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Latest news
Franschhoek Bastille day to go Virtual
The 2020 edition of the Franschhoek Bastille Festival is scheduled to take place virtually, due to the national lockdown, making it accessible to a wider audience.
In conversation with JustNje today, 23 June 2020, media representative of the Franschhoek Bastille Festival, Darielle Robertson, stated that the decision to host the event virtually was made to make it accessible to more people. The live event is scheduled to take place between Wednesday, 1 July and Saturday, 10 July 2020. The festival will see experts enjoying bike tours throughout the town to showcase Franschhoek’s popular wines and dishes.
Darielle Robertson stated,
The beauty of taking it online is that we reach a clientele who wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the festival. We get to showcase our entire village and valley and all the establishments within it, as well as the personalities behind it. I think that is something we lack at the usual festivals.”
Patrons will be able to join in on the festivities on social media, where organisers will be adding daily videos and livestreams. Full Interview here
World’s Best Title for Durbanville Hills Sparkling Wine
Beating fierce competition from eight countries around the globe, including France, New Zealand and Italy, the Durbanvillle Hills Blanc de Blancs triumphed over the 45 entries received.
The international panel of judges praised the locally produced MCC as “Pleasantly aromatic, with a good balance of fruit. The bubbles are fine here, which results in a more refined mouthfeel; the body is excellent, and there are complex hazelnut and toasted brioche notes with smooth soily elements.”
Cellar master Martin Moore, says it is an unbelievable honour to be awarded as the World’s Best.
“If one considers the fast number of sparkling wines made across the globe, this award is incredible recognition for the quality that South African wines bring to the world stage. Our Blanc de Blanc is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes and made in the traditional Champagne method of secondary fermentation in the bottle. As a varietal, Chardonnay thrives under the cool climate conditions of the Durbanville area and the variety of slopes and altitudes allows us to craft wines that are firmly rooted in the unique terroir found here.
The interest from consumers to add sparkling wines to our portfolio sparked the creation of the Blanc de Blancs a few years ago and since then we have added two more for their enjoyment. Consumers are now more than ever aware of the exceptional quality that South African sparkling wines can offer them, and this award is simply the cherry on top!”
Blanc de Blancs (meaning “white of whites”) is arguably the most elegant style for sparkling wine. With its beautiful finesse and crisp acidity, it makes for a lovely aperitif and is a joy when paired with food.The grapes for the Durbanville Hills Blanc de Blancs were hand selected from a single block situated 250 metres above sea level on the hill opposite the winery. The coolness of the southern slope ensured a firm acidity and the selection was based on the immaculate uniformity of the berries. In the cellar secondary fermentation took place in the cool, controlled climate of the maturation cellar, and the wine was matured for a further 36 months on the lees, with the sediment then removed by the traditional method of remuage and disgorgement.
Our three amazing shows this week…
ABOUT THE WINELANDS welcomes Paul de Villiers, owner of Landskroon Wine Estate, Paarl in South Africa. Landskroon is situated along the southwestern slopes of Paarl Mountain, just 40 minutes from Cape Town and right in the heart of the Cape Winelands.
LANDSKROON, which is more than 300 hectares, is privately owned and managed by the families of brothers Paul and Hugo de Villiers who are carrying on the family winemaking tradition. READ MORE HERE
LANDSKROON, Impeccable with an Authentic touch of class
ABOUT THE WINELANDS welcomes Nora Sperling-Thiel, who is the eldest daughter of Patriarch and South African wine industry legend, the late Michael Hans “Spatz” Sperling. Delheim is a family owned wine estate, WWF-SA Conservation Champion, acknowledged as an industry leader committed to conservation, responsible production practices and integrated environmental management systems.
DELHEIM is owned by the Sperling family, an estate high on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain, 50 km from Cape Town. Eldest son Victor Sperling and eldest daughter Nora Sperling-Thiel serve as Directors of the company and live on the farm with their families. They nurture a strong culture of sustainable development on the farm and within the community. READ MORE HERE
DELHEIM, Worth the Journey
ABOUT THE WINELANDS welcomes Cathy Brewer, who heads up the Sales and Marketing of Villiera Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. Cathy is also a member of the Grier family who own the Wine Estate. Villiera specialise in Cap Classique and have a strong reputation for Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. They commit themselves to ongoing education and upliftment of Villiera staff and are WIETA accredited.
VILLIERA – It all began when cousins Jeff and Simon Grier started Villiera Wines and started on an extensive re-planting of classic and local varietals in 1983. Cathy Brewer (née Grier) later joined the family team to head up the sales, marketing and export divisions. They introduced hi-tech cellar facilities for the production of still wines as well as Méthode Cap Classique. With their unique wine business philosophy, the Grier family has developed Villiera into one of the largest private wineries in South Africa, situated 40km from Cape Town, 20 km from Paarl and 10 km from Stellenbosch. READ MORE HERE
VILLIERA, unlocking the marvels of nature
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Discovered by our Winelands Spy…
South African wines served on the beach in Belgium!
At The Catch of Oostende in Belgium they serve wines from our friends at the FishWives Club.
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To next week, enjoy and… Cheers!
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