Petes-Pix

My Books

"Pinotage: Behind the Legends of South Africa's own wine" is available on the ibookstore

Learn more about my new book telling all about Pinotage and read sample pages at
pinotagebook.weebly.com

A I Perold's
A Treatise
on Viticulture
A I Perold (1880-1941) was South Africa's first Professor of Viticulture and Oenology. He dedicated himself to improving the quality of grapes for wine, brandy and the table. He studied wine and brandy production in Europe, imported more than 60 varieties to the Cape and bred new ones. Perold said this book “is intended to serve both the student and the practical grape-grower. There are in it technical passages that will appeal more to the student, e.g. the chapters dealing with the biology of the vine, its external and internal morphology, the theory of grafting. My remarks on the practice of viticulture, such as those dealing with the propagation, manuring and pruning of the vine, the production of table grapes for export, will, it is hoped, assist the practical grape-grower as well as the student.” This is a newly typeset reprint, not a photocopy. Text on the 712 pages have been aligned to match the original pagination so any external references to pages in the Treatise will be valid in this edition
Available in paperback and hardback editions. 712 pages

A Year in Paarl
with
A I Perold

Dr Perolds report on his Paarl experiments 1915 - 1916 reprinted with glossary, introduction and brief biography. Fascinating historical document on viticulture for wine and table grapes, wine and brandy making.

02 June 2016

Lunch at The Chesterfield with Brionnie and Caroline

Toby, Brionnie, Peter, Joan

Brionnie & Peter

Brionnie & Caroline

Toby in the bar

1 June 2016 - Lunch at The Chesterfield Hotel, Mayfair, with Brionnie, Caroline and Toby

16 May 2016

Criccieth and Pale Hall

Caroline Peter & Joan in the bluebell wood behind Caroline & Stuarts rented house


Peter & Joan with Estate Manager Stuart (right) and gardner James in front of Pale Hall

Elliot, Stuart, Peter & Amy, Dan and Joan on Porthmadog platform

Joan & Dan in front of Criccieth Castle

Pale Hall http://www.palehall.co.uk

12 May 2016

Boscobel House

To Worcester on the trail of my ancestors, the Penderel brothers who saved King Charles after the battle of Worcester by hiding him in priest holes in their home, Boscobel House, and most famously in an oak tree while Parliamentary troops searched the woods.

The motif is the Royal Crown in an Oak Tree.

Boscobel House

Charles spent part of the day in a hut on this mound at the end of the garden.

The Royal Oak

The origanal oak was torn to pieces by souvenir hunters after the restoration, this is the current 'Royal Oak', planted from an acorn of the previous, which in turn was a descendent of the original. At the time the oak was just one of many in a thick wood that surrounded Boscobel House.

The five Penderel brothers and the descendents in perpetuity were granted a Royal pension after the restoration. Some current day descendents still receive the annual payment, but not me.

11 February 2016

The Cape Winelands

Gordons Bay, was our Cape home,on the far side of the bay, under the cliff for sevral weeks in January and February 2016

I can see Waterkloof winery from the balcony of our apartment and from here you can see Godons Bay

Peter in Waterkloof's biodynamic vineyards

Waterkloof use horse power: here taking harvested grapes to the winery.

Waterkloof are trying out the new concrete 'eggs' for fermenting wines.

Vintage festival at Beaumont Winery

Inside Beaumont winery

Lunch on the veranda at Neethlingshof winery with a glass of Pinotage.

From here we can see hoppers of newly harvested grapes being towed in by tractor which backs them into the destalker at the winery door.

Beyerskloof is another must, for the obvious reason!!

26 December 2015

Christmas 2015 on Lanzarote

Our hotel

Joan reading by the harbour

test

Volcainc remains

Santa comes to the hotel on a camel

27 November 2015

IWSC Awards - Kanonkop

Abrie Beeslaar accepts Pinotage Trophy from Peter F May

Kanonkop Estate was the toast of the IWSC Awards Banquet held on Thursday evening 26 November 2015 in the splendour of London's Guildhall.

Kanonkop won three Trophys

Abraham Perold Pinotage Trophy for the 2012 Pinotage, sponsored by The Pinotage Association
Abrie Beeslaar won Winemaker of the Year Trophy 2015. This is the second time Abrie has won.
Kanonkop Estate won South African Wine Producer of the Year Trophy