Liam Tomlin, that grumpy gourmet who produces the best food in central Cape Town these days, is a victim of his own success. “I’ll have to close down Street Food” he grumbled this lunch time “it’s taking all the business away from the Chef’s Warehouse” as the two lunchtime photos below confirm.

Still I was at the Warehouse – outside – no longer hip, or thin, enough for Street Food.

Still I had the best wine. A bottle of Meyer Joubert’s 2011 Syrah. Now I’m not sure whether Meyer’s was one of the 193 wines entered into last week’s Shiraz SA Challenge, but at 13% alcohol, it would have been a miracle if he’d made the top 12. As one wine distributor commented “the wine world is still (and I keep wondering for how long) ruled by block- or is it ballbuster wines offered in the heaviest glass bottles.”

For me, the secret of Shiraz is slippery tannins and spicy lightness on the palate, which is just what this wine has in excelsis. Of course Meyer is hip enough for Street Food but his wine is a crossover and will work well in both venues.