Vineyards and Villages
Welcome to Vineyards and Villages — a snapshot of my travels through the world’s most beautiful vineyards and the charming villages that surround them.
Over the past decade, I’ve explored breathtaking wine regions and discovered places where time seems to slow down. From the Old World charm of France, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Portugal — where more than 2,000 years of wine and cheese traditions still thrive — to the New World excitement of Australia, Argentina, Chile, California, New Zealand, and my home country, South Africa, every destination has left me with stories worth sharing.
I have a deep appreciation for wine and artisanal cheese. Although I don’t claim to be an expert, I’ve been making small-batch cheeses for over twenty years, and both my son and daughter work in the wine industry — so you could say it’s in our family DNA.
I love discovering distinctive wines — from Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz to Pinot Noir, Verdelho, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and even forgotten cultivars that deserve another taste. And when it comes to cheese, I can’t resist the artistry behind handcrafted creations made from the milk of cows, goats, and sheep. You’ll often find blue-veined, washed-rind, and bloomy cheeses competing for attention on my tasting board.
Through Vineyards and Villages, I share my travels, insights, and stories about the people behind the wines and cheeses that bring such joy to life. I invite you to join me as I visit remote vineyards, wander through old stone villages, and discover the simple beauty of living close to the land.
So, pour yourself a glass, slice a little cheese, and come along as I explore the world — one vineyard, one village, and one unforgettable flavour at a time.
10 Reasons to travel (what the experts say)
Reason 1: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
Reason 2: “Once the travel bug bites, there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.” – Michael Palin.
Reason 3: “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain
Reason 4: “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac.
Reason 5: “Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustave Flaubert
Reason 6: “If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.” – Anthony Bourdain
Reason 7: “Now more than ever do I realize that I will never be content with a sedentary life, that I will always be haunted by thoughts of a sun-drenched elsewhere.” – Isabelle Eberhardt
Reason 8: “Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.” – Frank Herbert
Reason 9: “Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.” – Ray Bradbury
Reason 10: “All journeys have secret destinations” – Martin Buber travel quote
