Muiskraal | WhaleTales Blog by Chris von Ulmenstein

Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

* Mosaic Team South Africa participating in the World Blind Challenge on 18 October in Champagne against 22 other teams will consist of the winners of the South African Wine Tasting Championship 2014: wine writer Samarie Smith, Chris Groenewald, Lizé Oosthuizen, Ralph Reynolds, and Gavin Whittaker. (received via e-mail from Jean Vincent Ridon)

* Nominations for the 34th Diners Club Winemaker of the Year (dry white blends) and 14th Young Winemaker of the Year (30 years or younger, producers of red blend) are now open, the winners receiving a flight to the USA for two as well as prize monies of R50000 and R25000, respectively. The winners will be announced in November. (received via media release from African Sky Media)

* Guinness is targeting its (black) beer at Africa, via a multimedia campaign using artists and performers from Africa, which positions the brand as #madeofblack.

* The 17 gold medal winners of the SA Olive Awards have been announced in three categories: in the Delicate Continue reading →

South Africa’s olive oil is top quality, and the Cape winelands are proving to not only be good for red and white wine production, but they deliver the finest olive oils as well.

In the annual competition organised by S A Olive, Annalene du Toit of Kloovenburg estate in the Riebeeck Valley won the 2009 ABSA Olive Achiever of the Year Award, for her “passion and contribution to the growth of the industry”, says a report in Bolander. She also recently won the Sanlam/Landbouweekblad Woman Entrepreneur in Agriculture for 2008/9. She offers 40 different olive-based products, including a cosmetics range which is exported.

In the commercial olive oil class, the top achievers winning gold medals were Kloovenburg, Olyfberg, Morgenster and Rio Largo. In the boutique class, Diepsak Farm, The Greenleaf Olive Co., The Olive Lady, Muiskraal, Olyven Houdt, and Waterfall River won gold awards. All entries for the annual awards were tasted blind.

For a full list of gold, silver and bronze winners in the Commercial and Boutique classes click here

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com