WeeklySA_AdminThe winners of the 2024 Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year awards have been announced – Kiara Scott-Farmer and Mika Engelbrecht, who scooped top trophy honours at a ceremony held in the Western Cape on November 23.
This year’s Winemaker of the Year, Scott-Farmer, was selected for her Brookdale Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2022. And, the 2024 Young Winemaker of the Year, Engelbrecht, received her prize in the red-wine category for her Neethlingshof Estate Range Cabernet Sauvignon 2022.
Scott-Farmer received R50 000 and Engelbrecht R25 000. In addition, both winners won trips to a wine-producing region.
Diners Club introduced the Winemaker of the Year award to encourage local winemakers to raise the standard of wines produced in South Africa, and the Young Winemaker of the Year award was established to encourage winemakers under the age of 30 to develop their skills, express their individuality.
The awards focus on quality and the recognition of excellence and are among the country’s most prestigious and most-respected wine industry competitions. While most wine industry awards focus on the winning wines, Diners Club awards celebrate the creators of the winning wines, honouring the skills and talents of the vintners.
There were over 160 entries this year and the list was narrowed down to 12 finalists after a rigorous selection process. Six winemakers were shortlisted for the prestigious Winemaker of the Year award, and the equal number for Young Winemaker of the Year.
EVENTS
SIP WINE AND PAINT
Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate will be hosting a relaxing and creative afternoon of painting, sipping and socialising at the stunning ocean-facing vineyard in Hermanus in the Western Cape on December 7.
Guests will enjoy a fine selection of complimentary wines as they unwind while exploring the inner artist in themselves.
Event highlights include art supplies (paint, aprons, paintbrushes, palettes, stencils etc); a complimentary premium estate wine as well as a charcuterie and cheese platters, including an oyster menu to choose from.
Tickets cost R450 via Webtickets. The event starts at 12 noon.
ROOFTOP GIN FEST
Rosebank Mall Rooftop Gin Festival will whip a festive cheer with their elaborate line up of craft gin selection in Johannesburg on December 14.
The selection of the finest craft gins will be served by more than 10 exceptional vendors amid what is expected to be an electric atmosphere atop the Rosebank Mall. Highlights include a line-up of live artists to keep the vibes soaring all day long, transitioning effortlessly into a night of dancing under the stars. Visitors will also indulge in a scrumptious selection of delectable delights, perfectly paired to elevate their gin festival journey.
Tickets cost R200 a person, available via Webtickets. The event starts at 2pm.
FRANSCHHOEK BUBBLY FEST
One of Cape winelands’ highly popular calendar events, the Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival, returns for its two-day fiesta at the local Franschhoek Huguenot Monument Festival Grounds on November 30.
The festival promises to be another dazzling celebration drawing bubbly enthusiasts from all across South Africa. The event unfolds over a weekend rich with epicurean delights, providing plenty of reasons to raise a glass and share a toast. The venue is renowned for its garden-party style atmosphere – and invites guests to dress up and don their finest attire for “the Best Dressed Competition”, with the theme “Elegantly Floral,” beautifully capturing the vibrant essence of the season and the surrounding beauty of the renowned Cape Floral Kingdom.
Over two lively days, festival-goers will enjoy performances by popular acts such as the Majozi Band and the Absolutely Fabulous Duo.
Tickets cost R400 a person, via Webtickets. Upon entry, attendees will receive a complimentary glass champagne flute along with 10 tasting tokens. The event starts at 11am.
OYSTER AND WINE FEST
Gauteng wine lovers will be making a beeline for the Oyster and Wine Festival, hosted by WineDown Boutique Bar and Retail Store in Centurion, tomorrow.
The event starts at 4pm, and tickets cost R150 a person via Quicket.
Organisers promise an unforgettable experience, featuring a glut of great wines, good vibes, and great food!
The line-up for tasting of selected wines from Cederberg, Ken Forrester, Spijker and Bessie, Simonsig, Iona, and Alleé Bleue. Patrons will receive a complimentary tasting glass for the tasting that you can take home.
Oysters will be available for purchase, along with sushi from Chopstick SA and our lovely charcuterie boards to round out your tasting experience.The evening involves savouring the perfect pairing of fine wines, fresh oysters, and delicious bites.
DURBANVILLE HILLS SUNDAZE
Durbanville Hills is the place to be this summer when they combine magnificent views of Table Mountain and Table Bay with music, cocktails, award-winning wines and a fabulous vibe during a 10-part series of festive season events.
The music extravaganza started on November 17 and will continue until March next year. The event times from 13h00 to 18h00 with free entry., .
DJs will play cool tunes ranging from Deep House, RnB to HipHop as guests relax on the lawns with food served from the Olive Grove Bistro, wine tastings, and beer on tap as you connect with friends and family.
For festive merriment, guests can write Christmas wishes and decorate interactive canvasses on the bottle tree (December 1, 15 and 29). Other scheduled fun days are January 12 and 26; February 9; March 2, 16 and 30.
CULLINAN WINE FEST
The 2nd Cullinan Summer Wine Festival will take place at the Premiermyn Hervormde Kerk grounds in Cullinan in Gauteng tomorrow.
During the event, estates from all over the Western Cape will gather to showcase their top wines. Being summer, one can look forward to some interesting white wines, Rose, sparkling wines and Champagne as well as a variety of liqueurs, whisky, brandy and gin.
The festival incorporates a crafts market with stalls selling arts and crafts and handmade accessories as well as sumptuous food.
Tickets to this event include a wine glass and unlimited tasting from 10h00 to 17h00, as well as live performances by Scheppel, Fanus Pienaar & AJ DeVos. Tickets cost R100.
PICK ‘N PAY TASTING
Pick n Pay is hosting the Winemakers Table Virtual Tasting, in association with De Grendel wine estate in Durbanville on December 5.
The evening, which starts at 6pm, will involve the pairing of the estate’s wines with delicious canapés supplied by the retail supermarket chain to the homes of wine lovers who purchase tickets via Webtickets, costing R650 and R960 a person.
The ticket entitles the holder to a pairing pack which consists of:
• Three bottles of wine: De Grendel Proposal Hill Brut Rosé 750ml; De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc 750ml and De Grendel Merlot 750ml
• All the ingredients for the canapés, which include a mature cheddar cracker with whipped feta, spiced pickled beetroot, crispy capers and a berry coulis etc. Delivery of the pairing packs will only be made within 50kms of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.. – Compiled by Len Maseko
