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All the Stars at the Tops Soweto Wine Festival |
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SOWETO, GAUTENG, SOUTH
AFRICA - 30 AUGUST 2012 - Eight years ago in Soweto,
what began as a small gathering of winemakers trailblazing
a new market, and a smattering of curious Sowetans, has grown
into a major highlight on the Gauteng Calendar.
The TOPS Soweto Wine Festival, in association with Food Network,
happening from 6th to 8th September at the University of Johannesburg,
Soweto Campus, is now considered a South African ‘must
do’ event and is revolutionising the way in which wine
festivals are being presented to the South African majority
whilst creating a broad, new wine-loving market of educated
and established wine appreciators.
The TOPS Soweto Wine Festival, in association with Food Network,
continues to grow from strength to strength adapting year
on year in order to continuously attract big brands, influential
media and aspirational people in their thousands from in and
around Soweto, Johannesburg and internationally.
The TOPS Soweto Wine Festival in association with Food Network
is owned by ‘the people’. ‘The people’
are those that believe obstacles can be overcome, they never
give up on their ideas and are motivated by inspiration, hard
work and a wish for a better lifestyle. This is the vibe at
the TOPS Soweto Wine Festival. It is an exhilarating experience
as visitors find their love of wine, be it red, rosé,
white or sparkling! It
should be mentioned that the most worthy of trends start in
Soweto, which is one of the most inspiring cities in South
Africa, likened to the energy and creativity of New York and
London. So let them see our hearts!
The 3 Cities in Soweto
For the first time ever at the TOPS Soweto Wine Festival,
in association with Food Network, our 3 major cities have
come together - Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban,
showcasing their beautiful cities at the festival. They say
to travel is to broaden the mind, so visit other provinces
and get to know your country. Cape Town is hospitality, wine
and whale country and Durban is friendship, surf and spice
country.
Wine, Food, Dance, Kaya
Look out for the new Kaya FM Chill Zone housing their DJ’s
Ed and Fang on decks alongside our proud, local restaurants,
which include Thirteen 54, the Soweto Hotel and Roots, bringing
together the best in South African hospitality. Following
last year’s Shisa Nyama, Honey Badger wines will be
serving Shisa Nyama cooked by Chef David and served with a
glass of Honey Badger. Honey Badger is a new bold, sweet red
wine appealing to those who prefer a rich, ripe and sumptuously
fruity wine. Nederburg Wine & Food Taste
Experience
Don’t forget to enjoy a free Nederburg Wine & Food
Taste Experience class. We believe it all starts with this
fun-filled class! So don’t miss out, learn something
new. MasterChef SA Top 5 finalist Lungile Nhlanhla will be
joining Wim Truter of Nederburg’s award-winning winemaking
team to co-present this fun and interactive experience while
Wellington Metshane, a senior member of the team making Nederburg
reds, will be on hand to introduce visitors to some exciting
new offerings at the winery’s exhibition stand.
DStv Magic
This year DStv will be bringing an array of talent from the
DStv family, discounted offerings on their products and Jenny
Morris from The Food Network will be hosting the DStv VIP's
on Saturday night. If visitors purchase any of these products
they stand a chance to win a Sony HD LCD TV. DStv will also
be bringing SuperSport presenters and Inkaba actors for photo
opportunities at the DStv Stand. There will also be a performance
by Moneoa for their VIP's on Saturday night. TOP
Celebrities
Kaya FM DJ's MC’ing will be our favourite T-Bose,
Bob Mabena and Mo-G - bringing the best Joburg
DJ personalities and sound to you!
As a VIP, you will be blown away by our guest stars. Kicking
the festival VIP’s off in style is the one and only
Unathi Msengana for the TOPS at SPAR
VIP Lounge on Thursday’s opening night. Msengana
is a Metro FM DJ, an accomplished singer and a judge on South
African Idols and has recently released her third studio album
‘With Love’ on the heels of her sophomore album
‘In Honour’, which reached Gold status.
Make Your Own Wine
All you have to do to stand a chance of winning an all-expenses
paid trip to the Cape, is to sign up at the TOPS Soweto Wine
Festival, in association with Food Network, to make your own
vintage of wine in 2013 with the exclusive “own wine
making company” WineConnected.
Visit WineConnected’s stand to find out how you can
make and label your own wine, visit the cellar and vineyards
and attend private tastings with South Africa’s top
Cellarmasters such as Niels Verburg of Luddite Wines. At the
end of this fantastic experience, you will have personally
labelled bottles of your own vintage to enjoy with family
and friends. Heritage Site in Soweto
Take the time to visit the Cradle of Humankind and Dinokeng
exhibition stand. The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site
is located in Gauteng and is a massive 47 000 hectare area,
which has produced a host of interesting fossils that throw
light onto early human ancestors and their relatives, dating
back more than 3.4 million years. Dinokeng is a unique tourism
destination, home to Gauteng’s only free-roaming Big
5 game reserve. This Game Reserve is 18 500 hectares of pristine
African bush with over 50 establishments’ sites ranging
from five-star game lodges to cycling safaris and restaurants
and so much more. Wines of flavour
Visitors are in for a right royal treat with over 900 of South
Africa’s wines to taste from firm-favourites like Nederburg,
Fleur de Cap, 4th Street, J.C. Le Roux and Four Cousins to
upmarket wines such as Alto, Meerlust, Plaisir de Merle, Rupert
& Rothschild and Ernie Els to name a few, to empowerment
wines that now compete with the best of them such as Kumkani,
Ses’fikile and Tukulu. Tickets
Visitors are encouraged to purchase their tickets prior to
the festival online at www.webtickets.co.za
or from the Soweto Hotel on Freedom Square or Morara Wine
Emporium in Mofolo Central in Soweto or from the Cape Wine
Academy in Bramley, Johannesburg. Arrive early as doors will
be closing an hour prior to closing times.
