The new wine rules
The new wine rules
We turned to Cape Sommelier, Ewan Mackenzie to find out what you need to know about the changing wine game.
Food talks
Beyond the barrel
When Tongai Joseph Dhafana (‘Joseph’ to his friends) left Zimbabwe, he didn’t know where his path would lead him next. His first job on South African soil was as a gardener at Bar Bar Black Sheep in Riebeek-Kasteel, but hard work and enthusiasm saw him climb the ranks and into the restaurant as a waiter. This was when his love affair with grapes began and his mentors, Eben Sadie and Chris Mullineux, saw his potential. Joseph enrolled at the Cape Wine Academy in Stellenbosch to earn his qualification in oenology and he the esteemed sommelier at Silvermist’s La Colombe in the Constantia Valley.
(Wine) gadget
Go, go (wine) gadget
What’s the next best thing about wine (after drinking it, of course)? Our list of the coolest and quirkiest wine accessories! Whip out your favourite bottle and take a gander at these tools that will revolutionise your drinking game.
Quick Q&A with Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel’s Planet Restaurant Sommelier, Pearl Oliver
Pearl Oliver had always wanted to be a doctor. Despite her interest in medicine, life had other plans. While waitressing at Catharina’s restaurant in Cape Town, Pearl’s manager handed her a glass of Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc Reserve. She took a sip – and the rest is history. Now a sommelier at Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel’s Planet Restaurant, and in her 10th year of studying the world of wine, she shares some of her knowledge.