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Jonathan Jansen soek aksie!

By Rian Truter on November, Thursday 24 2011 in 2011, Education 2

Dit wil my voorkom of prof. Jonathan nou skielik die agbare Minister van Sport, Fikile Mbalula, se voorbeeld met taalgebruik volg. Nie dat ek fyngevoelig vir kragwoorde is nie. Allermis. Ek is net bang dat ’n mens by die sterretjies vashaak, soos die Scope van ouds, en dan die wysheid in die res van wat hy te sê gehad het, mis.

My ma het my geleer dat jy nie alles moet glo wat in koerante staan nie, maar omdat ek nou nie self by prof. Jonathan Jansen se toespraak in Bloemfontein kon wees nie, moet ek maar glo wat hulle skryf.

Hier is die hoofpunte van wat professor Jansen tydens ’n toespraak by Fedsas se jaarvergadering aangeraak het (Ek het my veroorloof om ’n paar kantopmerkings in kursief te maak):

1. Die regering het ’n f#k-jou-houding teenoor sy mense. Is dit vir iemand nuus?

2. Die prof wil hê ons moet, soos die Occupy Wall Street-veldtog, die kantore van die onderwysdepartemente in elke provinsie gaan beset. Al gevolg wat so ’n aksie gaan hê, is dat daar vir ’n slag mense op kantoor gaan wees!

3. Volgens hom het onderwys nou genoeg beleide, maar te min planne. Makliker om te skryf as om te doen. Dit is die probleem, prof.

4. Hy wou ook weet hoe gaan die regering vakbonde beheer. Veral Sadou. Dis die ou spreekwoord van wiens brood men eet, wiens woord men spreek. Of is dit eerder: ek luister net na die wat vir my stem?

5. Ons skole het sedert 1994 al hoe slegter geword, maar die meeste geld gaan steeds na onderwys. Raak net ontslae van al die sogenaamde spesialiste!

6. Volgens hom het niemand die “balls om ’n patetiese skoolhoof af te dank nie”. Ek dink die probleem is dalk fisiek, want was na Kader al die ministers nie vrouens nie? Dit sou maar sukkel, professor!

7. Middelmatigheid is die aanvaarde reël. Vir swak wees is daar altyd ’n verskoning. Goed wees is maklik, maar goed bly, is moeilik.

8. Goeie skole moet swak skole help. Stem 100% saam, maar dan moet die swakkes gehelp wíl word.

9. Te min mans in die onderwys en te min onderwysers in die grondslagfase. Gaap! Gaap! Wonder of die professor ’n kind het wat al na een van die sogenaamd baie poste gesoek het? Kul jou hier, kul jou daar!

Ek is seker professor Jansen het ’n staande ovasie gekry. Mense hou daarvan as iemand jou begeertes en bekommernisse in woorde vasvat. Meer nog as hy ’n kragwoord of twee gebruik en dis boonop nie vir jou rekening nie!

Prof. Jonathan het ook gesê hy soek aktiviste op voetsoolvlak om al hierdie kruisies in regmerkies te laat verander. Luister mooi. Nie boudevlak nie! Ons sal moet opstaan en begin dinge doen as ons die regmerkies wil sien. Miskien dalk self ook ’n paar kragwoorde moet inspan om die wa deur die drif te kry…

Dankie, professor Jansen. Jy maak jou mond oop en sê wat ons nie altyd almal die kans kry om te sê nie.

Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the danger of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of ‘crackpot’ than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost. – Chauncey Depeur.

When angry count to four. When very angry, swear. – Mark Twain

I personally think we developed language because of our deep inner need to complain. – Jane Wagner

Ernst Gouws: The Power of &

By Rian Truter on November, Sunday 20 2011 in 2011, Wine 2

With Ernst, Ernst Junior and Ezanne

Ernst and I go back many years; as far back as our high school days in the Strand.

Ernst Gouws was born in the Paarl but finished his primary school education in Wolseley in the Boland. His father retired and moved to the Strand where I met Ernst for the first time. We both went to Strand High but matriculated at different schools; Ernst at Paul Roos Gimnasium and I at Jan van Riebeeck High.

After high school his father wanted him to go to university but that was not part of his immediate planning. He wanted to be a farmer. The soil was in his blood. At last he agreed to go to Teachers College to study to become a woodwork teacher. At the back of his mind Ernst had a dream to one day open his own joinery for he loves working with wood.

After a year he called a halt to his training to become a teacher and accepted a job at the KWV. He stayed at KWV for a year. During these twelve months he was exposed to all the processes of the wine industry. Ernst was hooked! He was especially crazy about harvest time.

This experience motivated him to go to Germany where he studied at the Weinsberg Wine School near Stuttgard. Back in South Africa he started work at Du Toitskloof Cellars but after four years went back to France for another year in the French vineyards and cellars.

Back in South Africa Saxenburg and Rheebokskloof followed and in 1992 Ernst and a German partner started Hoopenburg. Their ways parted after 12 years and he bought himself some farmland next to Hoopenburg. That’s when Ernst & Co was born!

Family plays an important part in Ernst’s life and in the big picture of the company. So much so that he changed the name of the company from Ernst & Co to Ernst Gouws & Co.

Ernst met his wife Gwenda while still at school in Stellenbosch. They got married in Germany when she came to visit him there. It was during his time in Germany that he got involved with a family where each member of the family was integrated in the running and operation of their farm. Ernst and Gwenda decided there and then that they were going to apply the same principle to their family. From the start at Hoopenburg all the children was involved in the day to day operation of the farm.

