Was Leopard’s Leap served at Leopard Creek yesterday to celebrate Johann Rupert’s 60th birthday? Unlikely that Johann would serve his brother-in-law’s wine as he has plenty of his own. And if my Joburg sources are to be believed, he’ll have tons of that on hand as wine sales have hit the proverbial wall in the City of Gold to such an extent that winemakers SMS each other when they sell a bottle. Certainly if Christian Eedes’ new website is anything to go by, the SA wine drinking public prefers Europe: Haut Brion 78, Palmer 64 (Victor Strugo), Leacock 1952 Jubilee Selection Verdelho…

Thys du Toit, Danie de Wet and Johann Rupert

Meanwhile socialites not invited to the Mpumalanga golf estate to help Johann celebrate his entry into the seventh decade of existence seem to be pretending they’re off to France to represent SA at the first Grenache Symposium being held this weekend in Provence. Johann’s viticulturalist Rosa Kruger will be there and the Baby Jesus of SA Wine (to quote Anton Espost on the Bar Bar Black Sheep wine list), Eben Sadie, is down on the program with Spain/SA listed as his affiliation.

Of course the best SA Grenache, as confirmed by Alan Pick, butcher to Johann’s bash, is made by Neil Ellis whose Rodanos was the best red on last year’s Cape Winemaker’s Guild Auction. Perhaps Neil will do a Charles Back and appear in Provence via video link. Or more likely, he’s playing a round of golf with Johann in Mpumalanga.

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