A new 42,6sqm outdoor mosaic sculpture conceived by acclaimed South African artist, Marco Cianfanelli and created by mosaic artists from Spier Architectural Arts is currently under construction at Spier. The installation will be finished by mid-July and the artwork will be unveiled early September 2012 during a public launch event at Spier.
In a rare South African collaboration between art and business, Union House in Commercial Street, Cape Town, is a space that nurtures crafts and enterprise. The closed façade of the three-storey canary-yellow heritage building conceals an air of enviable creative industry. Its soaring interior is a stimulating space of original timber flooring and ceiling beams, industrial structural elements and an ever expanding whimsical collection of eclectic vintage furnishings, increasingly from the mid-20th century. The building itself predates this era, harking back to 1895 and a chequered history as a warehouse and factory. In its cathedral-like interiors, artists, crafters and industry professionals practice their skills.
Spier Creative Block, our range of blended wines, has leapt onto the international stage, winning Golds and Silvers left right and centre at the world’s top wine competitions this month. This follows their sensational achievements at Veritas last year where two wines in the range achieved Double Gold Medals and the third achieved a Gold.
These wines are firm favourites at dinner parties as the story behind the wines is a great conversation starter, and the range really helps to support local artists.
We’re the only SA wine farm to win Golds at all the top international competitions last week!
We have been popping corks this past week as we’ve celebrated our achievements at the international wine awards and in true celebratory style, our cellar master Frans gave everyone a sabrage demonstration, slicing the neck off of our yummy Method Cap Classique.
I sat down with cellar master Frans Smit for an overview of the 2011 harvest and his thoughts on this vintage for Spier.
Wonder Marthinus (born: 1967) can be likened to a phoenix rising from the ashes. Initially a dancer, his life descended into chaos after a tragic accident left him severely injured. Unable to dance, and battling alcoholism, he eventually found himself living like a hermit on the slopes of Table Mountain. In 1995, a chance meeting with an artist at a soup kitchen led him to Greatmore Studios where his art career began in earnest.
Photo credit: Malcolm Dare
The large white label with the numbers 2, 3 and 5 in large print is always a conversation starter at wine tastings. Often tasters choose a wine claiming the number is their favourite - a selection similar to picking lotto numbers - without knowing what the numbers refer to.
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