Today the whole family is involved in Ernst Gouws & Co. Two of the children, Ernst junior and Ezanne, is qualified winemakers and plays an important part in the production of the wines. Inke, the eldest, is a buyer of champagne and Gwenda, mother and wife, is keeping the many strings of the family and the business together.

To get to know Ernst better, I asked him the following questions:

• Why did you become a winemaker?

It was the creativity and the challenge of taking nature’s product and having to form and shape it into your own creation.

• What is the best wine you have made?

Saxenburg Noble Late Harvest (1985).

• What is the best wine you have drunk?

I can’t remember the name but it was a French Pinot Noir. What I can remember is that it cost around R5 000 a bottle!

• If not a winemaker, what else?

Cabinet-maker. Woodwork is a passion of mine.

• What’s left on your bucket list?

I want to travel in Africa. Maybe an extensive motorbike trip in Africa or Namibia? When I am on my motorbike in nature I can feel God’s presence.

• What pet(s) do you have?

I love poultry and birds. I could have been a professional bird watcher. But I have a Jack Russell that’s been with me for 12 years. He’s like my own shadow.

• What’s your favourite TV program?

Noot vir Noot and Sport.

• What songs do you sing in the cellar/shower/car?

German wine/beer songs and gospel songs.

• What motto do you live by?

I see myself as a free-spirit so I think it will be something like there are no boundaries to life! or don’t let anyone or anything fence you in.

• What do you think of box wine?

It’s not for me, but there is a market and a place for it. I have never drunk it myself.

• What wine do you drink if not your own?

Wines from the Stellenbosch region. But mostly I drink my own.

• What cultivar was the wine at the wedding reception in the New Testament?

Chardonnay.

• Tent or Hotel?

Hotel

• How do you relax?

A ride on my motorbike or mountain bike.

In the tasting glass:

Ernst Gouws & Co Chardonnay 2011

Origin: Stellenbosch, South Africa

Composition: 100% Chardonnay

Winemaker: Ernst Gouws

Terroir: Soil type> Ancient cemented limestone

Oenology: Harvested early morning. Hand-harvested in small baskets at optimum fruit ripeness. Small, old, bush vines.

Barrel maturation: 7 Months in new French oak

Yield: 8 ton per hectare

Cellaring Potential: Enjoy now and drink within 5 years

Winemakers notes: The Ernst Gouws & Co Chardonnay is intense and forthcoming with aromas of fresh almonds, peach and lemon. There is also a subtle hint of vanilla and spice on the nose. On the palate the wine shows excellent balance between complexity and elegance. Typical flavours like almonds, lemon and grapefruit with a leesy creaminess and a touch of minerality on the palate. Good structure and mouthfeel with nice minerality, elegant, long nutty toasty finish.

Chef’s Notes: Will go well with dishes such as crayfish, kingklip, curry fish and pasta.

Tel: +27 (0)21 865 2895

www.ernstgouws.co.za

Images: Ernst Gouws & Co and self

I have enjoyed great health at a great age because every day since I can remember I have consumed a bottle of wine except when I have not felt well. Then I have consumed two bottles. – Bishop of Seville

Hold the bottle up to the light; you will see your dreams are always at the bottom. – Rob Hutchinson

A waltz and a glass of wine invite an encore. – Johann Strauss

Ernst busy tasting and blending

Ernst the farmer

The winemakers

The Gouws family

Braai Paai

By Rian Truter on November, Thursday 17 2011 in 2011, Culinary 4

Hierdie resep gaan net soos die Oranjerivierkool en die Mexican Eggs tydens ‘n kampeerdery vir baie plesier sorg.

Of baie braaiers se bas tydens ‘n somervakansie red, want dit is net as mammie en skoonma begin kla oor al die baie braaivleis wat hulle moet eet, dat jy hierdie een uit die hoed ruk!

Omdat mense mekaar vandag sommer oor ’n ou reseppie in die koerante aanvat, wil ek sommer dadelik almal wat ‘n hand in die uitdink van hierdie paai gehad het, erkenning gee. Wie die resep eerste uitgedink het weet ek nie, maar ek het dié resep die eerste keer per e-pos ontvang en nou die dag weer gesien dat Braaiboy dit oor die TV maak. Hierdie weergawe van die Braai Paai is my vriend en boendoekok, Braaitang, se weergawe.

Voor jy egter onverhoeds gevang word en jy dink jy kan sonder voorbereiding dié paai aanpak, wil ek jou net waarsku. Daar is ‘n paar kardinale ingrediente wat jy gaan nodig hê om hierdie een deur te trek. Die geheim om van ‘n braainul tot braaibul te vorder, is voorbereiding. Bedink die oomblik wat jy hierdie verrassing wil loslaat en gaan doen dan eers op jou eie ‘n paar skelm aankope.

NB Noodsaaklik: ‘n Rooster wat jy op verskillende vasknypvlakke kan stel. ’n Standaardrooster wat nie kan verstel nie, gaan net jou paai in sy maai knyp! Luister mooi wat ek sê.

