Wine & Malt Whisky Affair 2018

Published in

DINE4SIX

4 min readMay 10, 2018

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” - Mark Twain

It’s that time of the year again. The air is getting cooler, and dusty fireplaces are heating up. Making it the perfect time to get that warm fuzzy feeling at the Wade Bales Wine & Malt Whisky Affair in Cape Town and the Kaya FM Wine & Malt Whisky Affair in Joburg this Month.

These affairs deliver the ultimate in indulgence, showcasing sought after, limited release wines and rare malt whiskies from around the world, bringing together people who enjoy the finer things in life.

“Staying true to our previous events, we have handpicked a selection of interesting and distinctive wines and whiskies, which are all available for tasting. What makes this event unique is not only the range of premium products but also the calibre of the passionate and knowledgeable people who present them.”
- Wade Bales, well-known wine and spirits matchmaker.

If you’re in Cape Town:

Location: African Pride 15 on Orange Hotel

17 & 18 May

Tickets available on Quicket

Leading off from the main showcase, the newly refurbished Murano Bar will become a bubbly bar activated by South Africa’s first producer of MCC, Simonsig Wine Estate.

Known for their cultivated excellence and art in a glass, delight your senses with tastings of their award-winning Methode Cap Classique range.

Featured Wines & Whiskies will include:

Avondale Navitas 2009 — Flagship red of Avondale’s premium collection (Robert Parker 95/100)

Delaire Graff White Blend 2015 — Delaire Graff’s Icon Range is an exclusive range of the Estate’s finest single vineyard wines and select blends, awarded Five Star John Platter rating as well as Tim Atkin Report 2017–93 points

Vilafonte Series C 2015 — This wine is usually sold-out in the first six weeks, Greg Sherwood MW (UK) 96 pts, with previous vintages voted as TOP 100 International wines

Bruichladdich Black Art — 4th Release of a unique and pioneering cult cask exploration series.

The Macallan Rare Cask — Crafted to showcase complexity and depth, Rare Cask is drawn from broadest spectrum of casks, with 16 different types making it a limited and very rare whisky.

Midleton Premium Irish Whiskey: Each vintage differs, with limited quantities released, and each bottle individually numbered and signed by the Master Distiller.

If you’re in Joburg:

Location: Hyde Park Corner

24 & 25 May

Tickets available on Webtickets

Engage with the winemakers and whisky connoisseurs, as they share their unique insights into the secrets of the grape as well as the golden dram. Venture into the exclusive Old Mutual lounge.

Featured Wines & Whiskies will include:

Creation Sumac Grenache 2016 — Inspired by nature and meticulously crafted by cellarmaster Jean-Claude Martin, each single-vineyard wine is the ultimate expression of its terroir and a multi-faceted artwork in its own right. Allocated 92 points by Jamie Goode, renowned British author and wine connoisseur.

Delaire Graff White Blend 2015 — The exclusive Icon Range is produced from the estate’s finest single-vineyard wines and select blends. Awarded a Five Star John Platter rating as well as 93 points in the Tim Atkin Report 2017.

Vilafonte Series C 2015 — This wine that is usually sold-out in the first six weeks. Scored Greg Sherwood MW (UK) 96 points, with previous vintages voted as TOP 100 International wines.

Bruichladdich Black Art — The fourth release of a unique and pioneering cult cask exploration series.

The Macallan Rare Cask — Drawn from the broadest spectrum of casks, Rare Cask showcases complexity and depth with only 16 different types, making it limited and very rare.

Midleton Premium Irish Whiskey — Each vintage differs, and is only released in very limited quantities, with each bottle individually numbered and signed by the Master Distiller.

Ardbeg Corryvreckan — This whisky takes its name from the famous whirlpool that lies to the north of Islay, where only the bravest souls dare to venture. It was awarded The World’s Best Single Malt in 2010 at the World Whiskies Awards.

Tasting and Buying

Over and above the whiskies available to taste, guests will hear a Half-Time Bell mid-way through the evening, signalling “under the table,” where for a limited period of 15 minutes, they will have the opportunity to taste incredibly rare and limited editions of wine and whisky.

All wines and whiskies will be available to purchase on the night. Wines can be ordered for delivery directly through the wine farms. Look out for some great specials including select gift sets and one or two whisky gems!