Jan 30, 2010
1st Franschhoek Vendange Festival
Franschhoek Vendange Festival - 13 March 2010.
This boutique event offers wine aficionados and budding vintners a chance to experience the magic of harvest for a day – without having to quit their day jobs!
Imagine a day in the vineyards of your favourite Wine farm, learning the art of wine making directly from the wine maker and their team, ending with a Town-wide Party with live music and a feast table prepared by Franschhoeks top chefs, this is not to be missed…
Franschhoek welcomes our very first Franschhoek Vendange Festival 2010!
Guests will enjoy a day of Grape Picking, Bunch Sorting, Grape vs. Wine Tasting, Vineyard Tractor Trips, Must tasting & lots more at the farm of their choice and then off to Franschhoek Town Centre to end off an experience like no other. Come and enjoy the Festive Vendange (Harvest) Dinner with grape stomping, a feast table prepared by our famous local chefs, live Music, dancing and lots of wine… what a way to experience another Great Franschhoek Adventure.
Groups are small and intimate to ensure that you have the very best hands-on experience, all harvests need to be pre-booked by February 2010, you will book via your favourite wine farm where you will begin your day, the party will then move to the town centre where you will end off with a dinner.
This is a perfect opportunity for a family break away weekend.
The following farms will be participating:
L’Ormarins | 021 874 900 | |
| Glenwood | 021 876 2044 | |
| Cabriere Estate | 021 876 8500 | |
| Grahambeck Wines | 021 874 1258 | |
| Vrede & Lust | 021 874 1611 | |
| Rickety Bridge | 021 876 2129 | |
| Mont Rochelle | 021 876 2770 | |
| Boekenhoutskloof | 021 876 3320 | |
| Grande Provence | 021 876 8600 |
Dinner party:
Otherwise join us for the Dinner Party starting at 16h00. R550 per person (all food, wine, beverages, entertainment, grape stomping etc. inclusive).
Book: Carmen 021 8762861 office@franschhoek.org.za
Jan 11, 2010
Work begins at 'Old Pick n Pay' site
The back of the old Pick n Pay building/Senqu/Build It is being demolished. Plans for the new development should be online soon.
Jan 6, 2010
Jan 4, 2010
Waiting for Change
Looking down at myself in the shower recently I wondered why it is that errors of perspective are limited to my stomach and feet.Knowing that my wife, the fitness junkie, would try to explain it with a lengthy treatise on the benefits of exercise to body, mind and eyes, I decided to recommit myself to an outdoor pursuit for the Christmas and New Year break. Tiger Woods’ headline grabbing love-life troubles and the excitement in the valley surrounding the SA Golf Open were incentive enough to give attention to my sadly underutilised driver. So I headed off to Val de Vie, hoping to catch glimpse of Richard Sterne (or at least his beautiful new wife who was pictured in the December edition of The Month). The driving range was deserted, save for someone walking a horse. As I couldn’t find anyone to hire a bucket of balls from, I took the handful I keep for mulligans and, after a short warm up, hit all three straight and true, at right angles to my intended direction. The horse walker changed into a rider and in no time bore down on me shouting “Fore. Luck sakes, man!” or something similar. “This is a polo field, bugger off!” I did.
The Magic of Bubbles created quite a stir in the family. In-laws, Jenny and Charles rushed down from ‘Josie’ to share in the (locals only?) Friday night introduction to this year’s incarnation. She has J-Lo’s posterior and he has the ears of a certain prince. “Should we take the nanny, Mable?” I asked, “The theme is white with a touch of black.” The junkie shuddered as she often does when I open my mouth in public and fastened a black scarf around her waist. “There,” she said, “white with a tush of black.” Later I heard the word ‘ass’ and assumed she was referring to her own.
The financial consequences of buying scalped World Cup tickets hit me with a thud while tucking in to a second helping of Christmas pud. Fortunately our lavish festivities were hosted by our equally lavish neighbours and I was able to pocket a large number of five rand coins towards the cost. It helped that the kids were all in the pool at the time that their bowls were set out, giving me ample time to dig carefully through the fruit mince and sherry without being discovered. The party was catered for by an ex-convict made good, who now cooks for the rich and famous. Making small talk I asked: “So did you ever think you’d leave prison as a chef?” He replied, “It wasn’t really a surprise, I’ve always been good with knives.”
-Jim Waite
Franschhoek - The King of POP
The ‘Magic of Bubbles’ Cap Classique and Champagne Festival, sponsored by Investec Private Bank and held in Franschhoek on the weekend of the 4th to the 6th of December, was another feather in the cap of South Africa’s premier food and wine destination. According to Jenny Prinsloo, CEO of the Franschhoek Wine Valley and Tourist Association, “Feedback consistently confirms that this is the best festival of its kind in South Africa.”Thousands of people enjoyed Champagne and South African Cap Classiques on offer from 37 different estates or importers, with a strong local representation from the Western Cape, especially the Franschhoek valley and even the newly formed W.O. Plettenberg Bay region. International Champagnes included offerings from Guy Charbaut, Laurent Perrier and Henri Giraud, amongst others. The hot summer’s weekend was picture-perfect, with clear skies and the occasional breath of wind to cool things down. The crowds were entertained by a number of musicians and bands throughout the weekend and the dancefloor was alive, thanks to the sound of music, the popping of corks and the enjoyment of bubbles. Set in the grounds of the Huguenot Monument, the festival effortlessly ties an iconic South African celebration to the quintessential French symbol of luxury. The FWVTA made particular mention of the stylishly-decorated marquees; Marti Foster’s subtle touch added a measure of glamour to the ‘White with a Touch of Black’ theme that was widely appreciated. The words inscribed on the monument’s colonnade, Post Tenebras Lux (after darkness (comes) light), seemed entirely appropriate as the festival coincided with the country’s emergence from recession and a renewed sense of optimism in most quarters.
The optimism was echoed in the opening speeches by Jenny Prinsloo, Anne Ferreira, outgoing Chair of the Franschhoek Vignerons and Wouter de Vos, head of Investec Private Bank Winelands. The Wine Valley and Tourist Association and the Vignerons were both acknowledged for the tremendous role they play in making the valley a successful tourism and lifestyle destination. New to this year’s festival was the introduction of a Friday evening cocktail event. Supported mainly by locals, the evening was successful enough to suggest that it will become a regular part of the festival and it will surely become the highlight in years to come. Given the heat at this time of the year, the opportunity to sip bubbly under the stars is sure to remain a treat.
The quality of the Cap Classiques on offer was notable. Many of the visitors to the festival were quick to point out that the South African offering is every bit as good as its French originator, and one or two avowed Champagne drinkers were observed heading to the tables of the Cap Classique producers with their cheque books at the ready. An astonished French journalist was heard to say “I’m not sure how to deal with my experience back home. If I tell them how very good this South African wine is, they either won’t believe me or I’ll be called a traitor.” As he slipped his purchase discretely into his carry bag he looked up and pleaded, “I’ll need another glass for courage.”
Dec 29, 2009
Proposed Development at Lavender Farm
An email with an attachment from Auberge La Dauphine, claims that Robert Maingard is building illegally at Lavender Farm on the Verdun Road. The building appears to be taking place in land zoned for agricultural use only.
The attachment reads:
The attachment reads:
Maingard strikes again!
To those concerned residents of Franschhoek who attended the meeting in the Town Hall at the beginning of 2009, you may wish to know that Mr Maingard has struck again!
He owns Lavender Guest House which is in
He has now started building something very different from what was originally agreed. This is WITHOUT THE CORRECT PLANNING APPROVALS. He is building in his Lavender field (agricultural land!) 10 self contained luxury units. His building firm put the footings in on the Reconciliation Public Holiday (probably in the hope that no-one would notice), and the builders are due to finish by the end of February (presumably working all over Christmas to get the buildings up before anyone can object).
The Stellenbosch Municipality visited the site on 17 December and put a Stop Order on the building work on 18 December. However, Mr Maingard can simply pay a R1000 fine (which is laughable for a multi million rand construction) and now has 30 days in which to get as much of the building done as possible before the Municipality can go for an Interdict.
Residents of Franschhoek. This man has shown complete contempt for the village and the Municipality. If you feel anything for our beautiful village and the value of YOUR property (which can ultimately be affected by his blatent disregard for any rules and regulations as we have seen with the fiasco with the Hugeunot Hotel), please express your concerns to
Louisa Guntz, Planning and Environment, Stellenbosch Municipality, PO Box 17, Stellenbosch 7599
AND PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT US ON WEDNESDAY 30 DECEMBER WHEN WE WILL BE HOLDING A DEMONSTRATION IN VERDUN ROAD FROM 7AM TO 6PM. WE WILL INVITE CARTE BLANCHE, 3RD DEGREE, THE ARGUS, THE TATLER TO COME AND SEE AND REPORT ON WHAT MAINGARD IS DOING. PLEASE JUST TURN UP ANYTIME DURING THE DAY TO ADD YOUR SUPPORT.
Days later ...
The local council order work on the project to stop and issue a 'stop order'. Work ceases and a second email is sent. Attachments include the stop order and Robert Maingard's lawyer's letter in response to the circulating emails.
The stop order:
The lawyer's letter:
A visit to Colmant Estate and a chance meeting with Robert Maingard at Lavender Farm yield:
Plans - old and new:
Approved rezoning application:
Approval for the site development plan:
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