Winter 2019 wine festivals
Franschhoek Winter Wines – 15 June 2019 Winter may be here, but there is plenty reason to be out and about making the most of this intimate season. The annual Franschhoek Winter Wines event is a fabulous lineup of highly acclaimed Franschhoek Vignerons showcasing their wines. Inspired by the season, the selection of fine wines will be on show at [...]
Groote Post Country Market, Darling
We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to markets in and around Cape Town. The ones that are practically on my doorstep are regular haunts. But then there are the special country markets one has to work just a little bit harder for – by driving 50 minutes instead of 15. The Groote Post Country Market is one of these [...]
Glenelly wine estate, Stellenbosch
On the edge of Stellenbosch there lies a little piece of France. Well, actually more like a little piece of heaven in my view. I am of course talking of Glenelly Wine Estate. I often get wonderful opportunities to taste wines and foods that are exceptional. My recent invite to Glenelly to taste their newly-released 2013 Estate Reserve and flagship [...]
Wine and food events, January/February 2019
Groote Post Country Market, Sunday 27 January 2019 This Sunday sees the first 2019 Country Market at Groote Post wine estate. We are absolutely spoilt for choice market wise in the winelands, but Groote Post feels truly unique. I attribute this to its wild West Coast positioning – one truly feels like one is in the country. There is loads [...]
Gibson’s Burger Restaurant, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
Living in Cape Town, I’m in the fortunate position of being able to go the Waterfront for a bit of retail and restaurant R&R rather often. But in all these years (and I am not saying how many for fear of age stamping) I’ve never, ever eaten a burger at the Waterfront. All that changed recently, when I was invited [...]
Neil Ellis, Pesto & Wine Play, Summer 2018/19
As one leaves Stellenbosch, heading to Franschhoek on the R310, one encounters Helshoogte Pass. Now for my foreign readers, the literal translation of Helshoogte is hell’s heights. And hellish it is. As I know only too well from cycling up it more times than I care to remember. All I did on these occasions was look down at the tar [...]