What starts in the pub stays in the pub...

Lets face it , ideas that you come up with in the pub usually stay right there. There is a reason for this but, just this once, the idea of buying a couple of tons of grapes stuck. We thought all we have to do is call our friend Zackie in the Riebeek valley which is famous for Shiraz and ask him where the best grapes grow . He pointed out a vineyard below Porcelain Hill. You drive through flat open plain until you get to the Kastelberg mountain and as you go over the pass there is a spectacular view of the valley and this is where the vineyard lies. It's risky growing grapes there as you are competing with a troop ( is this the right word for a group) of Baboons for grapes but the fruit was perfect.

Some of the world's greatest wines come from pretty dull landscapes but there but there is something about places like the Mosel Valley or the Cote d'Or that are romantic and the wines seem to reflect them. I had visited the Valley once before and taken photos of this particular place but never imagined that we could be making wine from it.

So, easy we said, go ahead and we'll be over at harvest time to see the grapes in and to talk about how we want it made.