We bring you all the latest news and releases from the world of Ernie Els Wines.
1. Big Easy Winebar & Grill due to open at Hilton Durban in October
Hilton Durban announced this week that it will be partnering with Ernie Els when it opens the Big Easy Winebar & Grill in October. Echoing Els’ unique and easy style, Big Easy Winebar & Grill is unpretentious, comfortable and fun; the place to be among friends. Its farm-to-table, seasonally driven menu offers a combination of fresh from the grill food, local specialties and Ernie’s personal favourites, inspired by the cultural crossroads of South Africa. Alongside Ernie Els signature wines will be an extensive wine by the glass offering, featuring up and coming wine-makers. It is the third Big Easy Winebar & Grill, following a launch in 2008 in Stellenbosch and the opening of a second outlet at The Els Club Dubai in 2013.
Speaking from his base in Florida, Ernie commented, “Having travelled the world and dined out literally thousands of times, I understand the essence of what makes a great restaurant. It has to have warm hospitality and a fun, relaxed environment – somewhere to enjoy spending time with friends and family over a great bottle of wine and a meal. The ethos behind Big Easy Winebar & Grill is to provide all of those qualities. This really is my kind of restaurant in every sense. And, of course, we are excited to be part of one of the world’s most iconic hotel brands through this partnership with Hilton and Durban offers the perfect launching-pad, with its laid-back vibe and idyllic weather. It’s a great fit.”
Big Easy Winebar & Grill is located in a prominent location just off the lobby of Hilton Durban and also directly accessible from the Durban Convention Centre plaza. The Els influence can be seen throughout with the many personal touches that have been introduced. The Lounge area is stocked with wines from Ernie Els Wines portfolio and showcases a feature wall filled with golfing memorabilia, replica trophies and action images from Ernie’s 70-plus professional tournament victories; while in the Private Dining Room diners have the opportunity to enjoy a more intimate, yet still comfortable environment. The addition of Big Easy Winebar & Grill is expected to bring a resurgence of energy to the popular property, currently the only five star hotel in Durban’s CBD. For more information visit the website: http://www.bigeasywinebarandgrill.com/.
2. Planting for the future
Ernie Els Wines are excited to introduce the new plantings of five hectares of Shiraz and a half-hectare of Cinsaut. We were blessed with the optimal winter rain to ensure damp in the soils, which is ideal conditions for the planting of new vines. A beautiful rainbow over the Helderberg mountains is hopefully a propitious sign for the future!
The Shiraz clones were planted by our hardworking farmworkers on a north facing slope that enjoys plenty of sunshine, in ‘Oakleaf’ and ‘Tukulu’ soil which is common in the “golden triangle” area of the Helderberg. We look forward to hopefully have our first full harvest in 2017. These varieties will go into our most popular wine, The Big Easy red, which is a Mediterranean blend. Cinsaut produces good quality wines when the vines are slightly older and so we see the new plantings as an investment for the making of our future wines. Nature is seldom in a hurry, so we will be patient and look forward to our first glass of wine from our first harvests of the newly planted Shiraz and Cinsaut blocks.
3. London calling!
October will be a big month for South Africans all over the world as we eagerly watch the progress of the Springboks at the Rugby World Cup. During this exciting time, Ernie Els Wines, headed by Marketing Manager Louw Strydom, will host an evening of fine food and wine at High Timber Restaurant on the banks of the Thames in London.
This establishment, owned by Neleen Strauss and Gary Jordan, has long been proud custodians of South African influenced cuisine complimented by an impressive wine list with a strong South African core. The restaurant also has terrific views of the river and of iconic London landmarks such as The Globe, Tate Modern and Shard. This event is bound to be a show stopper, so we encourage you to contact High Timber for more details. Telephone 020 7248 1777 or visit the website: http://www.hightimber.com.
4. Mandela Day outreach at Ernie Els Wines proves a big success
On 18 July 2015 our team decided to host a special day for adults on the autism spectrum and their family members at Ernie Els Wines. We were lucky enough to have Corne Strydom and other professionals from the SENZA training centre join the group and help us host this incredible day.
We started the day with beautiful weather and spectacular views followed by fun activities for the adults, including a treasure hunt in the barrel cellar followed by a sensory experience and enjoyable chipping competition. After all the excitement, everyone was starving so we are grateful to our chef Amelia who made a delicious grilled chicken and butternut salad, perfect with the ice cold glass of Big Easy Rosé!
It really brought us the biggest pleasure to host this group, giving the parents an opportunity to network and, of course, enjoy a pleasant day at the winery.
5. South African Rugby Wines kicking off again for World Cup
Ernie Els Wines are proud to have been the official wines for the South African Rugby Union for the last four years, and we are gearing up once again for the upcoming Rugby World Cup 2015 campaign. This year’s offer will be a bold red blend crafted from two noble grape varieties: Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Ernie Els Wines head winemaker, Louis Strydom, has been quoted as saying: “I have tried to make this wine with the consumer in mind. This is a red wine to be enjoyed for its approachability, but also the richness and intensity of flavour. It should be just the right time of year in the European autumn and South African spring to enjoy this wine.”
The wines will be available to Springbok supporters though some major SA retailers and duty free specialists for those fortunate enough to be travelling to the UK for the World Cup.
