Here are 4 more reasons to visit Johannesburg. Whether you are visiting our City for business or pleasure, you are sure to find something to suit your taste. There is no need to drink and drive because this is your opportunity to reserve your room at the Jack Rose today.
The Houghton Bonsai and Succulent Show
Dates: Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November
Time: 9am – 4pm
Venue
Looking for 4 more reasons to visit Johannesburg? Adore exotic flowers? For this reason alone, a trip to the City should be on the cards. Pop into the Houghton Bonsai & Succulent Show at Killarney Mall this weekend. You will be blown away by the variety on display. In addition, there will be opportunities to attend daily workshops; chat to the experts; and, purchase some amazing plants.
Comedy Sundays
Venue
The Bioscope, 44 on Stanley, Braamfontein Werf (near the Holiday Inn)
If comedy is more to your liking, then this is the second of 4 reasons to visit Johannesburg. Every Sunday, The Bioscope hosts a comedy evening from 6:30pm. Cost: R120pp.
Situated at 44 on Stanley -a venue which is fast becoming the place for those to visit with an artistic bent. Here you will discover books, actors spaces, restaurants, independent cinema and so much more.
Line-up: Sunday 6 Nov
Live Jazz @ The Firs, Rosebank
Calling all jazz aficionados! Look no further for the 3rd of 4 reasons to visit Johannesburg
Katzy’s
This ever popular venue is a wine bar and restaurant based at The Firs. Katzy’s is open Thursday – Saturday from 5pm. Dress is Smart Casual. Please Note: No sandals allowed.
There is no online booking facility. To reserve a table, call 011 8803945.
Line-up
Thurs 3 Nov: Cappuccino
Fri 4 Nov: Rhythmic Pulse
Sat 5 Nov: Soul Notez
Doppio Zero The Jazz Room
Friday 4 Nov: Hendrick Monyeki
Prepare to be blown away by this talented artist on Friday evening.
For more info on venues which provide live entertainment, visit Johannesburg in Your Pocket
Reason 4: A visit to Gerakaris Family Wines
One of the jewels in the crown in Johannesburg and yet another reason to plan a visit, is the presence of winemaker – Kath Gerakaris. She creates and bottles her own label at her family winery the REEA Foundation premises 20 Marlborough Ave, Craighall Park
Hailing originally from New Zealand, Kath didn’t consider a career in winemaking when she began her studies. It was marketing which first attracted her attention, but she realized that it didn’t inspire her passion… after completing her studies she then ventured into viniculture and this led her to our shores.
Stellenbosch was her first stop – it was harvest-time and she was totally new to the business. Somehow, as has happened to most visitors to our shore, Africa infused her soul as did the love of winemaking. Her first vintage followed while working at Thelema in Stellenbosch and although Kath still had a hankering to return home, this was followed by a year at Flagstone wineries and then she was offered her first permanent position at Whalehaven in Hermanus – this was the point of no return (if you’ll excuse the pun). Here she met her husband, a banker from Johannesburg… and that is the reason our City is now home to this superbly talented lady!
From Cape to Jozi
The grapes harvested for the Gerakaris wines are grown in the Cape – Chenin Blanc and Syrah, and then transported in a cold truck from a Swartland vineyard. They are pressed, undergo fermentation and are bottled in a ‘really cool place’, namely, a building with which she totally fell in love and negotiated a contract to house the Gerakaris label on the REEA ‘Estate’.
“Nothing in my life has ever been planned,” stated Kath, “and life is too short to do boring things! It took two years to obtain a licence, two years for testing the wines and four years of making wine to reach this point.
The grapes ferment for about three weeks and for the rest of the year, they mature in wooden oak kegs or metal barrels depending on the grape and the type of wine being created.
Cellar
- ELLAKI : This is an ‘un-wooded’ white wine named after Kath’s daughter (the Greek diminutive of Elli’s name). It is made from the Chenin blanc grape which is a green grape. (At present this is the Winery’s ‘Best Seller’).
- ELLI: This is the Chenin Blanc matured in the oak vats.
- 1209: A Syrah named after the distance between the vineyard where the grapes are harvested and Johannesburg (1209km as the crow flies) is a flavourful fruity wine manufactured in 2019. The Syrah, a red grape, is very sweet and juicy when picked.
- TOM: A Syrah manufactured in 2018 comprises grapes which grow in rocky, granitic soils.
- THOMAS: Sun and soil makes a difference to the taste of the grape, also a Syrah, these grapes come from a clay-based soil. The Thomas has been maturing in oak barrels for one year.
“How is the sweetness of a wine determined?”
“It all depends on yeast mixture and the time taken for the fermentation process,” explained Kath. “The grapes are picked when they are at their ripest and that’s when they contain the most sweetness. The longer the wine ferments, the more active the yeast is at eating the sugar, the dryer the wine. A semi-sweet wine, on the other hand has a shorter fermenting period and has left-over sugar.”
Tasting Room
Tasting takes place from Wednesday – Sunday. Booking isn’t necessary for weekdays when the Tasting Room is open from 12:30pm – 5pm, but essential for weekends. On a Saturday tasting takes place 11am – 4pm and on a Sunday 11am – 2pm.
Reserve a seat or for further information (The article formed part of a project undertaken by REEA residents in 2021)
