Neil Pendock is wine writer for the Sunday Times, Financial Mail, Wine Magazine and many other outlets including his feisty and often controversial blog ‘Pendock Uncorked’ . Always happy to have a pop at any vinous hypocrites, wine anoraks, unwary hacks or self-congratulatory has-beens, he was voted the country’s ‘most trusted palate’ by readers of Wine Magazine, and (somewhat to the annoyance of his detractors) is often proved reliably right in his points of view. He is also the author of various books, the latest of which is The Good Value Guru Diaries.
1. Which restaurant do you think has the best wine list?
Rust en Vrede – great selection and modest markups. Capelands in Somerset West if you ask for Johann Innerhofer’s “special” list.
2. Which one has the worst?
Any of those Winelands restaurants that ONLY serve wine from their own farm.
3. What’s your favourite red for long, cold, winter evenings?
Nitida Calligraphy 2006 (R115 from the farm)
4. What’s your favourite white for chilled out sundowners on the stoep?
Darling Cellars Lime Kilns 2009 (A Chenin/Viognier/Chardonnay blend, R95 from the farm)
5. Favourite bubbly for celebrations?
Audoin de Dampierre NV Champagne (just over R200 a bottle)
6. Which would be your ‘Must-try before I die’ wine?
Jacques Selosse Champagnes
7. If I could rid the wine world of just one thing it would be……..
Sighted wine ratings by insiders
8. What’s the one wine experience which most sticks in your mind?
A day spent with Joe Berardo, largest investor in Portuguese wine, earlier this year
9. Most impressive stunt or activity carried out whilst under the influence?
Being polite to a table full of wine nerds
10. What did you drink last night?
The Yair 2009 (Sauvignon/Semillon blend, R130 from the farm)
11. What’s your hot wine tip for the future?
Darling
12. Favourite food and wine combo?
Breakfast bacon and eggs and Jerepigo
13. Best wine-induced hangover cure?
Jerepigo with breakfast