Finjwyn Food and Wine Festival, Pretoria, 30 April and 1 May 2016
This weekend sees the 7th annual Fijnwyn Food and Wine Festival taking place in Pretoria East. As the name suggests, Fijnwyn brings the finest the Cape winelands has to offer to Gauteng with no fewer than 30 estates taking part, including the likes of Hermanuspietersfontein, Vrede & Lust, Graham Beck and Creation.
Get there early, taste them all, then buy a few of your favourites and settle in for a good long ‘kuier’ Pretoria style. You can pre-book a Fijnwyn picnic box online, but there will also be loads of other nibbles on offer. Plus there’ll be live music, kids’ entertainment and pecan nut harvesting. The gates open at 10am and close at 6pm with tasting available from 10am to 5pm. Tickets cost R150 per person, but kids 12-18 only pay R50 and those under 12 get in free, making it really affordable as a fun family event. Book online at iTickets as tickets at the gate will be limited.
Cool Wine and Country Food Festival, Elgin, 30 April and 1 May 2016
The harvest has come to an end, the vineyards are decked in their autumn finery and just as the first vestiges of winter can be felt in the crisp air, the Elgin Wine valley opens its doors to visitors from far and wide for the annual Elgin Cool Wine and Country Food Festival which is to be held over the weekend of 30th April and 1st May 2016 from 10h00 until 17h00 daily.
This high-altitude cool wine region (where the grapes ripen slowly and the farmers are patient) delivers wines with character defined by excellent purity, distinct minerality, density of fruit and an elegance which can only be described as bottled poetry.
Award-winning wines, a delectable culinary experience, loads of outdoor activities, live entertainment and natural scenic wonders. What more could you ask for?
Entry tickets to the festival cost R120 pp (over 18’s) and can be bought online from Webtickets. Your ticket buys you your tasting glass, festival programme, access to participating farms, live entertainment and wine tasting of a selection of three (3) wines of your choice at any of the participating wine estates. Online ticket sales will close on 29 April 2016 after which tickets may be purchased on the day at the Elgin Cool Wine & Country festival office at the Peregrine Farm Stall – these tickets are priced at R140 pp.
Tasting glasses and guest passes must be collected at the festival office at Peregrine Farm Stall prior to visiting any of the farms.
All children younger than 18 and accompanied by an adult may enter for free. Pre-book activities and meals as space is limited. Selected wines will be available for purchase at cellar door prices on the day.
Riebeek Valley Olive Festival, Riebeek Kasteel, 7- 8 May 2016
The annual Riebeek Valley Olive Festival takes place over the weekend of 7 and 8 May (9:30am to 5pm Saturday; 9:30am to 4pm Sunday). A myriad of olive experiences and taste sensations await you. Get to know olives from the ground up with a guided and informative walk through the olive groves at Kloovenburg, which also includes an olive press demonstration. Olive Boutique is where it all started and is heaven for any olive fanatic. Het Vlock Casteel with its castle inspired building completes the list of participating olive producers in the valley, and is guaranteed to tickle the taste buds with their range of mouthwatering olives.
The Riebeek Valley and its wine farms are renowned for producing superb award-winning wines, and this weekend is the perfect excuse to stock up. Participating wineries include Allesverloren, Pulpit Rock Het Vlock Casteel, Kloovenburg and Riebeek Cellars. An abundance of hearty local food, live entertainment and plenty of kids’ entertainment make this a great day out for the whole family.
An Olive Passport, valid for the entire weekend, will give you access to the six participating wine farms. Your passport costs R125 per person and includes a complimentary tasting glass. Book online via Webtickets or on the day at any of the participating venues. Children under 18 enter for free.
Mother’s Day at Webersburg, Stellenbosch, 8 May 2016
Webersburg Wine Estate has two very special offerings available to celebrate the special woman in your life this Mother’s Day on Sunday, 8 May 2016 – a lovely breakfast brunch and a scrumptious High Tea, all served in the SugarBosch Bistro, overlooking the magnificent dam.
Brunch can be booked at an all-inclusive rate* of R160 per person and is available between 08:00 and 11:00. The High Tea is available at R250 per person from midday until 15:00.
Shiraz & Charcuterie at Anthonij Rupert, Franschhoek, 28 May 2016
Shiraz and Charcuterie; a culinary match made in heaven! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to experience these taste sensations at this year’s Shiraz & Charcuterie at Anthonij Rupert Wyne in Franschhoek on Saturday, 28 May (12pm to 5pm).
The perfect excuse to sample Anthonij Rupert Wyne’s range of Shiraz wines, which include the Anthonij Rupert Syrah, the Cape of Good Hope Riebeek’s Rivier Shiraz and Protea Shiraz. Joining these wines will be a selection of SA’s finest Syrahs paired with mouth-watering charcuterie and other delicious treats. Participating producers, amongst others, include Rust en Vrede, Waterford, Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, Hartenberg Estate, Simonsig and Thelema.
Perfectly suited to the colder months, savour your glass of Shiraz with one of the delicious winter-inspired dishes on offer. Choices include traditional French onion soup served with Gruyere croutons, succulent braised lamb arancini with homemade tomato chutney or Toulouse sausages with braised lentils.
Tickets cost R180 per person and are limited, so pre-booking is recommended. Your ticket includes entry as well as tastings of the wines on show. Book directly via Webtickets.
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