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South
Africa's Cape Wine
Country Above:
Tour operator Robert Davidowitz discusses wines in
Franzhoek with Robert D'Angelo of Philadelphia.
Photo by Muguette Gofurani. Winchester
Mansions rare, handcrafted wines The lightly
wooded Chardonnay is the work of Anthony Smook who
supplies the wine industry with cooling equipment
during the day and turns into winemaker par
excellence after-hours. The Migliarina Shiraz, made
by Carsten Migliarina who turned from sommelier at
Grande Roche to full time winemaker, is an intense
wine with fruity aromas and a complex mix of
peppers on the palate. The Barefoot Wine Company
Pinot Noir is a rich, full-bodied wine with
hedonistic aromatics of black cherries, olives,
cloves and ripe plums. This powerful wine is made
by Cathy Marshall who kick-started the garagiste
movement in 1996. "We added the garagiste selection
to our winelist to further our aim of giving guests
at Winchester Mansions a complete boutique
experience - the chosen wines have just as much
character as our lovely hotel," says Food &
Beverage Manager, Angelo Casu. Africa's
finest bush cellar promotes SA wines, Singita
Private Game Reserve launches Premier Wine
Direct Singita
Premier Wine Direct enables Singita guests to
acquire rare South African wines directly from
Africa's finest bush cellar. Now wine lovers and
connoisseurs can purchase South African wines for
courier directly to their homes or to take with
them after their stay at Singita. Additional orders
can also be placed via email for delivery anywhere
in the world. Premier Wine
Direct offers a selection of the best wines in the
finest vintages from top South African cellars and
wineries including allocations of rare icons,
single vineyard and limited release wines secured
from leading estates by Singita's dedicated
Sommelier. Only premier South African wines are
featured on the Singita wine list. The humidity
and temperature controlled cellars at Singita's
Ebony and Boulders Lodges in the Sabi Sand Reserve
have a capacity for over 15 000 bottles. A third
Singita bush cellar with a capacity of another 6000
bottles is nearing completion at Singita Lebombo.
Scheduled to open in March 2003, Singita Lebombo
will offer discerning guests an unrivaled
wilderness experience on a private concession on
the remote eastern boundary of the Kruger National
Park. These three
bush cellars are supported by Singita's Young Wine
Cellar situated in the Cape Winelands, where up to
24 000 bottles are matured under optimum
conditions. This enables Singita's Sommelier to
purchase red wines on release and keep them in the
cellar for long-term bulk maturation until they are
ready to be dispatched to the respective
lodges. The Singita
bush cellars have been designed specifically to
accommodate personal wine tastings, often hosted by
some of South Africa's leading winemakers who are
frequent guests at Singita. "Singita
Premier Wine Direct was created in response to the
tremendous interest shown by our guests to purchase
sought-after South African wines that are
frequently sold out in the winelands," said Singita
Sommelier, Francois Rautenbach, who spends a
considerable part of his time visiting premier wine
estates to secure allocations of these select
wines. This
relentless pursuit of the most prestigious local
wines, enables Singita Premier Wine Direct to offer
a wide selection of the best wines in the finest
vintages as rated by leading wine
critics. Singita's
standing and strong relationships within the local
wine industry have also proven to be invaluable
when it comes to arranging personal tastings and
vineyard tours for those guests visiting the
winelands after their stay at Singita. For further
information on Singita Premier Wine Direct, contact
mailto:premierwine@singita.co.za Sparkling
summer specials at The House of JC Le
Roux The House of JC Le Roux,
South Africa's leading house of sparkling wines,
has introduced a sensational range of specials to
celebrate the wonderful, long summer months. The
beautiful picturesque setting of the JC Le Roux
establishment, in the heart of the winelands in
Devon Valley, offers the finest award-winning Cap
Classique and sparkling wines. Guests can enjoy
tastings of these superb wines, tour the modern,
state of the art cellar or enjoy a delicious meal
in the stylish restaurant. Indulge in the specially
created sparkling menu while relaxing in the
tranquil surroundings of this fine facility. At
only R20 per person, visitors can enjoy one of the
many delectable treats accompanied by a glass of
Cap Classique or sparkling wine. Seafood lovers can
feast away at oysters and a glass of Pongracz Cap
Classique or the savory snoek masala with JC Le
Roux Sauvignon Blanc. If you prefer traditional
South African favorites tuck into bobotie
springrolls reflecting the rich, full character of
La VallŽe Cap Classique, Ostrich pate with JC Pinot
Noir Cap Classique or an indulgent cheese platter
served with JC Le Roux Le Domaine. For the ultimate
indulgence enjoy sweet strawberries & cream
paired with JC Le Roux Sauvignon Blanc. The restaurant at the house
of sparkling wine also serves breakfast or light
and delicious lunches, Tuesdays to Saturdays from
10h00 till 15h00 and on Sundays a delectable brunch
can be enjoyed between 10h00 and 13h00. Make the
most of this summer season and don't miss out on
the unsurpassed taste of South Africa's best
sparkling wines. For bookings call The House of JC
Le Roux on Tel: 021-865 2590. More
about South African wines Visit the
picturesque wine route of Franschoek, or "French
Corner", also rich in history. In 1688 the French
Huguenots developed the area, contributing their
knowledge of wine-making. Here you will enjoy wine
cellar tours, gourmet restaurants and upscale
accommodations, A cluster of
wineries surrounds the historic university town of
Stellenbosh, the second-oldest European settlement
in South Africa and an architectural gem. You will
marvel at the well-preserved Cape Dutch, Georgian,
Victorian and Regency buildings, many of which are
national monuments. Enjoy a drive down the
oak-shaded Main Street of Paarl, a winelands town
with tine Cape Dutch buildings. This
Bergriver Valley wine route features historic
museums, find restaurants and a nature reserve.
Other routes include Durbanville, nestled on the
slopes of the Tygerberg Hills, and compact
Wellington - both distinguished by award-winning
wines. The Worcester route is located in the
beautiful Breede River Valley. Be sure to see
numerous tourist attractions and breathtaking
scenery on the Swartland route If
you want to provide comments, an item or news
release to this column on line or in print, send it
to "The Flying Gourmet" at airhwy@dowco.com Don't
miss Photo
at top and below:
Views
of the Cape, |
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During
our 26th ATA International Congress we had several
occasions to visit the historic wine country
surrounding Cape Town, and count that experience
among our most memorable short
trips.
Our
first Wine Country tour that year was in the
company of the 
With
the current exchange rate of eight Rand to 1$ US
you will want to sample the many varieties of
ethnic cuisine available in Cape Town and area.
After all, its the pioneer city of the Rainbow
Nation, whose restaurant menus feature the best
from every culture. The photo on the left featuring
streetside dining at the Cafe Del Mar is courtesy
of Cape Town Tourism. Here's part of what the folks
at Cape Tourism have to say about the pleasures of
dining in their great cosmopolitan city:
