GRAAFF-REINET NEWS— With only a few days to go before close to 1 000 wine lovers from across the country and further afield descend on Graaff-Reinet, the Karoo Wine Club is bracing for its biggest wine event ever.
“The excitement is evident and the ticket sales have been exceptional. People are returning with even more friends in their groups from last year, we must be doing something right,” says organiser and inspiration behind the event, Rose Wright.
“It is remarkable how far people are willing to travel to experience good wines and true Karoo hospitality. There are wine lovers travelling from as far as Germany, Mauritius, Mozambique, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Johannesburg and Cape Town to participate in our event.
"Lest we forget the Eastern Cape tipplers, there is folk travelling from East London, Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth too,” continued Wright.
Accommodation establishments are bursting at the seams for what has traditionally always been one of the quietest weekends of the year in the town and the excitement is palpable.
A new addition this year, the Veld to Fork Spit braai on Saturday, May 27, is being carefully planned, in true Veld to Fork Style, chef Gordon Wright is sourcing his ingredients only from local suppliers.
“Taste of the Karoo and Leopards Valley Safari’s are supplying the lamb and the venison and Grassdale farm is supplying the acorn reared, free range pork, Cedeberg” says the local chef.
The Leopards Valley Guesthouse venue, will be filled with Karoo smells and from early on Saturday afternoon as Chef Wright and his team start the fires and create the delicious meal for ticketholders and wine makers for that evening.
There are 15 confirmed wine estates and two craft breweries represented on various stoeps strategically situated around town. Please keep an eye on the Karoo Wine Clubs Facebook page to keep yourself abreast with who is participating this year.
The Stoeps have deliberately been selected to be in sight from one to the next, with clear maps on each stoep to avoid anyone wandering off in the wrong direction.
This year there will be more food for sale between and on Stoeps, Publik Wine merchants are bringing Cape Town meat guru and author, Andy Fenner along to serve up some delicious snacks and show off his new book, Meat Manifesto from their Stoep situated at The Coldstream Restaurant and Graaff-Reinet Club.
Jo’burg celeb’s Gwynne Conlyn and Sue Russell will be there too with their vintage clothing range - The Stuff We Love.
Booked tickets can, once again, be collected from Karoo Trade, in the GRT Brewery courtyard. There will be four wine estates hosted in this courtyard over the weekend, some old and some new.
They will have Leon and Margaux from Fledge & Co and Boplaas back there and for the first time Marcus Milner of de Meye with his brother, Alex of Natte Valleij who was on Polka's stoep last year.
Polka will be hosting Cederberg wines with their wine and craft beer this year and will be selling some easy to eat street food too.
A little further down the road at the Drostdy Hotel in the courtyard of their art gallery and wine shop, they will host Carien Hugo-Waring with her Antonji Rupert wine selection, she has participated in all four previous Stoep Tastings as well as Tiaan of Welbedacht who is here for the first time.
Further down Somerset Street another regular, Michael White, who now seems to be quite famous in Graaff-Reinet, will be stationed with his Highlands Road wines - his real life neighbours, Paul and Nicky Wallace of Paul Wallace Wines will be joining him on AaQtansisi’s Stoep, his favourite venue for the event.
Directly over the road on the stoep of John Fawkes and Laura Dixon’s Brighton Keep B&B and Cape Colonial Cottage Furniture is van Loveren Wines, they are also participating for the first time.
Kambro Cottages will be selling their D-vine Chicken Wraps and sharing their stoep with Rijk Melk of Muratie Wines.
Then there will be a real treat for sea-food-deprived Karoo folk, the Wild Peacock are bringing fresh oysters to be sold with glasses of deliciously cold Krone MCC. They will be hosted by The Townhouse guesthouse on 85 Cradock Street's stoep.
Stoep Tasting stalwart, Thyme and Again’s, Brenda Pringle will be missing this years Stoep Tasting due to the birth of a grandchild, however, she has ensured that she won’t miss out from afar, Penny and Andy Hillock of Hillocks wines will be on her stoep. They are here for the first time too and very much looking forward to the event.
Down the road and around the corner, at Karoopark, who have so generously sponsored the Country Life competition give-away by donating a room for two for the weekend, will host well known Peter Bayly, who too, has also never missed a Stoep Tasting.
Yvonne Bayly commented that this is one of her favourite annual events and she wouldn’t miss it for anything in the world.
For music lovers, the John Rupert Theatre will once again be hosting Kaleidoskoop for the launch of their new album, “Gunsteling Seisoen”.
It promises to be an evening filled with songs and stories of life and love. Expect to be mesmerised by a wide range of instruments including acoustic guitars, piano, piano accordion, mandolin, ukulele and glockenspiel. The show will be held at John Rupert Theatre on Saturday, May 27 at 7.15pm. Book tickets at 074 8311 463 or bookings.kaleidoskoop@gmail.com
The Sunday Farmer's Market is a first for the Stoep Tasting weekend, it will be a small market this year in the hopes of it growing organically and becoming a special and important feature of the weekend, especially for those who travel from far and would love to have a cooler box filled with Karoo specialities to take home with them.
The committee members of the Graaff-Reinet Club are going to sell delicious breakfast rolls and great coffee at the farmers market on Sunday, May 28, if you would like to have breakfast, please book by e-mailing Andrew Knott-Craig on andrewkc@midboard.co.za to avoid disappointment.
Even if you did not participate in the Stoep Tasting, you are more than welcome at the farmers market and the Graaff-Reinet Club for coffee and breakfast.
Pre-ordered lamb and pork can be ordered from gbharris105@gmail.com the proceeds of this will go to the St James' Anglican Church as an extension to their annual bazaar.
If anyone would like to sell other typical Karoo produce at this market, please contact the organisers at karoowineclub@gmail.com. Depending on the success of this market it will be a regular feature at the annual Stoep Tasting wine weekend.
All in all, Stoep Tasting 2017 promises to be a bumper weekend for all the residents of the district and beyond.
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