According to Annareth Bolton, CEO of the Stellenbosch
Wine Routes, the 2014 festival promises to be bigger and better than ever. “The Stellenbosch Wine Festival is not only
about wine, it is about the Stellenbosch lifestyle. It is therefore very appropriate that the
festival coincides with the annual harvest. This is a unique opportunity to experience what Stellenbosch is all
about – the history, the people, the wines and great food. It is also about engaging with local
communities and giving something back to these communities,” mentions Bolton.
The jam-packed festival line-up includes a harvest
parade, a street fest in the historic Church Street, speciality tastings and
tours, cultivar showcases, dine in the vine encounters, art exhibitions, special
events as well as winery experiences and restaurant promotions. The ten-day wine spectacular culminates in a three-day
wine expo in the centre of town.
The Stellenbosch Wine Festival Wine Expo will once
again be hosted on Die Braak in the heart of the city of oaks from Friday, 31
January, to Sunday, 2 February. The
venue will be transformed into an elegant, open-air lounge with over sixty winery
stands offering wine tastings, a Pick n Pay Fresh and small producers market and
live entertainment.
For the duration of the festival, wine lovers will also
be able to enjoy dedicated American Express Winery Experiences at close to
eighty wineries in the region, while the American Express Wine & Dine
programme will feature some of the top award-winning restaurants in the
Stellenbosch region offering special festival menus and promotions.
On 25 January, the Pick n Pay Women’s Walk will take
to the streets of Stellenbosch in aid of breast cancer awareness and
prevention. This initiative forms part
of the Stellenbosch Wine Festival’s community involvement programme and will
also see a mobile unit engaging with women from local disadvantaged communities
to offer free mammogram screenings and health education.
Sports enthusiasts also have something to look
forward to with the Grape Golf Challenge taking place at De Zalze golf estate
on Thursday, 31 January.
Proceeds from various events taking place during the
Stellenbosch Wine Festival will once again be donated to the Stellenbosch Wine
Festival Foundation. The funds are
utilised for bursaries for underprivileged young students, whose parents work
within the wine industry.
According to Steyn Momberg of WorldSport, the
promotion and staging partner of the festival, South Africa’s oldest wine
festival is set to become the definitive wine event on the national
calendar. “The festival is being
repositioned to become the ultimate South African wine festival for the
domestic and international market. The
event provides an ideal platform to showcase the products of the Stellenbosch
American Express® Wine Routes’ members and their partners to local, national
and international customers and to promote the Western Cape, Stellenbosch and
Stellenbosch wine,” explains Momberg.
Various ticket options are available from www.pnptickets.co.za. Visit the festival website for ticket costs
for American Express Winery Experiences and American Express Wine and Dine restaurant
promotions. For more information, visit www.stellenboschwinefestival.co.za.
Get updates on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StellenboschWineFestival
or follow the Stellenbosch Wine Festival on Twitter @StellWineFest.