Jy benodig

Vir 6 – 8 mense

‘n Rooster soos reeds verduidelik

2 x 500g Rolle Skilferkorsdeeg

1 Pak spinasie

3 Gerookte hoenderborsies

1 Pak salami

1 Ui

½ Rooi soetrissie – gekerf na smaak

½ Geel soetrissie – gekerf

1 x 250 Pakkie sampioene

½ Koppie gerasperde Ceddar-kaas

1 Koppie gerasperde Mozzarella-kaas

½ Koppie gekrummelde Feta-kaas

Speserye na smaak. Aanbeveling: Italian Herbs

So maak mens

1. Ontdooi die deeg en rol dit uit. Gebruik sommer ’n wynbottel as roller.

2. Plaas een helfte van die uitgerolde deeg in die rooster.

3. Braai die ui en rissies saam en geur met speserye soos jy verkies.

4. Pak die laag deeg heel toe met spinasie. Blink deel van die blaar na buite.

5. Sny nou die hoenderborsies in dun skywe en pak bo-op die spinasie.

6. Plaas ui-en-rissie-mengsel op die hoenderborsies.

7. Maak nou met die salami soos met die hoenderstukkies. Maw salami op die mengsel.

8. Sny die sampioene in skywe en pak op die salami.

9. Strooi die drie kase in lae op die sampioene.

10. Pak die oorblywende spinasie op die kaas. Blink kant na jou.

11. Pak die tweede rol uitgerolde deeg op die spinasie.

12. Knyp die rante/kante van die deeg toe.

Opsioneel: Klits ‘n eier en verf deeg daarmee om mooi te verbruin.

13. Braai hoog oor kole tot goudbruin. Draai liewers meer as te min. Die deeg kan jou nogal onverhoeds betrap en pikswart verbrand en dan is dit jy en skoonma. Skat so tussen 20 en 30 minute tot gereed vir afhaal.

Sit nou jou geliefkoosde musiek in die CD-speler. Skink ‘n glasie Beyerskloof en vra vir mammie om nader te skuif. As sy nie reeds teen dié tyd styf teen jou sit nie!

Hier is ‘n klompie prentjies dat jy kan sien waarvan ek praat (foto’s:Anita Steenkamp en self):

Pak die 1e laag spinasie

Braai die soetrissie en ui

Pak salami

Amper klaar! Strooi die kaas

'n Meneer van 'n paai!

Carpe Diem!

By Rian Truter on November, Sunday 13 2011 in 2011, Education, Life 5

My kennis van Julius Ceasar se taal was nog nooit van so ’n standaard dat ek hom teen Brutus sou kon waarsku nie.

Latyn is vir my so helder soos die ou Boesman in die Kalahari se insig in Suid-Afrika se landswapen. Sy opmerking toe die ontwerpers hom om sy mening daaroor nader: Ek ken moeilikheid, maar hier kom groot klak!

Ek het darem geweet dat die deurmekaar letters op die ou landswapen eendrag maak mag beteken het.

Waar carpe diem vir my die eerste keer betekenis gekry het, was in die film Dead Poets Society waarin Robin Williams die rol van ’n onderwyser, John Keating, vertolk. Behalwe dat dié fliek ’n lewenslange impak op my as mens en op my onderwysloopbaan gehad het, het dit ook dié latynse spreuk ’n wêreldterm soos Coke en Elvis gemaak.

Ek kry elke keer hoendervleis as ek die gedeelte sien waar die leerders Keating groet en een vir een op hulle banke klim en sê: My captain, my captain.

Carpe Diem was op almal se lippe. As jy vandag die frase Carpe Diem op ’n soekenjin intik, kry nie minder as 4, 850, 000 verwysings daarna nie! Oral het iets met carpe diem in of vooraan die lig gesien. Van dagstukkieboeke tot besighede met die naam. Carpe Diem Versekeraars, Carpe Veiligheidsdienste en selfs Carpe Diem Begrafnisondernemers!

Sou ons die gedeelte van Horace se gedig vry vertaal, sou dit min of meer soos volg klink: Terwyl ons met mekaar praat, gaan kosbare tyd verlore; oes die dag en moenie jou vertroue in môre plaas nie.

Allerhande vertalings van Carpe Diem het die lig gesien. Die mees algemene een in Afrikaans is : Gryp die dag! Meer direk vertaal sou carpe eintlik na die proses van oes in landbouterminologie verwys. ’n Getrouer vertaling sou dus wees: Oes die dag!

Al hierdie akademiese vertalings raak egter nie aan my gewone dag-tot-dag-hartsnare nie. Net soos my Latyn Julius nie kon help nie, mis baie van hierdie vertalings vir my die bus.

Hierdie mooi vertalings is miskien goed vir die omslae en titels van dagstukboekies en besighede wat jou wil beïndruk.

Vir my bly die raakste en toepaslikste vertaling (deur die uwe natuurlik): Kry jou gat in rat!

Lekker kort. En dit pas maklik op ’n T-hemp.

Dalk met carpe diem voorop en my vertaling op die agterkant?

Dum loquimur, fugerit invida aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero – Horace (Odes Book 1)

(While we’re talking, envious time is fleeing; seize the day, put no trust in the future.)

Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today. – James Dean

And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. – Abraham Lincoln

Image: Renjith Krishnan/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Om uit te hou of te vou?

By Rian Truter on November, Thursday 10 2011 in 2011, Leadership, Life 1

Ek sit nou een oggend by die verkeerslig en wag dat dit moet groen word dat ek kan ry. Oor Radio-sonder-Mense trek Kenny Rodgers los met die baie bekende countryliedjie The Gambler: You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em…

Volgens my kaartspelervriende het hierdie lied se woorde, of moet ek eerder sê, raad, ikoonstatus onder pokerspelers bereik. ’n Mens moet glo weet wanneer om maar liewer jou hand neer te sit as om jou uit ’n swak posisie te probeer bluf.

