Financial Mail food for thought columnist Justice Malala devoted this week’s columns to his memories of the late FMLife editor Linda Stafford.  As Linda’s wine correspondent for two decades, I was interested to read this vinous madeleine: “She knew everything about wine and the people who produced it.  In her usual forthright manner, she told me most of the wine coming out of the Cape was rubbish.  Many of the estate owners were Jo’burg-based captains of industry who had little or no idea of what was happening on their farms.”

Justice Malala

What is it with Jo’burg journos?  Earlier this month we had the estimable Jonny Steinberg perpetuating the wine farm slavery myth in the well-read pages of the Guardian.  Now Justice puts in the boot.  These casual drive by shootings must be the reason the new VinPro CEO Rico Basson is leaving his mountain fastness in Paarl and heading north to take Jo’burg journos out to lunch on March 7.  Perhaps he should include Justice in his media tour.  So did Linda really think most SA wine is rubbish?  As they say in the Boland “I twyfel.”