TOPS Gugulethu Wine Festival 2012

Unathi and fans.

Yesterday evening a visit to the second annual Gugulethu Wine Festival, headline sponsor being TOPS at SPAR. Exhibitors of note included Bartinney, the Stellenbosch farm owned by FNB CEO Michael Jordaan and his wife Rose – Rose herself pouring wine as well as Klein Gustrouw, another Stellenbosch property with owners who know how to turn a profit, namely Markus Jooste of Steinhoff International and Jannie Mouton of PSG Financial Services.

Both bubbly houses JC le Roux and Pongrácz had lounges, the former attracting much greater patronage than the latter even though I though Pongrácz flagship Desiderius 2003 was infinitely better than JC Le Roux’s equivalent Scintilla 2002. What’s the appeal of the one brand over the other if not intrinsics?

Nederburg hosted MasterChef South Africa judge Pete Goffe-Wood at its interactive Taste Theatre and every session was packed. VIPs meanwhile were entertained by singer and Metro FM DJ Unathi Msengana. It doesn’t get any more hip and happening than this…