There’s a New Sommelier in Town Meet Marlvin Gwese—the newly appointed sommelier at Greenhouse at The CellarsHohenort in Cape Town. Zimbabwean-born Gwese began his career as a wine steward at The Table Bay and also graduated with a Cape Wine Academy Diploma in 2013. In 2015, Marlvin gained his Wine and Spirits Education Trust Level 3 qualification and passed his Cape Wine Masters tasting. After a ten-year stint as head sommelier at the Cape Grace Hotel, Gwese decided it was time to take on a new challenge and join the talented Greenhouse team. We look forward to seeing you in action, Gwese! www.greenhouserestaurant.co.za
Wine & Dine What’s New in Food and Wine
Break Away to DWV
Unplug at Spier With a fireplace in every hotel room, plus spa, restaurants, art exhibitions, and a whole lot of fun things to do (not to mention wine tastings and pairings) Spier invites you to switch off with their new winter promo. They have a package designed for those who are all Zoom’ed out and need to take a break from it all. To help you disconnect and reconnect, you will receive a ‘switch off ’ kit to unplug and unwind. The kit includes a bottle of Spier Signature Wine, film camera (wait, they still make those?) to capture your offline moments, and a journal to jot down your thoughts. Plus, your kit doubles up as a phone safe to store your devices away for maximum memory making. Select any online package or rate and use the promo code, ‘ Reconnect’ to receive your special switch off kit on arrival. Valid until 30 September 2021. www.spier.co.za
Looking for a quick escape that’s just a 20-minute drive from Cape Town’s CBD? Head to the revitalised Durbanville Wine Valley (DWV) for a day (or weekend) of fun and exploring. The rolling hills and wide-open spaces make the Durbanville landscape a treat for fans of the great outdoors. Among its many attractions are over 170km of MTB routes that run through vineyards and wilderness areas. Prefer to sit somewhere warm and toasty while sipping some wine? We hear you, and for those that don’t wish to get muddy while mountain biking, DWV has plenty of delicious wines and dining excursions on offer too. Meet you there? www.durbanvillewine.co.za
A Site for Sore Eyes
Chardonnay lovers, have we got juicy news for you. Delheim has just released its much anticipated 2020 vintage of its Sur Lie Chardonnay. The popularity of this wine stems from a single vineyard high against the Simonsberg Mountain, the estate’s most consistently good block of Chardonnay. Over the decades this specific site has delivered award-winning Chardonnays, and the 2007 vintage from this same block won the trophy for Best Chardonnay in the World. The name Sur Lie refers to the months (nine in fact) the wine spent on the lees before blending and bottling. “The fruit the block delivers is evidence that if you plant the right cultivar at the right site in the right soil you can make wines that are layered, complex and elegant,” says Delheim winemaker Roelof Lotriet. The wine retails at around R250 per bottle.
