Singita Blog
Archive for the ‘Events’ Category
September 26th, 2011
Taking on the Tour de Tulli 2011
Eighty kilometres of gruelling single track cycling every day across dusty, rugged terrain through South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana, clocking up 300 kilometres over 4 days – we asked General Manager of Singita Sabi Sand what compels him to undergo this test of endurance year after year.
Actually there are a few good reasons why Jason Trollip keeps coming back for more. Amongst them are the incredible scenery, great wildlife and caring community spirit created by this event. However Jason tells us that the overriding goal is to raise funds for Children in the Wilderness and that’s really what tugs at his heart strings.
Children in the Wilderness is a non-profit environmental and life skills educational programme. Their vision is something that Singita can relate to and stand behind.
Jason – “The sense of achievement at the end of 4 days is incredible and experiencing 300 kilometres of some of the best areas that Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa have to offer is just sensational.
You have to at all times remember that the whole event is to raise money for environmental awareness – it’s a great cause, and knowing we are helping young people and conservation by having so much fun, made it a perfect 5 days away!”
Jason Trollip, General Manager, Singita Sabi Sand. Jason is now in his 9th year at Singita, beginning at Singita Kruger National Park and then most recently managing Singita Sabi Sand properties. No stranger to the Lowveld area, Jason grew up here, and prior to his management roles he was a field guide for 7 years – that totals 15 years in the bush. With a keen interest in birding, we look forward to seeing some of his sightings captured on camera.
September 20th, 2011
“Memories of Africa” by Michael Kors
After three vacation stays at Singita Lebombo Lodge, prominent designer Michael Kors describes Singita’s dramatic retreat remotely situated in the Kruger National Park as his “favourite escape in the world”. Often inspired by his travels, Kors captured the luxe African holiday experience in his new Spring 2012 collection, tempering urban slickness with gauzy textures, leather accessories, utility jackets and rich colours of sand, olive, and cinnamon. Kors describes this new look as “Afri-luxe” boasting the “rustic modernism of Lebombo Lodge” and created for the “new voyager”. This is a look that will be as comfortably worn on a rainy, city street as next to a sleek, infinity pool overlooking beautiful African bush.
Explore the uniqueness of Singita Lebombo Lodge and the wildlife experience at Kruger National Park – read more.
August 17th, 2011
Singita Premier Wine’s Winter Escapades
Singita is recognised as one of South Africa’s most influential buyers of wine, with an extensive cellar showcasing a premium selection of wines, including some of the country’s most sought-after private reserves and limited release wines. François Rautenbach heads up Singita Premier Wine, managing the selection, purchase, storage, and service of the wines at Singita lodges, in addition to managing Singita Premier Wine Direct which allows guests to order wines to be shipped home at the end of their safari. As a buyer of premiers wines Francois spends time at some of South Africa’s finest wine estates – we’ve asked him to share some of his experiences as he scouts out the best labels for Singita’s cellars.
(Singita Premier Wine Boutique – Singita Sabi Sand)
Deep into mid-winter in Southern Africa there is a dramatic change in the bush colouring from verdant dense greens to the straw-browns of the dry season. Extended animal movements abound as they search for the last vestiges of green fodder and the elusive pools of fresh water.
Having been requested to speak at the inaugural Winebiz Conference on wine marketing and sales, I travelled once again to the wintery Winelands. A great time to be hosting such an event in the Cape as the winemakers use the cooler wet days to finalise their blends and bottle those vintage wines that have been slumbering, developing magnificently in barrel. The wine marketers grab onto these new and exciting developments and releases to enhance the attraction of their portfolios.
In this regard it may seem odd that a ‘bush wine specialist’ was requested to speak on the topic ‘Put your best foot forward – optimising cellar door experiences’. However with the many years of hosting thought-provoking and informative wine tastings in the Singita Cellars not to mention the wonderful success of the Premier Wine Boutique as an added-value home of wine, information and passion, it suddenly seemed quite possible that we could add real value and insight into the Wine Farm’s visitor experience.
On a cool, bright and sunny day the conference turned out to be both stimulating and informative and well worth attending even as a delegate let alone as a speaker.
Further to the conference I received an impromptu invitation to Ken Forrester Vineyards nestled in the foothills of the Stellenbosch – Helderberg Ridge mountains for a vertical presentation of the now 10 year production of the famed single-vineyard ‘FMC’. Now that sounded like an absolutely rare and unique opportunity. An exciting prospect as I departed for the farm enthralled by a magnificent sunset of pink and orange hues.
Ken a renowned, lifelong restaurateur realised his dream of wine making when he purchased a small run-down farm with his family. Realising that not only was Chenin Blanc the wine style that offered South Africa it’s greatest potential for renown but that this newly acquired farm hosted one of the unique ‘heritage’ blocks of old dry-land bush vine Chenin planted in 1967 (Mmm, my own lifelong wine endeavours – sharing the same birth date!). Ken set about a tireless journey to revitalise the vineyard and image of this historical grape.
Roping in Martin Meinert, winemaker and blender extraordinaire and long time restaurant partner into this new project they tackled the 1998 & ’99 vintages with gusto but with little success. Even greater care and attention ensued with each bush vine pruned back to one bud which captured the entire root system’s energy into a couple of bunches but resulted in a yield of less than 1 ton of grapes per acre. Wow – the resulting first release 2000 vintage showed ground-breaking concentration yet remained balanced and enthralling!
