Judging done at the Concours Mondial in Guimaraes, we adjourned to the Jumbo supermarket downtown (owned by the French chain Auchan) to checkout the wine offering. Next to the Sancerre and Penfolds was the Astronaut Pinotage 2010 from the Swartland, arguably the most happening appellation in SA.

Made from grapes grown on dryland old bush-vines on Lemoenfontein, it is proof that you don’t need the magic dust of an Eben Sadie, Adi Badenhorst or Chris Mullineux to get a listing in the cradle of Portuguese civilization. Good value (€3.99) needs no bush. Or in this case, bush-vine.

Disclosure: the author owns Lemoenfontein