Talk about excellent timing. On the day Prince William, eldest grandson of QEII, announces his engagement to Kate Middleton , Platter publisher Andrew “Big Mac” McDowell vouchsafes his own QEII on SA wine: 58 five star stunners, up over 40% on the record haul for 2010 and 76% on 2009, hailed as another record at the time. Has SA wine quality really trebled since 2008 or is this Quantitative Easing II to save the fortunes of a competition (sorry, sighted guide!) past its sell by date?

Heck it was only three years ago that Big Mac, at the WOSA generic tasting in London, was parping that Nederburg was “too big and too unsexy” to ever win a five star accolade and now they’ve got five, the Winery of the Year trophy and Super Quaffer accolade to boot! Who is the brave soul who nominated (sighted) at least five Nederburgs for five star glory? Give that person five stars!

Was it only a year ago that assistant editor Tim James was demanding more from Nederburg and weeping he’d been omitted from some picnic in Paarl even though he was the Nederburg sighted taster? Last night he was weeping about mingy portions at Mangiare restaurant while I was weeping with joy that Kate will wear Princess Di’s engagement ring. You can’t make this stuff up!

Emile Joubert phoned late last night when the Nederburg News was out and invited me to the races, as my prediction for Winery of the Year was spot on. So after polishing my crystal balls, I am moved to make another: Nederburg cellar master Razvan Macici will be invited to join the Cape Winemakers Guild next year. How can the Gurus in the Guild deny him on the strength of this showing? Forget about a corporate fob-off: CWG member Bruce Jack gets a salary from an even larger corporate, Constellation.