Almal weet teen hierdie tyd al dat ek ’n groot Tom Peters dissipel is, en soos ek gereeld een keer ’n week doen, kyk ek weer wat het TP te sê. En soos die toeval dit wil hê, het hy presies baie, en in geen onduidelike taal nie, oor die wysheid van dié dobbelaar se raad te sê.

Ek haal hom direk aan en as jy skrikkerig is vir kragwoorde, moenie verder lees nie!

“… it all reminded me of a Very Sensible Saying that I think is pure, unmitigated crap, in fact the World’s Worse Advise: Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em. As I said … pure crap.

Forget “fold ‘em”. Drop it from your vocabulary. Excise it. Bury it. Stomp on its grave. If you care, really care, really really care about what you are pursuing, well, then, pursue-the-hell-out-of-it-untill-hell-freezes-over-and-then-some-and-then-some-more. And may the naysayers roast in hell or freeze in the Artic or bore themselves to death with the sound of their “statistically accurate” advice.

It’s a good fortnight to bring this up. I’ll bet the farm, my farm, or at least an acre thereof, that less than 1% of the 10,000 athletes in Beijing moved smoothly through their careers. I’ll bet virtually all had coaches who advised them hang it up, “career-ending” injuries, humiliations heaped upon humiliations, and so on. And on. And yet they persisted. And they’re in Beijing.

My anonymous visiting friend gave me The Pixar Touch: The Making of a Company, by David Price. Consider this paragraph:

“One of the curious aspects of Pixar’s story is that each of the leaders was, by conventional standards, a failure at the time he came onto the scene. [Animator-superstar John] Lasseter landed his dream job at Disney out of college — and had just been fired from it. [Tech genius and founding CEO Ed] Catmull had done well-respected work as a graduate student in computer graphics, but had been turned down for a teaching position and ended up in what he felt was a dead-end software development job. Alvy Ray Smith, the company’s co-founder, had checked out of academia, got work at Xerox’s famous Palo Alto Research Center, and then abruptly found himself on the street. [Steve] Jobs had endured humiliation and pain as he was rejected by Apple Computer; overnight he had transformed from boy wonder of Silicon Valley to a roundly ridiculed has been …”

That is, shit happens. And if enough of it happens to you, then, if you are wise, you’ll fold ’em. And God (and I) will love you just as much as if you’d endured — but we won’t read about you in the history books.

Now if you do indeed “endure” — well, we probably won’t read about you either, because the odds indeed are long against you making it to that history book or Beijing. I readily admit that.

But if you really really, really care …

About computer animation. Or rowing. Or the shotput. Or those supercalifragilisticexpialidocious chocolate-chip cookies you bake. Or haiku. Or better ways to provide a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious customer experience.

If you really really really really really care … then there ain’t no time to fold ’em until your last breath is drawn — and even that’s too soon if you’ve bothered along the way to inflame others about your presumed Quixotic cause.

In the (doubtless not) immortal words of Tom Peters: “There’s a time to hold ’em and a time to keep on holdin’ ’em — if you really really really care.”

Miskien moet ek eerder in die toekoms na Marvin Gaye se ain’t no mountain high enough luister, voor ek my kaarte wil vou?

It is a shameful thing for the soul to faint while the body still perseveres. – Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent. – Harriet Beecher Stowe

Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there. – Josh Billings

Many say I am just one to try. I say I am one less to quit. – Diego Marchi

Image: Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Let’s make better mistakes!

By Rian Truter on November, Sunday 6 2011 in 2011, Leadership, Life 3

It seems to me we live in a perfect world.

No one makes mistakes any more. Except me and the honorable Minister Fikile Mbalula. That is if we can believe the newspapers. In hindsight our president got it right when he assigned minister Mbalula his portfolio – Sport and Recreation. Maybe the minister’s mistake was that he concentrated too much on the recreation part of his portfolio?

But enough of politicians. It was Winston Churchill who once said a politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.

It is a well known fact that the only way to learn from your mistakes is to admit that you have made it. Real learning only start when you take responsibility for what happened and not blaming the universe and all the creatures in it.

Easier said than done, I can hear a lot of you mumbling. Admitting is a stupid thing to do. Wait till they catch you before your admit to failure.

It is sad but society only has recognition for winners. And winners do not make mistakes. Society regard mistakes as failure and shameful. In schools, families and at work we are taught to feel guilty about failure and to do whatever we can to avoid mistakes.

According to Scott Berkun, it is this sense of shame combined with the inevitability of setbacks when attempting difficult things that explains why many people give up on their goals. They are not prepared for the mistakes and failures they’ll face on their way to what they want.

If we are so afraid of failure, how are we then ever going to succeed?

Tom Peters, management guru, provide us with a possible answer: Failure = Normal = Good. Reward excellent failure. Punish mediocre success. Fail faster. Succeed sooner.

For those of you that have been entrusted to lead (including all parents and grandparents) you must keep in mind that people only learn from the mistakes they make. You must expect and encourage your employees, your kids, to take initiative and to make mistakes. Then only will they gain experience.

Remember that no expert marksman became a crack shot without wasting some ammunition!

