Tag Archives: sauvignon blanc

Influential UK wine writer Jancis Robinson praises SA white wines, deserve more international attention!

Jancis Robinson Delaire GraffUK wine judge and writer Jancis Robinson spent most of this past week in the Cape Winelands, after a seven-year absence.  She spoke kindly about our industry, and offered insights into the UK and USA markets.  She wrote from Delaire Graff, where she had attended a Chenin Blanc tasting and stayed over: ‘South African wine is in full ferment. It deserves far more international attention than it is currently getting‘!

Unable to attend two public meetings addressed by Ms Robinson, I have looked for information aboutJancis Robinson her talks, admired by some, and slated by a few.

A detailed summary about Ms Robinson’s (with her husband Nick Lander) talk at #RootstockSA, held at Alleé Bleue, was written by Judy Bouwer of wine.co.za.   Key points she summarised were:

*   SA wine estates should target UK restaurants, which have far more reasonable mark-ups.  Young British people spend their money on food and wine, not being able to afford to buy Continue reading →

La Motte Pierneef Collection Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah Viognier a work of art!

La Motte Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc Whale CottageLa Motte has changed the packaging of its Pierneef Collection range, bringing the J.H. Pierneef lino cut prints to the front label, having originally been launched with prints of the valuable artworks on the back label.

The late artist Pierneef, said by many to be our country’s best artist ever, has made an important impact on La Motte, his lino cut prints collection having been used by the wine estate for a number of years.  In negotiating the right to use the prints, of which Hannelie Rupert-Koegelenberg had received a set of 128 prints as a gift from her father Dr Anton Rupert, she and her husband Hein Koegelenberg got to know Pierneef’s daughter Marita Bailey, who lives in the UK.  Mrs Bailey approached the Koegelenbergs to buy the private family collection of Pierneefs, which they agreed to, and they built a special gallery and museum to house the works of art.  It did not stop there.  As La Motte was building a restaurant (and a new Tasting Room as well as Farm Shop) at that time, it was decided to name the restaurant Pierneef à La Motte, wishing to associate the success of the artist and his pursuit of excellence with that which they planned for the Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 7/8 October

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   SAB Miller is looking to open up the image of beer from just being a sportlovers’ drink to one that is enjoyed by women, and can be served paired with foods.  They are looking to coffee marketing, which has seen a ‘one-dimensional drink‘ transformed into a multi-faceted beverage. The company owns world beer brands such as Peroni, Grolsch, Coors Light, and Miller.

*   Concern is being expressed about the viability of eleven new hotels which are planned to be built in Cape Town in the next four years, adding another 2000 rooms of 3-star quality in the main.  Seven of the hotels are planned to be built within a 10 km radius of the Cape Town International Convention Centre.  Cape Town has about 11700 hotel rooms currently.  The new hotel openings could further worsen winter seasonality in the city!

*   Chef Michael Broughton from Terroir on the Kleine Zalze wine estate is celebrating the restaurant’s 10th anniversary with the Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 15 September

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The introduction of low prices by domestic airlines when FlySafair takes off next month will not be permanent, its competitor Mango has stated.   Prices of all airlines may be lower for the first few weeks, but these are not sustainable in the long run, the competitor spokespersons have said.

*   ‘At the present moment, the clock has not stopped’, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba told a media conference on Friday, meaning that the new Immigration Regulations will be implemented on 1 October.  There is no timeframe for the completion of the work of the task team, which will be appointed to evaluate how the regulations can be better implemented.  The Minister confirmed on Friday that the Regulations themselves will not change.

*   When asked about the sudden resignation of Jan Hutton, Chief Marketing Officer at SA Tourism, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said there ‘are many sides of a story’, and said that he did not want to interfere with the SA Tourism’s Board handling of Continue reading →