by SFT | May 30, 2024 | SPAR
Wine Of The Week – Newton Johnson Falkirk
OVERVIEW
‘Falkirk’, Scotland is from where the Newton family originated, meaning ‘speckled church’ for the stone structure that has stood there since the 6th century. The name represents the 1½ hectare vineyard site of deep deposits of stone and rock where the only Rhône wine varieties are to be found on the farm. Bushvines of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre were planted to discover the contrasting nuances these vines produce from this Granite-derived soil.
TASTING NOTES
A wine with startling evolution, at first with grape stems and herbaceous fynbos that expand to deep plum fruit, Christmas cake and varied spices of clove and white pepper. The palate is voluptuous and juicy with tension in the tannins to hold the flavour in to the finish.
Winemaking
The grapes are packed in to large-surface area crates to limit pressure on the bunches. The day’s harvest is cooled down overnight to 8ºC in the winery’s refrigerated cold room. The bunches are sorted on a conveyor, destemmed, and fall directly to the fermenter. No sulphur is used in the winemaking until after malolactic fermentation, allowing diverse micro-organisms from the grape itself to flourish unrestrained in the spontaneous fermentation. This cuvée also contains 50% of whole bunches. Cold maceration ensues for 5 to 7 days at 8 to 10°C. All parcels are fermented with indigenous yeasts, and only pigeage (punching down) applied for extraction. The wine spends approximately 25 days on the skins before pressing. After pressing the wine is racked and left to complete its malolactic ‘fermentation’ and maturation in barrel on its lees.
Wanna Win A Car?
1 of 50 Fiery Red Hyundai Grand i10 Sedans to be won
Competition runs from 23 April to 2 June 2024. Ts and Cs apply.
How to enter
STEP 1
Buy any participating product.
STEP 2
Swipe your NEW Rewards card and you could be a WINNER.
See below for specials and more contest details or go here
by SFT | May 28, 2024 | Financial Planning
Over the next two decades, an unprecedented $84 trillion in assets will change hands, largely from baby boomers to Generation X, Millennials, and Gen Z. This massive wealth transfer presents both opportunities and significant challenges, including the readiness of heirs, complexities in managing wealth, and potential family disputes. The different attitudes and circumstances of new wealth owners will further influence how this wealth is utilised in a rapidly evolving world.
Risks
Readiness of Heirs:
Many heirs lack the financial literacy and experience needed to manage substantial assets effectively. Without proper preparation, there’s a high risk of mismanaging or squandering the inheritance.
Complexity of Managing Wealth:
Wealth management involves intricate investment strategies, tax implications, and long-term planning. These complexities can overwhelm inexperienced beneficiaries, leading to poor financial decisions.
Family Disputes:
Inheritance often exacerbates family tensions, leading to conflicts over perceived inequalities and differing expectations. Such disputes can result in legal battles and strained relationships.
The Importance of Planning
Financial Literacy and Education:
Equipping heirs with knowledge through educational programs and financial advisors is crucial. Understanding personal finance and investment strategies helps beneficiaries manage their inheritance wisely.
Comprehensive Estate Planning:
Detailed estate planning, including wills, trusts, and tax-efficient strategies, ensures a smooth wealth transfer. Experienced estate planners can help navigate legal and financial complexities, reducing the risk of disputes.
Clear Communication:
Open communication within families about estate plans and expectations fosters unity and understanding. Regular discussions can identify potential issues early, allowing for timely resolutions.
Challenges of Intergenerational Wealth
Differing Attitudes and Values:
Generational differences in money management and investment priorities, such as a focus on social impact by younger generations, require understanding and respect to manage wealth effectively.
Economic and Social Context:
Rapid technological advancements and economic changes influence wealth management strategies. Heirs must adapt to these shifts to maintain financial stability.
Balancing Personal and Family Goals:
Heirs often struggle to balance personal aspirations with family legacies. Professional guidance can help harmonise individual and collective objectives.
