Last Wednesday we entertained some 70 odd at the South Africa High Commission in Trafalgar Square: certainly our grandest venue to date, and even our visiting Cape winemakers were impressed.

In attendance were three top young winemakers, plus Pieter du Toit, export manager at Cederberg. We showed 37 wines.  In terms of sales, the favourite style on the evening was, surprisingly, oaked Chardonnay: but then in Ataraxia and Cape Chamonix's examples we do offer two of the best from the whole of South Africa. Otherwise it was the winemakers doing the selling...

Here is Adi Badenhorst doing the business: his 2011 Secateurs Chenin Blanc is superb, combining tropical fruit with cream and fine acidity.

..and here is Gottfried Mocke of Cape Chamonix. We suddenly realised that (outside fragmented Burgundy) Cape Chamonix is the only estate from which we offer seven different wines - and they are getting better, thanks to Gottfried's inspired stewardship. His fizz, oaked Sauvignon Blanc and his fascinating Greywacke Pinotage (made using partly dried grapes) were much admired.

Matthew Copeland was pouring his Vondeling wines in a laid-back way - notably his Petit Blanc white blend and the chnky Erica Shiraz.

All in all a good time was had by all - certainly to judge by our opening of 60 bottles on the evening!