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Friday, 8 January, 2021

Landskroon Chenin Blanc 2020

The De Villiers Family and Chenin Blanc have a lot in common. They both arrived in South Africa at roughly the same time, and both have flourished.
Michael Olivier
Friday, 19 June, 2020

Landskroon Chenin Blanc 2019, celebrates International Chenin Blanc Day with Ina Paarman’s Vegetable Curry with Cashew Nuts…

All gussied up in its brand-new livery, Landskroon Chenin Blanc 2019 steps up to the plate to celebrate Chenin Blanc Day on Saturday, 20 June.
Michael Olivier
Wednesday, 2 October, 2019

A Chardonnay & Pinot Celebration at Salt on Paul Cluver Estate

Imagine four of SA’s top wine producers in one room for one night only, and their sole purpose is to treat your taste buds to their exceptional wines.
Michael Olivier Communications
Friday, 26 April, 2019

Asara takes The Private Hotel School’s Mentor’s Trophy for 2019.

Pete Gottgens, Asara Estate Manager, recently was presented with The Private Hotel School’s Mentor’s Trophy for 2019, awarded in recognition of Asara’s valuable contribution to talent development.
Michael Olivier Communications
Thursday, 21 March, 2019

Bradley Solomons, Concierge at The Table Bay is on his way to the “Hotel Oscars”, The Distell Inter Hotel Challenge 2019…

Bradley Solomons, Concierge at The Table Bay joins the team of enthusiastic food and wine enthusiasts, Jonathon Wakefield (Sommelier candidate), Dalise Stynfaard (Bakery candidate) and Kurt de Wet (Chef candidate) representing the hotel in the prestigious Distell Inter Hotel Challenge 2019.
Michael Olivier Communications
Monday, 11 March, 2019

Asara #9 The Speciality Collection Vine Dried Sauvignon Blanc 2014, good with Dianne Bibby’s Milk Tart Pancake Mille-Feuille…

This is a piece of class, love this wine. The Asara Vine Dried Sauvignon Blanc 2014 is a natural sweet wine made from the last bunch left on each vine after the grapes are harvested for The Vineyard Collection Sauvignon Blanc.
Michael Olivier Communications
Thursday, 21 February, 2019

Flagstone Ice, a vine dried Sauvignon Blanc 2016, a perfect partner to Nina Timm’s Passionfruit Cheesecake slices.

Clever name Ice. It reminds me of Canadian Ice wine, made from grapes picked well into winter once the frost has been at them and cause desiccation. In South Africa, we have to use a pair of pliers to pinch the peduncles of the bunches to prevent life giving liquids to pass through to the berries which dehydrates the berries.
Michael Olivier
Wednesday, 20 February, 2019

Oldenburg Vineyards Series Syrah 2015, so good with Ina Paarman’s French Beef Stew with Shallots…

Appropriate that I should be writing about this wine today as today is International Shiraz Day. Shiraz ad Syrah are the same grape. They are given different names in South Africa as Shiraz tends to an all singing all dancing fruit forward blockbuster in the Australian Style all fruit and swagger.
Michael Olivier Communications
Monday, 4 February, 2019

Alto Friday Sunset Rouge Evenings

Alto Wine Estate is celebrating summer with a series of ‘Friday Sunset Rouge Evenings’ starting on Friday 8 February - it is a red affair with live entertainment, warm summer laughter and a view like no other.
Alto Estate
Thursday, 31 January, 2019

The Bellingham Homestead Series Sauvignon Blanc 2018

The Bellingham Homestead Series is a relatively new range of wines named in honour of the Bellingham Homestead in Franschhoek and the continuing excellence of the wines produced in its name.
Bellingham Wines
Wednesday, 30 January, 2019

Asara The Vineyard Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2018, such a lovely lunch time partner with Nomu’s Quinoa & Herb Salad.

One of the joys of the Polkadraai Hills is that it offers Asara Wine Estate a number of different altitudes, aspects and microclimates. The vineyards from which the grapes for the Asara Vineyard The Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2018 are harvested are planted on the highest slopes on decomposed granite soils and are 22 years of age.
Michael Olivier Communications
Thursday, 24 January, 2019

Simonsig Woolworths Chenin Blanc Pinotage Reserve Collection 2017, perfect with Lizet Hartley’s pork and green fig terrine

I am told by the people at Simonsig that their Woolworths Chenin Blanc Pinotage Reserve Collection 2017 is one of the most popular on the Woolworths shelves. I'm not surprised.
Simonsig
Friday, 21 December, 2018

Asara Avalon 2012 is a great partner to Alida Ryder’s Steak & Mushroom Pot Pie…

Avalon is a legendary island which is part of the legend of King Arthur, the place of mythical practices and where King Arthurs Sword Excalibur was forged. Avalon is an Asara twist on Amarone, a wine making style developed in Valpolicella, Italy. Bunches are pinched off from their life source on the vine and then desiccate condensing the flavours.
Michael Olivier
Monday, 17 December, 2018

Douglas Green Chenin Blanc 2018, so good with NOMU’s Ultimate Cheese Toastie with Smoky Chipotle Relish & Caramelised Onions…

Douglas Green was clearly a man of vision for his time, and his philosophies and wine practices continue well into the 76th anniversary of the founding of his eponymous wine company in 1942.
Douglas Green Wines
Thursday, 13 December, 2018

Perdeberg Endura Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2017, drink it with Michael Olivier's Brick Chicken…

Endurance is what is required if you are a vine growing in the vineyard at a top of the Paardeberg Mountain with no irrigation available. You are a bush vine and have battled it out over the recent drought, the worst in living memory. Perdeberg Winery has a nick name - The Home of Chenin Blanc.
Michael Olivier Communications
Wednesday, 5 December, 2018

Allesverloren Red Muscadel 2018

I think that the wonderful sweet fortified wines which we produce in this country are very underrated. An under appreciated. Allesverloren, the famous Swartland Appellation Wine Estate has for years produced a benchmark Port style wine which many would buy when looking for a bottle of port.
Michael Olivier
Monday, 5 November, 2018

Asara’s mise en place opens with a fabulous new menu to go with the Estate’s fine wines….

Chef Arek Witaszek and his team took up positions behind the plancha, Green Egg, and the hot plates last week as the Asara Hotel’s mise en place Restaurant opened for the season.
Michael Olivier Communications
Tuesday, 23 October, 2018

Groote Post’s Lukas Wentzel produces a sublime blend, Salt of the Earth…

Groote Post Wine Estate is in the Darling Wine Appellation. I have stood on that farm and experienced the cool breezes coming off the north travelling Benguela Current. This cool breeze ameliorates Summer heat in the vineyards, which allows for longer ripening and greater flavour in the ultimate wine.
Michael Olivier Communications
Friday, 28 September, 2018

Douglas Green Sauvignon Blanc 2018, so good with Anina Meyer’s Mediterranean Sandwich GemWraps…

Sauvignon Blanc was not the most popular wine grape variety in 1942 when the legendary Douglas Green founded his wine company in Paarl. Chenin Blanc, Groendruif were de rigueur at the time. However, the philosophy behind the company, to offer customers wines that were of excellent quality and even handedly priced.
Douglas Green
Tuesday, 25 September, 2018

Terroir Restaurant extends its winter offering…

Due to popular demand, Terroir Restaurant situated on the Kleine Zalze wine estate in Stellenbosch, will be extending its hugely popular winter menu offering until the end of October this year.
Michael Olivier Communications