Long-term Preservation of Wealth:
Sustaining wealth across generations involves prudent management and fostering a culture of responsibility. Encouraging heirs to view their inheritance as a legacy ensures the family’s financial future.
In The End
All of us alive today are part of this massive transfer of wealth, either giving it, or receiving it. We need to understand that careful planning and proactive management will be needed to ensure that this historic transfer can lead to lasting financial stability and positive social impact, to preserve and enhance the legacy of baby boomers for future generations.
Dirk Groeneveld, Certified Financial Plannert.
Previous Columns:
by SFT | May 27, 2024 | St Francis
St Francis Bay, South Africa – In an exciting announcement from South Africa’s Top 100 Courses, St Francis Links has ascended to third position in the 2024 Top 100 Golf Courses ranking, moving up from fourth position that they have held over the last few years. This achievement reflects the relentless dedication and hard work of the entire team at St Francis Links.
Jeff Clause, CEO of St Francis Links, expressed his enthusiasm about this significant achievement stating, “Hats off to everyone who has contributed to this recognition – from the course maintenance team, the hospitality staff and the golf staff. Golfers around the world know where we are and continuously express their desire to visit and revisit our special piece of paradise.”
The rankings are based on points allocated to aesthetics, playability, design variety, memorability, shot values and conditioning. A mere 1.1 points separates that top three courses, with Leopard Creek scoring 82.8, The Links at Fancourt 82.3 and St Francis Links 81.7.
The recognition by South Africa’s Top 100 Courses reaffirms St Francis Links’ status as a premier golfing destination in South Africa, known for its challenging layout and breathtaking views. It is a testament to the vision and strategic direction set by the leadership and implemented by every team member at St Francis Links.
Clause went ont to say “We also congratulate our fellow top-ranked courses, recognizing the role we all play in advancing South Africa’s reputation as a premier golf destination. This collective excellence not only highlights our commitment to outstanding golf but also contributes significantly to the growth and vibrancy of tourism in our nation.”
For more information about St Francis Links and to experience the course that continues to capture the hearts of golf enthusiasts worldwide, please visit our website.
ENDS. (309 words)
ABOUT ST FRANCIS LINKS
Endless lazy seaside days. Exhilarating Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course. Indulgent self-catering accommodation and luxury guesthouse. Nature trails and spectacular vistas. Sumptuous restaurant and greenside bar.
This is links living par excellence!
by SFT | May 27, 2024 | St Francis
The best party or Jol of the year is happening on Saturday when local bands the Ghost Riders and On the Rocks take to the stage at the Cape St Francis Resort as our local Cowboys and Cowgirls rev it up whilst enjoying some fine western fare all for a good cause (FOSTER). Come and join the fun, come rain or shine, for just R300 per person or R150 for the young uns from 18h00 onwards. Tickets are available through Quicket or at the Cape St Francis Resort’s reception and at the door for latecomers.
We will also have tables set up in the hall for those wanting to make up tables in a more relaxed environment. This is one event of the year you don’t want to miss out on.
FOSTER – Our Story
The Friends of the St Francis Nature Areas – FOSTER – was established 35 years ago. This voluntary organisation shoulders the bulk of the management role for the Seal Bay, Cape St Francis, Irma Booysen & Seal Point Nature Areas. These wonderful green gems offer a choice of hiking trails through various coastal habitats from rocky shores, beaches, and salt-stunted vegetation to dune fynbos, thickets, and small patches of true dune forests.
A brief history:
Mid 1980s: “Friends” group started under leadership of Gwen and Henry Brown with guidance by Richard and Shirley Cowling.
In the late 1980s, Dave Bowmer initiated alien clearance in the Irma Booysen reserve.
Mid 1990s: Lawrence Kruger and Richard Cowling produced a report to guide the establishment of the St Francis Coastal Open Space System, an interlinked system of conservation-worthy state land in the Greater St Francis region. This initiative was championed by Des Green and has remained the FOSTER blueprint since then. Des made excellent progress with the proclamation of the Irma Booysen reserve.
