portfees.htm

ABSA CALITZDORP PORT & WINE FESTIVAL

16 to 18 June 2011

CALITZDORP IS CALLING!

Calitzdorp, renowned far and wide as the Port Capital of South Africa, is shaking off the Klein Karoo dust in preparation for the very best wine and lifestyle festival this region has to offer. So start planning your trip now as the weekend of 16 to 18 June 2011 will see this historic town bursting out of its seams when Calitzdorp opens its heart and doors to visitors from far and wide.
http://portwinefestival.co.za/default.php?ipkCat=70&sid=70
Following the tremendous success of the 2009 Calitzdorp Port & Wine Festival, the 2011 festival will again be centered at the historic Calitzdorp Railway Station, well-complimented by a full and fabulous program of events at the various wine cellars and village venues.

Renowned Port producers, Axe Hill, Boplaas, Calitzdorp Cellar, De Krans, Du’SwaRoo, Peter Bayly, TTT and Withoek, proudly partnered for the first time this year by the ABSA group, will host the ABSA Calitzdorp Port & Wine Festival. Festival visitors will be treated to a magnificent medley of Ports and Port cultivar wines - think fantastic value-for-money Ruby and Tawny Ports and multiple award-winning Vintage Reserve Ports. But also Pink Port, White Port, The Chocolate Port, Tinta Chocolat, Tinta Mocha, The Original Espresso, Tinta Barocca, Touriga Nacional, III, Cape White and Khamsin, to name but a few. Ports and Port wines the original home of Port in the Douro in Portugal would be proud to call their own - now here on your doorstep!

The festival program has been expanded to a full and diverse three day event with something to suit everyone. Visit the festival website at www.portwinefestival.co.za for full event and programdetails. To avoid disappointment pre-book your tickets through Computicket or book during the festival at the Calitzdorp Computicket Box Office.

Some of the festival highlights include:

The ever-popular Port Auction will be on offer again but this year with a twist. Due to popular demand, the winemakers will be offering five auction bottles, ranging from three through to nine liters, with fundraising for the Calitzdorp Fund for the Needy being a major beneficiary as usual.

Visit the Station Barn for a full tasting of the Ports and Port cultivar wines of not only Calitzdorp but also the participating South African Port Producer’s Association (SAPPA) members. Look out for the SAPPA Challenge Winners Ports’ which will be on display in the Station Barn. A visit to the various cellars will definitely tempt and delight – you will be offered their full range of wines, be able to tempt your taste-buds with specialty food offerings, or just sit back, take a load off tired feet and relax for a while.

A new event on the festival program is the Youth and Local Artists Expo to be held in the Calitzdorp Town Hall. The festival committee is very proud to host this community project aimed at showcasing existing local artists without galleries and offering opportunity for spotting and developing hidden artistic talent in the children of our community. Participants from our local Calitzdorp schools as well local artists showing art in progress will be exhibiting at the Town Hall – a definite stop on your tour of Calitzdorp.

Do take time out to walk the Arts Meander – a showcase of the superb wealth of talented and established artists exhibiting their arts in galleries in and around Calitzdorp. Remember to complete the competition entry you may just be the lucky winner of the Arts Meander Competition!

Check your program for the Boulle Competition, the Cultural/Historical Treasure Hunt as well as the not-to-be-missed Historical Meander under the expert guidance of Noel-Jean Creil, who will also give an organ recital daily in the magnificent stone Dutch Reformed Church.

On Friday, the ever-popular Port Dance will be hosted by the Calitzdorp High School, another community project where profit from ticket sales is added to the school’s fundraising coffers to assist learners with various school projects. The theme is “A Taste of Portuguese” in celebration of our Ports’ origins, so get your Portuguese inspired ideas flowing for your outfit and book your ticket early to avoid disappointment. This promises to be an evening of good food, Port, wine, music and dancing until late into the night.

Get to know more about the natural beauty of the Calitzdorp region – the Klein Karoo creeps quietly into your heart and draws you back time and time again. So visit the Biodiversity Expo in the Station Ticket Office with presentations throughout the day – entry is included in the festival entrance fee. Get to know fascinating aspects of: The Cape Leopards in our mountains – Gareth Mann of The Cape Leopard Trust, Succulents of the Klein Karoo – Frans Noltee and Alex Fick, a book signing of Plants of the Klein Karoo – meet the fascinating authors Jan Vlok & Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok, Butterflies & Moths of the Klein Karoo – Ray Jones, Geology of the Klein Karoo – Geoff Wyatt-Goodall, The Donkey Trail – To The Hel and Back with Erika Calitz and her team of expert guides, or take a Succulent tour through the Hennie Cloete Succulent Garden.

The last couple of years has seen Mountain Bike (MTB) stage racing reaching new highs with two or three days events becoming increasingly popular. With this in mind, and to meet demand from our festival visitors who are also avid cyclists, we are partnering for a second time with ECOBOUND who offer the only three day MTB stage event in the country. The Klein Karoo Klassiek takes place over the same weekend as the festival, at the Calitzdorp Spa just a short distance outside Calitzdorp, so visit Ecobound’s website at www.kleinkarooklassiek.co.za to check out race details.

The festival’s Premier Lifestyle Events are offered on all three days and are guaranteed to tantalise your food taste-buds. Master Chef Extraordinaire, Francois Ferreira, of the Eden School of Culinary Art will astound with an unexpected twist on food and Port/Port wine pairing with his "Boerekos, Port, Bollywood & Ballroom" show so early booking is an absolute must to avoid disappointment. Belgium trained Chocolatier, Marita Lamprecht, and Junel Vermeulen will soothe the most frazzled with decadently delicious chocolates paired with Port/Port wine, Brian and Jo Dick will tantalise with unusual cheeses paired with Port/Port wine, Chris Serfontein will delight with his Olive Oils and Olives of the Klein Karoo, and Boets Nel, Carel Nel and Fanie Geyser will Unravel the Mysteries of Port leaving you much more relaxed to taste the superb Ports on offer in Calitzdorp.

Children’s entertainment at the Calitzdorp Station, tractor rides to the various cellars, quality up market food and lifestyle stalls, coffee shops and restaurants with special Portuguese festival menus to suit everyone’s taste and so much more.

Not forgetting a slow and relaxing end to the festival at the Long Table Brunch – Mediterranean Portuguese style on Sunday 19 June 2011 under the trellised vines at the Station Ticket Office. On 31 May 2009 Hilary Biller wrote: “Main course platters groaned with freshly grilled peppers, grilled chicken, tortillas and beef kebabs – and, something of a speciality of the region, piles of whole poached apricots….”

Jam-packed and a festival of happy memories. So remember the date 16 to 18 June 2011 and treat yourself to the warmest welcome the best little village in the Klein Karoo – Calitzdorp, has to offer!!