For those of you who don’t know Neil Pendock , he is described on The Times Uncorked Blog, as South Africa’s leading independent drinks commentator, having no financial connections with any importer, producer, distributor, retailer, show, competition or restaurant. (Which has to inspire confidence somehow.) Neil keeps his finger on the pulse of the local wine scene and Sour Grapes is more about the people who talk about, write about, market and judge wine rather than about wine itself. His humorous style involves using many cross references which on their own can be explored as fascinating subjects.

After reading Neil’s offering through twice, it has earned a place alongside my wine reference books as it covers subjects such as the local interest in wines grown on slate like those produced by Dirk van der Niepoort, Willie de Waal of Scali and Eben Sadie of Sadie Family Wines; the significance of the sense of smell in degustation; Bio-dynamic farming and wine making as practised by Johan Reyneke of Reyneke Wines (whose grapes, incidentally are used by Boschendal Wines, De Toeren Private Cellar and Tokara) and Nicolas Joly; art in South African wine country and wine marketing.

Also discussed are the pros and cons of wine shows; the continuing debate about blind verses sighted wine judging and the concept of sensory marketing. Add the hilarious anecdotes about the likes of Auberon Waugh, Malcolm Gluck and Herman Charles Bosman and you end up with a fresh, accessible blend.

To order for R137.00, visit Loot -

http://www.loot.co.za/shop/main.jsp?page=detail&id=129414082928