WeeklySA_AdminSummer is upon us and Durbanville Hills is on a roll with its Sundaze, a summer music series, which started early this month, continues this Sunday (November 30) and will be trunking it up on designated Sundays until March 29 next year.
Long lazy afternoons, cool beats, and Cape Town’s best views. Summer at our family-friendly Olive Grove Bistro at Durbanville Hills is back.
Sundaze Summer Sessions unwind from 13h00 to 17h00 with award-winning wines, cocktails, craft beer, and delicious eats available for revellers who attend.
DJs will play cool tunes ranging from Deep House, RnB to HipHop as guests relax on the lawns overlooking Table Bay and Table Mountain with food served from the Olive Grove Bistro. The winery’s vineyards are situated in one of the Cape’s coolest wine-producing regions, all located a mere 10km from the ocean and a 30 minutes’ drive from Cape Town, bathing the slopes with cool ocean breezes and moist air to allow for optimal ripening.
The rich diversity of the slopes that give rise to the name Durbanville Hills, provide a topography with varying altitudes and aspects. This together with the Mediterranean climate, hours of sunshine, rich soils and moderate rainfall, all combine to allow our winemakers to perfectly match cultivars to the best location.
Dates and DJ list: 30 November (DJ Tiny T); December 14 (DJ Stefanos); December 28 (DJ Blaine) January 25 (DJ Stefanos); February 8 (DJ Tiny T); March 8 (Dags on Decks) and March 29 (DJ Tiny T)
Bring your picnic blanket, your besties, and your summer spirit. Durbanville Hills Winery, M13 Tygerberg Valley Road. Entry fee is R100. Sessions start at 14h00.
EVENTS
Sizzle City Food & Wine Experience
Richards Bay will be a hive of activity on December 6 – thanks to the Sizzle City Food and Wine Experience happening on the KwaZulu-Natal coastal town on the day.
Organisers promise attendees an experience of a lifetime. Sizzle City Food and Wine Experience is a multicultural event that unites different demographics and showcases our beautiful tourism attraction at the same time.
Through the experience, they hope to promote social cohesion, unity, and tourism, while “discouraging xenophobia and racism, and promoting a healthy lifestyle at the same time”.
This event portrays the true rainbow nation characteristics of our country. Racism has been and still is a challenge; events like this give local people a chance to understand each other’s culture to try to end racism.
This concept is hosted at the Zululand Yacht Club, enhancing the perceived value and giving festival attendees an entirely unique festival experience, with each attendee taking home an once-in-a-lifetime memory. Tickets start from R100 per person and are available via Computicket.
Backsberg Wine & Fashion
This festive season, craftsmanship takes centre stage as Backsberg Family Wines partners with acclaimed designer Heidi Steck for a unique event — the launch of Heidi Steck’s Summer 2025 Catalogue tomorrow and Sunday (November 30).
It will be hosted within the newly reimagined Backsberg Tasting Facility in the Franschhoek Valley. Guests are invited to join Heidi Steck and friends for a curated weekend of fine wine and fashion.
The showcase will feature a handpicked selection of leading South African designers — including, among others, Exotic Kashmir, Beatrice von Tresckow, Denise Celia and BellaBrina Moda — alongside Heidi Steck’s own collection.
The weekend begins with a VIP Sundowner Launch Event on November 28, where invited guests will raise glass to summer. Following the launch, the experience will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday (November 29 and 30), from 10am to 5pm, offering a walk-in shopping and tasting experience that coincides with the vibrant atmosphere of the Capitec Franschhoek Cap Classique & Champagne Festival taking place in the valley that same weekend.
NEDERBURG VAULT SHOWCASE
Nederburg will unlock its vault to showcase oldest wines at an outdoor summer party to be held at its Paarl farm on the evening of December 6.
The affair, open to the public, will be a special long-table gala garden celebration featuring wines from as far back as the 1960s right up to the present vintages.
The soirée will be heightened by live music, a DJ and dance floor, with the highlight being the pouring of seven wines, across seven decades, beginning with a 61-year-old Port from 1964. The wines from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s were all made by the legendary Günter Brözel (pictured), who was cellarmaster from 1956 to 1989.
Jackson said the evening will start with a 17h00 with a live saxophonist, canapés and Cap Classique. Guests will be invited to dance under the stars as the perfect ending to an almost once-in-a lifetime occurrence, adds Jackson. Tickets at R1 450 per person can be purchased here: https://www.dineplan.com/widgetframe/70z2dTZc?date=2025-12-06
FRANSCHHOEK BUBBLY FEST
Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival is back to pamper wine lovers from all over South Africa with a garden-party-style day filled with bubbly.
The event takes place at its usual venue – Franschhoek Huguenot Monument Festival Grounds – tomorrow and Sunday (November 30), from 11h00. Set against the historic backdrop of the Huguenot Monument, the festival unfolds over a weekend rich with epicurean delights, providing plenty of reasons to raise a glass and share a toast.
Attendees can look forward to an unforgettable experience filled with floral-themed festivities, exquisite Cap Classiques, and vibrant live entertainment. The joyful sound of popping corks will resonate throughout, creating the perfect atmosphere for celebrating all things sparkling.
Over two lively days, festival-goers can enjoy performances by popular acts such as the Majozi Band and the Absolutely Fabulous Duo, returning by popular demand. As the culinary capital of the country, Franschhoek’s local restaurants and a variety of pop-up food stalls will ensure that guests indulge in artisanal gourmet goodness and French-inspired fare proudly on offer.
CULLINAN WINE FEST
The 3rd Cullinan Summer Wine Festival will take place at Makers Village in Cullinan, east of Pretoria, on November 29, from 9am.
Top wine estates from the Western Cape will be showcasing their award winning wines – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Rose and MCC – to tantalise taste buds. For the non-wine drinkers, there will be a few craft distillers and brewers in attendance.
As part of this event, there will also be a special wine-and-food-pairing session combined with a game drive at a nearby reserve. The event will end with a popular safari dinner. Food stalls, deli type foods and general stalls will be in the market area. Live entertainment by various artists will complete the show.
Tickets costing R150 a person are sold online exclusively through Quicket. The venue’s address is 101 Oak Avenue, Cullinan.
PICNIC UNDER THE STARS
To welcome the festive season, Nederburg has lined up a series of new “Under the Stars” evening picnics on their farm in Paarl in the Western Cape next month.
The winery’s promises guests three unforgettable nights – all to be enjoyed on its lawns after sunset, in relaxed, music-filled settings that capture the easy magic of a South African summer.
Each picnic basket is thoughtfully curated to showcase local, seasonal flavours – a true taste of the Cape Winelands. Among other teats, guests can expect a feast that begins with local cheeses, marinated olives, and seasonal fruit, paired with house-made onion marmalade and crisp lavash.
The experience is open to everyone – couples looking for a romantic night out, families wanting to make the most of the holidays, and friends simply seeking a beautiful evening together. The expansive lawns provide plenty of space for kids to play, and well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome too. Bring your own blanket or low chairs, find your spot beneath the stars, and let the evening unfold.
Each Under the Stars event features live local music to set the tone: Newton & Co on December 13; Johan van der Merwe on December 20; Juan Casey on December 27. Pre-booking via Dineplan is essential. Tickets cost R385 per person. Vegetarian and kids’ baskets available.. – Compiled by Len Maseko