So how can you curb the fear of failure in yourself and in those people you are entrusted to lead to success? Here are a few things to keep in mind when confronted with failure:

• Irresponsibility is not a mistake. It’s just plain stupid!

• The world is not a perfect place. It’s only on magazine covers that people seem to be without any blemishes.

• Failure is not always life threatening. It’s a quite normal happening in life. (Except when you work for the bomb-disposal squad.)

• It’s important to realize that you only fail when you try. If you do nothing you can’t fail. Only doers fail. The rest just fade away.

• Tell people about your own failures.

• Even the greatest people in life failed. Here are a few examples of very successful people who failed before they succeeded:

Harland David Sanders: Better known as Colonel Sanders (KFC) famous chicken recipe was rejected 1009 times before a restaurant accepted it.
Thomas Edison: Inventor of the light bulb. His teachers told him that he was too stupid to learn anything and was fired from his first two jobs.
Charles Schultz: Creator of the Peanuts comic strip had every cartoon he submitted rejected by his high school yearbook editor.
Elvis Presley: The king of rock. When he was still unknown a manager fired him after one performance and said to him: You ain’t going nowhere son. You ought to go back to driving a truck.
Michael Jordan: Some laud him as the best basketball player of all time, but he was cut from his high school basketball team. Luckily this failure did not stop him and he said: I have missed more than 9 000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.

Failure is not only meant for the losers in life. Every one fails some or other time. Make peace with failure and move on. Or in the words of Tom Peters:

Fail. Forward. Fast!

Losers quit when they fail. Winners fail until they succeed. – Robert Kiyosaki

I’ve learned that mistakes can often be as good a teacher as success. – Jack Welch

Greatness is not achieved by never falling but rising each time we fall. – Confucius

If you decide to run with the ball, just count on fumbling and getting the shit knocked out of you, but never forget how much fun it is just to be able to run with the ball. – Jimmy Buffett

Eric Saayman maak magic by Riebeek!

By Rian Truter on November, Thursday 3 2011 in 2011, Wine 0

Hy behoort aan ons! Saam met Eric en die gesogte generaal Smuts-trofee.

Die atmosfeer wat jy in die Riebeekvallei in die Swartland aantref, is volgens kenners so na aan meditereens in Afrika as wat jy sal kan kom.

Nie alleen spog die vallei met ‘n asemrowende natuurskoon, olywe en gastehuise nie, maar ook met besondere wyne. Soos onder andere die wat vernoem is na hul eie Kasteelberg en die alombekende A few Good Men wat beide deur Riebeek Kelder geproduseer word.

Om die kroon op die vallei se prestasies te span, het Riebeek Kelder vanjaar met die gesogte Generaal Smuts-trofee vir die beste jongwyn in SA weggestap. Nogal met ’n houtverouderde Viognier – ’n eerste vir dié kultivar sedert die trofee vir die eerste keer in 1952 toegeken is!

Die Riebeek-vallei.

En die man wat hiervoor verantwoordelik is, is Eric Saayman. Wyn- en kosmaker par excellence!

Eric is op Robertson gebore en ’n deel van sy grootword vind in die Strand plaas, maar hy matrikuleer aan die Hoërskool Clanwilliam. En dit is hier tussen die lemoene dat hy hoor wynmakers word baie betaal!

Na skool is hy weermag toe. Genieskool in Kroonstad waar hy dan ook instrukteur word.

Hierna volg Universiteit Stellenbosch waar hy wingerdbou en wynkunde studeer. Bly in Wilgenhof en speel rugby. Losvoorspeler en voorry!

Riebeek Kelders

Sy professionele loopbaan begin by Stellenbosch Farmers met ‘n drie maande grensdiensonderbreking. Du Preez Estate, Zevenwacht en Lateganskop Kelder volg. Neil Ellis vertek intussen van Zevenwacht en Eric keer as wynmaker terug waar hy vorder tot keldermeester en direkteur. Van Zevenwacht skuif hy na Riebeek Kelders waar hy die afgelope 15 jaar sy magic verrig.

Ek moet die wynmakery hier onderbreek, want Eric is intussen met Alta getroud en hulle verwagte eersteling word toe ’n drieling! Drie dogters; later het daar ook ’n seun sy opwagting gemaak.

Eric het gedurende sy loopbaan verskeie toekennings ontvang. Veritas, Michelangelo, maar die jongste, die Generaal Smuts-trofee vir die beste jongwyn in die RSA, lê hom baie na aan die hart.

Om Eric, die man agter die wyn, beter te leer ken, het ek hom die volgende vrae gevra:

• Hoekom het jy ’n wynmaker geword?

Iemand het my op skool vertel dat wynmakers baie geld maak. Tot R1000 per maand! Dit was meer as genoeg motivering vir my om ‘n wynmaker te word.

• Wat is die beste wyn wat jy gemaak het?

Twee Zevenwachtwyne. Die 1991 Zevenwacht Sauvignon Blanc en die 1994 Zevenwacht Pinot Noir.

• Wat is die beste wyn wat jy al gedrink het?

Ek het êrens in die grotte van Burgandy ’n Sauvignon Blanc gedrink wat ouer as twintig jaar oud was. Dit was ’n openbaring! Die naam weet ek nie, maar hier plaaslik sou ek sê die 1994 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc.

• As jy nie ’n wynmaker was nie, wat dan anders?

Beslis ’n chef.

• Wat is nog op jou bucket list oor?

