The ten-year tradition of fine wine at the centre of the seaside resort’s culture fest will have a challenging focus at this year’s Hermanus FynArts: audience participation as part of the exploration of some of the country’s best wines. Add a few high profile vinous personalities as presenters and there will be a run on the limited number of seats.

Long-time Wine Plus curator Melvyn Minnaar says the idea of this year’s four-session presentation will strongly centre on getting participation from guests: tasting and asking questions. In fact, the fourth presentation, under his direction, is amusingly and daringly titled ‘What Do You Taste?’.

Otherwise the overall title for this nicely condensed wine programme is ‘Three Personalities, Eighteen Vital Wines’. Three big-deal names in the wine business have been tasked to implement their knowhow and experience to come up with six wines each. These are, to their way of thinking, among the finest in the winelands: highly noteworthy and definitions of individual cellar artistry.

Danie de Wet, Heidi Duminy and Bruce Jack each bring not only a wealth of knowledge, but also rare views on the best and outstanding, the unusual but also gems wine lovers should take note of.

DeWetshof in Robertson is where Danie de Wet made history with Chardonnay. An industry leader, he has had a passion for the world’s classic wines since his years as international viticulture student. His fine palette is complimented by colourful back stories in any of his tastings.

Her passion is top-notch sparkling wine and she is a skilled judge. But Heidi Duminy is, as principal of the Cape Wine Academy, also the ultimate industry insider. A wide knowledge and passionate experience spill out in popular presentations, keeping up to date with trends far and wide.

Bruce Jack is known for his keen artistic – and especially literary – bend. It’s an interest that is reflected in his wine philosophy, the names on his labels and the stories behind them. His career spans the local (currently The Drift estate in the Overberg) to the global (Accolade Wines).

BJ 3 1
Bruce Jack

Hermanus FynArts dates

From Wednesday to Friday, June 15 to 17 these three wine wizards will unveil their bottled magic at the Wine Glass in central Hermanus. Each presentation of about 45 minutes will start at noon.

To conclude, Melvyn Minnaar invites curious wine lovers to the same venue on the Friday at 17:00 to figure out what he had poured into their tasting glasses. “It is to be out and out fun,” he says. Often wine people are so sure of themselves – until they don’t know what they taste. A guess could be a revelation – and there are sure to be not-your-ordinary wines.

Seats for the presentations are limited to small groups. For more info, call 060 957 5371 / 028 312 2629.

Bookings via www.webtickets.co.za or www.hermanusfynarts.co.za

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