A new character in the world of wine reportage emerged at the Concours Mondial tastings in Bruxelles on the weekend – Mike Bennie (below) in happy mode.

Time for WOSA to confirm the appointment of Michael Jordaan as chairman and to update its guest list and dump the tired old Tims of yore and Bobs of a bygone age. They’re corked. Instead of creeping up to the nerds and anoraks of the wine world, SA should team up with its strongest competitors Australia and the USA and take on the real competition France, Italy and Spain.

In the year in which Shakespeare turns 450, wine made by English speakers with a common cultural heritage makes more sense than posing as the third leg of a South American stool. We need more Mikes to put Masters of Wine down so elegantly with “you look like Ralph Lauren and give me a reason to live.” For as you can see from the portrait above, Mike is no slouch in the sartorial stakes.