The Wine Olympics came to the Orange River last night at the annual Tops at Spar Orange River Winemaker of the Year Awards.  Below is Manie Pieterse who won a little gold man for his food: Franschhoek trout pate, ostrich fillet (well it is Ostrich October, even in the Northern Cape where Premier Sylvia Lucas polishes off R53K worth of Nandos in ten weeks) roast duck and cheesecake. Veritas should wake up and look north, for the food at the Upington High School made the fare at their awards bash at the CTICC look very tawdry indeed. Not to mention the slop served at Spier for the CWG Auction.

The evening belonged to Rianco van Rooyen and the Keimoes cellar of Orange River Winery. He won every prize except runner-up winemaker of the year. Rianco is on a roll, but he’ll likely encounter some stiff competition next year from Rudi de Wet (below, with wife Pamela), formerly of Bilton on the Helderberg. For Rudi is back on his dad’s 10,000ha sheep farm at Askam and he’s hungry: he needs R30K for two bulls.

So its off to the Grootdrink Cellar of Orange River Cellars and a dream to make Amarone on the Orange. Rudi is the boy wonder who made some brilliant vintages of Meerlust Rubicon. Could the Orange soon become famous for something other than Nandos and Muscadel?