Stellenbosch again

street in Stellenbosch, South Africa - this afternoon

These pages are not supposed to be about me, but sometimes the things I do loom larger than at other times. My recent New York State trip was such an example and so is this.

I have just arrived in Stellenbosch, in South Africa’s Western Cape, to be a judge at the Michelangelo Wine Awards. I was here last year too, but return as a newly promoted chairman of a panel of judges – wish me luck.

So, everyday this week I will be tasting hundreds of South African wines in the morning and visiting various wineries in the afternoons and evenings. If I can I will keep you posted on anything of interest – so, keep checking back.

For those of you who do not know Stellenbosch, it is a delightful town. It is very pretty, almost twee at times – in a nice way like Niagara-on-the-Lake. Stellenbosch is also a university town, so is very lively with bars and cafes flooding out on to the streets. The buildings are in the main late 18th and early 19th century – and gorgeous, as are the beautiful streets lined with ancient trees. The backdrop, too, is lovely as the town is surrounded by mountains – which you can just make out in the photograph above.

café in Stellenbosch earlier today

I have just enjoyed a splendid lunch at the Cape Town Fish Market, so feel fortified and ready for the tastings to come.

Today's lunch - calamari and prawns

Incidentally, while I think about it, I would be grateful for your thoughts on the following.

Over the last year or so I must have had at least a dozen airline meals on various long haul flights. None of them were the worst meal I have had over that year. Strangely the worst meal I have endured in recent months was perhaps the most carefully planned with the chef explaining each and every course and the sommelier telling us why he had partnered a certain wine with the dish. Every bit was nigh on uneatable, while the meal I had on the South African Airlines plane last night, the ones I had on Air Canada last month and the food on Virgin Atlantic last year were all perfectly acceptable and enjoyable.

Yet, so many people declare – almost as an article of faith – that airline food is terrible and that they never eat it, indeed that one cannot eat it.

I have not found that to be the case at all and would be interested in your thoughts.

More tomorrow…in the meantime here are some more pieces about South Africa.