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BEST WHITE BLENDS: ‘CONSTANTIA FRESH’ FESTIVAL 2011

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 09:57:32 +0100

‘Constantia Fresh’ to be held on the 25th and 26th February 2011, is one of the first South African fine wine festivals to feature Sauvignon Blancs and white blends of the Constantia Valley alongside other regional and international producers. This year’s two day lifestyle festival will celebrate the distinctiveness and freshness of the ‘wild white’ grape, Sauvignon Blanc, and explore its role in the complexity of a blend.

New Focus on Blends
These festivities organised by Fine Wine Events, aims to uncover new opportunities for Sauvignon Blanc in its role in blending as well as how South African wines truly fairs in the international context. Organiser of the event, Pfützner said of the 2011 festival “Our first festival gave our guests a far better understanding on the ageability, versatility and food capability of Sauvignon Blanc. This year we have shifted the focus slightly to Sauvignon Blanc-based blends locally, regionally and from the home of Sauvignon blends, Bordeaux.

Participating Producers
‘Constantia Fresh’ features a total of three palate-inspiring events taking place on the 25th and 26th February 2011 which is possible thanks to the support of the host region and participating Constantia producers namely Constantia Uitsig, Klein Constantia, Groot Constantia, Steenberg, Eagle’s Nest, Buitenverwachting and Constantia Glen. Pfützner has extended the invitation to the top South African Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc blend producers.

EVENT LINE-UP
INTERNATIONAL WHITE BLEND TASTING afternoon, 25th February 2011 Join fine wine collectors, press and trade for a tasting of some of the best Sauvignon Blanc and white Bordeaux blends. Approximately 30 of the world's best wines will be tasted in a formal setting for the wine anoraks. Guests can expect to .taste wines such as the Haut Brion Blanc, Domaine de Chevalier Blanc and the Steenberg Magna Carta.

FINE DINING EVENT evening, 25th February 2011 An extensive food and wine pairing dinner with the Constantia and international wines as well as the red wines of the Constantia Valley. This event will only be able to accommodate 60 guests.

WHITE BLEND AND FOOD PAIRING EXHIBITION The idyllic lawns of Buitenverwachting is the venue for the outdoor food and wine pairing where more than a handful of South Africa's best chefs create palate stimulating dishes perfectly matched to the wine of the exhibiting local and regional farms.

For further information on the venues and times, please contact Claire Lockey on info@finewineevents.co.za or 082 598 9192. Tickets will be available at all participating farms closer to the dates. For further information on the festival itself visit the site www.constantiafresh.com

Groot Constantia Vineyards

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 07:40:03 +0100

The estate is today owned by the Groot Constantia Trust, an association incorporated under Section 21 of the Companies Act of 1973, which is committed to maintain and restore this national monument which is South Africa's oldest and best known wine estate.

Constantia stands as a pinion of excellence for the wine industry and is an ideal example for the preservation of the cultural and historical heritage of the country.

It is a fully operational farm, one of South Africa’s most visited tourist attractions, where a wide range of quality estate wines are created and sold (seven days a week), and a variety of other attractions, including restaurants & museums make a visit an unforgettable experience.

Spring it on Constantia Festival

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:57:48 +0100

GROOT CONSTANTIA "Spring it on Constantia - festival 15th - 24th October.

Wine Tasting - 21st October: Constantia has gained a reputation for producing top end white wines, especially Sauvignon blanc/Semillon blends. Come and discover how the best of Constantia compare against iconic white Bordeaux like Domaine de Chevalier, Chat Smith Haut Lafitte and Chat Carbonnieux. We will also include other Cape icons like the White Vergelegen and Cape Point Vineyard's Isliedh and maybe even something from Down Under

Join Boela our winemaker for a tasting

Date: 21st October in the Private Dinning Room at the Jonkershuis Restaurant at Groot Constantia
Time: 7pm
Cost: R150.00 p.person

Bookings phone Mery 021 794 5128 or 082 803 1133

BURN - Online Adventure/Sport Magazine

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 15:36:24 +0100

The 1st Issue of Burn was launched earlier this month and has been a huge hit to adventure and sports enthusiasts.

The magazine includes many different categories that will interest people who follow all sorts of sports activities such as: Surfing, Paddling, Kite-Surfing, Running, Iron Man, Hiking. The magazine is free and you can register at www.burnmagonline.com and you will recieve a copy every month in your email inbox.

Online Digital Food & Wine Magazine CRUSH! Issue 2

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:30:34 +0100

On Friday the 2nd issue of CRUSH! was released and within a few hours became the "treddiest thing in Cape Town" on Twitter that same day. Michael Olivier, Cape Town's Food & Wine guru, has yet again outdone himself with a magnificant and stunning digital magazine that seems to be a huge hit to everyone who has viewed it.

Crush! is looking very swish this month with some fabulous photogrpahy by Russel Wasserfall in Sophia's 4 ways with chocolate. Carey has come up with some interesting Monday to Sunday ideas. There is also a Foodie has started writing for Crush! including Andy Fenner of Jamie Who fame.

If you subscribe for free now, you will be entered into a competition to win some of their prizes and ensure you get every copy of Crush!.

Grande Dame at Groot Constantia's 325th Anniversary

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:32:58 +0100

The original sweet wine which made Groot Constantia one of the world’s iconic wine producers during the 18^th and 19^th centuries has been re-launched in an elegantly classical and historically true bottle to celebrate the Estate’s 325^th anniversary.