Dalk ’n buitelugrestaurant of wyn onder my eie etiket.

• Watter troetedier?

Ek hou van katte en honde. Ons het nou ’n kat, Johnny, wat ek by die DBV gekry het. Johnny gaan selfs saam Waenhuiskrans toe.

• Wat is jou geliefkoosde TV-program?

Definitief die Food Channel. Maar ek word dit belet, want ek sal dit heeldag kyk! En dan nog die CSI-programme.

• Wat sing jy in die kelder/stort/kar?

Ek sing nie eintlik nie.

• Wat is jou lewensmotto?

Aanvaar die lewe soos dit is en speel die kaarte soos dit vir jou gedeel word.

• Wat dink jy van bokswyn?

Dit hang af waarvan jy praat. Ons het nou begin om cabernet/merlot in ’n drie liter te verpak. Toets eintlik bietjie die mark. Dit is ’n handige verpakking vir kamp, maar die mense sê daar is te min in, want dit raak net so gou leeg soos ’n bottel!

• Wat drink jy as jy nie jou eie wyn drink nie?

Brandvlei Kelder (BC Wines)

• Wat was die kultivar van die water wat in wyn verander is op die troue in die nuwe testament?

Hanepoot

• Tent of Hotel

Nie een van die twee nie. My huis.

• Hoe ontspan jy?

By die see. Om regtig net te sit. Vuur te maak en wyn te drink. Duik ’n bietjie en vang vis.

In die proeglas:

KASTEELBERG VIOGNIER

This oak-matured Viognier is a voluptuous wine with lovely nutty and light buttery flavours well balanced by a floral perfume on the nose. The style is rich and ripe and well-structured to result in an elegant wine, ideally suited to complement suave dinners.

Made from hand selected berries, the wine was matured in first fill 500 liter French barrels for almost a year.

This is a style of white wine that will age beautifully and is the perfect partner to pork, duck, curries and bowls of creamy risotto.

Serving Suggestion

Well-chilled, the small and vivacious bubbles of the Kasteelberg will turn any occasion festive. Serve in elegant sparkling wine glasses to see the bubbles run and enjoy with any decadent treat you can imagine. Lovely with oysters and sushi.

http://www.riebeekcellars.com

Tel: 022 448 1213

For when the wine is in, the wit is out. – Thomas Becon

A bottle of good wine, like a good act, shines over retrospect. – Robert Louis Stevenson

I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me. – Winston Churchill

Die lesse wat cupcakes en kuikens ons leer

By Rian Truter on October, Sunday 30 2011 in 2011, Education 13

Waar daar 'n wil is, is daar 'n weg!

Ek wens die skole waarin ek was, het my iets van entrepreneurskap geleer.

Sommige skole dink hulle bevorder entrepreneurskap deur ’n sogenaamde entrepreneursdag te hou. Die skooldag se program word op ’n dag ’n bietjie aangepas en siedaar … ons het ’n tydjie beskikbaar waar ons toekomstige entrepreneurs hulle talente kan kom uitstal!

Mammie bak cupcakes en Pappie maak vir ’n vale draadkarre van al sy ophooprommel in die garage. Op entrepreneursdag staan Telg breed agter die tafel in die vierkant en pleeg entrepreneurskap. En die skool tik nog ’n boksie as afgehandel af. Dit gaan goed met ons volk, want ons kinders kan steeds nie vir hulself sorg nie. (Met verskoning aan Totius).

Miskien verstaan ons die begrip entrepreneurskap nie goed nie? Miskien dink ons dit is iets teoreties wat jy moet leer. Iets soos Ekonomie of Bedryfsekonomie?

My mening hieroor is dat entrepreneurskap eerder gedemonstreer word, as wat dit onderrig word.

Organiseer dan liewer in plek van die entrepreneursdag ’n volbloed entrepreneur wat aan die kinders kom verduidelik hoe hy/sy dit reg gekry het om buite die boksie te dink en sodoende iets volhoubaar kon skep wat hom/haar aan die lewe hou. Moet asseblief tog nie hierdie mense by die universiteite gaan soek nie; hulle werk ook maar soos die meeste van ons vir ’n salaris. Soek hulle sommer êrens op straat; hulle ís daar, as jy fyn kyk.

My goeie vriend, Heinie Brand van Laerskool Eversdal, het eendag tydens so ’n dag die praktyk van ware entrepreneurskap ervaar.

Nico Nel, die storieverteller, was op daardie stadium ’n ouer van Laerskool Eversdal en was nie lus vir koekbak of draadkarre buig nie. Inteendeel; sy entrepreneurskapgene het totaal uit hul nate gebars en nie net buite die boks gaan draai nie, maar ook sommer buite Bellville.

Die beplande entrepreneursdag het aangebreek en gewapen met stellasies vol dagoudkuikens het Nico se kind die wêreld van die vrye mark ekonomie betree.

Binne vyf minute het die tou klante by Willem (skuilnaam) se tafel rondom die skool gestaan, want watter kind kan die aantrekkingskrag van ‘n kuiken weerstaan? En dit nogal teen die winskoopprys van R3 een. By die ander aspirant-entrepreneurs se tafels het sake nie so rooskleurig gelyk nie. Die cupcakes se icing het soos sneeu op ’n warm dag op die Drakensberge begin smelt, maar nog steeds het die kopers weggebly.

