Cape Weekly Digest | Friday, 5th February, 2021
Our curated roundup of local news & events for wine tourism
Hello,
This week brought some wonderful news for the Hospitality and wine industry: THE ALCOHOL BAN HAS BEEN LIFTED PEOPLE!! Finally we can all enjoy a glass of wine without worrying about getting arrested! It also means wine tastings are back on the cards for yours truly. Don’t worry you will benefit by getting all the latest news about the wonderful wines we have in Cape Town, it’s a tough job but I’m willing to make that sacrifice for you all.
Here’s a little insider tip, because of the alcohol ban that lasted around 20 weeks between 2020 and early 2021, wine farms have been struggling to move stock that under normal circumstances would have been sold off to both the local and international markets, so keep an eye out for specials and discounts that will be popping up from wine farms in an effort to clear cellar space for the new vintage. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
So keep supporting your local winemakers, get out to the vineyards, bars or even your local supermarket and have a safe glass of wine or two, purely to clear cellar space of course :)
- Shirley
Cape News Roundup
Coronavirus regulations: Partial but significant lifting of alcohol ban - According to an announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier tonight, South Africa remains on Alert Level 3 in order to contain Coronavirus infections but restrictions on the sale of alcohol have been reduced. Read More...
SA Pinot standard-bearer Newton Johnson to go one better at Hemelzicht - THERE ISN’T ANY Pinot Noir planted at Hemelzicht Vineyards right now, but give them time and the partners aim to be making “ the best possible wines in the Hemel-en-Aarde” – the brains trust comprising members of the Newton Johnson family in the Upper reaches of the valley, entrepreneur and fellow local Cairo Howarth, together with wine merchant Roland Peens, director of the Wine Cellar retail outfit in Cape Town and CEO of the new venture outside Hermanus. Read More…
Rebuilding a community through education - Arniston is one of the oldest traditional active fishing communities in South Africa with the unfortunate conditions of being a lesser privileged community. The Arniston Community Development Trust exists to benefit the people of Arniston, providing students with financial assistance to complete tertiary studies for a brighter future. Read More...
SA Cellar Classification 2021 - The SA Wine & Cellar Classifications – updated annually since 2004 – are based on the top ratings and awards from the world’s most respected panels when it comes to the judging of wine quality and interest value. This involves reviews by knowledgeable wine lovers who conduct their assessments in a ‘blind tasting’ environment, i.e. with the names of the wines and their producers withheld so as not to influence the jury either positively or negatively in terms of brand status or perceptions regarding the origin of the grapes or the location of the cellars. Read More...
#OORSKOTWYN – exceptional wine specials to clear wine cellars before harvest - One of the major problems affecting the wine industry right now is that the prohibition on sales of alcohol during the 3 lockdowns has meant there is still loads of wine sitting in winery cellars. Under normal circumstances this wine would have been sold and the cellars would be empty and ready for the next vintage to come in. This works like clockwork year in and year out... until COVID. Read More…
Wine Releases
Catharina, Steenberg’s flagship red returns to her Bordeaux roots: Catharina, Steenberg Vineyard’s flagship red, has come full circle since its maiden 1997 vintage with the release of the first dedicated Cape Bordeaux blend in almost a decade. Read More…
NEW RELEASES from Ex Animo: Craven - Pinot Gris; Ex Animo - Bredell, Bredell & Clarke | Fick, Bredell & Clarke; Intellego - Kedungu; Mother Rock - White; Scions of Sinai - Atlantikas | Señor Tallos | Nomadis; Trizanne TSW - Cinsault; Van Loggernberg Break A Leg - Blanc de Noir | Chardonnay | Merlot. Read More…
Port2Port is very fortunate to have been given access to pre-releases of all three Capensis wines, currently the only retailer in South Africa.
International News Roundup
Uber to acquire alcohol delivery startup Drizly for $1.1 billion - Uber will acquire the alcohol delivery company Drizly for $1.1 billion in both stock and cash, the companies announced in a press release Tuesday. Read More…
Here’s how a digital London Wine Fair will work - As we reported last month, May’s London Wine Fair will be a virtual event, but what does that mean for visitors and exhibitors? And how much will it cost? Here’s what to expect. Read More…
How a Super Bowl champion is rewriting the wine concierge playbook for a younger, more diverse consumer - When Will Blackmon played cornerback and free safety for the Washington’s NFL team in 2015 and 2016, he was already thinking of life after pro football. Read More…
Swiss Firms Tokenize Premium Wines Under New DLT Law - Sygnum Bank and Fine Wine Capital have tokenized premium investable wines as digital assets for trading. The asset will launch on Sygnum’s Desygnate platform, which follows the new legal proceedings set forth for DLT-based securities. Read More…
Inter Beaujolais appoints new President and Vice President - Inter Beaujolais has appointed Daniel Bulliat as President and Philippe Bardet as Vice President. Taking over from Dominique Piron as his two-year mandate comes to an end, Bulliat comes from a long line of Beaujolais winegrowers. Read More…
Home Dining Services
Tera Madre’s mission - To offer consistently good quality & value produce - Raw Cold Pressed Juices, Vegetables Organically Grown on Terra Madre Farm, Freshly Harvested Seasonal Fruit from the Elgin Valley & Hand Crafted Deli Range
Food Fanatics - Baby squid with chorizo & garlic, parsley, lemon aioli starter. This delicious dish will be available at our Fish & Chips Night. Join us next Wednesday, 3 February. Book by emailing your order on Food Fanatics
Don’t feel like cooking tonight? Head to Judds Local for delicious tapas. They are a new restaurant in one of the houses towards the top of Kloof street. A magical little family owned and run spot.
Community Shout Out & Classifieds
NUDE FOODS Newlands Now open! Conveniently located just off Dean Street, the new NUDE FOODS in Newlands offers an oasis of plastic-free, earth-friendly and artisanal whole foods, home and body products as well as seasonal organic fruit n’ veg. Come and experience NUDE shopping at its best. Phone: +27 21 685 2878
Saturday morning at Montebello in Newlands... we bought microgreens from Murray Clampett. We chose very delicious radish greens and some tasty hot sauce. Right next door we were helped by Kelvin at Inseason Mobile Market. We bought a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables including the best figs ever! You can place your orders in advance too. Orders@inseasonmobilemarket.co.za
Knorhoek Wine Farm... where Valentine’s dreams become reality - Nestled under sprawling oaks and in the shady avenues of the giant poplar trees is where you’ll find Knorhoek Wine Farm, situated in the heart of the Stellenbosch Winelands. Contact via +27 21 865 2114 or email info@knorhoek.co.za
Apetite - Take the night off and order a meal from Appetite. Call or WhatsApp Clare +27 82 412 7211 to order by 10am on Thursday. Your order will be ready from 3pm on Friday. Collect from our kitchen in Rondebosch or delivery can be arranged.
Create lasting memories with a Steenberg Easter family staycation - Break out from the lockdown blues and treat your family to an unforgettable Easter staycation in the safe environment of Steenberg Hotel & Spa in the heart of the verdant Constantia Wine Valley. For bookings and enquiries contact Steenberg Hotel & Spa on +27 21 713 2222, Tryn on +27 21 713 7178 and Steenberg Vineyards on +27 21 713 2211.
More from the Classifieds section
For next weeks community updates, please email us your update by the 9th of February for inclusion in our next newsletter.
And Finally The Tweet of The Week…..
How are you walking into wine aisles?
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