A Year in Paarl
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
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 Fascinating historical document on viticulture for wine and table grapes, wine and brandy making.
The first daffodil in the front garden opened today, by Friday (when this was taken) three were open.
The first opened eight days earlier than last year, but the winter has - so far - been milder and the daffs haven't been laid low by frosts.
It's eight days later than 2020 and one day earlier than 2020.
Saturday 22 - to Criccieth to see Starlight Player's Snow White Pantomime, but
Covid restrictions forced postponement till end of this year.
Sunday 23 - This stony-faced chappy glowers down over a wall when we go out for a walk.
Monday 24 - Dinner at Dylan's with Dan & Krisie. Postponement of pantomime meant Dan and Krisie were free of their commitments to the show so we dined together every night.
Our usual Pinotage is no longer on the wine list, but our charming waitress told us they had a few bottles left, so we had
Wednesday 26 - with both Criccieth chippies closed for winter we caught the train for the seaside resort of Barmouth which has a great number of them.
Unfortunately they too were closed and it was bitterly cold with a cutting wind off the sea.
So after walking around the town we went into 15th Century The Last Inn pub where, not only did we get a warm welcome, and they did decent wine, but they also had a very good battered cod loin.
Thursday 27 was a glorious mild sunny day so we took a leisurely walk along the coastal path.
Friday 28 - Cold dark and wet again. In the evening we returned to
Dylan's for dinner with Dan and Krisie. We emptied a few more bottles of Longbeach Pinotage.
Saturday 29 - we drove home, easy drive this time, with a stop at Dobbies Shrewsbury for a changeover of drivers and a scone, and with the M54 open in Birmingham direction.
A very wet few weeks has made country walking nigh impossible with deep glutinous mud, but this path could be in the country. It is in fact a short lane between Marshal's Drive and Marshalswick Lane. Firm going most of its length with slippery mud for a stretch.
Goodbye 2021
What a year...
Covid Vaccinations:
6 February (No.1)
6 April (No. 2)
Booster - 5 & 9 November (J & P)
Travel:
Great Yarmouth - June
Criccieth - July
Alnwick/Banff/Hexham/Ripon - August
Great Yarmouth - November
Paignton - November
Cancelled by Covid:
September - Bordeaux River Cruise - second year running.
October - American Wine Society Conference, Atlantic City
Funerals:
18 May - Ann Jones 17/12/1937 - 17/04/2021
01 Sep - Janet Stevens 07/05/1933 - 05/08/2021
13 Oct - Shirley Bunting 26/09/1934 - 15/09/2021
To Chez Mumtaj with Dan and Krisie on their last night of their holiday in St Albans. We had the round table in the front corner.
I started with vegetable samosas
Followed by Garlic Chilli Chicken Masala with Chana Masala, rice and naan
and Stellenrust Pinotage to drink
Afterwards we chatted to Chad
To Prime Steak and Grill with Krisie and Dan and, as Mondays are BYO with no corkage,