Groot Constantia, which was founded in 1685, is South Africa’s oldest wine farm with the first owner being Cape governor Simon van der Stel who is known as the father of the South African wine industry.

Groot Constantia’s iconic sweet dessert wine, which was praised by the likes of Napoleon, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen, is named , a brand used by Groot Constantia in its early years of existence. Like it’s illustrious predecessors which were served at the European courts of royalty, the Groot Constantia Grand Constance is a blend of red and white Muscat de Frontignan grapes picked during the latest stages of ripeness, barrel-fermented and then matured in old French oak barrels.

According to Boela Gerber, cellarmaster at Groot Constantia, historical research and interesting discoveries led to the re-launch of the Estate’s Grand Constance in a bottle based on those used in the 18^th century.

“The story of this new bottle for our classic sweet wine began, of all places, in the American state of Delaware”, says Gerber. “In 2004, an American citizen picked up a piece of glass on the beach at Lewes, Delaware, on the east coast of America. The piece of glass had the inscription "Constantia Wyn" on it and American historians traced this artefact to a ship that had been stranded in the Delaware Bay in 1774. The ship was a British supply ship named the Severn, which sank in the Delaware Bay after being hit by a storm. The wreckage was only discovered in 2004”.

Unfortunately the bottle of Groot Constantia wine was broken during the storm and except for the engraved inscription “Constantia Wyn”, the bottle offered no other clue as to the nature of the contents. According to Gerber, it could only have been one of the sweet wines that Constantia was known for at that time.

Inspired by this piece of history washed up in America, Groot Constantia embarked on the search for an authentic bottle in which to present the classic Grand Constance wine. The valuable broken relic, as well as copious historical research resulted in the new bottle shape and label.

The style of the Grand Constance is based on the Estate’s original natural sweet wines. According to Gerber, the Muscat de Frontignan varieties gain an extra dimension in Groot Constantia’sMediterranean type climate with its cooling breezes from the Atlantic Ocean and average rainfall of 1100mm per annum.

The grapes were picked mid April 2008 at about 43ºB, fermentation was started on the skins and only pressed after three days. Fermentation was completed in old barrels, after which the wine was racked to stainless steel tanks and returned to the same barrels. The wine was left to mature for a further 24 months before it was stabilized and bottled.

The wine has an amber colour. One will find caramel, dried apricots and raisins with hints of pineapple and honey on the nose. Dried fruit and honey follows through on the palate. The natural sweetness is well balanced by crisp acidity.

“Whether it tastes like the wines made on Constantia 200 years ago we’ll never know – but I dare say that anyone drinking this wine will know they are sipping a piece of history.”

The 375ml bottles are sold at R295 from the farm.

Free Online Digital Food & Wine Magazine

Sun, 04 Jul 2010 08:06:05 +0100

Red Online Publishing have just released their 1st Free Digital Online Food & Wine Magazine, Crush.
On Friday 2nd July 2010, Red Online launched the first issue of Crush which is one of many free magazines to come. They are currently busy with 3 more magazines, Hooked, Little Angel, Rogue and Rush which are scheduled to launch at the end of July.

If you would like to receive these magazines for FREE then all you need to do is click here and then click on the magazine/s that you would like to receive for FREE and register. Once you have completed the form you will then be able to view the magazine for FREE.

This magazine is the 1st online digital magazine to be launched in South Africa. Digital magazines allow for exciting flash media clips, sounds, and other interactive media to be enjoyed will reading the magazine.

Portugal vs Brazil Preview

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:50:21 +0100

Tomorrow is the last day of the group stages which also leads to one of the biggest matches so far in the 2010 World Cup: Portugal vs Brazil that will take place in Durban, South Africa.

Portugal still stand a slight chance of not making it through to the next round and will therefore be at full strength against the Brazillians. Brazil will have to do without the brilliance of there star player Kaka due to the two yellow cards that he received against Ivory Coast last Tuesday.

Both teams have a solid defence and have conceded very few goals in the recent past but the odds for this game point towards Brazil winning.

They are one of the World Cup's favourites and have a team that is packed full of great talent and large potential. But that being said, Portugal have just come out of a match winning 7-0 which will definately be a huge moral booster for the team and its supporters.

With all the surprises that have taken place in this World Cup who knows what will happen in tomorrows game?

Do or Die for England in the World Cup 2010

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:32:25 +0100

Anything less than a win for the Three Lions will almost certainly see them crash out of the tournament at the group stages for the first time since 1958.

Two dismal draws against the United States in Rustenburg and Algeria in Cape Town have left the team – who were one of the pre-tournament favorites – facing the very real prospect of elimination.

Reported tension in the training camp and disagreements between manager Fabio Capello and former captain John Terry has left the Slovenian team confident they can beat England, who are15 places higher than them in the FIFA world rankings.

But despite their slow start to the tournament the loyal army of England supporters were in positive mood ahead of the match.

On the palm fringed promenade supporters meeting up for a morning stroll talked up the team’s chances.

Paul Milner, 47, a power station engineer from Doncaster said: “What we want to see is some passion, that is what has been lacking, but I am sure they are ready now.

“I honestly believe we are going to win and win well. I reckon 2 – 0 at least. I drove down from Durban last night, it took 12 hours and I am really tired but also really excited. The 2010 World Cup starts now for England.”