Issued by: Random
Hat Communications on behalf of Stellenbosch American Express® Wine Routes
The Stellenbosch
American Express® Wine Routes celebrates the start of the bustling
festive season with the opening of a Wine Tourism Visitor Centre in the heart
of the City of Oaks. It offers locals and visitors an engaging ‘hotspot’ to get
up close and personal with South Africa’s granddaddy of wine routes and get an
insider-scoop on what’s hot and happening in this popular wine tourism region.
47 Church Street is your
one stop destination for a slice of the vibrant Stellenbosch lifestyle, where
free wifi, comprehensive information and wine tourism guidance, good quality
coffee, friendly staff and casual wine tastings come standard, seven days a
week.
“We invite everyone to
swing by our new ‘home’ for an insightful peep into what makes our wine route
one of the best in the world and to get connected with a myriad of attractions
on our doorstep. We offer so much more than just wine and we now have a
beautiful space in which we can share our multi-dimensional culture and charm
with enthusiasts. It is the best spot to come and chill with a glass of local
wine, whilst soaking up the daily hustle and bustle of our forever young town,”
shares Annareth Bolton, CEO of Stellenbosch Wine Routes.
As the oldest wine route
in the country, the Stellenbosch Wine Routes might be considered a golden oldie
with its winemaking legacy spanning over more than four decades, but with all
its innovative wine tourism initiatives going strong, this dynamic Winelands
darling still manages to fuel all the senses.
“Today we are celebrated
as a leader in South African wine tourism and we offer the Full Monty. We have
the best chefs, exceptional wines, a multi-faceted playground of activities for
young and old. Long gone are the days when tourists just valued us as day trip
destination to taste quality wines,” adds Bolton.
Earlier this year the
Stellenbosch Wine Routes clinched the title as Best Promotional Body at the
Wine Tourism Awards 2014 of the authoritative Drinks International magazine –
one of the most trusted and respected global drinks journals. More recently it
excelled at the 2015 Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best Of Wine Tourism Awards
held in Mendoza, Argentina, where numerous local producers raked in awards.
The Stellenbosch
Winelands also consolidated its role as the country’s Gourmet and Wine Capital,
claiming seven of the top twenty nominations in the 2014 Eat Out Restaurant
Awards – South Africa’s annual restaurant Oscars – of which
four shines amongst the current Top Ten eateries in the country.
This awesome Top Ten
foursome includes Jordan
(rated #5), Overture (#6), Rust en Vrede (#7) and Terroir (#10), whilst Makaron
at Majeka House, Tokara and The Restaurant at Waterkloof were again among the
top twenty nominees.
The
Stellenbosch Wine Routes is also proud to have the Western Cape Farm Worker of
the Year 2014 as well as the Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year 2014 in its
midst.
Jerome
Thomas, general manager at Kanonkop Wine Estate, walked away with the coveted
Farm Worker of the Year 2014 title – an annual competition hosted by the
Western Cape Department of Agriculture and Shoprite which saw a record number
of more than 1000 entries from 15 different regions this year.
“This
has been a dream of mine for the past six years and I finally won through hard
work and perseverance,” shares an elated Thomas who received a prize package of
R100 000, which includes cash; study bursaries, and an overseas study tour
related to market access.
Jacques
Erasmus from Spier Estate, who has been making wine since he was just 12 years
old, took the prestigious Diners Club Winemaker of the Year title for his Spier
Creative Block 2 2014 dry white wine blend – a stellar sip for festive
celebrations. This annual contest contributes towards raising the standards of the wines
produced in South Africa and each year the best winemaker is crowned from an
illustrious pool of internationally recognised estates as well as smaller, yet
equally competitive , wine farms. Erasmus had two wines in the finals which
proofs that his winemaking skills are consistent and worthy of this award.
For
more information on what is hot and happening in and around Stellenbosch and
its sub-routes this season, visit blog.wineroute.co.za,
or visit their new Wine Tourism Visitor Centre at 47 Church Street. Also
contact them on Tel: 021 886 4310, email welcome@wineroute.co.za and
visit www.wineroute.co.za.
