Yin & Yang nominee, Leopard's Leap
Now in its fourth year, the Klink Awards is partnering with the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency in the Western Cape, Wesgro.
"We've decided to partner with The Klink Awards as it encourages consumers to discover new places while giving the industry an opportunity to showcase their products and services. It also drives geographic spread which is a priority for us in terms of driving feet to the outer regions of the province," explains Tim Harris, CEO of Wesgro.
The Klink Awards goes beyond just the wines and recognises establishments and wineries for offering holistic experiences - from accommodation to hiking trails. While the Klink Awards selects the nominees, all the power lies with consumers who decide the ultimate winners.
Wild Card nominee, Franschhoek Wine Tram
Consumer-picked winners
"From our point of view, we really value the Klink Awards because they are consumer-based," said Jenny Prinsloo, CEO of Franschhoek Wine Valley, at the media launch. "It's about delighting your customer, it's about the story and experience that the customer has."
Voting, via Facebook, Twitter, or email, is open for 10 weeks until 13 November. Unique votes will be tallied and audited to reveal Klink's top 17, as well as the overall campaign's Supanova winner on 19 November at the official awards gala evening, presented in collaboration with Wesgro.
Power to rate or hate
Monika Elias, Founder of The Klink Awards
"The public has been incredibly supportive of Klink to date. In 2014 for instance, 13,000 uniques were cast in the 10-week period," says awards founder, Monika Elias. "With the support of our stakeholders, we anticipate that Klink will continue to grow alongside an always-on, connected consumer who, thanks to mobile phones, has the power to rate or hate an experience with the touch of a button and wi-fi access," says Elias.
With the growing interest in microbrewing and craft beer, a new category, On the Hop, has been added to this year's proceedings.
This year's categories and nominees are:
Beyond Expectations: Award for Great Food and Excellent Wine
- Bistro 13
- Longridge
- Open Door at Constantia Uitsig
- Vrede en Lust
Comfort Zone: Best Casual Dining on a Wine Farm
- Black Oystercatcher Restaurant
- Green Vine at Silvermist
- Hartenberg Estate
- Rivendell
- Towerbosch Earth Kitchen at Knorhoek
Connoisseur: Best Vintage Tasting Experience
- L'Avenir Pinotage Lounge
- Morgenster
- The Bernard Premium Lounge at Franschhoek Cellar
- Waterford Estate
Country Comfort: Best Accommodation on a Wine Farm
- Boschendal
- Le Pommier
- The Drift Homestead
- Wildekrans Cottages
Crowd-pleaser: Best Wine Route Event
- Durbanville Season of Sauvignon Festival
- Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival
- Robertson Wacky Wine Weekend
- Stellenbosch Street Soirées
- Tulbagh Christmas in Winter
Delicious Deli: Best Deli on a Wine Farm
- Anura Deli
- Caryl's Deli at Esona
- Lanzerac Deli
- Lourensford Deli
- Joostenberg Deli
Family Day Out: Best Child-friendly Winery
- Allée Bleue
- Dunstone
- Excelsior
- Franschhoek Cellar
- Laborie
Gourmet: Best Gourmet Restaurant on a Wine Farm
- La Colombe at Silvermist
- Pierneef à la Motte
- The Restaurant at De Grendel
- The Restaurant at Grand Provence
- Waterkloof Restaurant
Happy Times: Most Memorable Wine Route
- Bot River Wine Route
- Franschhoek Wine Valley
- Paarl Wine Route
- Robertson Wine Valley
- Stellenbosch Wine Routes
Heritage: Most Welcoming Cellar Door Experience
- Diemersdal
- Groot Constantia
- Mooiplaas
- The KWV Wine Emporium
- Uitkyk
New Release: Best New Cellar Door Attraction
- Baleia Wines
- Beau Constantia
- On the Hop Winery Craft Beer Tours
- Plettenberg Bay Wine Route
- Taste @ Laborie
On The Hop: Best Craft Beer on a Wine Farm
- Signal Gun
- Wagon Trail at Anura
- Wild Beast at Remhoogte
Spoil Me: Best Luxury Accommodation on a Wine Farm
- Diamant Estate
- Jordan Wine Estate
- The Homestead at Oldenburg
- The Owner's Cottage at Grande Provence
Track & Trails: Most Memorable Outdoor Experience
- Jason's Hill Hikers' Heaven
- Oak Valley MTB Experience
- The Waterford Estate Porcupine Trail
- Van Loveren Java MTB Trails
Tread Gently: Most Green Wine Farm
- Backsberg
- Graham Beck
- Villiera
- Waterkloof Estate
Wild Card: Most Unusual Attraction on a Wine Farm
- Cape Town Ziplines at Silvermist Vineyards
- The Franschhoek Wine Tram
- The Mont Destin Red Wine Bath
- Viljoensdrift Wines and River Cruises
- Weltevrede Underground Cellar
Ying & Yang: Best Food & Wine Pairing
- Creation
- Delheim
- Durbanville Hills
- Leopard's Leap
- Van Loveren
For more information, go to www.klinkawards.co.za or www.facebook.com/klinkawards, follow @KlinkAwards and use #klinkawards.