Toe die klok vir die einde van die markdag lui, was al die kuikens verkoop. Omtrent elke kind in die skool het met ’n bruin kardoes, met twee gate vir vars lug, in die vuis rondgeloop. In die kardoes – een van die kuikens.

Heinie het hierdie proses gadegeslaan en Willem gaan gelukwens met sy poging, min wetende wat gaan volg.

Teen 11:00 het die eerste juffrou benoud laat weet iemand moet kom help, want van die kuikens is beseer. Óf hulle word versmoor omdat hulle te styf vasgedruk word, óf hulle kry seer omdat daar te rof met hulle gespeel word. Noodgedwonge moes die adjunkte van hierdie kuikens na die hoenderhemel aanhelp. Natuurlik tot groot ontsteltenis van die nuwe eienaars.

Teen 12:45, toe die eerste leerders huiswaarts keer, was die Dierebeskermingsvereniging by die voorhek om te verneem van wie die skool toestemming vir die nuwe hoenderboedery gekry het. Teen 15:00 was laerskool Eversdal se skakelbord geblok met ouers wat die hoenders in vir Heinie is, want hulle stuur hulle kinders skool toe om cupcakes te koop; nie hoenders nie!

En dan huil ons as ons kinders nie op eie stoom die mas kan opkom nie…

If opportunity doesn’t knock – build a door. – Milton Berle

Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone. – Robert Allen

Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming. – Richard Branson

The critical ingredient is getting of your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer. – Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese’s

Image: africa/FeeDigitalPhotos.net

Maan toe of moer toe?

By Rian Truter on October, Thursday 27 2011 in 2011, Life, Presentations 18

One small step for man ...

Hierdie post is ‘n opsomming van my aanbieding met dieselfde titel. Mense het al gevra waar hulle ‘n DVD van die aanbieding kan koop (verbeel jou!) of hulle wil dit vir hulle kind/man/bure gaan vertel, maar kan nie alles onthou nie. Hier is dit nou. (Sonder die prentjies) Jammer vir die lank wag.

Wanneer laas het jy na die maan gekyk en gewonder hoe dit sou wees om daarop te kan loop?

Vandat Neil Armstrong en sy makkers hul voete daarop gesit het, is dit of die maan sy magiese aantreklikheid vir baie mense verloor het. Ons was mos al daar! Hoeveel onse is daar in jou pond? vra ek.

Ek loop daagliks mense raak wat net nie meer maan toe wil gaan nie. Nie letterlik of figuurlik nie. Hulle het net nie meer die begeerte om daardie amper onbereikbare iets aan te pak nie. Hulle drome maak hulle ook nie meer bang nie, want ek dink hulle droom nie meer nie! Dalk was hulle al ook dáár …

Daar is ook dié wat sê dat hulle te oud is. Te oud om nog dinge te wil doen. Om nog te droom om by die maan uit te kom. Al is dit net eendag.

Ander sê weer dit is die misdaad en korrupsie in Suid-Afrika wat hulle van die maan weghou. Of dit is die swak elektrisiteitsvoorsiening en die politici wat hulle self ten koste van ons arme drommels verryk, wat in hulle pad maan toe staan.

Maar daar is tog nog baie, ongeag ouderdom, wat sê: vat my maan toe!

Die saak is eintlik heel eenvoudig. Wil jy, of wil jy nie? Maklik. Dit is net ’n simpel keuse. JK Rowling vat dit mooi saam as sy sê: it’s our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our ability. Of in Afrikaans gesê: Maan toe of moer toe!

Vir dié wat kies om nie maan toe te wil gaan nie, die maklike keuse, is dit moer toe. Vir die ander wat die moeiliker keuse maak, is dit maan toe. Sonder enige belofte dat jy wel daar gaan kom. Maar ten minste gaan jy probeer.

En dit is vir hulle wat ek ’n space case gepak het om daar uit te kom.

In hierdie tassie het ek 10 goed gesit wat jy op pad na die maan nodig gaan hê. Ek noem hulle in geen orde van noodsaaklikheid nie en gee ook net ‘n kort beskrywing waarvoor dit gebruik kan word:

1. Kompas: Hierdie apparaat simboliseer visie. Of jy nou maan of winkel toe gaan, jy moet weet hoe jy daar gaan kom en wat jy daar gaan maak. Ook só in die lewe. Hellen Keller sê: The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.

2. Blikkie Redbull: Passie, passie en nog ‘n keer passie! Jon Bon Jovi het gesê passion, not pedigree will win in the end. En hoe reg is hy nie! As jy die maan wil haal, gaan jy meer as net ‘n teelepel passie nodig hê.

3. ‘n Glas: ’n Mens kan tog nie op jou reis na die maan die heeltyd uit ’n tandepastabuis wil eet nie! Veral nie wyn drink nie! Maar eintlik is die glas net daar om jou, as die reis moeilik raak, te herinner dat jy moet onthou dat jou glas half vol is. Nie half leeg nie. Die glas is die simbool van optimisme. Jy gaan die maan net haal as jy optimisties is.

4. Pakkie Vetkryte: Nie net een nie. Al die kleure van die reënboog! Om maan toe te gaan sal jy soms kreatief moet wees. Om dié rede die kryte. Jy kan nie vir juffrou Rottenmeier van jou graad 1-klas blameer dat sy jou kreatiwiteit opgefoeter het nie. Kreatiwiteit het niks met jou kleinspierkoördinasie, of hoe mooi jy tussen die lyne kan inkleur, te make nie. Dit het alles te doen met hoe uit-die-boks jy kan dink.

