Tag Archives: Winters Drift

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 20 April

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The number of visitors to World Travel Market (WTM) Africa 2015 increased by 18% relative to 2014, making it Africa’s largest Business to Business tourism trade exhibition, the organisers claim.  No actual attendance figures have been revealed. With sponsor City of Cape Town, which should have not accepted its Best Stand Award due to its sponsor status, the organisers have announced that WTM Africa 2016 will be hosted from 6 – 8 April. (received via e-mail from WTM Africa)

*   SAA has denied that it is selling any parts of the airline, as has been claimed in media reports, stated its Acting CEO Nico Bezuidenhout. Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food & Wine news headlines: 3/4 June

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   British Airways is offering Winter’s Drift Shiraz 2011 in Business Class on its South African routes in June and July.  The wine spent 11 months in French oak.  Grapes came from Glen Elgin, and the wine was made by Kobie Viljoen at the Gabriëlskloof Cellar.  The 2011 vintage is sold out, but the 2012 is freely available. (received via media release from Hazell Public Relations and Wine Consultants)

*   Intoxication of passengers is the biggest cause of unruly behaviour on board airlines, and 8000 incidents were recorded in 2013.  The International Air Transportation Association (IATA) wants airport ground staff and bar staff to help prevent excessive drinking by passengers before flights, it being the right of crew and other passengers to travel without disturbance.

*  An economist has disputed that South Africa is heading for a recession, the macro economy doing better than the GDP data suggests.  A growth rate of 4% is estimated for the next two years, coming from Tourism, a revision of labour legislation, and electricity supply improving.  Strikes and salary demands are contrary to foreign investments.

*   South Africa has no cruise liners, and this is a disadvantage for the local economy, says the South African Maritime Continue reading →

‘Elegantly Elgin’ Wine Route launched!

This weekend the sixteen Elgin Valley wine producers have launched a new Wine Route, which they have called ‘Elegantly Elgin’, to market the ‘superior and complex structured wines synonymous with this district’, says its media release.

Almenkerk, Arumdale, Elgin Ridge, Elgin Vintners, Hannay & Catherine Marshall Wines, Highlands Road Wines, Iona Vineyards, Lothian Wines, Mofam Wines, Oak Valley Wines, Oude Molen Brandy Distillery, Paul Cluver Wines, Shannon Vineyards, Spioenkop Wine, South Hill Wines, and Winters Drift make up the ‘Elegantly Elgin’ Wine Route.  The vines in the Elgin area ‘benefit from diverse soils and cool maritime breezes which ensure perfect conditions for slow ripening. This allows the grapes to develop their intense flavours, great natural acidity, complexity and strong core of elegance’. The wines of this region are fruity, and Sauvignon Blanc, Rhine Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz wines perform well in Elgin.

To attract visitors to the new wine route, ‘Elegantly Elgin’ has arranged ‘Open Wine Weekends’, held on the first weekend of every month, from 10h00 – 17h00, starting this weekend with the theme ‘Celebration of Cool Climate Wines’. All sixteen wine estates will open their doors on these weekends, in addition to their normal operating hours, focusing on the designated theme for the open weekend.  Further themes which have been planned are the following:

3-4 and 10-11 November: A Sauvignon Blanc Celebration

1-2 December:  A Chardonnay Celebration

5-6 January:   Elegantly Elgin Whites

‘Elegantly Elgin Wine Route’.  www.elginwine.co.za Twitter: @ElegantlyElgin

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage

Hermanus Wine & Food Fair celebrates food and wine from Elgin to Elim!

The Hermanus Wine & Food Fair is more low key than similar ones in Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, and Riebeeck Kasteel.  This year the Fair is expanding its reach by putting close to 50 wine producers’ more than 250 wines, from Elgin to Elim and including Hermanus and Stanford, on show over the Women’s Day long weekend, from tomorrow until Sunday, in the Hemel-en-Aarde Village at the entrance to Hermanus.  The proceeds of the Fair will go to the nearby Camphill School for children with special needs.

This is the 15th year that the Fair will be staged.  The wines on show represent a wine region which has more 4 and 5 star Platter-rated wines than any other in South Africa, says the Fair write-up in Bay.

For the first time an interactive website www.thevine.co.za will allow winelovers attending the show to rate and review the wines they have tasted, and so build up a history of their wine tasting experiences, and share these with other wine lovers.  The producers who will present their wines, many of them on the Hermanus Wine Route, are the following: Arumdale, Almenkerk, Ataraxia, Barton, Beaumont Wines, Belfield Wines, Black Oystercatcher, Boschrivier, Bouchard Finlayson, Brunia, Creation, Domaine des Dieux, Feiteiras Wines, Ghost Corner, Henry, Hamilton Russell, Hermanuspietersfontein, Hornbill, Iona, Jakob’s Vineyards, Jean Daneel, La Vierge, Lomond, Newton Johnson, Raka, 7Springs, Southern Right Wines, Spioenkop Wines, Spookfontein, Strandveld & First Sighting, Stanford Hills – Jackson’s, Southhill, Sumaridge, The Berrio, Vaalvlei, Whalehaven, Walker Bay Vineyards, William Everson, Winters Drift, and Zandfontein.  Paul du Toit, owner of Wine Village, is the co-ordinator of the Hermanus Wine & Food Fair.

The food at the Hermanus Wine & Food Fair will be provided by the restaurants in the Hemel-en-Aarde Village centre, including The Class Room, B’s Steakhouse, and Season.  EAT will run a Peroni Beer and wine bar.  In addition, cheeses, olive products, charcuterie, buchu teas, bee products, herb liqueurs, nuts, sundried tomatoes, pomegranate products, pesto pastes, artisanal chocolates, and breads will be available for tasting and to purchase.

Hermanus Wine & Food Fair, Hemel-en-Aarde Village, Hermanus. 9 – 11 August, 11h00 – 19h00. R 95 per day, or R200 for 3-day pass. Free parking.  www.hermanuswineandfood.co.za. Book via Computicket.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage