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South
Africa's Cape Wine
Country
 During
our 26th ATA International Congress we had several
occasions to visit the historic wine country
surrounding Cape Town, and count that experience
among our most memorable short
trips.
Our
first Wine Country tour that year was in the
company of the Davidowitz
brothers,
Sellwyn and Robert. Both operate tour companies on
the Cape, and we couldn't recommend anyone more
knowledgeable of the area, its history, and where
to enjoy the best food and wines. Be sure to sample
the nation's award winning wines during your stay.
South Africa's vintages are among the world's best.
Some specialties include lovely Chardonnays, Pinot
Noir, Merlot, Cinsault, Riesling, Shiraz, Sauvignon
Blanc, Caberbet Sauvignon and Pinotage varietals.
You will find that one of the most pleasant ways to
enjoy South African wine is on a visit to the
scenic wineland of the Western Cape. Few places in
the world are as stunning as these lush valleys.
Towering mountains are a dramatic backdrop for the
rows of grapevines and giant
oaks. With the
current exchange rate of eight Rand to 1$ US you
will want to sample the many varieties of ethnic
cuisine available in Cape Town and area. After all,
its the pioneer city of the Rainbow Nation, whose
restaurant menus feature the best from every
culture. The photo on the left featuring streetside
dining at the Cafe Del Mar is courtesy of Cape Town
Tourism. Here's part of what the folks at Cape
Tourism have to say about the pleasures of dining
in their great cosmopolitan city:
 Take
a leisurely drive through one of the many wine
routes just minutes out of Cape Town. Winemakers
welcome you for cellar tours and tastings. You will
see historic wine towns graced with lovely Cape
Dutch and Victorian buildings, charming guest
houses, top-notch restaurants and interesting
museums and shops. The Constantia wine route is
popular for both beauty and historical
significance. Established more than 300 years ago
Groot Constantia is a superb example of a Cape
Dutch manor house.If
you want to provide comments, an item or news
release to this column on line or in print, send it
to "The Flying Gourmet" at airhwy@dowco.com
Above:
Tour operator Robert Davidowitz discusses wines in
Franzhoek with Robert D'Angelo of Philadelphia.
Photo by Muguette Gofurani.
Tulbagh
goes Dutch:From
clogs to croquetjes, boerenkool to bulbs in full
bloom ‰ Indulge in all things deliciously
Dutch when the quaint town of Tulbagh enlivens its
cultural heritage with nostalgic activities,
entertainment by singing Netherlander Stef Bos and
endless tussendoortjes during its annual Tulbagh
goes Dutch Festival from 12 to 13 April. Festival
sponsor, Drostdy Hof wines, brings Dutch icon Stef
Bos into its home at the stately De Oude Drostdy
Museum and invites festival-goers to an enchanting
Garden Concert on its historic grounds at 16h00 on
Saturday afternoon, 12 April. During the Festival,
visit this neo-classical museum on tractor rides
from the hub of the festival in historic Church
Street. Enjoy the fine collection of carefully
restored period furniture and indulge in
spectacular wine tastings by candelight in the
underground cellar. More->
Visit the picturesque wine route of Franschoek, or
"French Corner", also rich in history. In 1688 the
French Huguenots developed the area, contributing
their knowledge of wine-making. Here you will enjoy
wine cellar tours, gourmet restaurants and upscale
accommodations.
A
cluster of wineries surrounds the historic
university town of Stellenbosh, the second-oldest
European settlement in South Africa and an
architectural gem. You will marvel at the
well-preserved Cape Dutch, Georgian, Victorian and
Regency buildings, many of which are national
monuments. Enjoy a drive down the oak-shaded Main
Street of Paarl, a winelands town with tine Cape
Dutch buildings.
This
Bergriver Valley wine route features historic
museums, find restaurants and a nature reserve.
Other routes include Durbanville, nestled on the
slopes of the Tygerberg Hills, and compact
Wellington - both distinguished by award-winni
ng wines. The Worcester route is located in the
beautiful Breede River Valley. Be sure to see
numerous tourist attractions and breathtaking
scenery on the Swartland route.
