So sorry to have had to bail out at the last minute due to Covid in the family. Had tickets for both days, in the city of my birth…. capecru.nl

Nautical Dawn 2017 tonight, with a casserole of chicken, leeks, mushrooms, pancetta and potato. Bliss! Watch out for tomorrow’s release by Chris of the ‘21 vintage.

Letter to the editor: Hemel-en-Aarde Chardonnay offers admirable consistency winemag.co.za/wine/opinion/l… via Winemag

Special treat with chateaubriand in George. Glorious, thanks Louis Damian and Benoit Reynaud, sons of Emmanuel of Chateau Rayas fame.

Who remembers these?…

Glorious 2013, still fresh and youthful, seems to have aged with more grace than a recently enjoyed 2016….. Looking forward to lamb riblets on the braai…

Lekker wyn to watch rugby by…….

…..and this was to be the celebration of a win. Quel dommage!

Baie lekker op ‘n winter aand by die see….

Chris tells me that Neal Martin scored our little Vine Garden 2020 at 95 points, and our 2021 at 96 points in the current Vinous assessments. Talk about punching way above your weight…… I am stunned!

Textbook block of healthy bushvine Chardonnay on Hemelrand, planted Nov 2018, promising some excellent fruit next harvest

Textbook block of healthy bushvine Chardonnay on Hemelrand, planted Nov 2018, promising some excellent fruit next harvest

Vars mossels van Kammabaai se rotse by spring-laaggety, met Chenin Blanc van De Krans en ‘n kraakvars baguette…. Hemels!

Who remembers this beauty from 2012? My last bottle, but still fresh and youthful, with a pleasant, almost sweet meatiness. Will go down well with today’s lamb rib.

Got some beautiful Villiersdorp peaches from Arne. Told him I would poach them in star anise, cinnamon, maple syrup and lemon zest. Dankie, Arne!

Just beautiful……..

⁦@darylbalfour⁩ box-framed mine….

Want to make cassoulet. No duck confit anywhere in Hermanus. Bought whole duck and fat from Woolies and making my own confit…….

Just covered. Using duck sausage from Gubernet in France and some Toulouse I brought back last Sept.