Back to the Wild Life by Nancy Lifset

Author:Nancy Lifset
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: For the Benefit of Mr. Kite
Published: 2009-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

20

The Road Paved with Good Intentions

Just one week into my solo tour in South Africa, I have a very well worn map of the Cape Winelands – it’s been taped back together twice already.

The only person throwing more pins into sites than me this month is a Chinese acupuncturist. I’ve also got pink highlighter over all targets accomplished and penned circles around all those I am still shooting for. There are lots more of the latter.

I now see the futility of thinking I could get anywhere near doing even half of the wineries in my own neighborhood before I leave.

I headed out for Franschoek, which is just down the road, because it was Bastille Day – a real cause for celebration in this region. The festivities appeared to be Franschoek’s answer to Munich’s Oktoberfest, only they served more wine than beer and the music was decidedly more warm baguette than wiener schnitzel. This event had something to do with celebrating the liberation of the French Huguenots who settled there centuries ago, but no one seemed to care why they were there. It was a party, which was all that counted for 99 percent of the participants, including me. This event was all about food and wine.

The celebration opened with a special rugby tournament. I regret to say I missed that due to some way too tempting winery targets on my way there. I had managed to miss a few of those penned circles on my map this week, due to a series of mishaps. So when I passed by those sites uninterrupted today, I thought what the hell? And went for it.

The drive was total scenery on steroids. The wineries were all set against the mountains ringing Franschoek. I now see how property squatting became such a favorite national pastime here at one point – I’d eat grass with sheep in the hills any day of the week for this kind of view.

I stopped at Thelema Mountain winery and had a taste of their cabernet sauvignon known as ‘The Mint’. It was rated one of the top reds by no less an authority than the Platter’s wine guide – that’s the bible of South African wines. At the risk of sounding a little bit like my ‘asparagus and biscuit’ friends at GB, I found the wine worthy of a gold medal. Unfortunately, it was already sold out, as I learned happens often with top-ranked wines.

While it is easy to be lead astray by whoring wine snobs, Wine Spectator also gave ‘The Mint’ a 92 rating. In my book that simply translates as, ‘At least taste it before you leave’. I would simply rate the wine as ‘I’ll have several cases of that’, and ‘I’ll pay to deliver it to my doorstep if necessary.’

Many of the wineries here have amazing art galleries, and most of the work is for sale. I saw two bird pieces that I am in love with, but alas, there’s no space left at home for more art.

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