Good day to you, and may we wish you a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2009. We trust you are well-rested, and looking forward to what will no doubt be an interesting year!
As usual, Manuka @ Southeys will have a diverse range of wine-tastings every Saturday, and a selection of Winemakers showcasing their products every month. Our Saturday tastings for the rest of this month are:

17th – Shepherds Cottage – great value wines from Overgaauw
24th – Strandveld Vineyards – producing some exciting wines in Elim
31st – Dombeya – Rianie Strydom’s award-winning Stellenbosch wines

Our Saturday tastings are free, and take place from 12-3 every Saturday.

Our first “Meet-the-Winemaker” Dinner will be on Weds 28th January with a range of wines from Kleine Zalze. This will be our first dinner with them and is sure to be very popular, so please book early to avoid disappointment. The evening will start at 6.30/7.00pm, and the cost is R150pp including a 2-course dinner, tea/coffee, and service charge.

In the Wineshop, the 2008 Sauvignon Blancs are starting to show really well now. It was a generally difficult harvest, but for those with patience, they are being rewarded now for not drinking the wines too young. If you prefer your Sauvignons with less of the sharp acidity that is often prominent in the younger wines, then look out for the 2007s. There are still some around, and they are drinking very well now.

It’s a bit early yet to predict what the 2009 harvest will be like, but the outlook is good at the moment. These last few weeks before harvest are of course the most critical, so let’s hope that the weather-gods look favourably upon this year’s crop!

Don’t forget that the “Life is Good” shop is now open at Manuka, so if you are looking for some really cool casual clothing and accessories, pop in when you are next at Manuka.

Meantime, remember that St Valentine’s isn’t too far away, and I’m sure we’ll be having a “champagne” promotion as usual. Keep an eye on your mailbox for further details.

Best Regards,
Stephen, Alison, Morné, and the rest of the Manukans!