Ends |
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EDITOR’S
NOTES |
The TOPS Soweto Wine Festival,
in association with Food Network, is happening on Thursday
6th September to Saturday 8th September 2012 - opening
times are Thurs & Fri - 6 pm to 10 pm and Sat -
5 pm to 9 pm. The venue is the University of Johannesburg,
Main Hall, Soweto Campus, Chris Hani Road, Soweto. Tickets
are R120 per person and available at the festival, or online
from www.webtickets.co.za
or from Morara Wine Emporium in Soweto or from the Soweto
Hotel or from Cape Wine Academy, Bramley. Website - www.sowetowinefestival.co.za.
Entrance closes one hour prior to closing.
For these requirements: Wine Exhibitors
Busi Yende on 011 024 3616 or email [email protected]
Sponsorship
Sharon Cooper on 074 461 0544 or email [email protected]
Media & PR
Viv Quann at [email protected]
or 084 486 2136 Click
here for #1 release - Mzansi’s Wine
Chic Get Ready for TOPS Soweto Wine Festival 2012 Click
here for #2 release - The Love of Wine
Thrives in Soweto |
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TOPS Soweto Wine Festival in association with
Food Network |
It Starts with a Conversation
The idea of having a wine festival in Soweto
was borne around a braai in Pretoria in 2004
between neighbours Lyn Woodward (an original member)
and Mnikelo Mangciphu (co-founding active member). The
two were drinking wine out of Soweto Beer Festival
glasses, and several glasses later, thought what a good
idea it would be to have a wine festival
in Soweto.
It was also the right time to start introducing South
Africa’s quality wines to the remaining 80% of
our population. Wine should be a way of life for all
South Africans. Eight years later, the Soweto Wine Festival
is the pride of Soweto and the wine
event not to miss on the annual South African
wine calendar. |
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Soweto Wine Festival Owners |
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Dedicated and Committed
Co-founding member of the Soweto
Wine Festival is Mnikelo Mangciphu
who is the owner/manager of the only wine shop
in Soweto - Morara Wine & Spirit Emporium,
which he launched after the first Soweto Wine
Festival in 2005.
The other co-founding member of the festival is
Marilyn Cooper who is a Cape
Wine Master and is also the CEO of the Cape
Wine Academy based in Johannesburg.
Mnikelo Mangciphu, one of the festivals' founding
members and owner of Soweto’s first wine
specialist shop, Morara Wine Emporium,
says that this festival is dedicated to encouraging,
educating and growing black wine drinkers in Mzansi. |
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Soweto Wine Festival History |
Timelines of Success
2005:
The inaugural festival was held over three days at Ubuntu
Kraal in Orlando West, was attended by 1500
members of the public and was officially opened by the
then Minister of Agriculture Thoka Didiza. 82 wineries
came to that first festival, filled with great excitement;
many had never been into a township before.
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2006:
The festival moved to the present premises University
of Johannesburg, Soweto Campus, which
has proved to be a far more suitable and more
accessible venue, with larger safe parking. Over
3000 people attended the Soweto Wine and Brandy
Festival, and all had a great time. |
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2007:
The festival showcased 94 different wineries
with over 800 labels to entice the 4225 visitors
that came through our doors. It was also the first
year we invited big brand sponsors to participate
in the festival. |
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2008:
The festival grew to 105 exhibitors
with over 850 wines to taste and 4365 visitors
to taste them. The hall was packed to seams, to
the point we had to stop selling tickets early.
This year we included an ‘edutainment’
element to the festival called the Pick n Pay
Wine Class. |
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2009:
The festival featured 103 wineries exhibiting
with over 800 wines and 5520 visitors attending.
2009 was so packed that doors closed 2 hours after
opening. We have learnt our lesson - Sowetans
LOVE South African Wine! |
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2010:
In the year that South Africa hosted the Soccer
World Cup, the Soweto Wine Festival welcomed
a sell-out audience of over 7,500 visitors
to the 3-night event. Despite increasing capacity
with the addition of a Platinum Wine Arena, organisers
closed doors early on Fridy and Saturday nights. |
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2011:
The 2011 TOPS Soweto Wine Festival attracted
a record 8550 people over the 3 evenings
- which is 1002 more people than the previous
year! This popular festival just keeps getting
bigger and bigger. |
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