The first Cabernet Franc Carnival in Gauteng on Friday 2 June drew a discerning crowd of wine lovers to the iconic Wanderers Club in Illovo Johannesburg. Amongst the attendees were sommeliers, wine trade from specialist wine retailers, wine media and serious wine consumers as the varietal is aimed at a niche market who know their wines and support unusual wines and boutique wineries.
With Avontuur Estate continuing as the sponsor, winemaker Jan van Rooyen and Wine Ambassador from Mind My Wine, Heinrich Adams-Witbooi poured some of the 2014 Cabernet Franc to an appreciative consumer.
Sixteen wineries were present (around 30 wineries produce Cabernet Franc as a single varietal in South Africa) and it was a fascinating journey to take through the various terroirs and styles of this fashionable wine. The one Rosé made of 100% Cabernet Franc by upmarket producer Delaire Graff Estate was a welcome addition amongst the serious Reds. The R50 food coupon assisted with our “Responsible Drinking and Driving” approach and was much appreciated and used by the festival goers.
The participation of BMW, which included a prominent display of these iconic vehicles at the entrance to the Club, added to the upmarket and exclusive ambiance of the evening. Wine of the Month Club and Good Taste Magazine supported the event via their print and digital marketing activities and also offered a limited release 6-bottle pack of the Top 6 Cab Francs as chosen by the independent panel for the 2017 Cab Franc Challenge.
The sixteen wineries were: Avontuur Estate, Delaire Graff Estate, Edgebaston, Hermanuspietersfontein, Lynx Wines, Mitre’s Edge, Mont du Toit Cellar, Nelson Wine Estate, Oldenburg Vineyards, Ormonde Vineyards, Raats Family Wines, The Garajeest, Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards, Warwick Estate, Whalehaven and Zorgvliet Wines.
“This was a good base to build on and with the intention being to present an intimate event where wineries and visitors can interact easily to learn more about the varietal, we look forward to arranging the festival again in 2018,” says Organisor Cobie van Oort of CVO Marketing.