Big in Gugulethu

This weekend saw the opening of the first Gugulethu Wine Festival and politicians never miss a chance to impress. Introduced by festival co-founder and Gugs celebrity businessman Mzoli Ngcawuzele,  DA leader Helen Zille did a good job of opening the sold-out event, switching languages as she charmed the eager crowd.

Banner outside Pistos Place shebeen

According to Hot Salsa Media’s Sharon Cooper, Nederburg and headline sponsor Tops at Spar were the main shapeshifters. Cooper arranged the event along with the team from the Soweto Wine Festival.

Klein Constantia Sold

South African 1^st growth Klein Constantia has been sold to American-Czech billionaire Zdenek Bakala and UK banker Charles Harman. “We are privileged to be custodians of one of the most historic properties in the Cape, and regard the preservation of this heritage as a serious responsibility.” said Bakala.

 The new owners are enthusiastic about the continued development of Klein Constantia as one of South Africa’s top wineries. Lowell Jooste will be staying on as managing director and Adam Mason as wine maker with no planned changes to the team or operations.

Pongracz goes Petite

Pongracz has launched 375ml bottles of Brut and Brut Rose. The well known shape of the bottle is retained and dare I say they look rather cute.

Yes thanks

Reasons to love them:
1. They mature faster than 750ml if you have the patience and discipline to keep them for a couple of years,
2. Handy for romantic picnics,
3. Handy for he says she says,
4. Handy for weekdays Monday - Friday,
5. Handy for weekends,
6. Handy as a gift,
7. Handy for breakfast, brunch, lunch, sundowners, dinner, nightcap,
8. Fits into handbags, can sneak them into the movies or theatre,
9. You can store 24 in the same space as 12 x 750ml
10. They are the real deal bottle-fermented babies.

Should retail around R50/bottle

Jonathan Snashall

Ode to Pinot

Pinot Noir is both minx and manure. A supreme psychological manipulator, she will cagoule you with haunting aromas and silky textures. Once she touches your lips you are Samson with short back and sides and qualify for a complimentary life membership to Pinot Noir Anonymous (PNAS, or bínáis).

Or not, for some of her synonyms include widow maker and heartbreaker. Her schizo side can reveal an acidic, shallow vixen sans backbone or colour. But she will beguile you and you will forever seek her once she indulges you with her ethereal, ancient charms.

After some bottle age, the Pinot X-factor emerges, that something that makes you want to go back to the glass again and again to pin down those elusive characters. That ever-so-faint whiff of forest floor, farmyard or mushroomy aromas that - with some cherry or black berry notes - appeals to higher and base instincts, hijacking at once both the primordial amygdala and the evolved frontal cortex. You are now truly under her spell; you pass orgasm and go directly to post-coital bliss.

bit shy