Tag Archives: Leopard’s Leap

Franschhoek celebrates ‘Magic of Bubbles’ at Cap Classique and Champagne Festival!

Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne FestivalOne of Franschhoek’s most popular annual events is the Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival, which will be held this coming Saturday and Sunday.  Close to 50 top Champagnes and MCCs (Méthode Cap Classique) will be available to taste, as is food supplied by Franschhoek restaurants.

The theme is ‘Black and White‘, with an emphasis on spots and stripes, and bubbly fans will be enjoying ‘The Magic of Bubbles‘ on what is forecast to be a perfect weather weekend. Not only will MCCs from Franschhoek be on show, but top sparkling wines from other regions  and Champagnes will be too.

Veuve Clicquot winemaker Pierre Casenave will be at the brand’s stand between 12h00 – 13h00 on both days. Other Champagne brands available for tasting are Billecart- Salmon, Champagne Guy Charbaut, Claude Beaufort, Follet-Ramillon, Piper Heidsieck, Thierry Lesne, and Tribaut.

The 40 well-known MCC producers pouring their bubblies are Pierre Jourdan, Continue reading →

‘A Void in the Landscape’ Art exhibition pops up at Clos Malverne!

Clos Malverne Gordon Froud Whale Cottage PortfolioA pop-up art gallery, curated by the North-West University Gallery in Potchefstroom, has come to Stellenbosch at Clos Malverne in the Devon Valley, with an inaugural exhibition entitled  ‘A Void in the Landscape’.  The focus of the exhibition is Nature, we were told at the opening by its winemaker Suzanne Coetzee ten days ago.  The indoor and exterior exhibition runs until January.

The art is displayed both two-dimensionally inside the restaurant overlooking the vineyards and beautiful hills and mountains in the background, as well as three-dimensionally in the garden and the vineyards.  The exhibition was curated by Christina Naurattel Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 13 September

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   BA is seeing increased business on its Africa routes and has already announced that it is putting ts A380 onto the Johannesburg route from February 2014.  The airline also is increasing its flights to Ghana, Uganda, Liberia, and Serria Leone,  whilst cutting those to Lusaka.

*   Increasing power and staff costs are major threats to the local wine industry, a study by PricewatershouseCoopers has revealed.

*   The Captain DoRegos take-away franchise is to be expanded into the rest of South Africa, and even into Africa, the Spur Corporation has announced.

*  Hein Koegelenberg has written an informative blogpost about how to protect Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 9 September

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The MyCiTi Bus is to start rolling in the City Bowl, Sea Point, Century City, Duinefontein, and Melkbos on 2 November Brett Herron, the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport,  has announced via Twitter.  The start date for Camps Bay is 30 November, more than a year behind schedule.

*   The petrol attendant strike commences today, originally forecast for last week.

*   SA Breweries has launched an advertising campaign, in the form of a self-produced advertorial, in the Sunday Times Food Weekly, encouraging beer to be paired with food as the beer’s flavour released in the malting process is similar to that in cooked food, it claims in rather technical terminology!   Food and beer pairing tips are provided, with a poor photograph showing an unappetizing looking dish with a small part of a Castle Milk Stout label:  flavours must be compatible, strengths must match, ale can pair with what red wine pairs with and lager with white wine pairings, and the greater the bitterness and the higher alcohol content, the heavier the dish should be.

*   Excellent feedback was received from German wine writer Mario Scheuermann Continue reading →