Olive Oil Tours in Italy:
Please watch this space for details of small, specialist olive oil tasting tours to Italy.
Alternatively, if you wish to organise a personalised private olive oil tour you can contact me directly to discuss details.
Contact Nancy to discuss details, themes and costs.
Wine Classes & Tours in South Africa:
There can be few more beautiful wine regions in the world than those of South Africa. Many vineyards, such as those found in Franschhoek or Stellenbosch, have the breathtaking backdrop of ancient mountain ranges; others, including those of Hermanus or Cape Point, border on the glittering ocean. And yet most are within very comfortable driving-distance of the attractions of downtown Cape Town making this one of the most attractive and easily accessible wine areas in the world. To those from the northern hemisphere, it becomes even more appealing in January and February as a place to escape from the cold and dark of an arctic winter.
Matters of Taste can organise a wide variety of interesting and inspiring events; some purely wine related, others to do with wine and food; all of them delicious and an excellent way to enjoy the best that the Cape has to offer.
Please contact us directly to discuss your specific requirements but below are a few examples of the sort of events that are possible.
Private Wine Tours of the Cape:
Tour the Cape Winelands with your own Master of Wine. Attend tutored tastings or private dinners with the winemaker, even experiencing wines as yet unreleased. Taste wines from the barrel with the winemaker during a private cellar tour or visit South Africa’s only cooperage and discover the true art of the barrel maker and the real influence of oak on wine. Enjoy a private tasting of South Africa’s own Pinotage grape held on top of a local peak overlooking the winelands – an unforgettable experience. Almost anything can be arranged.
For groups of four or more people.
Contact Nancy to discuss details, themes and costs.
Evening wine and food courses at Silwood School of Cookery, Rondebosch, Cape Town.
Join Nancy and the staff at Silwood for an informative, entertaining and very interactive two-hour session on wine and food. Where else could be more appropriate to hold such a tasting than at South Africa’s oldest cookery school. The school was founded in 1964 and over the past 49 years Silwood has earned itself a world class reputation. Silwood graduates can be found in the top kitchens of the world from Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck to Jamie Oliver’s No 15, Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir, Gordon Ramsay’s and Napa Valley’s the French Laundry.
Classes run from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.
Cost 500R/head All wines, foods and glasses are provided.
For more details please contact Carianne Wilson: [email protected]
Day Courses in Franschhoek:
These are generally held in the beautifully individual surroundings of The Library http://www.explorersclub.co.za/the_library.html in Franschhoek, the culinary capital of the wine regions, and are aimed particularly at Swallows (those temporary, migrant, holiday-makers escaping the northern winters) who wish to understand more of the South Africa’s wines and to enjoy them at their best. Using the first part of the morning to brush up on essential tasting technique and what to look for in a wine (as well as what to avoid), the second part will be spent exploring how our perceptions can be altered depending upon which foods we match with them. We will use some of this new awareness whilst we enjoy a specially-catered lunch on the idyllic deck overlooking the vineyards and scenic mountains. In the afternoon the group will be taken by mini bus to a local winery and given a private tour and tasting by the winemaker. These events are ‘behind closed doors’ and are not available to the general public. Included might be a visit to Cape Chamonix or to JP Colmant, top artisan Cap Classique sparkling wine producer, or La Motte, rightly famed for its art works as much as its wines.
Cost SA 1,500 Rand per head (minimum number of 10 people required)
Two days courses based in Franschhoek:
With more time, we can venture further afield and private tastings can be arranged. Please see details under Private Wine Tours of the Cape as above.