Graaff-Reinet stoeptasters in for fine time

One final batch of tickets has been made available for Graaff-Reinet’s Stoeptasting Weekend – a fun annual festival that sees wine farms sharing their finest on the town’s prettiest verandahs.

The festival on Friday and Saturday May 25 and 26 will attract visitors from around the Eastern Cape and beyond.

Locals love it too – each year more of them buy tickets and invite friends to visit over this time, according to founder Rose Wright, of organisers the Karoo Wine Club.

There will be 33 wineries as well as craft beer, liqueur, gin and brandy-makers showcased.

“What makes it different from other wine shows is that there is no drinking and driving, and the winemaker or farm owner is generally here in person to tell you about their wines,” Rose said.

Winemakers who have participated in every stoep tasting to date include Peter and Yvonne Bayly from Calitzdorp and PE’s Michael White, from Highlands Road.

Other farms include the likes of Muratie, Hermanuspietersfontein, Deetlefs, Axe Hill, De Meye, Hill and Dale, Natte Valleij and Skipskop.

“In terms of participating stoeps, Thyme and Again Guesthouse’s Brenda Pringle has been a star supporter of the festival from the start.

“She pours her heart and sould into it,” Rose said.

“This year she will have two stoeps as she has two properties near to one another.”

Two of the town’s historical museums – Reinet House and the Library Museum – will also host stoep tastings this year.

“There’s a lot of competition among the stoeps to be the best and most vibey, so they are all sure to be brilliant,” Rose said. Several masterclasses will be included on the Saturday morning, along with a Karoo farmers’ market hosted by Union Pre-School.

Graaff-Reinet’s Karoo celebrity chef, Rose’s husband Gordon Wright, will launch his new cookbook, Karoo Food, at 12pm on the Saturday at the Graaff-Reinet Club, in collaboration with Krone MCC and Karoo Eyewear.

Recipes from the book will also be prepared.

“On the food front, we have also encouraged the stoep hosts to sell some kind of food from their stoeps, as well as the restaurants to have street food available so people can snack while they stroll to the next stoep,” Rose said.

“Sue Baker and her team from Wild Peacock Food Emporium will be back with their amazing fresh oysters.”

Tickets have been sold according to a tiered system, with April tickets at R275 per person. From May 1 to 15 (the cutoff for bookings) tickets will be R300 per person.

Each ticket holder receives a programme, map, tasting glass and glass sling from Slow Food in Italy, a partner in the event.

• For bookings or inquiries e-mail: karoowineclub@gmail.com