IN A country blessed with a surfeit of great tourism sites, the Cape winelands arguably rank as one of the more ornate jewels in the crown of the country’s tourism attractions.
With so many must-see attractions, a visitor is naturally intimidated by the thought of the palate running the gauntlet of the numerous wine routes.
Not to mention the poor liver, which has to contend with constant dunking in the vinous pool or the gluttony of gourmet restaurants spread across the winelands.
Among the Cape’s jewels is the Spier Hotel and Conference Centre in Stellenbosch, which boasts a wine estate, several restaurants – including the renowned Moyo – craft shops and a picnic spot on its grounds.
Last weekend, the estate played host to the annual Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) auction of rare wines, attracting both local and overseas wine collectors. CWG is an association of the cream of the country’s winemakers who are driven by the aim to produce worldclass wines.
Thus, it was hardly surprising that 130 wine collectors spent nearly R3,8 million in five hours of hectic bidding for the CWG gems.
Among the bidders were local and overseas restaurateurs. The ebullient Alan Pick, owner of the Butcher and Grill Restaurant in Sandton, is one of the big spenders at the annual event and this year was no exception.
Pick especially put a smile on Spier cellarmaster Frans Smit’s face when buying the majority of the sumptuous Spier CWG Merlot 2008, which sold out completely at the auction.
The highest price was for six (750ml) bottles of Bouchard Finlayson Unfiltered Pinot Noir 2007 at R5 100 while Jordan Chardonnay Auction Reserve fetched the highest price for a white wine at R1 900 for a case of six bottles.
Summer is reputedly cocktail season for the incurable romantics or diehard lovers of the pink, green, red and yellow sundowners.
Whether it is a vodka or cream-based liqueur or any other concoction that catches one’s fancy, cocktails can trunk up a snoozy party or turn a yawning moment of solitude on the patio into inspirational introspection.
This weekend try a few cocktails to breeze into the spirit of summer.
Try Wild Africa Cream, a caramel cream liqueur, with warm coffee, brandy, milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon to the liqueur to create a cocktail that appeals to your fancy. With the liqueur, I really enjoyed African au lait, whose ingredients were:
Wild Africa Cream
(500ml); KWV 10-year-old Brandy (250ml); strong warm coffee (40ml) and warm milk (40ml). All these ingredients were mixed and served in a warm glass and garnished with a sprinkle with cinnamon. Ooh la la!
Crème de la crème
IN A country blessed with a surfeit of great tourism sites, the Cape winelands arguably rank as one of the more ornate jewels in the crown of the country’s tourism attractions.
With so many must-see attractions, a visitor is naturally intimidated by the thought of the palate running the gauntlet of the numerous wine routes.
Not to mention the poor liver, which has to contend with constant dunking in the vinous pool or the gluttony of gourmet restaurants spread across the winelands.
Among the Cape’s jewels is the Spier Hotel and Conference Centre in Stellenbosch, which boasts a wine estate, several restaurants – including the renowned Moyo – craft shops and a picnic spot on its grounds.
Last weekend, the estate played host to the annual Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) auction of rare wines, attracting both local and overseas wine collectors. CWG is an association of the cream of the country’s winemakers who are driven by the aim to produce worldclass wines.
Thus, it was hardly surprising that 130 wine collectors spent nearly R3,8 million in five hours of hectic bidding for the CWG gems.
Among the bidders were local and overseas restaurateurs. The ebullient Alan Pick, owner of the Butcher and Grill Restaurant in Sandton, is one of the big spenders at the annual event and this year was no exception.
Pick especially put a smile on Spier cellarmaster Frans Smit’s face when buying the majority of the sumptuous Spier CWG Merlot 2008, which sold out completely at the auction.
The highest price was for six (750ml) bottles of Bouchard Finlayson Unfiltered Pinot Noir 2007 at R5 100 while Jordan Chardonnay Auction Reserve fetched the highest price for a white wine at R1 900 for a case of six bottles.
Summer is reputedly cocktail season for the incurable romantics or diehard lovers of the pink, green, red and yellow sundowners.
Whether it is a vodka or cream-based liqueur or any other concoction that catches one’s fancy, cocktails can trunk up a snoozy party or turn a yawning moment of solitude on the patio into inspirational introspection.
This weekend try a few cocktails to breeze into the spirit of summer.
Try Wild Africa Cream, a caramel cream liqueur, with warm coffee, brandy, milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon to the liqueur to create a cocktail that appeals to your fancy. With the liqueur, I really enjoyed African au lait, whose ingredients were:
Wild Africa Cream
(500ml); KWV 10-year-old Brandy (250ml); strong warm coffee (40ml) and warm milk (40ml). All these ingredients were mixed and served in a warm glass and garnished with a sprinkle with cinnamon. Ooh la la!
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