Tag Archives: Franschhoek Wine Tram

SA Winners of 2022 Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism and Ambassadors Awards announced!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The winners of the South African leg of the 2022 Great Wine Capitals have just been announced by Wesgro. Two wine estates won in two categories each.

Added to the local Awards are Tourism Ambassador Awards, not an official category in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network annual awards, but added to the South African awards only.

South Africa is one of 11 wine-producing regions of the Great Wine Capitals network. The regions are Adelaide in Australia, Bilbao and Rioja in Spain, Bordeaux in France, Cape Town and Cape Winelands in South Africa, Lausanne in Switzerland, Mainz and Rheinhessen in Germany, Mendoza in Argentina, Porto in Portugal, San Francisco and Napa Valley in the USA, Valparaiso and Casablanca Valley in Chile, and Verona in Italy.  Awards are presented annually in a number of categories pertaining to Best of Wine Tourism.

The 2022 winners of the South African Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism Awards are the following:

#   Accommodation: Delaire Graff in Stellenbosch – the accommodation offers opulence, views of the Banhoek Valley, a relaxing stay, a private patio, and a pillow menu.

#.  Wine Tourism Restaurants : Creation in Hermanus  – wine is paired to food, instead of the other way around at Creation, its latest pairing being a Canapé Pairing Menu. It also offers a Brunch Pairing, a Wine and Chocolate Pairing as well as an aromatic tea and food pairing.

#.  Architecture & Landscape: Vergelegen in Somerset West – recognised for its Octagonal Garden, the Camphor Forest, the Reflection Garden, the Sundial Garden, and the Fynbos Garden.

#.  Arts & Culture : La Motte in Franschhoek – recognised for its history and curated art shows, and Cape Dutch architecture.

#   Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences : Babylonstoren in Franschhoek – recognised for its wine tasting offered to visitors arriving with the Franschhoek Wine Tram, going on a cellar tour, and visit the new wine tunnel, representing centuries of wine making and storage.

#.  Wine Tourism Services : Creation in Hermanus – recognised for their Voormanhuis accommodation, local art, commitment to sustainability, and sourcing locally.

#   Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices : Vergelegen in Somerset West – recognised for the 20 year journey of its commitment to sustainability and rehabilitation, presented as an Environmental Tour to visitors. It is self-sufficient in water, and the meat and seafood used in its restaurants are locally sourced and ethically raised.

#   Ambassador Awards, celebrating ongoing Transformation:  AA Badenhorst, Paardenkloof Estate, and Dewetshof Estate.

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide

 

 

Sounds of silence at Franschhoek Boutique Hotel, central location, excellent service!

imageSince selling my guest houses I have stayed at a mix of self-catering and guest houses in Franschhoek, and have been very disappointed. Franschhoek Boutique Hotel GM Llewellyn Lambert took pity on my Franschhoek accommodation experiences, as documented in Sour Service Awards on this Blog, and invited me to come and stay at the hotel. He had showed me around just after it was completed a few months ago, but this was my first stay.

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Chef Reuben Riffel goes back to his restaurant roots with Racine in Franschhoek!

Racine signage Whal e CottageI met with Chef Reuben Riffel in December, for a coffee date at Crisp.  I spoke to him about going to Racine, his second restaurant in Franschhoek which he opened two years ago, and he requested that he accompany me to Racine. Last Thursday our diaries both had a lunch opening, and we met for what was an early but long lunch.

He told me that the idea of the second restaurant arose when Chamonix wine estate owner Chris Hellinger ate at Reuben’s Franschhoek, and suggested that Chef Reuben take over what was already a vacant Racine Chef Nico Whale Cottagerestaurant, after the owners of the former Mon Plaisir had left.  The rental offer by Mr Hellinger was a very generous one, and Chef Nico Pretorius working with Chef Reuben at the One&Only Cape Town was looking for growth, so Chef Reuben signed the lease and offered Chef Nico the job two years ago.  I met Chef Nico when I arrived, and he seems very quiet and introverted, not returning to our table during our three-hour lunch.

Having only been to Racine once before, I had not noticed that Racine has its own entrance,  Continue reading →

New Maison Deli serves luxury Tapas, made with passion!

Maison Deli main pic Whale CottageWe recently wrote about Maison Estate, and the visit in winter by its Chef Arno Janse van Rensburg to Portugal, Spain, and Australia, from which he has brought back new menu ideas.  These ideas have been incorporated into their menu, and a clever way of attracting attention to them is to incorporate them into a Tapas menu which greets one when one arrives in the Tasting Room.  The quality of the Tapas is the best I have experienced to date, and is excellent value for money.

As one enters the Tasting Room and The Kitchen building at Maison, a lounge area to the immediate right has been transformed into the Deli, with a High Table at which one can sit with bar stools, and ‘decorated’ with scientific looking equipment and preserves made by Chef Arno and his team.   A large shelving unit ‘divides’ the Deli section from the remaining (now much smaller) lounge, the shelves being filled by the hard work of Chef Arno, including green tomato atchar, pickled broad beans, marmalade, aubergine and courgette chutney, green figs, vinegar, chili relish, pickled Jerusalem artichokes, onion relish, spiced tomato ketchup, plum chutney, olive oil, courgette relish, yellow tomato atchar, olives, lemon cordial, and fresh ciabatta.  The items on the shelves are interspersed with home decor items from Weylandts stores, owned by Maison owner Chis Weylandt,Maison Deli shelves and produce Whale Cottage including tea sets, glass jugs, wooden boards, cutlery sets, placemats, bowls, plates, and more.  A refrigerated display unit contains jars of duck rillettes, pork rillettes, pork terrine, pancettas, saucisson, salamies, smoked yellowtail, fresh farm eggs, lemons, massive 5-year old Angus six week dry-aged thick 500 gram slices of T-bone (R300), and guineafowl pistachio parfait.    Almost all the produce used for the items sold in the Deli was harvested from the farm.   The styling of the Deli section was done by Marc-Anthony Hewson-de Swardt, Group Visual Merchandiser of Weylandts. Continue reading →