After tasting the 2012 vintage of Vida Nova Rosé yesterday, a fruity blend of Syrah and Aragonez which was bottled last week, I say someone should bring it and Sir Cliff Richard to Cape Town. A spring concert at Kirstenbosch, perhaps? If Woolies can promote the Parlotones around wine, a solid gold tourist magnet for UK pepper pots and cruise liner passengers like Sir Cliff is a no-brainer. And at under R100 a bottle, there is nothing like this tangy Rosé in the SA cellar. Except for Die Antwoord, there is also no one to beat Sir Cliff in the tunes department, either. Cliff’s Vida Nova white blend 2012 is not too shabby, either, while his 2012 Viognier, called Onda Nova (New Wave), is pretty peachy.

Adega do Cantor may be located behind Algarve Shopping, a mall in the playground of Russian Oligarchs and their child brides, but when you stand in the vineyards gazing at the sea 5Km away (below), you could be on the Helderberg with better olive oil. Five years ago, for every three visitors to Quinta do Miradouro, two would walk out with a case of wine. Thanks to a no-liquids policy in the air and exorbitant checked luggage charges on Ryan Air at Faro Airport, sales of Cliff’s wine have fallen off… a cliff.

But when nature gives you lemons, make lemonade, as they say in agricultural circles in the orange capital of Portugal. So Cliff reduced volumes substantially with a concomitant boost to quality. The result is a trio of wines you can tap your tootsies to, hopefully coming to an SA venue close to you, promoters permitting.