Dr Erna Blancquaert, 2023 honouree in the Viti- and Viniculture category; Carmen Stevens, 2022 recipient of the 1659 Award for Visionary Leadership; Cathy Marston, 2024 honouree in the Wine Advancement category; Dawid Saayman, 2024 honouree in the Viti- and Viniculture category; Norma Ratcliff, 2015 recipient of the 1659 Award for Visionary Leadership; Ilse Ruthford, 2024 honouree for Growing Inclusivity, Wendy Jonker, 2023 honouree in the Wine Advancement category. Back left to right: Rydal Jeftha, 2023 honouree for Growing Inclusivity; Jan Scannell, 2014 recipient of the 1659 Award for Visionary Leadership; Ken Forrester, 2023 recipient of the 1659 Award for Visionary Leadership; and Tim Hutchinson, 2024 recipient of the 1659 Award for Visionary Leadership.

 

Springtime outdoor culinary feast promises unforgettable experiences

As the calendar inches closer to the September Heritage Day long weekend, excitement builds for the eagerly anticipated 20th edition of the South African Cheese Festival.

As usual, Sandringham Estate outside Stellenbosch plays host to this festival, which this year will be held from Saturday 23 September to Monday 25 September. The 2023 SA Cheese Festival promises to immerse food lovers of all ages in a world of gourmet delights.

STELLENBOSCH READY TO HOST SA CHEESE FESTIVAL

While the popular South African Cheese Festival was presented this past weekend for the first time since 2019 as a pop-up festival at Groote Post outside Darling, it is Stellenbosch's turn this long weekend, from Saturday 30 April to Monday 2 May 2022.

"We are incredibly excited to host a festival again," says Johan Ehlers, CEO of Agri-Expo, organiser of the SA Cheese Festival since 2002. "It is a wonderful experience to create this platform for cheesemakers and agricultural entrepreneurs to promote their products to a wider audience. Festivalgoers can look forward to a wide variety of exhibitors offering local, international, and handmade cheeses, selected wines, craft beer and gin, as well as niche products for tasting and sale. New products that will be launched range from goat’s milk cheese spread to CBD infused rooibos, ‘eikesap’ gin infused with acorns, red wine and rosemary herbal salt, biltong jam with habanero honey, and even ‘wine teeth’.”