Wine Diva

Each year, the Cape’s top wine makers make the trip to Gauteng to meet the province’s keenest wine lovers, to share past award winners and introduce the latest vintages and new labels.  Not only geared for wine gurus, RMB WineX is a fun night in the city with the vast array wines for tasting in Bohemia Crystal glasses and complemented with a fare of boutique cheeses, artisanal olives and olive products, stemware and wine accessories.

Don’t be overwhelmed with the daunting task of engaging with around 200 exhibitors and more than 1 000 wines, WineX features a comprehensive festival guide with floor plan and wine lists on www.winex.co.za during the weeks leading up to the show, for you to focus on select cellars, scout your wine trail and it can the most fun under one roof — if you plan your route and stick to the plan.

WineX encourages responsible consumption and offers the services of Corporate Cabs for safe transport home.

WineX is sponsored by Rand Merchant Bank together with associate sponsors British Airways (operating as Comair Limited), Business Day, Talk Radio 702 and RMB Private Bank.

The details for RMB WineX Sandton are as follows:

RMB WineX Sandton 2010
Dates: Three nights only – Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 October 2010
Venue: The Pavillion, Sandton Convention Centre, Maude Street, Sandton
Time: 5pm to 9pm daily

Tickets and Bookings: Early Bird R90 and Two-Night Pass tickets R160 on sale until Sunday 24 October.  Thereafter and at the door: Wednesday or Thursday R100; Friday R120. Includes tasting glass and unlimited tastings.

Telephone 083 915 8000 or book online at www.computicket.com.

Special discount for group bookings (10 tickets or more) for Wednesday night only, booked via the organisers: telephone 011 482 5936.

For Shop@Show:  see www.winex.co.za to pre-register

Parking: Ample parking at Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square. The Convention Centre and Game also offer space for parking.

Event queries:  Telephone: 011- 482 5936
Email: winex@outsorceress.co.za

South Africa’s 2010 Tri-Nations Challenge Achievement

Evidence of the dramatic upsurge in the quality of South African wine emerged with the release of the full results of the 2010 Tri-Nations Challenge, judged in Sydney Australia in early August. At the awards function held on Friday night at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney, South Africa’s successes were celebrated with those of New Zealand (this year’s Tri-Nations Winner) and Australia.

South Africa won two class trophies – where the Kaapzicht Steytler Vision (a Cape blend) pipped all the Rhone-style and Cabernet Shiraz blends to finish top of class. In the dessert wine section Nederburg repeated its performance of a few years back taking the Trophy (for the Edelkeur 2005) and the runner-up slot with the 2008 Eminence.

As important as the top-of-class trophies was the wealth of medals garnered by the Cape’s producers. The Desiderius Pongracz and the J. C. Le Roux Pinot Noir Rose both won gold medals for South Africa in the sparkling wine class, while in the Chardonnay category Paul Cluver’s 2009 finished as runner-up with a double gold, and the Hamilton Russell 2009, the Tokara 2008 Reserve and the Jordan Nine Yards 2006 each took gold, beating such legendary Australian wines as Penfold’s Yattarna. Paul Cluver’s Weisser Riesling 2009 also picked up a gold in the aromatic class, while the De Grendel Koetshuis 2010, the Reyneke Reserve 2009 and the Quoin Rock Nicobar 2009 achieved gold in the Sauvignon category.

South Africa also pretty much dominated the other white wine class, with Beaumont’s Hope Marguerite 2009 Chenin Blanc, the Vergelegen Estate white 2008, the Tokara Director’s Reserve 2008, and the Strandveld Adamastor 2008 all getting golds. In the closely contested Shiraz class the 2008 Raka Biography and the 2007 Waterford Kevin Arnold were both gold medal winners, with Raka repeating its success in the Cabernet class with its 2008 joining the Glenelly The Glass Collection 2008, the Fleur du Cap 2007 and the Neil Ellis 2007 among the gold medallists.

