Wine customers of TOPS at SPAR now have a panel of six wine experts to guide them in buying wines at the liquor outlets linked to SPAR supermarkets, as full page advertisements in major newspapers informed on 22 August. The ‘Wine Fundis’ also assist TOPS at SPAR in offering a more customer orientated wine range at its more than 500 outlets.
The Wine Fundi project was the brainchild of Tinus van Niekerk, a wine consultant, in conjunction with Mark Robinson, SPAR Liquor Executive. ‘Regardless of where wine is sold, making a reliable choice amongst the plethora of labels is often a daunting task that can very easily result in “wrong” or “unwise” buying. Therefore, objective wine recommendations will surely always be generally valuable to all consumers wherever wine selections are done and wine purchases are made‘, Mr van Niekerk explained.
The panel of Wine Fundis is the following, and their credentials are detailed in the advertisement. Mr van Niekerk emphasised the panelists’ impartiality, passion for wines, and credentials:
* Neil Pendock, described as ‘international wine blogger, wine judge, commentator & author of several books‘, and now minute gallery owner!
* Samarie Smith, ‘wine judge, food writer and critic. Seasoned travel journalist’.
* Tinus van Niekerk, ‘International wine consultant, wine maker, wine writer & wine judge’
* Melvyn Minnaar, ‘Wine, food and art critic, writes for several local and international publications’
* Ntsiki Biyela, ‘S.A.’s first black female winemaker, Woman Winemaker of Continue reading →
I did a quick visit to Hermanus yesterday, and at a stop at Rivendell Restaurant, between Bot River and Hermanus, I was told that Chef Thomas Sinn was coming back from his overseas holiday especially to participate in a super-sounding feast, for which he is one of eight chefs cooking on Monday evening. The staff brought a copy of the programme, and I could not believe what the organisers have planned for the 11-day Festival, ‘A Celebration of South African Arts’ its 80-page Festival brochure proudly proclaims!