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Franschhoek Winter Wines | 15 June 2019
Winter is here, and the best part is that Franschhoek is #OpenForWinter. Brave the weather and head to the Franschhoek Cellar for this year’s edition of Franschhoek Winter Wines. Inspired by the season this Winter warmer festival will take place on Saturday, 15 June (11am to 4pm).
The changing of the seasons brings with it a myriad of comforts, but the best news is that Franschhoek is #OpenForWinter and guaranteed to keep the cold at bay. Franschhoek is the picture of absolute perfection during this time and the scenery that awaits your visit is guaranteed to take your breath away.
View from Mont Rochelle
Holden Manz Estate’s Cabernet Franc 2017 and My Wyn’s Les Grandes Horizontales 2015 have each secured a spot as one of the Top 6 Wines at this year’s Cabernet Franc Challenge. Now in its 4th year the competition highlights quality wines produced by some of South Africa’s most passionate winemakers. Regular star performer, Holden Manz, was the venue for the awards ceremony which took place on 16 April.
Read more here http://ow.ly/p9cW30oGq8I
On a daily basis we work towards maximizing our level of health and wellness to live long, full, and healthy lives. The pursuit of health, personal growth, and improved quality of life relies on living a balanced life as well as promoting a holistic approach to health (mind, body and spirit) and not just encourage physical activity. The Franschhoek Wine Valley is home to a range of invigorating wellness offerings, with treatments catering to all needs. These include spa treatments, wellness retreats, herb gardens, outdoor activities and so much more. With Winter knocking on our doorsteps what better time to give your body (and mind) a healthy boost it needs to get through the colder month.
Read more here http://ow.ly/bm4R30oGqbi
One hundred and fifty writers, chairs, and subject matter specialists; more than one-hundred events, a tiny staff contingent, a seemingly tireless group of dedicated volunteers – and truly glorious sponsor: All we need now is you marvellous readerly types to make this another successful, delightful and unforgettable festival.
We hope you’ll find just the right mix of literature, politics and current affairs, special interest, poetry, creativity, light reading, humour and controversy to keep you on the edge of your seats. We’ve tried to spread the authors out, so to speak, so if you miss your favourite in one event, you should find them in another. Please take your time to browse through the programme and familiarise yourself with the authors before heading off to www.webtickets.co.za.
Download the full 2019 programme here
See the full list of the 2019 Authors here
And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter @FranLitFest and Instagram @franlitfest for author news, any unavoidable last-minute changes, and interesting bookish links.
The weather is perfect to embark on the wide range of outdoor offerings, which range from mountain hikes, MTB trails, exploring the valley by bike, horseback riding and so much more. Don’t just come for the day. Plan to spend a night (or a weekend) which allows ample time to discover the other offerings the Valley is known for – award-winning wines, world-class restaurants, internationally acclaimed art galleries and so much more.
Some of the activities include:
Cape Winelands Riding
A unique way to enjoy wines from the valley as well as take in the sights and sounds, wine tasting on horseback is a must on your list of things to do when visiting. Paradise Stables takes you to Rickety Bridge and Mont Rochelle where you travel by horseback through the vineyards before enjoying a wine tasting at each of the establishments.
Cape Winelands Riding offers a unique riding experience for the discerning rider. Their packages include a one to two hour ride through the vineyards and orchards, to full day packages as well as overnight stays. Private wine tasting experiences and lunch can also be included.
La Motte Hiking Trail
The La Motte Hiking Trail offers the ideal opportunity to explore some of La Motte’s greatest natural assets and the breathtaking vistas of the Franschhoek Wine Valley. The Sustainable Hike is a further expression of La Motte’s commitment to the highest conservation and biodiversity standards and the protection of precious indigenous flora and fauna in the mountain area surrounding the estate and the adjoining Wemmershoek mountain range. The perfect opportunity to explore abundant birdlife, a protea garden, sustainably farmed vineyards, a wealth of flora, resident mammals and reptiles and the breathtaking vistas of the valley. On Monday mornings guests can enjoy a Guided Hike where an experienced and passionate guide shares information on the flora and fauna as well as the region. Included in your hike is an easy to read trail map, bottle of water as well as light refreshments when stopping for a breather at the Lapa.
Congratulations to Haut Espoir and La Bri who were amongst the winners announced at the 2019 10 Year Old Wine Awards, which was hosted by Winemag.co.za. 92 entries from 42 producers were received, and the entries were tasted blind, by a three-person panel, with the scoring done according to the 100-point quality scale. The judging panel was chaired by Christian Eedes who was joined by Roland Peens and James Pietersen. According to Eedes and his fellow judges they felt that the 2009 vintage was generally considered one of the greatest of the modern era – the 2008 winter was cold and wet facilitating good moisture reserves in the soil while unseasonably cool weather in late December and early January meant a late start to harvest. Fruit came into cellars in superb condition – ripe but with high acidities. These conditions made for the production of award-winning wines, which was the case for Haut Espoir and La Bri, respectively.
In the Shiraz category, Haut Espoir scored 93 points for its 2009 Shiraz, whilst in the Red Blends category La Bri also scored 93 points for its 2009 Affinity.
Image by La Bri
To read more about the awards and to download the full report click on the following linkhttps://winemag.co.za/10-year-old-wine-report-2019/