Exciting Wine News and Offers from the Cape of Good Hope

We hope your week has been as enjoyable as it can be amidst last week's natural disasters. The media coverage hasn't been as extensive in the Cape as in Europe, but the local populace is still impacted.

For many, life here feels like a series of hurdles, limiting the assistance that can be offered. Long ago, we committed to focusing our efforts on children and youth in the Cape and appreciate your understanding as we emphasize their ongoing struggles even in difficult times.

So much has transpired in just one week that we find ourselves eagerly anticipating four weeks of Europe travel. But before we embark, we are keen to share current developments with you in words and images. Naturally, there are also plenty of enticing wine offers from the farms listed below.

Instead of the promises made in the State of the Nation speech, you were given:

• Load Shedding
• Corruption
• Phala Phala (Ramaphosa's personal tax scandal)
• Unemployment
• Rising living costs
• Broken public service
• Failed public transport
• Faltering healthcare system
• Bankrupt state-owned enterprises

This was the headline from the Cape Times last week.

Politicians speak... Winds blow...

The overarching political theme this week was President Cyril Ramaphosa's address. Among various points, he officially declared a state of disaster regarding the collapsing energy supply. As is common with politicians elsewhere, he professed with certainty that the problems would soon be resolved. With the additional powers granted by declaring a state of disaster, he claimed that it would only take 12 to 18 months for power to flow normally again.

However, one must question how a politician feels while making such declarations. The question arises: how does the ANC, which has been in power for 29 years, aim to fix a problem it has created and has failed to resolve since 2014? Currently, things seem to be worsening further.

Nonetheless, because South Africans love their country and share this sentiment, most remain optimistic, refusing to let politicians or strong winds undermine their zest for life.

What are they collecting on the beach?

This week, during a morning stroll on the beach, we came across several teams sifting through sand and shell debris. We discovered microplastics that have become omnipresent on beaches worldwide. The goal of this project is to collect as much microplastic as possible to recycle into new products, thus preventing further contamination of the oceans.

Visit to Glenelly

After a lengthy absence, we were pleased to return to Glenelly, one of Stellenbosch's standout wineries. The winemakers here exemplify their craft, especially since Luke O’Cuinneagain took over as cellar master at the national flagship cellar, Vergelegen, last year. His successor, Dirk van Zyl, now leaves a gap at Saxenburg as he brings his experience from Kleine Zalze and De Morgenzon. This ensures the continuity of the award-winning quality at Glenelly.

Not only are the wines exceptional, but we also had the chance to enjoy a delightful lunch at their restaurant, where the photos above invite you to visit when in the vicinity.

Adorable little ones

Finally, we had the pleasure of befriending a family of prehistoric-looking guinea fowl that we usually know only from menus in Germany. Ever since we started feeding them, the pair roams through our garden accompanied by their originally 12 chicks, creating quite a ruckus.

As often in the wild, only a few chicks are likely to survive to adulthood. Currently, only six remain, and we can't imagine where the others went. Just the other day, we counted only five before discovering one helplessly nearly drowned in a birdbath. Our initial concern was significant, and at first our drying efforts appeared fruitless.

Ultimately, we decided to secure a peaceful night with good food and a bit of water in a box. Fortunately, the next morning, the little one was lively again, although one parent appeared apprehensive about our intentions, highlighting how surprising it is when a guinea fowl decides to attack.

Hartenberg Castle

Hartenberg Castle may not actually exist, even though the winery near Stellenbosch is certainly a stronghold for premium wines. After over 15 years of partnership, we learned an essential detail this week that had never come up in all our previous discussions.

When we approached a cellar door, Rodrick Moyo, the head of the tasting center, asked if we knew the story behind it. Incredibly, we discovered that it's the oldest known door in South Africa, once the entrance to the Castle of Good Hope, built in Cape Town between 1666 and 1679—the oldest European-designed structure still intact in South Africa.

This door features prominently on the labels of the Doorkeeper Wines, of which you will find two on special offer today.

The Thrift Shop is open...

As usual in the Cape, we are deeply involved in the projects of our Lifelines Association e.V., and this week we celebrated a highlight at the Eagles Nest. Thanks to ample clothing donations from our customers and much preparation, we finally opened the second-hand store on Saturday.

Items donated to Eagles Nest, and dropped off at the Radison Red hotel in the city, will now be sold at minimal prices. We wholeheartedly thank everyone who participated and encourage all who return to the Cape to bring quality items you can part with to donate.

The disadvantaged community can now obtain affordable quality clothing, providing a small income stream to Eagles Nest, making it somewhat less dependent on monetary donations. Participation was lively, the atmosphere cheerful, and we finally introduced ourselves to community members, having not been able to hold an official inauguration due to Covid.

(Offers valid from 15.2.-22.2.2023)