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Monday, November 05, 2012

voted by the public for wine farms offering the best tourism product

were presented on the rooftop terrace of a firm in De Waterkant

Tina Jewell (Bread & Wine), Heidi Cilliers and Kathy Brewer (Villiera)

Lynne with Jan Loubscher and Anel Grobler (Spit or Swallow)

Ian du Toit (EDT PR), Kathy Brewer and Righard Theron (De Grendel)

Fun on the rooftop at DHK Architects

Angelo and Tina Casu (Grand Dedale, Wellington)

Derick Henstra made the opening speech

Mike Bampfield Duggan (Wine Concepts) and Mike Ratcliffe (Warwick Wines)

Monika Elias, Klink Awards originator, tells the story

with a phone, everyone can be a photographer

Errieda du Toit tweets on her iPad

Danie Nel, official photographer

Monika speaks about the Klink Awards

to an audience filled with anticipation

A little bubbly to calm the nerves

Mike Ratcliffe announcing the names of the winners

And the winners are:

Beyond Expectations - Award for Great Food and Excellent Value

Situated between the Klink awards for bistro-style country cuisine and fine dining, this award is for a Winelands restaurant in the mid-price category that serves seriously good food at very fair prices, attracting foodies by raising the bar and presenting local garden and winelands produce with passion and contemporary culinary style.

Winner: Haute Cabrière

34.38% received

Comfort Zone - Award for Best Bistro or Café on a Wine Farm

This award goes to the best bistro or café in the Cape Winelands at a venue that combines quality, cuisine, setting and service without all the frills of silver service. We were looking for venues that source local, artisanal farm produce and showcase good food and wine in an informal, relaxed style as well as offer value-for-money on own wines and wines served by the glass.

Winner: Harvest at Laborie

26.24% received

Connoisseur - Award for Best Cellar Tasting Experience

This award goes to the cellar which offers the best vintage wine tasting experience. Criteria include the welcome and wine knowledge of staff, the use of the correct wine glasses, the condition of wine samples, the range of vintage wine releases available, the availability of vertical flights of flagship wines , the range of unique wines available at cellar-door only.

Winner: Fairview Master Tasting

34.12% received

Country Comfort - Award for Boutique Accommodation on a Wine Estate

The winner of this category offers boutique accommodation on a wine farm that promises something extraordinary in a vineyard setting, whether that be in a Cape Dutch manor house or a luxury guesthouse. The winning venue will capture the romance of a wine farm getaway and offer world-class accommodation.

Winner: Doolhof Grand Dédale

37.72% received

Crowd Pleaser - Award for Best Wine Route Event

This award goes to the most popular wine route event on the annual Winelands calendar - an event that draws repeat visitors year after year, helps to build a regional wine brand and market a specific wine route destination.

Winner: Durbanville Wine Valley’s Seasons of Sauvignon

31.07% received

Delicious Deli - Award for Best Deli on a Wine Farm

These days, cellar-door delis sell all manner of goodies: estate olives and olive oils, artisanal breads, cheeses and charcuterie, boutique chocolates and nougat, organic vegetables, farm honey, jams, pickles and picnic baskets. This award recognises the top cellar-door deli, one that tempts wine tourists with an authentic range of traditional and contemporary Winelands produce grown on the farm or sourced locally from artisanal producers.

Winner: Fairview Deli

31.16% received

Family Day Out - Award for Best Child-Friendly Venue on a Wine Farm

This award goes to a wine farm where you can take the whole family and the kids are taken care of in a safe environment. There must be something for everyone here. The adults can relax and enjoy their wine experience - while a kids' menu, special kids' activities or a kids’ playground for all ages keeps everyone happy on a day out in the Winelands.

Winner: Blaauwklippen

50.6% received

Gourmet - Award for Best Gourmet Restaurant at the Cellar Door

This award goes to the best of the best cellar-door restaurants in the Cape Winelands - those gastronomic destinations with signature chefs who create cuisine on the cutting edge to attract domestic and foreign wine tourists. We were looking for restaurants which pay great attention to detail in terms of an overall cellar-door experience, have a great location, first-class service, a focus on artisanal and local Winelands produce, seasonal menus, tasting menus which expertly pair food and wine, a sommelier service and a wine list which showcases older vintages, own wines and/or regional wines at the cellar door.

Winner: Pierneef à La Motte

28.25% received

Happy Times - Award for Most Memorable Wine Route.

This award goes to the most popular wine route selected by wine tourists who cherish memories of their experience of a particular wine region because of its ambience, accessibility, scenic beauty, soul, sense of community, family tradition and heritage, warmth, friendliness, culinary offerings, etc. These criteria all go into the memory mix.

Winner: Franschhoek Wine Valley

30.29% received

Percale - Award for Best Accommodation on a Wine Farm

This award goes to the best of the best, exclusive luxury hotel accommodation on a wine farm or Wine Route. Criteria include the highest standards in terms of location (landscape/scenery), style, reception welcome, quality and comfort of en-suite rooms, facilities, personalised service, and add-on attractions such as a restaurant, room service and mod-cons such as wifi and satellite television.

Winner: Majeka House

41.74% received

Tread Gently - Award for Most Green Wine Farm

The wine farm that sets the standard for green, planet-friendly farming practices in terms of sustainable viticulture and wine production, biodiversity and conservation initiatives, as well as organic or biodynamic viticulture is celebrated with this award.

Winner: Villiera

37% received

Warm Family Welcome - Award for Best Cellar Door Experience

This award acknowledges a family wine farm that offers the warmest country welcome. One that retains the authenticity of its Cape heritage while investing in a cellar-door experience and goes out of its way to make a visit to the cellar door a special experience - making wine tourists feel they are sharing in the special family heritage of the farm and the Winelands

Winner: Delheim

42.79% received

Wild Card - Award for Most Unusual Attraction on a Wine Route

Celebrating the most unusual and memorable attraction on a wine farm, this award is for a destination that offers a unique selling point attracting wine tourists to the cellar- door - from wine and river cruises to vintage motorcar and heritage museums.

Winner: MUSEUM VAN DE CAAB at Solms-Delta

37.27% received

Award for Best Food and Wine Pairing on a Wine Farm

These days cellar doors tempt wine tourists with special food and wine pairings at the cellar tasting centre - from biltong, nuts, dried fruits and wine to cheese, chocolate, and nougat and gourmet canapé tasting platters. We went looking for the best Winelands experiences in the art of food and wine pairing over the tasting counter. Note: This category excludes formal restaurant pairing menus.

Winner: Creation canapé platter pairing

34.84% received