09 May 2012

Movers and Shakers Gather For Exclusive Alto Evening

Submitted by: Ian Dickinson

The 4th instalment of the Alto Red & Black Lounge Party held at the Back o’ the Moon Restaurant in Gold Reef City on Thursday 19th April 2012 was an exclusive evening of fine dining, chic style and absolute glamour. Co-hosted by Kaya FM and City Press, the up-market wine and food pairing dinner attracted Jozi’s who’s who, including the Grand Dame of Jazz and icon to the recently re-launched restaurant, Abigail Kubeka.

Guests arrived dressed to the nines in red and black for a sought-after, invitation only evening of decadence. Invitees included Kaya FM’s Botshelo Motuba and Tshepang Louw; actress, writer and business woman, Makgano Mamabolo, and deputy editor of the Sowetan, Len Maseko.

Guests were welcomed by Alto Brand Manager, Gwen Job and Cape Wine Academy CEO, Cape Wine Master and Soweto Wine Festival co-founder, Marilyn Cooper, before enjoying a 5-star meal and relaxing to the tunes of the phenomenal Back o’ the Moon house jazz band.

“A key objective of the Alto Red & Black lounge parties is to introduce Alto’s iconic wines to new markets and it is also a great networking opportunity. It is an ideal opportunity for the country's most influential media leaders and celebrities to experience Alto Wine Estate’s fine range of red wines paired with various food combinations in an intimate and glamorous setting,” comments Marilyn Cooper.

Says Alto Brand Manager, Gwen Job, “Now in its second year, our Alto Party Series brings together people of a certain status to introduce the history of the South Africa’s oldest red wine estate to Joburg’s influencers and visionaries. The vision for these gatherings is to be one of the most sought-after and unique wine-dinner parties in the country and to date has been very successful without a chair to spare. The dress and décor theme is red and black, and the atmosphere is fun, glamour and pleasure combined with networking, making new like-minded friends and enjoying Alto at its best.”

Gold Reef City’s Back o’ the Moon Restaurant was a perfect venue for this glitzy event. “We consider it an honour that the legendary brand “Alto Wine Estate” chose Gold Reef City’s Back O’ the Moon as the host for the Gauteng leg of Alto Red & Black Lounge Party. We are extremely proud to say that this partnership is a perfect alignment as both Gold Reef City and Back O’ the Moon are a living heritage with a rich history. We are looking forward to a long and happy relationship,” said Eugene Boniface, Gold Reef City’s Marketing manager.

The exclusive Alto Red & Black Wine Lounge Parties concept is the brainchild of Cape Legends Wine Marketing team. The Alto Red & Black Lounge Party concept was initially created to introduce Alto iconic wines to Movers and Shakers in 3 South African cities, namely Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

Ed’s Notes:
The Latin name for Alto is a reference to the altitudes of the vineyards and the estate’s own aspirations of excellence. Since 1920, only four winemakers have crafted the Alto portfolio of internationally acclaimed red wines.

The Oldest Red Wine Estate: The history of the Alto Red Wine Estate dates back to 1693, when it formed part of the larger Groenrivier farm granted by Simon van der Stel. Wine only became the farm's focus in the 1920s when the Malan family began to transform the untamed land into vineyards.