Rustenberg Manor House

The local launches of Google Maps and Street View reflect Google’s investment in South Africa, as well as our commitment to making the Internet more useful and relevant to South Africans.  Street View also shows South Africa’s heritage to the world, ranging from the iconic winelands to the Kruger National Park.

A world first is that Cape winelands images are featured on Street View. Right now it is possible to visit via Street View:  Bouchard Finlayson,  De Rust Estate, De Wetshof, Fairview,  Jordan Wines, Klein Constantia, Meerlust, Morgenster,  Rustenberg,  Vilafonte Vineyards and Warwick Wine Estate.

South African wine connoisseur, Juliet Cullinan, commenting on Street View and the growing importance of digital technology within South Africa’s wine industry, says:

Wine-lovers all over the world can now visit the estates of some of our leading wine domains using Street View, plan their own wine routes and buy online.  As the world’s first vineyards to be placed on Street View, South African wineries will receive great exposure and can take advantage of this new technology in innovative ways, whilst expanding tourism and their global and local customer base.

The scope for improving the online presence of wineries is huge as Richard Cheary of Afrozaar explained:

There are so many ways wine farms can utilise geo products, including the creation of virtual wine route tours, incorporating video and interviews; mobile applications, comprising travel directions and preloaded tourist information; and online bookings with specific requests.

Soon to be added to Street View are  Ataraxia Wines,  Boekenhoutskloof Winery, Constantia Glen, Glen Carlou, Groote Post, Hamilton Russell, Iona Wines, Journey’s End, Kaapzicht, Le Riche, Mont Du Toit, Mooiplaas,  Ormonde Vineyard, Raka, Rickety Bridge, Robertson Winery, Saronsberg,  Strandveld, Thelema Mountain Vineyards, Vergelegen, Villiera and Weltevrede.

Using Google Street View
In areas where Street View is available, you can see the images on Google Maps (on a PC or Internet-enabled mobile) by zooming into the lowest level, or by dragging the orange “Pegman” icon on the left-hand side of the map onto a blue highlighted street.

Google has gone to lengths to safeguard privacy while allowing all South African users to benefit from this feature. Street View only contains imagery that is already visible from public roads and features technology that blurs both faces and licence plates.  In addition, any user can easily flag images for removal that he or she considers inappropriate by clicking on “Report a problem”.  South Africa is the first country in Africa to get Street View imagery in Maps.  Street View first launched in 2007 and is currently available in 23 countries and 100 metropolitan areas worldwide, including large areas of the US, Australia, Japan, France, Italy and Spain.

To learn more about Street View, visit www.google.co.za/streetview

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Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

It is one of an extensive range of imported wines supplied by this South African retailer.

Not being familiar with this cultivar, I checked Jancis Robinson’s  Oxford Companion to Wine and discovered that Montepulciano is grown in the central and eastern provinces of  Italy like Abruzzo, Marche, Molise and Puglia.

Nosing the wine we found delicate, ripe raspberry scents. On the palate the wine is bone dry to begin with but this quickly changes to a satin smooth, silky feel. It reminded me of those melt-in-the-mouth butter cookies we used to get long ago. The finish leaves you with a ripe fruit sensation, almost sweet and quite like ripe strawberry.

As usual, we were eating alfresco and had grilled free-range lamb chops with the wine – a combo made in heaven! The label recommended having the wine with spicy Italian sausage on bread. What is the South  African equivalent? A boerewors roll of course.

Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is available online or at Woolworths retail stores for R130.00 per bottle.

Postcript:

Woollies will no longer stock this wine once stocks have been sold out but it can be ordered from Lorenzo at:

http://melgab.co.za/wine/producers/zaccagnini/montepulciano_d_abruzzo

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Beating the Australians hands down, South Africa came sixth overall after Chili, earning 80 medals. The winning country was France, followed by Spain, Italy, Portugal and Chili. 7,000 Wines and spirits were judged.

