Graham Beck flagship MCC Cuvée Clive 2009 has been named best South African sparkling wine at the 2016 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships held in London earlier this week, at an event attended by a hundred top sparkling wine and champagne producers from around the world. Continue reading →
Tag Archives: Louis Roederer
WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 9 June
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* The DA Shadow Minister of Tourism James Vos will lodge a complaint against Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom to the Tourism Portfolio Committee, for not calling a review of the controversial Immigration Regulations, having previously said that he would review them. Last week the Minister said: ‘we need to review the regulations to find the right balance, …, hurting South Africa‘.
* Internationally the accommodation sector is bemoaning the impact of Airbnb, for its ‘illegal’ advantage of lower costs, and operating illegally, short-term rental being prohibited in many American city centres, and the accommodation not complying with insurance, fire, and disability access regulations which apply to the formal Continue reading →
French Champagne from Reciprocal Wines paired with Oyster King at I ♥ my Laundry!
I ♥ my Laundry hosted a tasting of French Champagnes led by Reciprocal Wines’ Tarryn Thomas, with oysters from Oyster King, at its Buitengracht Street branch with a number of bloggers last week.
We first met Tarryn at I ♥ my Laundry a year ago, when she did a fascinating tasting with The Winery of Good Hope wines and the effect of tasting them in Riedel Glassware on the enjoyment in wines compared to drinking the wine from ‘ordinary’ domestic glasses.
Riedel is one of the brands represented by Reciprocal Wines in South Africa, as is Miele temperature controlled wine storage units, but its major focus is imported wines, and 52 Champagnes specifically. Tarryn told us that the company was
created in 1969, importing ‘gems and everyday drinking wines of family-owned businesses‘, which are accessible and not too expensive.
Tarryn poured Champagne Gardet Brut Premier Cru NV, made with 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. This was followed by Champagne Jacquinot Private Cuvée Brut, with 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, which comes from Épernay. The highlight was the Louis Roederer Brut and Brut Rosé. The champagne producer also makes Cristal, but only in excellent years. Continue reading →