In the Bordeaux blend class the 2006 Tokara Director’s Reserve was a double gold winner – and runner-up for the class trophy – while the KWV The Mentor’s Orchestra 2008 and the Vilafonte Series M 2007 also took gold. In the other red blend class, Waterford’s The Jem 2006 was runner-up to the Kaapzicht trophy winner, earning a double gold on the way, while Glenelly’s 2007 and Fleur du Cap’s Laszlo 2006 both took gold. The Anthonij Rupert Cabernet Franc 2006 was the only South African gold medal winner in the other red varieties class – and in fact the only Cabernet franc to win a gold medal. In the dessert wine class, Chris Mullineux’s 2009 Chenin Blanc Straw Wine won a gold medal, to share with Nederburg in South Africa’s domination of that category.

A more even spread of class winners and more double gold and gold medal winners than in any Tri-Nations competition in the past provides compelling evidence of South Africa’s 2010 Tri-Nations achievement.

The top wines from each of the three participating countries will be showcased in a series of road-shows in Australia, Hong Kong and China over the next few weeks, giving consumers in those markets an opportunity to compare the leading points scorers from each country in each class of the Challenge.

ISSUED BY:
Michael Fridjhon

Here’s your misson impossible to miss: Follow these instructions and be as fabulous as you can be.

The origin of this project seems to have been written in the stars when Louis’ mother, for his very first birthday, baked him a cake but then realized she did not have any colouring for icing. Being a resourceful woman, however, she used red wine as a colouring agent, thereby seemingly giving direction to Louis’ ultimate destiny of becoming a winemaker.

Louis Nel is a Cape Winemakers Guild member (it’s like a who’s who elite club of winemakers that really know what they are doing) and for one lunch only, Louis has agreed to share with us divas the secret handshake of the CWG, while we taste his beautiful Louis wines.

– When –

12h30 on Saturday 21 August 2010 for LOUIS wines and Wine Diva birthday bash. Wine Diva blog celebrates it’s fourth birthday, you’re invited.

- The Secret Meeting Place -

Central Grill @ Cedar Sqaure Fourways. It’s so trendy, chic and classically elegant, just like us Divas in Ladies month.

How to unlock the mystery, receive a VIP pass and the full party pack (menu details):

Email wineclub@winediva.co.za or phone Caroline 083 263 2660

Password: mission confirmed.

Theme: Happy Birthday!

R260 for regulars, R280 for first time Divas – treat yourself for Women’s day

-More Clues-

• Flower arranging demo by Corrlation Flower School, to pair elegantly with LOUIS sauvignon blanc made from grapes from the West Coast, famous for wild flowers.
• Early bird lucky draw by LOUIS and Crabtree & Evelyn if you book and pay by 6 August 2010
• Goodie bag items from Caturra, Wine Mag, greatKaroo, Crabtree & Evelyn and much more.
• Lucky draw prizes from Cazabella Jewellery.

-PS-

The menu and wine pairings are quite something, yes, what’s that word Mary Poppins likes to use  “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!”

– wineclub@winediva.co.za –

Menu

Appetizers

(V) Soup of the Day

Made daily from the freshest ingredients

Beef Carpaccio

Served with goat’s cheese and basil pesto bruschettas with lime marinated rocket

Mussels Nationale

Fresh Saldanha bay mussels poached in beer and herbs finished off with a cayenne cream sauce

(V) Bruschettas

Grilled Ciabatta topped with sliced tomato, butter bean and olive salad finished

with parmesan shavings

Sushi

California rolls or maki rolls, your choice, filled with fresh Salmon and served with soya and wasabi

The Central Grill mains

350gr Rump Steak

Grilled to your liking, served with hand-cut chips, onion rings and a sauce of your choice

Beef Espetada

450gr of aged rump Intertwined with peppers and onions, served with hand-cut chips

and onion rings topped with garlic butter

Pork Belly ribs

Jalapeño & BBQ basted ribs, served with hand cut chips and onion rings

Traditional Line fish

Grilled and served with hand cut chips and a sauce Tartare

Stuffed Chicken Breast

Filleted chicken breast, stuffed with mushrooms, jalapeño and peppers,

topped with a cayenne Bourbon cheese sauce and served with wild wedges

Spinach &  Ricotta Tortellini

Served with a creamy Pernod parmesan sauce on garlic spinach

Desserts

Banoffee Pie

Granadilla cheese cake, set on a biscuit base and layered with caramel and fresh banana slices

Crème Brullee

Served with biscotti

Trio Ice cream

Pistachio, berries and lemon & lime

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