Cape Town - Whether you spit, swallow, swirl, slurp, sniff, or simply enjoy it whenever possible, you are fortunate to be in one of the best wine regions in the new world.
There are hundreds of farms and estates in the Western Cape (and in other provinces) over several wine routes, and their products include many varietals, colours, tastes, and prices. You can be an intimidating snob, a novice keen to learn what you love (or hate), or just someone who enjoys a glass – or bottle, let’s not be coy here – with a meal, with friends, to celebrate, or to drown a sorrow, but to quote Rumi: “Either give me more wine or leave me alone.”
Looking up wine quotes can be very distracting. “Wine is one of the most civilised things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing,” said Ernest Hemingway. He was a man who knew a thing or two about drinking.
There are thousands more words of wisdom on the topic, but I’m beginning to stray. While wine is wonderful and I am a great lover of it, today I’m going to write about more than just wine. I’m going to tell you about the annual Klink Awards, which focus on wine tourism. In other words, the things that go well with wine, make drinking it better, and enhance visitors’ experiences at all those farms and estates.
In the introduction to the 2014 edition of the Wine Tourism Handbook – which is crammed with information on wine routes, directories, festivals and events, places to eat, as well as easily digestible education on all aspects of wine – publisher Monika Elias says: “Wineries no longer pretend they are simply selling products; they are doing more than just associating their wares with a desirable lifestyle. They are creating ‘atmospherics’, which trigger the emotional need to be part of a world that is different to the everyday reality.”
The Klink Awards are based on what you and I think about our wine industry. Across 16 categories ranging from best wine route event and best accommodation, to dining options, and outdoor vineyard adventures like game drives, it’s the consumers who choose the winners. There is also a lot of social media activity around the awards, with some nominees offering incentives to voters, as well as prizes from the Klink people too, so keep an eye on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Crowd Pleaser award for the best wine route event will go to one that “draws repeat visitors year after year, helps to build a regional wine brand and market a specific wine route destination”. This year’s nominees are Robertson Wine on the River, Franschhoek Bastille Festival, Constantia Food and Wine Festival, Elgin Cool Wine & Country Festival, and Season of Sauvignon.
Other categories include Happy Times for the most memorable wine route, and the Wild Card award for most unusual attraction on a wine route. One of the nominees in this category is the City SightSeeing Wine Bus. The topless red buses are a familiar sight in cities all over the world, but this satellite wine bus which visits farms in the Constantia area is unique. It’s up against the garden at Babylonstoren, game drives at Groote Post, the tram which runs between Anthonij Rupert and L’Ormarins, and the Viljoensdrift river cruise.
Although drinking wine is for over-18s, a day in the winelands can be a family outing, so places that cater for children are important too. One of the best days out for me – even without kids in tow – was at nominee Blaauwklippen Family Market. Other nominees in this category are Cape Point Vineyards in Noordhoek, Rhebokskloof Wine Estate and Leopards Leap Family Vineyards.
Wine farms have become famous in their own right for fabulous eating experiences. The restaurant at Buitenverwachting and Terroir at Klein Zalze have both been nominated for the Gourmand award for best gourmet restaurant at the cellar door (see articles below).
I would find it very difficult to predict a winner of the Beyond Expectations award for “restaurants in the mid-price category that serve seriously good food and excellent wine”. The nominees, all excellent and personally recommended, are Bread and Wine at Môreson, the restaurant at De Grendel, Harvest at Laborie, the restaurant at Haute Cabrière, and Steenberg’s Bistro Sixteen82.
The fine dining is balanced by the casual – Christina’s at Van Loveren, The Restaurant at Delheim, The Pool Room at Oak Valley in Elgin, No 6 Restaurant at Welbedacht, and the glorious boerekos at Towerbosch restaurant at Knorhoek – as well as delicious deli offerings at Lanzarac, Lust Bistro and Bakery at Lust en Vrede, Joostenberg, Babylonstoren, Joubert-Tradauw Alfresco, and Fairview.
Wine tourism may well be all about what you get out of your experience, but there is a Tread Gently award for the farm that “sets the standard for green, planet-friendly farming practices in terms of sustainable viticulture and wine production, biodiversity and conservation initiatives, as well as organic or biodynamic viticulture”. These are Backsberg, Villiera, Avondale, Bon Cap, and Graham Beck Wines, which, for every bottle from its Game Reserve range sold globally, contributes R3 to the Wilderness Foundation’s conservation and education programmes throughout Africa. Each cultivar features one of the many indigenous animals and plants found in the reserve on the Robertson estate.
l For a full list of the categories and nominees, and to vote, see winetourismsouthafrica.co.za/klinkawards/
Weekend Argus