Takuan is on holiday but he has found time to fit in a few Cabriere related activites. He has hosted two dinners, with our wines, at the Ardeonaig Hotel in Scotland.

The hotel is owned by a South African - Pete Gottgens - who now resides in Scotland. Pete is an exceptional chef, he started the very popular Fishhoek Restaurant in London and has cooked on many occasions for Nelson Mandela and other dignitaries. Pete also happens to be a huge fan of our wines.

If Takuan’s latest comments, which include “Scotland loves our wines and loves me…”, are anything to go by he’s having a wonderful and very successful trip.

We are delighted to announce that the June/July 2010 winner of Haute Cabrière, Pierre Jourdan and me case of Pierre Jourdan is Jolien De Keulenaer.  Congratulations!

If you think you have what it takes to win a case of Pierre Jourdan this August please add it to the Haute Cabrière, Pierre Jourdan and me Facebook fan page and get your friends to vote.

Remember the person with the most likes and comments on a photo uploaded during August - by the end of August - wins the case. Good luck!

Congratulations to Jolien De Keulenaer’s father who is our May / June 2010 Haute Cabrière Facebook Fan Page Competition winner.

If you haven’t yet won a case to Pierre Jourdan, through our Facebook Fan Page Competition, you could still do so this month.

All you have to do is:

1. Upload a picture of you enjoying a bottle of Pierre Jourdan
2. Get your friends to comment and/or like it.
3. The picture with the most comments and likes, at midnight on the 31st of July 2010, wins 6 bottles of Pierre Jourdan.

Good luck!

We’ve had quite a few international visitors in the Haute Cabriére Tasting Room lately. They are all out to support their respective football teams but in between the matches a number of them have come out to the winelands to taste what we, as a wine producing country, have to offer.

We work really hard at our experience in Haute Cabriére Tasting Room and it’s great to hear back from people who enjoyed that experience. Recently the Haute Cabriére Tasting Room team received a lovely email from Steve (one of our international football supporting visitors). Steve has very kindly given us permission to post his complimentary email here, on our blog. Thanks Steve!

Steve’s email:

“You may remember our visit to you last Thursday. Because there were so many of us it was not possible to thank you personally but may I now do that electronically. I found you to be a thoroughly charming and very knowledgeable guide and when I return, sometime in the future with my wife (as I surely will for I was captivated by your beautiful region ), we shall make a point of visiting Haute Cabriére and maybe cracking a bottle or two.”

If you’re in Cape Town this week, for the very exciting Spain vs Portugal game on Tuesday, why not take some time out and join us in the Franschhoek winelands?

Here are some pictures of the snow on the mountains surrounding the Franschhoek Valley.

We’re running a delicious restaurant special at the moment:

Enjoy a two course meal for only R120 per person and three course meal for only R150 per person. This special is available Monday - Friday and it runs until the 12th of June 2010.

We look forward to seeing you!

As you probably know I was recently in Europe. I attended the 2010 Prowein and I also spent some time visiting key distributors and stockist of our wines and cap classiques.

It was an incredible trip for two reasons:

1. The demand for our wine internationally is growing steadily. We produce some unique and delicious wines (specifically our Haute Cabriere Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend and Pierre Jourdan Tranquille) and the market likes unique and delicious. What was really great was experiencing first-hand the increased interest in and demand for the Pierre Jourdan Tranquille.
2. I had the opportunity, on this trip, to connect with the people who are stocking and selling Haute Cabriere throughout Europe.  I’ve discovered that this connection is important because it personalises the brand. This is a vital component of success - people must be able to put a name and face to a specific wine otherwise you’ll disappear into the new world wine sea.

So what this all means is that I will be back in Europe again next year. If I didn’t see you on this trip look me up on my next one!

We hope you had an excellent Easter weekend full of chocolate and Pierre Jourdan! We had a wonderful time (and yes there was Pierre Jourdan involved).

It’s the beginning of April 2010 and you know what that means … it means it’s time for the April photo competition on our Facebook fan page.

If you haven’t taken part in one of these before all you need to do is post a picture of you, enjoying a bottle of our Pierre Jourdan and/or Haute Cabriere wine, on our Haute Cabriere, Pierre Jourdan and Me Facebook fan page and get your friends to vote for you by liking or commenting on the picture. The best photo (that’s the one with the most comments and likes) at the end of April will win a case of Belle Rose Pierre Jourdan.

Who knew April could be so much fun.

We hope that you, your family and your friends have a very happy Easter! If you’re going away for the long weekend please travel safely. If you’re running the Two Oceans good luck and if you’re heading out to Franschhoek remember to pop in for some wine tasting, a spot of lunch or a relaxed dinner.

If you can’t get out to us - because you’re too stiff after the marathon - you can always have us come to you. Visit our online store and order yourself a case of Pierre Jourdan or Haute Cabriere. It’ll be delivered to your door and all you’ll need to do is pop it into the fridge.

Not a bad way to spend an extra long weekend.

Normal blogging will resume on Wednesday the 7th of April 2010.

Only one week left until we select our first Pierre Jourdan, Haute Cabrière and Me winner. If you still haven’t entered head on over to our Facebook fan page and upload your photo of your Pierre Jourdan Cap Classique or Haute Cabrière Wine moment, the one with the most comments and likes wins our February 2010 prize (a case of 6 Pierre Jourdan Cap Classiques).

If you’ve already uploaded your picture get your friends to vote. With their help you could be our February winner … and nothing says ‘winner‘ quite like a case of Pierre Jourdan.