The second Hermanus FynArts (6 – 16 June) has an added wine component in a festival programme aimed at discerning visitors keen on the finer things in life.
Wine Plus is a special series of tastings and talks that will showcase what the organisers describe as the “excitement that define the current state of local wine”.
With the growing fame of the surrounding wine regions, visitors will get a chance not only to learn more about and taste local wines, but also to get a perspective on the broader South African industry. Brandy and local port will also feature.
The series is curated by Melvyn Minnaar, a wine and arts writer, who has invited well-known personalities to present the various sessions. These taste-and-talk events will be an addition to winecellar trips and events on the heady festival programme.
The idea of Wine Plus, according to Minnaar, is to spotlight contemporary vineyard and cellar skills locally, but also to highlight the strong points of the South African industry. “Informative, but not too technical, with the accent on talent and thrill, hence that word ‘plus’.”
The sessions, for which visitors will be able to buy single or a series ticket, include a brief history of the local winelands and presentations on pinot noir, chardonnay, chenin blanc and pinotage.
Well-known personalities such as Danie de Wet, Sebastian Beaumont, Beyers Truter, Christian Eedes and Bevan Newton Johnson will be the presenters.
A tasting of top-end brandies will be presented by Cape wine master and brandy expert Winnie Bowman. A special exhibition, The alembic spirit, will be a feature on the side.
Local port-style wines will be presented Carel Nel, and will be part of a poetry evening featuring the celebrated poet Karin Schimke.
Wine Plus starts on Sunday, 8 June, with A brief history of local wine and concludes on Thursday, 12 June, with Poetry and port: spirit and soul.
All events will be presented at The Marine, except the port and poetry programme, which will be at The Windsor.
Tickets sales opened on 1 April at www.webtickets.co.za or Hermanus Tourism on 028 312-2629.
The programme is available on the website: www.hermanusfynarts.co.za. The programme booklet will be available at Hermanus Tourism from middle April.
Wine Plus is a special series of tastings and talks that will showcase what the organisers describe as the “excitement that define the current state of local wine”.
With the growing fame of the surrounding wine regions, visitors will get a chance not only to learn more about and taste local wines, but also to get a perspective on the broader South African industry. Brandy and local port will also feature.
The series is curated by Melvyn Minnaar, a wine and arts writer, who has invited well-known personalities to present the various sessions. These taste-and-talk events will be an addition to winecellar trips and events on the heady festival programme.
The idea of Wine Plus, according to Minnaar, is to spotlight contemporary vineyard and cellar skills locally, but also to highlight the strong points of the South African industry. “Informative, but not too technical, with the accent on talent and thrill, hence that word ‘plus’.”
The sessions, for which visitors will be able to buy single or a series ticket, include a brief history of the local winelands and presentations on pinot noir, chardonnay, chenin blanc and pinotage.
Well-known personalities such as Danie de Wet, Sebastian Beaumont, Beyers Truter, Christian Eedes and Bevan Newton Johnson will be the presenters.
A tasting of top-end brandies will be presented by Cape wine master and brandy expert Winnie Bowman. A special exhibition, The alembic spirit, will be a feature on the side.
Local port-style wines will be presented Carel Nel, and will be part of a poetry evening featuring the celebrated poet Karin Schimke.
Wine Plus starts on Sunday, 8 June, with A brief history of local wine and concludes on Thursday, 12 June, with Poetry and port: spirit and soul.
All events will be presented at The Marine, except the port and poetry programme, which will be at The Windsor.
Tickets sales opened on 1 April at www.webtickets.co.za or Hermanus Tourism on 028 312-2629.
The programme is available on the website: www.hermanusfynarts.co.za. The programme booklet will be available at Hermanus Tourism from middle April.
Note to editors
Debuting in 2013, Hermanus FynArts, best described as an eclectic mix, a fusion of ArtsFest and Winter School, this year offers a bigger and an even better programme. Starting on 6 June, this year's unique art experience in Hermanus spotlights South African visual and performing arts, literature, award-winning wines and fine food. Exhibitions of ceramics, paintings, sculpture, glassware and jewellery will be seen in galleries, hotels and special venues in the town centre as well as in tasting rooms and wine farms along the wine route. There will be readings and talks; concerts and recitals, workshops and demonstrations and a wine shuttle for visitors between the exhibitions and wine tastings at participating wine farms.
The name FynArts is a play on the Afrikaans fyn as in the famous fynbos that grows in the region, and the English fine as in fine arts or of high quality.
About Wine Plus presenters
Bevan Newton Johnson is the general manager of Newton Johnson, a well-known family winery in the Hemel en Aarde valley.
Danie de Wet is one of the giants in South African wine, owner of De Wetshof, and a passionate expert of Burgundy wine.
Christian Eedes is one of the country’s top wine judges. His highly acclaimed Chardonnay Report is published annually.
Sebastian Beaumont is the winemaker at the family winery, Beaumont, in Botrivier where he makes one of the country’s iconic chenin blancs.
Beyers Truter, Mr Pinotage of South Africa, has arguably done more for this indigenous variety than anyone else.
Winnie Bowman is a Cape Wine Master whose expertise includes brandy.
Karin Schimke is a Cape Town poet and book editor. Her collection Bare & Breaking was nominated for the 2013 Poetry Award at the SA Literary Awards.
Carel Nel is the owner of Boplaas, Calitzdorp, where the port revolution started and where the Nel families have led the charge.
For more information on Hermanus FynArts:
Mary Faure: [email protected]
Colleen Naudé: [email protected]
Debuting in 2013, Hermanus FynArts, best described as an eclectic mix, a fusion of ArtsFest and Winter School, this year offers a bigger and an even better programme. Starting on 6 June, this year's unique art experience in Hermanus spotlights South African visual and performing arts, literature, award-winning wines and fine food. Exhibitions of ceramics, paintings, sculpture, glassware and jewellery will be seen in galleries, hotels and special venues in the town centre as well as in tasting rooms and wine farms along the wine route. There will be readings and talks; concerts and recitals, workshops and demonstrations and a wine shuttle for visitors between the exhibitions and wine tastings at participating wine farms.
The name FynArts is a play on the Afrikaans fyn as in the famous fynbos that grows in the region, and the English fine as in fine arts or of high quality.
About Wine Plus presenters
Bevan Newton Johnson is the general manager of Newton Johnson, a well-known family winery in the Hemel en Aarde valley.
Danie de Wet is one of the giants in South African wine, owner of De Wetshof, and a passionate expert of Burgundy wine.
Christian Eedes is one of the country’s top wine judges. His highly acclaimed Chardonnay Report is published annually.
Sebastian Beaumont is the winemaker at the family winery, Beaumont, in Botrivier where he makes one of the country’s iconic chenin blancs.
Beyers Truter, Mr Pinotage of South Africa, has arguably done more for this indigenous variety than anyone else.
Winnie Bowman is a Cape Wine Master whose expertise includes brandy.
Karin Schimke is a Cape Town poet and book editor. Her collection Bare & Breaking was nominated for the 2013 Poetry Award at the SA Literary Awards.
Carel Nel is the owner of Boplaas, Calitzdorp, where the port revolution started and where the Nel families have led the charge.
For more information on Hermanus FynArts:
Mary Faure: [email protected]
Colleen Naudé: [email protected]