to their farms, to show them how unique each of them is.
Each wine estate will offer tastings of their wines, included in the R120 fee for the weekend, foods for sale, some with art exhibitions, as well as musical entertainment, a unique offering by each farm.
The following wine farms will be showcased:
* Babylonstoren: wine and olive tastings, cellar tours, and a 3-course Pizza meal (R200)
* Noble Hill: Mexican foods, Hitichino Japanese craft beer, and wine tasting
* Rupert & Rothschild: tasting of Rupert & Rothschild wines as well as of Rothschild wines. Foods offered include French Continue reading →
Tourism, Food, and news headlines
* ‘People love our country and continue to visit South Africa‘, said President Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation Address at the opening of Parliament last night. He set our country’s tourism target at 15 million visitors per year by 2017, with a revenue of R125 billion generated.
* TripAdvisor is testing amongst a sample of American hotels a new Question and Answer service on listed property pages, so that guests can request further information before they book, including for example questions such as the cost of a mini-bar, availability of tickets to attractions at reception, opening times of the pool, etc. Other travelers and the property can answer the questions. Hotels in the same town are not allowed to answer about another hotel in the discussion forums.
* Much admired and liked Eat Out Top 10 Chef Jackie Cameron from Hartford House is leaving the KwaZulu-Natal hotel at the end of July, to open Jackie Cameron’s School of Food and Wine in Hilton in January next year. Continue reading →