Zipping Through Wine Country With the Wine-Ocerous

That would be my good buddy Mike, the Wine-Ocerous that is. We each took a few akas on our first few days in SA. I guess it helps keep you sane while you drive for long stretches with crazy South Africans whipping around you at 80 mph on one lane roads while pedestrians walk in the breakdown lane along major highways (for what must be, I was stunned to see, 10 or 20 miles at a clip).

If you've been to a wine shop in the States of late, you have probably seen a fair few South African wines. The quality on many of them is high and it was easy to pick up a good, not just decent, mind you, bottle for 4 or 5 dollars. Our wine tour, which consisted of 4 wineries, was, however, of poor quality. The wine at one of them - on one of the most beautiful estates I've ever seen - was best described by my tasting note: (choke, cough, cough, choke, uhg, ick, what is this? cough, cough). The others reminded me mostly of New York wines - nice try, but who are we trying to fool. For me, it was a spot a bad luck with our selection. Alissa, who likes sweet wines, was well-pleased. All was not a loss. If you like icewines, we did have the best of those I've tasted. And we had a personal wine tour complete with a long walk through the "port" room. Ah. I love the sweet smell of a room full of port in oak barrels. Is there a nicer smell in this world? Maybe, but if so, only a few. The aged ports were not bad and at a fraction of the cost of Portuguese ones, worth a go if you´re in the area.

The wine region - especially the drive into and out of the area - was stunning. You have probably gathered by now that South Africa, as I see it, is full of stunning landscapes and is a pleasure to drive though. This was my favorite. If you're ever in Cape Town, I would venture that you have to take the trip up to wine country. Even if you don't drink, go for the scenery. As a final note on the area I had my second-best South African mean here, if also the most expessive. Roasted duck, avocado and pancetta salad to start, and a Springbok pasta with Springbok gravy. Mmm. Free range, of course.