Important
Links for Information on Booking Travel to South
Africa
South African
National Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism -
www.deat.gov.za
South African
Tourism -
www.southafrica.net
South African
National Parks - www.sanparks.org
International
Marketing Council - www.sanparks.org.za
Edwin Sipho
Rihlamvu
Tourism International Liaison
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM SOUTH
AFRICA
Tel: 27 (12) 310
3940, Fax: 27 (12) 322 5754
Mobile: 073 902 4504
E-mail:
erihlamvu@deat.gov.za
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Saldanha
Bay Mussels to Smoked Springbok
 Several
years after opening its doors in Cape
Town's
financial and legal district and after
reinventing the concept of stylish city
dining, sassy "Five Flies" remains the
good-looking restaurant that everyone is
talking about. To celebrate its
anniversary, Five Flies spruced up its
menu to feature popular old-time favorites
and some new flavorsome summer creations.
Known for its cutting edge cuisine, plump
with fresh global flavors, exciting
combinations and spectacular presentation,
Five Flies has developed a strong
following of discerning diners who love
the mix of innovative fair, great ambiance
and outstanding friendly service. The
seductive starters on the new menu feature
evergreens such as Saldanha Bay mussels
cooked in white wine, garlic, basil and
cream, or the tempting tea-smoked
springbok carpaccio served with
Californian sushi and mustard cream. On
popular demand, the smoked salmon open
ravioli with sweet peppers in a
horseradish broth remains on the menu.
With summer in mind, crisp asparagus
drizzled in orange flavored hollandaise
and red pepper coulis, returns. A new
addition is duck confit spring rolls with
an orange, ginger and coriander
dressing.
 Singita
Private Game Reserve launches Premier Wine
Direct:
Renowned
for its impressive wine list and
collection of top South African wines,
Singita, Africa's premier private game
reserve bordering the Kruger National
Park, has introduced an exciting new
concept to make sought-after local wines
accessible to international guests. Voted
No. 1 destination in the world for two
consecutive years by no less than two
prestigious international publications,
Conde Nast Traveler and Andrew Harper's
Hideaway Report, specialist wine tastings
and gourmet food are as much a part of the
Singita guest experience as pristine game
viewing and luxurious lodge
living.
Singita
Premier Wine Direct enables Singita guests
to acquire rare South African wines
directly from Africa's finest bush cellar.
Now wine lovers and connoisseurs can
purchase South African wines for courier
directly to their homes or to take with
them after their stay at Singita.
Additional orders can also be placed via
email for delivery anywhere in the
world.Premier Wine Direct offers a
selection of the best wines in the finest
vintages from top South African cellars
and wineries including allocations of rare
icons, single vineyard and limited release
wines secured from leading estates by
Singita's dedicated Sommelier. Only
premier South African wines are featured
on the Singita wine list.
The
humidity and temperature controlled
cellars at Singita's Ebony and Boulders
Lodges in the Sabi Sand Reserve have a
capacity for over 15 000 bottles. A third
Singita bush cellar with a capacity of
another 6000 bottles is nearing completion
at Singita Lebombo. Scheduled to open in
March 2003, Singita Lebombo will offer
discerning guests an unrivaled wilderness
experience on a private concession on the
remote eastern boundary of the Kruger
National
Park.
These
three bush cellars are supported by
Singita's Young Wine Cellar situated in
the Cape Winelands, where up to 24 000
bottles are matured under optimum
conditions. This enables Singita's
Sommelier to purchase red wines on release
and keep them in the cellar for long-term
bulk maturation until they are ready to be
dispatched to the respective lodges.The
Singita bush cellars have been designed
specifically to accommodate personal wine
tastings, often hosted by some of South
Africa's leading winemakers who are
frequent guests at
Singita.
More->
For
further information on Singita Premier
Wine Direct, contact mailto:premierwine@singita.co.za
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