Petes Pix 2022

To London, day after we flew home from Las Vegas, for the annual IWSC Awards Banquet at The Guildhall. The Pinotage Trophy was not awarded this year, but they created a 50th Anniversary Award - Outstanding Wine Producer - presented to Kanonkop Estate .  Outstanding Wine Producer recognises a wine producer which has performed consistently well since the creation of the Winemaker of the Year award in 1984. Kanonkop – recognised as one of South Africa’s greatest wines, especially for its renowned dry-farmed Pinotage – has won 15 different individual trophies at the IWSC and has won Winemaker of the Year four times. L>R Sir George Fistonich, Abrie Beeslaar, Beyers Truter The award was presented to Kanonkop winemaker Abrie Beeslaar by Beyers Truter in the presence of IWSC President Sir George Fistonich, of New Zealand's Villa Maria. Beyers  won some of those IWSC Trophies when he was winemaker at Kanonkop before Abrie. Abrie and Jeanne Beeslaar Beyers Truter and Dr Winifred Bowman

With Pete and Sue in Las Vegas for a week from 19-26 November, staying in The Cosmopolitan , room 3298 overlooking Bellagio fountains. Floor 32, but since the floor numbers jump from 4 to 15 actually the 22nd floor.Very cold, too cold to enjoy our balcony. Bellagio from our room balcony Paris casino from our balcony Cosmopolitan's swimming pool was changed to an ice-rink The Christmas Tree was lit the Saturday we were there The object on top of this burger at the MGM Grand is a battered and deep fried gherkin. Ghastly! On our last full day we took a tour with Pink Jeeps to Boulder Dam White stone shows normal water level. Photo courtesy Sue Chasney.   Water level in dam was very low as result of drou ght. Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep grazing in park above lake Two 25-foot tigers made from yellow lentils, red and black cargo rice and caraway seed Bellagio Conservatory had this India themed display combining animatronic animals with many thousands of flowers. Visited The Mob Museum

We had Sunday and Monday at Rumfish Resort on St Pete Beach following the AWS Conference and flew home from Tampa on Tuesday evening.  We spent the time reading in the hotel gardens or by the pool and walking along the white sand beach, once all the way to Pass-a-Grille at the southern end of the island.  The history museum was closed and we had lunch and a bottle of Clifford Bay Marlborough SB at on the first floor balcony over looking the ocean at The Brass Monkey.   Pete at Pass-a-Grille at southern end of St Pete Beach Island A short walk from Rumfish is this ice-cream shop. The sunsets seen from St Pete Beach were gorgeous. Joan ate at Rumfish Grill while I was at the Conferen ce. The rear wall of the restuarant has a huge 33,500 gallon fish tank. Building of the tank was the subject of US television show TANKED and Joan was keen that our last lunch before driving to the airport be in the Rumfish Grill. But that closed at 14:00 so we had to eat in the adjoining bar. I thought I

The 52nd annual American Wine Society National Conference   was thankfully held in the warmth of Florida's gulf coasts at Tradewinds Resort , St Pete Beach from 30 October to 2 November 2019. Because AWS room allocation at Tradewinds was full we stayed at neighbouring sister location Rumfish Resort . Executive Director David Falcheck The Conference, my eighth, was superb with many great sessions , especially Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood and now owner/winemaker of Once and Future , with Mixed Black Magic, an examination of how complementary varieties add to Zinfandel. Joel Peterson Joel's tasting Joel showed  Once and Future 'Forcini Vineyard' Zinfandel 2018 (100% Zinfandel planted 1904) Once and Future 'Oakley Vineyard' Zinfandel 2016 (100% Zinfandel planted 1890) Sandlands Carignan 2018 (100% Carignan planted 1890's on own roots) Bedrock 'Papera Ranch'  2017 ( 70% Zinfandel, 3 0% Carignan planted 1901: "Carignan adds zip -acidity and