The only appellation not tasted in situ for our Neil Pendock’s Winelands Guide 2013 was the Klein Karoo, Oudtshoorn being just too far to drive given our pressing schedule and Wednesday’s outrageous fuel hike. So hats off to Stellenbosch for hosting the 55 wines tasted blind this morning. A 75% hit rate for Shiraz confirms the terroir credentials of the Karoo. Planting Shiraz instead of fracking sounds like a sensible development path for the region. Here is Anibal in the sculpture garden at Grande Provence in Franschhoek after visiting the environmental exhibition in the GP art gallery – which addresses fracking in the Karoo.

White blends also impressed, as did the prices being asked for these fresh and fruity wines with soft palates and that incredible lightness of being you get from desert terroir. True continental wines.