Have the painters in this week to paint the interior of my wine gallery at the Taj Hotel white. After many years telling people how wine should be marketed, I’ve decided to take the plunge and open a Wine Gallery at the toniest address in town. And the closest I could get to the Company Gardens where the first grapes were grown for the first SA wine.

What is a wine gallery? A fine art gallery where the exhibits are wine. We’re speaking to some of the heaviest hitters in the cellar to curate exhibitions: Pieter Ferreira on bubbles, Charles Banks on Chenin Blanc (CBCB rather than CBGB), Danie de Wet on Chardonnay, Juan Louw on the Swartland, Dana Buys on internet wine… We’ve got Bianca Packham on board from the National Gallery and are sourcing spittoons from Michael Chandler and his Byronic Chandler House where G&Ts are served in laboratory beakers. Shelley-Ann Gunter and Daniel Pretorius will be the managers and our opening hours will be

Tuesday-Saturday 12noon-7pm

Our first exhibition will be a Super Six selection of 2011 vintage Pinotages chosen from this year’s ABSA Top Twenty followed by Ostrich October. A celebration of Swartland wines and Karoo brandies. You’re all most welcome to stop by.