Tag Archives: Rustenberg

Waterford and Rustenberg top Christian Eedes Top 10 Cabernet Sauvignons!

Christian Eedes Cab Sauvignon Top 10 Report 2014Earlier this week Christian Eedes presented the results of his third annual Christian Eedes Cabernet Sauvignon Report, sponsored by Sanlam Private Investments, at a lunch-time function held at Burrata.  A number of the Top 10 winemakers have collected Top 10 awards in the past three years, reflecting the consistency of the results for South Africa’s second largest varietal.  Eight of the Top 10 Cabernet Sauvignon winners are from Stellenbosch this year.

Eedes explained that sixty Cabernet Sauvignon producers were invited, on the basis of their performance in Platter’s, at Veritas, and other wine awards, to submit their wines for evaluation for his Top 10 Cabernet Sauvignon Report. Roland Peens and James Pietersen, both from Wine Cellar (James was formerly with Belthazar) were his fellow judges, as has been the case in the first two years.   The standard is higher every year, Eedes said, making it more difficult to judge than before.  He thanked Social Media writers for assisting him in spreading the results of his Reports.  Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 26 – 29 December

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The price of petrol will increase by 38 cents a litre on 1 January, taking the new petrol price to R13,20 at the coast, reports the Weekend Argus.

*   According to eTV News (another) new (national) liquor law will force all bars to offer free condoms and free drinking water!   A bartender interviewed said that he did not see it as his job to offer sex education!  In a related article, Hotel & Restaurant writes that other guidelines applicable to accommodation establishments and restaurants that are contained in the draft liquor legislation are that the minimum drinking age may be upped to 21 years; that condoms supplied for free must be tested for efficacy; that pregnant women may not be served alcohol; the street outside the establishments must be kept clean and no loitering outside is allowed!;  women with long fingernails and sharp objects such as nail files and scissors may not be allowed in on-consumption premises!;  and any noise linked to the establishment selling alcohol must remain inside the establishment.

*   Global digital agency Critical Mass has been appointed by SA Tourism to develop a campaign which will attract more UK tourists to South Africa, something that has been in decline in the past three summer seasons!

*   The next Stellenbosch Street Soiree will be held on 15 January, from 18h00 – 20h00, in the lower part of Church Street.  The cost Continue reading →

Christiaan Groenewald of New Cape Wines Diners Club Winemaker of the Year 2013!

Diners Club Christiaan Groenewald Whale Cottage PortfolioLa Residence pulled out all the stops in hosting the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year 2013 Awards last night, seating and serving 150 guests in its massive entrance hall, lounge and dining room, demonstrating why it was recently voted joint Best Hotel in the world by Conde Nast Traveler.  The Awards evening was described as ‘a gathering of wine aristocracy’, and the ‘Oscars of the Wine Awards’! The Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Award is the only award given to an individual, and is even more special in that it is received in the presence of an audience of experts and peers.

Gareth Cliff of 5FM was a good MC, admitting his ignorance as a wine drinker, and doing a brilliant Julius Malema impersonation based on wines (with Ed Morton and Nick Solomon of La Residence in the photograph below).  As the venue was so large, video screens were set up throughout the venue, allowing each table to see  a screen close by.  A Twitter Feed ran on the screen, Cliff being a heavy Tweeter, which will have pleased his hosts at Diners Club Ed, Gareth Cliff Nick Whale Cottage PortfolioLa Residence and Diners Club, with his 571343 Twitter Followers.  Diners Club Winemaker of the Year 2013 Finalist Johan Jordaan from Spier was an informative and fun table neighbour, as was Franschhoek Tatler editor Siegfried Schäfer and  Helgard van Schalkwyk from Lynx Wines.  Johan was an excellent ‘lighting assistant’, in lighting my plates with his phone to photograph the food! Continue reading →

Paul Cluver and Groot Constantia Christian Eedes top Top 10 Chardonnays!

Christian Eedes Top 10 Chardonnay Christian Whale Cottage PortfolioThe third Christian Eedes Chardonnay Report, and its Top 10 wines for 2012  in the category, was released and were announced at Burrata on Thursday.

Welcoming the guests, sponsor Sanlam Private Investments CEO Daniël Kriel said that he values the ‘decent price’ of South African wine and food each time he returns from an overseas trip.   He added that his company is passionate about wine and art investment.  Having researched the topic on Wikipedia, Kriel said that Chardonnay is the most grown grape variety in the world.  He also said that South Africa’s first Chardonnay vines had to be smuggled into the country. He thanked the producers who had offered their wines for evaluation, and for their passion for South African wines.

Wine writer and judge Christian Eedes said that Chardonnay is a Continue reading →