Richard Kershaw MW launches his Kershaw wines

The view from the terrace at Rodwell House in St James

A lovely day for a wine launch

Magnificent canapés were served: olive tapenade and cheese

Mini mushroom and tomato tarts

Smoked salmon on cream cheese toast

We drank a good glass of a crisp and dry English champagne style wine Nyetimber Classic Cuvee from East Sussex and Hampshire , a first for most of us

There is always a lot of chat with a group of media

The dining room set up for lunch

But first, we were in the conference room for the tasting

Richard Kershaw giving us his very informative and detailed presentation

Richard Kershaw MW and winemaker

Richards wife, Mariette, listening intently to the presentation

The beautifully cooled wines ready for the tasting

Richard explains where he sources his grapes in the Elgin valley

Three chardonnay clones and the finished wine with two Shiraz clones and the finished Syrah

The above excerpt is © John Platter SA Wine Guide (Pty) Ltd 2014

The lunch menu with the list of wines to taste again

A new way of serving the retro starter of prawn cocktail: luscious prawns,avocado, peppery rocket and  a Marie Rose sauce

Lots of enjoyment

Mariette Kershaw with Jan Sleet

Richard answering some technical questions

Main course was a delicious melting pork belly, great crackling, an apple puree with vegetables and roast potatoes and, especially to please Richard, who is from Sheffield, we all got a good Yorkshire pudding

The new Kershaw brand and his new Elgin 2012 Chardonnay

A cheeseboard with strawberries and preserved figs finished the meal

Richard andMariette

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013

Annual Sunday picnic concert at Nederburg

The very  generous picnic basket - superb value at R360 for 2.

It  contains two of everything: a good charcuterie plate with cheese and cold meats, a feta, roasted butternut and beetroot salad; chicken kebabs and small meat balls, a brie, bacon and mushroom quiches, a ciabatta and a slice of chocolate and date cake

A view of the stage in front of the manor house from the picnic lawn

The South African Sopranos delighted us with their singing of classic and popular songs

Nederburg wines were on sale from the fridge

 Soft drinks were available

 if you walked across the lawn

 Coffee on tap

Shadows lengthened as the evening wore on

Children played while we listened to the music

Sterling EQ enjoy their music so much

And have a lot of fun while playing it

A lovely way to spend a lazy Saturday

And chairs and tables are allowed

Paarl Valley at sunset with lots and lots of green everywhere after this year's long wet winter

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013

Craft beer festival at Hamiltons

Hamiltons Rugby Club, the venue for the Festival of Beer

Some brands and beers we know well, others were new

 This new hop developed by South African Breweries is known only by its serial number, J-17-63 has excited the craft brewers because of its unique flavour properties

A beer called Delirium with a pink elephant on the label had lots of alcohol

 Johan Mönnig of Wild Clover Brewing

  Shaun Standeaven, Craft brewer from The Standeaven Brewery in Natal, with his father

Clever  T-shirts abounded

Prices for the weekend

 Wolfgang Koedel, Brewmaster of the Cape Brewing Company at Spice Route in Paarl; he was Brewmaster at the late, lamented Paulaner micro brewery in the V&A Waterfront

 John Collins distributes Belgian beers imported by Den Anker

 Moritz Kallmeyer, owner of Drayman's Brewery in Pretoria, flew in to be a judge

Triggerfish had 2 to taste

Chatting with Lakeside brewer

To braai, to tweet, to braai, to tweet....

You can see the Black Market caravan at the Biscuit Mill most Saturdays

Good beer-friendly things to eat

 Robson's Beer from Durban

 Nick MacNair, Apprentice brewer, Saggy Stone Brewery

 The girls from the country's biggest brewer, intent on the social media

 Alastair Gillespie, Assistant brewer, Devil's Peak Brewing Company with a craft brewing judge from the USA

 Gary Pnematicos of Citizen Beer

Bearded lady?

and a good time was had by all...

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013