Boschendal Jean de Lang

I’m betting some computer nerd will soon feel the business end of Carrie Adams’s elegant ballet pumps when she sees the Boschendal Jean de Lang MCC advertised for R449 in her inbox. For its actually Jean le Long or Long John in English. Sounds like someone you might meet in the male version of Mavericks. I wonder if the Wine Lizard writes a boring column for their organ, too?

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But wild spelling aside, Norman Goodfellows remains the go-to destination for bubbles as with our discount, we can buy Desiderius Pongracz for way less than the trade price of Distell. Which confirms that distributor Cape Legends has trade prices and then Trade Prices. Confirming that as with everything else in SA wine, there is no such thing as a level playing field. How can a petite specialist retailer like the Pendock Wine Gallery compete with liquor giants when we’re expected to pay more for stock? Perhaps its something for Distell’s new CEO Richard Rushton to investigate in between the extra Afrikaans lessons he’s attending (and paying for himself). But full marks to the new CEO for attending all the long service awards, putting the wine press back in the items pending in tray.

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Best service of the six bubblies selected by Pieter Ferreira for our Festive Fizz exhibition which opened last night, came from Vinimark in the shape of Luke Krone (above) who thought nothing of embarking on a 250Km round trip from Tulbagh to supply us with Nicholas Charles Krone Mark I. No wonder Vinimark is top of the distribution pops in the latest Neilsen numbers. Even without a monopoloy position in SA food and wine writing through their Diners Club associate (owners of Rossouw’s Restaurants and the Platter sighted wine guide), Vinimark are gaining market share the old fashioned way through good prices and better service. Way to go, Tim Rands.