On Thursday evening I attended the 2019 Finals of the Patrón Perfectionists tequila cocktail competition at Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen and Cape Brandy Bar in the Waterfront, after a first part of the event had been held at Foliage in Franschhoek earlier in the day. Despite the largest number of female finalists over the past three years of the South African participation in the competition, the 2019 SA finals was won by David van Zyl, mixologist at Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen! Continue reading →
Tag Archives: wine farms
Does CNN’s ‘7 stunning Cape Town vineyards’ list have any credibility when they are not in Cape Town?!
In my book CNN is a credible news agency, but this image has been severely dented by an article entitled ‘7 stunning Cape Town vineyards with food as good as the wine’, written last week by one Griffin Shea. Not one of the seven wine estates featured are in Cape Town!
The article introduction is short and sweet: ‘It’s no secret that in Cape Town, good wine abounds. But wine farms also host some of South Africa’s best restaurants, which pride themselves on serving up meals from ingredients often grown just steps away from the tables. These restaurants have won enough awards to fill walls, but like so many of South Africa’s best places to eat, they’re generally relaxed, unpretentious affairs where the prices won’t break the bank. Many of the menus are deceptively simple, heavy on local ingredients and farm fare, but prepared with passion and care’.
It does not state on which basis the wine estates were selected, but obviously they had to have a ‘great‘ restaurant, Continue reading →
WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 11/12 December
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* Responsibility for SAA will be taken over by Nhlanhla Nene, Minister of Finance and National Treasury, from Minister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown, once it has been documented as a proclamation in the Government Gazette!
* British wine writer Tim Atkin writes that our country’s white blends are the best, the release of the Chenin Blanc-dominant Cartology Alheit 2011 being the motivation for his praise, being a new benchmark for South African whites. Our country has ‘some of the most exciting and best value wines in the New World‘, he wrote.
* A new free App Sideways (likely to have been named after the famous movie set in Napa Valley) has been launched, designed by iKineo, as a guide to the Winelands. ‘Each wine farm’s profile page in Continue reading →
WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 7/8 June
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* Franschhoek Wine Valley has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Barossa Valley, having similar wine tourism goals and characteristics. Both wine regions have excellent wines, top restaurants, and good accommodation. Tourism and wine industry expertise will be shared between the regions, and programs planned include exchanges for chefs, winemakers, sommeliers, and cellar assistants. Experience of festivals, customer service benchmarking, sustainable wine-making, and wine tourism practices will be shared. (received via media release from Smart Communications & Events)
* A hard-hitting video from USA asks ‘How much has really changed on South Africa’s wine farms?‘ since the protests in De Doorns two years ago, critical not only of some farm owners but also of the government.
* The FIFA World Cup, which kicks off next week, will generate $4 billion for the soccer federation, 66% up from the revenue it earned from the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.
* Noble Hill wine estate on the outskirts of Franschhoek has brought the Japanese Hitachino Nest beer range to our country, Continue reading →