Wine glasses and condensation

It's been pishing with rain for days here. Time for lunch out.

Off then to Dave Hidden's Hidden Valley vineyard and Overture restaurant which deliver a fine lunch and a great Blip opportunity.

Hidden Valley has (in part) made it's name on the pinotage grape, South Africa's bastard child, cloned from Pinot Noir and Hermitage (Cinsault) varietals.

Pinotage has proved to be extraordinarily difficult to work with, producing tough, acidic and at the same time, tannic juice. South Africa's winemakers have struggled with this varietal for more than five decades and only recently begun to get a handle on how to produce great wine.

Pinotage is definitely on the way to being a great. Many growing seasons remain in which the grape has to mature and produce a wonderful, predictable juice and eventually, a world-class wine.

I've fought pinotage off for many years, but am now finding the lure of something new too great to resist. Slurp...

Leica D-LUX 3