With a single long, farm-style table at centre stage in the tasting room sandwiched between small and jam-packed barrel maturation and fermentation rooms the tableau of ten spaces set with five large glasses each raised the expectations even further for an individual experience. Personally pouring each vintage Ken held us enraptured with tales of the wine’s development, the original description of the FMC’s acronym (now know in political correctness as the Forrester-Meinert Chenin) and the attention given to each of the multiple hand harvests completed through the vineyard to ensure perfectly even ripeness throughout the bunches of grapes used to fill each individual 400 litre Loire Valley French oak barrels.
Presented with the youthful, distinctly green tinged 2009 vintage redolent with stewed apple and ruby grapefruit on the nose we set off on a journey through the last decade. What concentration displayed by this emerging teenage wine with promise of supreme pleasure in years to come.
Quickly followed on by an enticingly approachable 2008, a deep yellow in colour, bouquet and stone fruit inspired palate already offering tremendous pleasure.
Next the powerful 2007 with a deep golden yellow hue fit for an artist’s brush. An entry of delicate herbal ‘Garrigue’ or Cape Floral notes underpinned by distinctive almond and marzipan leading to a riveting flavour demanding rich food or further maturation time.
Just when we thought we had seen the spectrum, the 2006 emerged to enthral with dainty intensity, freshness and elegance. The lightest coloured and most superbly balanced – what difficulty to not consume in one draft.
Finally the 2001 flowed into it’s receptacle to offer complete integration with the richness of matured marmalade upfront and the tight and lengthy finish to follow – supreme now yet with a portent to further years of pleasure to come.
As the ‘Cape Doctor’ South-Easter started blowing, rattling doors and windows we could ruminate over the first decade of a now internationally iconic wine as we savoured giant tempura prawns dipped in hoisin sauce, crisp pork belly and artisinal cheeses subtly proving that the food matching versatility of Chenin Blanc is unsurpassed.
Nodding off to sleep some time later I looked forward to the development of Singita Premier Wine’s own stocks in maturation and to the next decade of a developing heritage.
Find out more information about Singita Premier Wine on Singita’s website – or contact us directly at premierwine@singita.com.
Happy imbibing,
François
August 1st, 2011
The Astonishing Trek
The annual wildebeest migration is one of the world’s most breathtaking spectacles but it also plays a vital ecological role. Head Guide at Singita Grumeti Reserves shares some insights into the progression of the migration across the plains of Singita Grumeti Reserves this year.
The Wildebeest Migration was declared the 7th new Wonder of the Natural World in June 2006 and it is well justified. This annual mass movement of over a million wildebeest has to be one of the most awe inspiring sights on earth. It is very possible that these animals have been making this astonishing trek for millions of years and if that is so then man must have been marveling over this for millennia.
There have been literally rank after rank of wildebeest filing onto the plains on a daily basis. From the 25th May we watched as the numbers swelled until it seemed there would be room for no more. Yet they continued to arrive. The herds of topi and zebra gave way before encroaching hordes; elephant left the low lying areas and headed for the hills.
They passed by Singita Sabora and spent a few days on the plains in and around the tented camp, consuming the new grass that had sprung up after the fire a few months ago.
From there they headed east, grazing and honking as they went. Thousands of them staked out areas around the Sasakwa airstrip and we spent many hours on the strip keeping it clear for arriving and departing aircraft.
With them came the scavengers, hyena walked unperturbed between them, and the wildebeest hardly gave them a glance.
Vultures soared overhead or dropped down onto carcasses and the wildebeest didn’t seem to care; it seemed that everything benefitted from their arrival.
There was literally nowhere on the property you could go without driving through thousands of wildebeest. It is an amazing experience that is impossible to describe: the constant movement of all the animals, the noise of their continual honking, the clash of horns as the bulls charged into one another, and calves and mothers that have become separated call to one another in an attempt to reunite.
The migration faces all challenges head on. Sometimes there is a bit of trepidation or hesitation by each animal when faced with a tricky river crossing or a wooded area but in order to survive they have to keep moving. Food and water are the main motivation and as much as wildebeest are responsible for consuming vast quantities of grass on a daily basis they are also a key component in the regeneration of the same grasses, and other grasses they don’t eat.
(Outstanding view of the wildebeest right in front of Singita Faru Faru Lodge.)
Herbivores can and do play a large role in grass successions. When the rains come through after the migration has moved on there will be a marked regeneration. The millions of hooves crush and trample the moribund material into the earth and their dung helps to fertilize it.
To read the full report of the annual wildebeest migration through Singita Grumeti Reserves this year, take a look at June Guides’ Diary on the Singita website. For daily and weekly updates of the location of the migration, follow Singita on Facebook.
July 19th, 2011
Celebrating Madiba’s 93 years!
All over South Africa yesterday there was a buzz in the air – all because of an extremely special occasion: Nelson Mandela’s 93rd birthday.
In case you didn’t know this, but as a result of the success of the birthday celebrations in London, June 2008, to commemorate Nelson Mandela and his life work, it was set in motion thereafter to acknowledge Mr. Mandela’s birthday each year as “Mandela Day“. What a perfect way to ensure that his legacy endures for a very long time.
The Mandela Day campaign message is simple: “Mr Mandela gave 67 years of his life fighting for the rights of humanity. All we are asking is that everyone gives 67 minutes of their time, whether it’s supporting your chosen charity or serving your local community”.
In a tucked away corner of the Kruger National Park, a group of people decided to take this challenge very seriously – our amazing Singita staff at Singita Lebombo and Sweni Lodges. They came up with some innovative and creative ways for everyone to particpate in order to raise funds to make a difference. Some signed up to shuffle for 6.7 minutes; delicious cupcakes were auctioned off; some chose to cycle 67 kilometres while others opted for running 6.7 kilometres – and even one staff member signed up to hug or kiss 67 girls! All proceeds are planned to support local primary schools in the area. What a day and a great amount of fun had by all – all for an oustanding cause.
