LOCK, STOCK AND WINE BARREL

To celebrate Women’s Month, the Women of Wine South Africa festival has a certain allure. Not just because it recognises women making great wines, but also because it’s showcasing steller examples of South African wines.

Some of the country’s best boutique wines and bubbly will be on offer on August 12 at the event at the Candlewoods Boutique Venue in Centurion, in conjunction with leading Johannesburg wine outlet, Wine Menu, run by Corlien Morris.

On the day, you can expect more than 50 wines as well as craft beer, gin and tequila made by women. Women around the globe are playing an increasingly influential role in the wine, beer and spirit industry, once a male-dominated domain.

The aim of the festival is to showcase the country’s leading women winemakers, beer crafters and spirit distillers and their products and to demonstrate how they are transforming the local drinks world.

For those who love MCC, there are a number of superb méthode cap classiques for tasting, including Dainty Bess by Jane Ferreira Eedes; Genevieve by Melissa Nelson; Saltare’s Brut Nature MCC, Brut Reserve MCC and Brut Blanc de Blancs MCC 2014; Kloovenburg Blanc de Noir NV and Huis van Chevallerie Filia Mg.

Don’t miss wines by Catherine Marshall; Hogan (Jocelyn Wilson); Swartland’s Huis van Chevallerie (Christa von La Chevallerie); Illimis (Lucinda Heyns); Kloovenburg (Jolandie Fouche); Franschhoek’s La Bri (Irene Waller); Lismore (Samantha O’Keefe); Mont Blois (Nina-Mari Bruwer); Saltare (Carla Pauw); Durbanville Wine Valley’s Signal Gun (Irene Wille); TSW Signature Wines (Trizanne Barnard); Vergenoegd (Marlize Jacobs) and Somerset West’s Waterkloof (Nadia Barnard).

Also at the festival is Hope on Hopkins gin (made by Lucy Beard and Leigh Lisk) and the Hopkins Esperanza, their take on tequila (no one outside Mexico can make an agave spirit and call it tequila), which has no additives, colourants or flavourings and is delicious on its own or with tonic water.

Craft beer brewer Jeanri Nel from Durbanville’s Hoogeberg Brewery will be presenting her products, including her Ystervark Lager and the light and fruity Bontebok Five Crops.

As a bonus, the festival will also showcase olive oils from Saltare.

Numbers are limited so booking is essential.

Tickets are R150 per person with children under 18 free. Go to http:// www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1481913163