Tag Archives: Iona

CapeWine 2015 talks and tastes wines too!

Cape Wine Logo (LR)CapeWine 2015 is not just about tasting wine, and meeting the passionate wine makers, but it is also educational, with a series of seminars which have been offered in the Amorim Speakers Corner, which have included wine tastings too.

Each of the seminars are only half an hour long, meaning that speaking is concentrated to 15 minutes and the tasting equally long. Each  winemaker represented wines of a number of wine colleagues, and was not just promoting his own wines. Seating was Continue reading →

BLANKBottle wins inaugural Wine Label Design Awards Grand Prix!

WineLabel Banner Whale CottageLast night the inaugural Wine Label Design Awards, sponsored by Rotolabel, were hosted by Winemag.co.za at Beau Constantia, a relatively unknown wine estate very close to Constantia Nek, with a most beautiful view over the Constantia Valley.

We were served a welcome drink of Villiera Tradition Brut MCC, and welcome water, it being a very hot day.  I sat outside, to catch some of the cool breeze, and chatted to Wendy Appelbaum of DeMorgenzon, and Adam Mason of Marvelous.  Attendees were mainly related to award winning wine labels, with some wine writers in attendance too.

John Pace from At Pace Design & Advertising acted as MC, and said that through the Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 17/18 December

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*    The price of petrol could drop by as much as R1.07 per litre on Wednesday 7 January, its largest drop ever, predicts the Automobile Association.  The price of diesel is expected to drop by 85 cents a litre.

*   Well-known UK wine writer and judge Jamie Goode has selected his top 10 South African wines:   Sadie Family Pofadder Cinsault 2012, Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir 2013, Rall White 2012, Iona Chardonnay 2013, Savage Red 2012, Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) Mullineux Semillon Gris 2013, Testalonga El Bandito Skin Contact 2011, De Morgenzon DMZ Reserve Syrah 2012, Beeslar Pinotage 2012, and Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2008.

*   The Western Province Rugby Union is likely to announce today that it is not moving to the Cape Town Stadium, and that Continue reading →

‘Platter’s by Diners Club 2015 South Africa Wine Guide’ launched with a number of changes!

PLATTERS 2015 Guide CoverThe 2015 Platter’s Wine Guide was launched at the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel last night, in a Beaujolais Ferment colour, with a number of changes in terms of its methodology to evaluate the 5 star wines,  as well as in the content of the Wine Guide. Out of 6000 wines submitted for evaluation, a total of 50 wines and one brandy received the highly desired 5 star rating. The Platter’s Winery of the Year is Sadie Family Wines, the second time that Eben Sadie has received this accolade.   DeMorgenzon Reserve Chardonnay 2013 was named the White Wine of the Year, Platter's JP Rossouw Whale Cottageand De Trafford Blueprint Syrah 2012 was named the Red Wine of the Year.

The first Platter’s change is that JP Rossouw has been the new publisher for the past year, looking confident last night, relative to his first more restrained presentation a year ago.  It was nice to see former publisher Andrew McDowell Continue reading →