The WellsFaber black magic sommelier panel was boosted by the presence of Portuguese wine negociant Miguel Grijo this morning. Miguel is in town to source wine for his Maria Sodade Vinho Verde style blend.

The selection of wines submitted by producers for the tasting, speaks volumes:

Blends 8
Shiraz 4
Pinotage, Merlot 3
Cabernet Sauvignon 2
Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Malbec, Tina Barocca 1

Fully one third of the entries were red blends and Shiraz was the largest single varietal, the same size as the exotics. The top six best value performers will be revealed tomorrow and will be featured in our new Weekend Special column in the pages of CityPress. With 2 million readers, it is sure to become the most influential wine column for consumers in the country.

If you can’t wait till Sunday, this afternoon, from 5-7pm at the Pendock @ Taj, all wines will be available for tasting by the public. So if the rain is cheering you up, increase your pleasure with an informal tasting of new release reds.