Tag Archives: Villiera

BLANKBottle wins inaugural Wine Label Design Awards Grand Prix!

WineLabel Banner Whale CottageLast night the inaugural Wine Label Design Awards, sponsored by Rotolabel, were hosted by Winemag.co.za at Beau Constantia, a relatively unknown wine estate very close to Constantia Nek, with a most beautiful view over the Constantia Valley.

We were served a welcome drink of Villiera Tradition Brut MCC, and welcome water, it being a very hot day.  I sat outside, to catch some of the cool breeze, and chatted to Wendy Appelbaum of DeMorgenzon, and Adam Mason of Marvelous.  Attendees were mainly related to award winning wine labels, with some wine writers in attendance too.

John Pace from At Pace Design & Advertising acted as MC, and said that through the Continue reading →

Stellenbosch squeezes most out of its 2015 Wine Festival, poor website!

Stellenbosch Wine FestivalBilled as a three-day event but stretching over a week, the Stellenbosch Wine Festival presented by Pick ‘n Pay draws to a close today, with a feast of events offered.  It is the largest wine festival in the country, and the oldest.  The media blurb proudly brags that the Stellenbosch Wine Festival presents the best of Stellenbosch’s ‘great wine, gourmet food, breathtakingly beautiful nature, and performances by some of South Africa’s most popular musicians‘.

Held at the Coetzenburg Sports Grounds since Friday, 200 wines of 148 wine estates that make up the Stellenbosch Wine Routes are available to taste, creating a ‘virtual wine route‘.  The Pick ‘n Pay Wine Shop will sell Stellenbosch wines to drink at the Festival, to take home, or to ship back to one’s home destination.   Winemakers from Waterford Estate, Spier, Kleine Continue reading →

Franschhoek ‘Magic of Bubbles’ Cap Classique & Champagne Festival to sparkle this weekend!

MCC Champagne FestivalOne of Franschhoek’s most popular festivals take place this weekend , on Saturday and Sunday 29 and 30 November, ending off a year of festivals which Franschhoek is so good at organising.  The MasterCard Franschhoek ‘Magic of Bubbles’ Cap Classique Champagne Festival is a mouthful of a title, but the 22 Méthode Cap Classiques (MCCs) and champagnes make the pilgrimage to Franschhoek worth while.

Taking place in a marquee close to the Huguenot Monument, top South African MCCs and imported champagnes are available to taste.  Bubbly brands available to taste are Pierre Jourdan, Morena, Môreson, La Motte, Boschendal, Leopard’s Leap, Noble Hill, Plaisir de Merle, Anthonij Rupert Wines, JC le Roux, Krone, Pongracz, Steenberg, Continue reading →

Haarlem & Hope: The new Company’s Garden Restaurant in Cape Town!

Haarlem & Hope opening 24 NovemberOn Friday afternoon Haarlem & Hope was officially opened in the Company’s Garden, now operated by the Madame Zingara Group, having won the tender from the City of Cape Town.  The restaurant opens to the public tomorrow.

Owner Richard Griffin is an excellent showmaster, which we have seen in his quirky restaurants such as the Bombay Bicycle Club, and his Madame Zingara shows are a must-see in acrobatics, entertainment, Haarlem & Hope Richard Griffen Whale Cottageand food served with precision for hundreds (perhaps Eat Out can contract him to handle the catering for the Eat Out Restaurant Awards in 2015)!

The name comes from  the Dutch ship Nieuwe Haarlem, which was shipwrecked at the Cape in 1647.  Crew members stayed at the Cape for a year before being picked up by another passing Dutch ship, and in that time the crew planted vegetables, which they bartered for fresh meat from the Khoi living here already. Jan van Riebeek arrived five years later, expanding the vegetable gardening to create the Company’s Garden.

The first thing one notices on arrival is the weaver bird nest-like hanging baskets at the right of the entrance, made Continue reading →