2000s: Considerable investment in alien plant clearance, trail establishment and signage, all implemented by Dave Bowmer and his team. Much progress has been made in proclaiming the reserves in the past five years, thanks to the superb effort of Wentzel Coetzer of Conservation Outcomes.
The use of natural areas has grown steadily over the years. It is no exaggeration to say that over the past 35 years, FOSTER has created a 330-hectare network of natural areas that is now the pride and joy of residents and visitors alike.
Vision
To conserve, maintain, protect, and provide access to the biodiversity of the FOSTER–managed nature areas whilst promoting active stewardship of the environment and heritage.
Mission
FOSTER’s primary role is to nurture (foster) and preserve the biodiversity in the Irma Booysen, Seal Point, Seal Bay and Cape St Francis Nature Areas. Its secondary role is to ensure that the nature areas are accessible to the greater community and visitors.
FOSTER aims to achieve this mission through the following:
The FOSTER-managed nature areas will be proclaimed and legally protected.
The trails will be properly maintained, with interpretative features, i.e. mapping and signage.
There will be few seed-bearing alien woody plants in the nature areas.
Our membership numbers will support our annual maintenance costs. Other funding will be sourced for ad hoc projects through appeals and events.
The nature areas management includes:
Trail maintenance & management – erosion control, clearing of paths & erecting signage
The control of alien vegetation to reduce fire risks
Management & maintenance of fire breaks around the village
Monitor animal movements & numbers through a system of trail cameras
Marketing & public awareness campaigns about the importance of these areas of critical biodiversity
Liaising with authorities
How do we fund our reserve management program?
The only source of funding for FOSTER is the contributions made by residents, property owners , and conservation-minded people.
Operational costs are about R100 000 per annum, amounting to R330 per hectare.
How do these costs compare to those incurred by government-run reserves with similar management challenges and objectives?
The annual management costs per hectare for a similar-sized, dune veld reserve situated in a major metropolitan area with large visitor volumes is approximately R7 000. This is 28 TIMES more per hectare than the FOSTER-managed reserves.
Another candidate reserve for comparison, also in dune veld and within a major metropolitan area but having visitation rates like the FOSTER reserves, costs – at approximately R1 750 per hectare – SEVEN TIMES more to manage despite being about three times bigger than our combined reserves (costs per hectare decline with increasing reserve size).
* We have excluded salaries from these operational cost comparisons as FOSTER is supported by volunteers and pays only for contracted services. Salaries comprise between 30% and 50% of operational costs for government-managed reserves.
by SFT | May 27, 2024 | Notes From The Editor
We popped into Kentucky Fried Chicken in JBay on the weekend. My kids were surfing at a Nelson Mandela Bay Trial and were starving, and the nearest KFC was just around the corner. It was not too bad, not expensive, nothing extravagant, and no milkshakes and crushers and that sort of stuff. We just had a few quick chicken burgers along with most of the competitors at the event and several parents and officials. Bad parenting? That’s your call. Apparently, our store opens today, and people have been trying to get into the doors before officially opening. We’re still determining if it will be open during voting, but they will probably trade well if they do.
Talking about voting, it’s a good idea to go down to the voting station on Wednesday and make your mark on who you want to run this country and every single subdivision. However you vote, that’s your call, but the old saying is that if you don’t vote, you can’t moan. Every vote counts, and there will no doubt be claims of vote rigging and spoiled ballots, but it is up to you to do your bit and try to get your preferred leaders into power in both the national and provincial elections. So it’s now over to you. Polling Stations open at 7 am and close at 9 pm, so go and join the queue. St Francis Bay is usually highly efficient.
Then we see a good old Cut-Off Low approaching for the weekend. It is still a bit away, and the forecast will definitely change, but easterly winds and plenty of rainfall are headed our way. It is best to work on the leaks, ensure your gutters are cleaned out, and do all the necessary prep work for plenty of rain. We need and want the rain, but it would be a good idea to prepare for it.
Recent Comments