Here are South Africas winners -

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

Grand Gold Medals

Engelbrecht Els 2007

Spier Private Collection Chenin Blanc 2008

Gold Medals

Almenkerk Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Backsberg Pumphouse Shiraz 2007

Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay 2009

Boschendal Sauvignon Blanc Grand Cuvee 2009

Douglas Green Chenin Blanc 2009

Drostdy-Hof Chardonnay 2009

Ernie Els 2006

Douglas Green Chardonnay 2009

Drostdy-Hof Chardonnay 2009

Fairhills Cabernet Sauvignon Petit Verdot 2009

Fairview Primo Pinotage 2008

Grande Provence Chardonnay 2008

Grande Provence Shiraz 2007

Guardian Peak Lapa Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Hartenberg Chardonnay 2008

Kaapzicht Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Kaapzicht Steytler Pinotage 2007

KWV 10 Year Old Potstill Brandy

KWV 20 Year Old Potstill Brandy

La Motte Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Linton Park Proprietor’s Reserve Shiraz 2007

Mont Rochelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Oude Meester Demant

Ridgeback Journey 2005

Riebeek Cellars Reserve Chenin Blanc 2009

Riebeek Cellars Reserve Shiraz 2007

Rust en Vrede Shiraz 2007

Saronsberg Shiraz 2007

Spice Route Chakalaka 2008

Spice Route Flagship Syrah 2007

Stormhoek Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Leopard Frog Vineyards Tantra 2005

KWV The Mentors Canvas 2008

KWV The Mentors Orchestra 2008

KWV The Mentors Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009

Distell Three Ships Aged 5 Years

Distell Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish

Distell Three Ships Select

Van Ryn’s 15 Year Old Fine Cask Reserve

Van Ryn’s 20 Year Old Collectors Reserve

Villiera Traditional Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2009

Fairview Shiraz 2008

Hartenberg Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009

La Motte Chardonnay 2008

Lourensford Winemaker’s Selection Chardonnay 2009

Naledi Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Nederburg Viognier Chardonnay 2009

Remhoogte Estate Wine 2006

Ridgeback Shiraz 2007

Rust en Vrede 1694

Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Syrah  2007

Saronsberg Chardonnay 2008

Saronsberg Provenance Shiraz 2007

Spice Route Malabar 2006

Spier Creative Block 2009

Spier Private Collection Chardonnay 2008

Spier Private Collection Pinotage 2007

Spier Private Collection Syrah 2007

Stormhoek Pinotage 2009

KWV The Mentors Petit Verdot 2008

KWV The Mentors Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Silver Medals

Boland Cellar Reserve No 1 2007

Boland Cabernet Reserve 2007

Boschendal 1685 Shiraz 2008

Boschendal Grand Cuvee Brut 2006

Bouchard Finlayson Kaaimansgat Chardonnay 2008

Cederberg Sauvignon Blan c 2009

Cirrus  Ernie Els Wines 2007

Boland Cellar Reserve No 1 2007

Boland Cabernet Reserve 2007

Boschendal 1685 Shiraz 2008

Boschendal Grand Cuvee Brut 2006

Bouchard Finlayson Kaaimansgat Chardonnay 2008

Cederberg Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Cirrus  Ernie Els Wines 2007

Distell Collison’s White Gold

Douglas Green Chardonnay 2009

Fairhills Cabernet Sauvignon – Petit Verdot 2009

Fairview Primo Pinotage 2008

Grande Provence Chardonnay 2008

Grande Provence Shiraz 2007

Guardian Peak Lapa Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Hartenberg Chardonnay 2008

Kaapzicht Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Kaapzicht Steytler Pinotage 2007

KWV 10 Year old Potstill Brandy

KWV 20 Year old Potstill Brandy

La Motte Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc 2009

La Motte Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Linton Park Proprietor’s Reserve Shiraz 2007

Mont Rochelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Distell Nachtmusik

Oude Meester Demant

Ridgeback Journey 2005

Riebeek Cellars Reserve Chenin Blanc 2009

Riebeek Cellars Reserve Shiraz 2007

Rust en Vrede Shiraz 2007

Saronsberg Shiraz 2007

Spice Route Chakalaka 2008

Spice Route Flagship Syrah 2007

Stormhoek Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Leopard Frog Vineyards Tantra 2005

KWV The Mentors Canvas 2008

KWV The Mentors Orchestra 2008

KWV The Mentors Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009

Distell Three Ships Aged 5 Years

Distell Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish

Distell Three Ships Select

Van Ryn’s 15 Year Old Fine Cask Reserve

Van Ryn’s 20 Year Old Collectors Reserve

Villiera Traditional Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2009

For the complete list of all the winners  click here.

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