A celebration of bubbles

NEWS

Words & Photos: Meghan Mccabe

Opulence, mink, manure and chandeliers. What do these all have in common? They are generally affiliated with champagne and crystal glasses. Therefore, the recently upgraded Inanda Country Club was the perfect setting for the Celebration of Bubbles Festival, sponsored by SizweNatsalubaGobodo.

Photos by: Meghan Mccabe

Held on Sunday, 30 March 2014, under sunny, blue skies, the festival attracted hundreds of elegantly dressed and eccentric couples with a discerning taste for class, who enjoyed a day of sampling the most exclusive champagnes available. And with 22 of our countries top wine estates in attendance, it was definitely the place to be.

Of course, an event like this was bound to attract our local celebrities and stars, and contestants of Ultimate Braai Master, cast members from Isidingo, former Miss SA Thuli Sithole, model and presenter Shashi Naidoo, the gorgeous Greg Hammond, stylish Sonja Booth, sisters Hlelo and Ntando Masina, 94.7 presenter Karabo Ntshweng, SA socialite Mika Stefano, Real Goboza presenter Amanda du Pont, and champagne aficionados could be seen mingling and enjoying the bubbles.

Darielle Robertson, the organiser of this splendid affair, said they had chosen the Inanda Country Club to host this event as it was the first event of its kind in Johannesburg, and what better than having it at a new venue. She was thrilled that so many of the owners or family members from the farms attended the festival to represent their family heritage. Their presence meant the visitors were not only treated to the standard information regarding the types of champagne, they also got to hear about the history behind the bubbles and unique features, all told in a fairytale story that was presented through passion and a love of tantalizing the taste buds.

The wonderful food on offer and smooth sounds of Jaque Lagesse all added to the perfect ambiance, and with a little bit of imagination, you could picture yourself in a scene from My Fairlady. Many of the guests were delighted that this event has come to Johannesburg. Said Robertson, "This event was a major success and we will definitely host it again."

So keep those glasses ready, outfits pressed and taste buds tuned for the next bubbly event in Joburg.