Thursday, November 05, 2020
A visit to Eden on the Bay
Lunch at The Indian Oven, Hout Bay
Friday, October 30, 2020
This Week's MENU. Bouchon supper, Highlands Road, SA Gin, DC Winemaker of the Year, Winex 2020
A few more stories this week than we have had to tell for a while. In the time in which we have produced MENU, we have avoided regurgitating the many press releases we receive. This week, we are briefly breaking this practice. Covid prevents the organisations whose functions we attend from holding live functions, and most are presenting online. This week, we have received news of three important events which we feel we need to tell you about, so we have reproduced the press releases we have received. One of them gives you an opportunity to participate…
Restaurant Month tapas supper at Bouchon
Friends told us about the Restaurant Week special at Bouchon in Hout Street so we made a reservation for 7pm last Friday. It's a Tapas/wine bar place, very friendly and it has a wine cellar because Dorrance wines are made there. The special is three Tapas and a dessert for R250 pp. And we had such a great meal; we do recommend that you book and try the special before the end of the month. The prices seem very reasonable if you have to go after that; you can see their menu on line. Read on…
Highlands Road wine estate in Elgin has come up with an interesting new way to market their wine in the time of Covid. For R100 you can buy this box of 100ml samples of 8 of their wines. On line or on the farm. Read on…
The
South African Craft Gin Awards 2020
The results of the South African Craft Gin Awards 2020,
presented by Takealot, have been announced. Schweppes premium mixers is the
associate sponsor for this year’s competition. Double Gold medals were awarded
to 21 gins from an entry of 125 gins from all over South Africa. The awards competition
is the only dedicated competition for craft gins in South Africa
The gins were tasted blind by a judging panel which included Kurt Schlechter, bar owner and spirit expert; Jean Buckham, owner of the Gin Club; Thierry Lubala, mixologist at Africa’s largest gin Bar in Asara Estate and Pam Koen, owner of Africa Infused, a beverage consulting and training company. Roger Jorgensen, ‘The Guru of South African Gin’, chaired the judging panel. Read on…
Finalists
Announced for the 2020 Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year
Awards
The finalists for the 40th Diners Club Winemaker and 20th Young Winemaker of the Year awards have been announced. Five winemakers have been shortlisted to compete for the prestigious Winemaker of the Year award, while five will vie for the Young Winemaker of the Year title. The 2020 Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year finalists are…. Read on…
RMB
Winex 2020. A 21st birthday celebration with a difference – Wine In Your Own
Time
RMB WineX 2020 was always going to be different. COVID-19
has made it impossible for us all to gather under one roof this year. However,
simply because you cannot come to WineX, doesn’t mean that WineX cannot come to
you – in your own home, with your own hand-picked group of friends and family
The South African Craft Gin Awards 2020
Double
Gold medals were awarded to 21 gins out of an entry of 125 gins from all over
South Africa
The
awards competition is the only dedicated competition for craft gins in South Africa
The
gins were tasted blind by a judging panel which included Kurt Schlechter, bar
owner and spirit expert; Jean Buckham, owner of the Gin Club; Thierry Lubala,
mixologist at Africa’s largest gin Bar in Asara Estate; and Pam Koen, owner of
Africa Infused, a beverage consulting and training company
Roger Jorgensen, ‘The Guru of South African Gin’, chaired the judging panel. Roger commented, "I am delighted that, despite the pandemic, the SA Craft Gin industry is in rude health. We were impressed with the level of entries this year, especially from new gin brands. The judging panel concentrated on rewarding gins that delivered on taste and quality. We look forward to witnessing the continuing boom in craft gins in South Africa, as they can clearly hold their own against international competitors.”
A
spokesperson for Takealot commented, “We’re delighted to be associated with the
SA Craft Gin Awards as presenting sponsor and are happy to support the growing
South African gin and craft distilling industry. We have witnessed its growth
over the past few years and congratulate all the winners and wish them
continued success in the future.”
The winning gins are for sale on Takealot
- 48 Gin Premium
- African Craft Naartjie
- Amari Atlantic Ocean
- Blomendahl Roxy Botanical Gin
- Blomendahl Roxy Vine Blossom
- Bossieveld The Inspiration
- Caspyn West Coast Dry Gin
- Darlington Gin
- Deep South Spice Island
- Giniper
- Melodramatic The Phantom
- NUY legacy limited edition
- Pienaar Ugly Gin
- Poetic Licence Fireside Spiced
- Poetic Licence Northern Dry
- Poetic Licence Old Tom
- Rebel Dry Gin
- Smiths Spice
- Smiths Elderflower
- Smiths South African Dry
- Sugarbird Cape Fynbos
- 48 Gin Ivory
- 48 Premium Pink
- African Craft Elderflower
- African Craft Honeybush
- Amari Indian Ocean Gin
- Benedict’s London Dry
- Blackwood Spirits Cape Kelp
- Blind Tiger
- Blomendahl Roxy Spice
- Cape Fynbos Citrus
- Cape Fynbos Gin
- Clemengold Gin
- Copeland Gin Cape Peninsula
- Deep South Cape Dry Gin
- Die Mas Kalahari Gin
- Distillery Road Gin
- Flowstone Bushwillow
- Hobbs Cape Dry
- Hobbs Pink Pepper
- Indlovu
- Inverroche Verdant
- L -Gin Plush
- L-Gin Lush
- Monks Fynbos & Sceletium
- No Frills Gin
- Pesky Hobbit
- Primos Crisp Citron
- Unit 43
- Vuttomi Classic Gin
- Vuttomi Moringa
- London and African Dry: Smiths South African Dry
- Fynbos and Botanical: Giniper
- Citrus and Fruit: Pienaar Ugly Gin
- Spiced Gin: Poetic Licence Fireside Spiced
All the above information was kindly supplied by Spill brand communications
Highlands Road Taste Tubes
Restaurant Month tapas supper at Bouchon
Finalists Announced for the 2020 Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year Awards
Front left to right: Johan Malan (Simonsig) and Jasper Raats (Longridge)
Friday, October 23, 2020
This Week’s MENU. De Kelders weekend, Keermont tasting
As the sun sets over Walker Bay, it paints a yellow brick road in the water
Slowly, slowly, things appear to be returning to what we previously regarded as normal. We have spent a weekend away from home for the first time since Lock down started and we have enjoyed an actual, live wine tasting with real people. But we must still be careful; it appears that too many people, here and in other countries are beginning to behave as though the danger is passed and infection numbers are starting to climb again. Please be careful; we are lucky to enjoy minimal restrictions and we don’t want the world to close in around us again. Here are our stories for this week; we hop that you’ll like them
An invitation from friends to spend a long weekend at De Kelders could not be refused. We hadn't been away from our house since February and a change of scene is so beneficial. We recommend it if you are feeling housebound. The weather when we arrived on Friday was perfect. Read on…
Tasting Keermont Single Vineyard Series wines
Something from the past happened this week, another reminder of normality; we were invited to a tasting of Keermont wines at their Cape Town venue in upper Kloof Street. The farm is nestled high up in a naturally-formed amphitheatre between the Helderberg and Stellenbosch mountain ranges, with spectacular views. Definitely worth a visit. During lock down they have concentrated on their export business and are now back in the South African trade, working hard and succeeding. Read on…