INTERNATIONAL travel may be out of bounds for now, but that should not stop us from experiencing the aromas and tastes of Europe this holiday season. Roodeberg, the cherished South African wine with a story in every bottle, has a novel plan to take you on a culinary journey to some of Europe’s most exciting cities one delicious recipe at a time.
First stop is Germany, where traditional…
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Franschhoek experience fit for a queen… (if you know, you know)
AS I drove into Franschhoek along first the R44 then the R45, I was enchanted by how lush and green it looked, courtesy of a wonderfully wet winter and a deliciously damp spring. We're into the downhill stretch of December and this very week I wore long sleeves and put an extra blanket on my bed (which still has the feather duvet instead of the lightweight summer one).
While I'm enjoying the…
Who will be the Stellenbosch Wine Routes Ubuntu Trophy champs?
SOME of South Africa’s best sommeliers will attempt to prize the title of supreme champion from rival Zimbabwe in a live, online broadcast of the Stellenbosch Wine Routes Ubuntu Sommelier Trophy on 13 December from 2pm. The epic clash pits the team Sommeliers Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) against South African Sommeliers Association (SASA) at the renowned Lanzerac Hotel & Spa. Every swirl,…
IN celebration of one of the most recognised South African artists of the 21st century, Mervyn Gers Ceramics will offer a limited range of Battiss-inspired platters and bowls in time for the festive season.
Walter Battiss (1906 - 1982) was regarded as one of South Africa's first and most important abstract painters. Known as the creator of the quirky “Fook Island" concept, Battiss was strongly…
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Brookdale Estate’s festive season offer for local travellers
THE Manor House at Brookdale Estate is celebrating its first festive season with the launch of a special offer for locals seeking a luxurious, winelands escape during the holiday season.
Escape the hustle and bustle, and retreat to the tranquility of the Paarl wine estate at the foothills of the Klein Drakenstein mountains this holiday season. Bed and breakfast rates are offered from R6560 per…
Tokara Sauvignon Blanc enlivens creamy West Coast mussels
TOKARA Reserve Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2021, the latest vintage of this acclaimed cool climate showstopper with its signature saline finish, fits like a glove with creamy West Coast mussels.
“Originating from arguably the finest terroir in the country, the wine showcases an exquisite aromatic diversity.” This is just one of the defining characteristics that stand out for winemaker Stuart…
CAROLINE’S Fine Wine Cellar, Cape Town’s legendary specialist wine shop, has relocated after more than two decades from landmark premises in the CBD to new beginnings in Sea Point. Known internationally as the Cape Town purveyor of fine wines to the cognoscenti, Caroline Rillema has earned her stripes as a true South African wine legend. Her eponymous store in Strand Street has long been the…
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A taste of Terra del Capo’s new summer menu under the trees
A WORD of advice: while the menu says antipasti - which means "any of various typically Italian hors d'oeuvres also : a plate of these served especially as the first course of a meal" - the portions at the restaurant at the Terra del Capo tasting room in Franschhoek are extremely generous.
I did not know this when I ordered four plates from across the menu sections - meat, seafood, vegetarian,…
Kindred Spirits adds to festive cheer with new glitter gin
FROM the team responsible for Sugarbird gin, brandy and rum, and the lockdown-inspired set of Kindred Spirits brands, has come up with another exciting new product just in time for Christmas – Lean on Me Glitter Gin.
Having already bagged two gold medals this year, at the SA Women’s Wine and Spirit Awards and at VitisVinifera, Lean On Me now has a festive season twist, with the addition of…
THE Breede River Valley’s pioneering Weltevrede Wine Estate has taken a major step in its evolution following the extensive re-development of the farm’s visitor experiences. The visitor centre now provides deeper context of the farm’s place in history while highlighting a heritage of winemaking excellence.
The transformation incorporates a luxuriously appointed, double-volume reception hall;…
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Prized new Constantia Glen THREE vintage is a class act
CONSTANTIA GLEN, the acclaimed family owned boutique wine estate, has released the much anticipated 2018 vintage of the elegant THREE Bordeaux-style red blend.
Constantia Glen THREE 2018, a three-way blend of Merlot (55%), Cabernet Franc (26%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (19%), certainly delivers in terms of quality and finesse.
“Juicy, glossy and red-fruited with some spicy oak, a green…
Tuck into juicy plums, peaches and nectarines all summer long
THE season for juicy, delicious plums, peaches and nectarines is here so be sure to get your share of nature’s ultra-versatile summer bounty that packs a nutritious punch.
With the peach and nectarine season already in full swing until March next year, and plums making their appearance on supermarket shelves through to April, you are spoilt for choice with these sumptuous summer gems. Known…
FOR a story about wine, there's a dearth of wine pics here. Plenty of food though, which I've sprinkled throughout the copy. Somehow, during the extended tasting with owner, wine director and cellar master Takuan von Arnim, and the wide ranging conversation about other things too, like music and squirrels, they just didn't happen. And that's just how it is.
We met in the terrace bistro with its…
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Endeavour, The Larkins, Ainsley Harriott on BritBox in December
CRITICALLY acclaimed police drama Endeavour and 1950s-set The Larkins take pride of place in the new and exclusive BritBox December line-up, plus there’s plenty more tasty festive goodies to binge on besides the usual turkey, roasties and Yorkshire pudding.
Shaun Evans returns as a young Endeavour Morse in the eighth season of Endeavour alongside Roger Allam, in the prequel to the long-running…
Stellenbosch Hills unveils rare bottlings of Sense of Place wines
A RARE bottling of wines made only from harvests of exceptional quality has been released. This is only the second time that the Suikerboschrand Cape Blend and Anna Christina Cap Classique – both part of the top-tier Sense of Place range by Stellenbosch Hills - have been made available.
Sense of Place is dedicated to the best individual vineyard components at the winemakers’ disposal and is a…