5. Skaal: Die skaal is nie net om mee te weeg nie, maar om jou te herinner dat ’n mens balans nodig het om suksesvol te wees. Almal ken die ou spreekwoord all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, maar baie min pas dit suksesvol in hulle lewe toe. Jy sal baie uitgebrande wrakke op pad maan toe sien.

6. Twitterrekening: As jy die maan wil haal, sal jy al die nuwe tegnologie tot jou beskikking moet gebruik om daar te kom. Van tweet tot Facebook. Daar is nie meer enige verskonings nie. Of gebruik jy nog ’n telraam?

7. Maatband: Meet om te weet! ‘n Ou gesegde, maar baie is te bang om te weet. Jy moet jou reis, en dit waarmee jy besig is, gereeld evalueer. Of jy nou daarvan hou of nie. Dit is die enigste manier om te weet hoe naby of ver jy van die maan is.

8. Supermanbadge: Daar is bewerings dat Superman hom daar iewers in die ruimte bevind en ons wil liefs nie in sy verkeerde boekies beland nie. Daarom die badge. Jy wil wys jy is hom goedgesind en kom in vrede. Maar eintlik is die badge daar om jou te herinner dat jy iets besonders aanpak. Amper so heroïes soos ’n heldedaad van einste Superman. Verbeel jou jy is Superman en jy gaan soos ’n superheld begin optree.

9. Wonderbra: Behalwe dat jy dié kledingstuk as ’n noodwaaierband of masker kan gebruik, is dit eintlik daar vir die ondersteuning! Op jou reis gaan jy ondersteuning van jou medereisigers nodig hê. Let dus mooi op na wie klim saam met jou in die ruimtetuig.

10. Koerant: Koerante het stories. Deesdae nie te opbeurend nie, maar soms kom daar stories soos die van Larry Walters verby. Larry se storie kom sê vir jou dat as jy maan toe wil gaan, sal dit ’n roeping moet wees en nie ’n job nie.

Nou moet jy besluit. Maan toe of …

Jy kan, soos hulle in ’n destydse suikerrietadvertensie gesing het, bly soos jy is, of jy kan wegbreek …

Bly soos jy is, en moer toe is jou voorland!

Breek weg en die moontlikheid is daar dat jy die maan kan haal. Of dalk nie. Wat maak dit saak? Ten minste het jy probeer. En dit is eintlik die probeer wat die meeste saak maak.

Geronimo!

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out and defiantly shouting GERONIMO! – Bill McKenna

When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. – Unknown

A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams. – John Barrymore

The best thing in every noble dream is the dreamer… – Moncure Conway

Image: Evgeni Dinev/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Carla Pauw dances with grapes!

By Rian Truter on October, Sunday 23 2011 in 2011, Wine 2

With Carla in front of a very old wine press.

I first got acquainted with Carla and Saltare wines one lazy Saturday morning at the Stellenbosch Slow Food Market.

She and her husband, Christoff, are at the market every Saturday morning. They will be at their table inside the main hall; in the upper corner close to the stage.

Carla was born in Bloemfontein. Her parents later moved to Durbanville where she matriculated at Stellenberg High School. During high school she participated in sports and received her provincial colours in cross country running.

After school she had no idea what she wanted to do for a living. All she knew was that she was not compatible with an office job. She then first studied Human Movement Sciences and also went on to complete a degree in Town and Regional Planning.

Still no winemaking, I hear you ask. Wait the best is still to come!

Although she grew up as no stranger to wine, she never considered it as a career. While working part-time at Morgenhof the proverbial penny dropped.

She one day discovered that she had the ability to identify and smell the characteristics of the different cultivars. At that time Rianie Strydom was the winemaker at Morgenhof and she encouraged and motivated Carla a lot. For the first time she realised winemaking would suit her very well and she went back to Stellenbosch University for a degree in Viticulture and Oenology. I must mention the fact that while at university, she was also prim of her residence, Harmonie.

Her first harvest was at Tokara after which she completed harvests in Bordeaux, New Zealand and Spain. In 2000 she was employed at Anura Vineyards as winemaker. She kept this position until 2008, during which time Anura’s wines received numerous awards, including trophies at the prestigious Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show, as well as Best Red Wine at the 2005 SAA Wine Selection. Her wines have also won numerous Double Gold awards at the Michelangelo and Veritas Wine Awards.

In 2008 her position at Anura changed to consultant winemaker. As consultant she could devote more of her time to her own endeavor and that is experimenting with her favourite wine, méthode champagnoise, or sparkling wine which has undergone secondary fermenting in the bottle.

So what does Saltare mean? And where is it situated?

Saltare means dance in Latin. Not having her own vineyard she sourced grapes for the first harvest from various farms. She then placed the grapes in baskets and got her friends to dance on them to get the juice out of the grapes. This dancing, and the fact that she loves dancing herself, inspired the name Saltare. Saltare is a boutique winery without a farm or a cellar. At this stage Carla hire space from Welgevallen Cellars right in the heart of Stellenbosch.

To get to know Carla better, I asked her the following questions:

• Why did you become a winemaker?

It was that magical moment at Morgenhof when I realised I had a talent for tasting and identifing wine. And after that I went on to won the Zonnebloem amateur tasting competition!

• What is the best wine you have made?

Saltare MCC Brut Nature

• What is the best wine you have drunk?

Krug Clos du Mesnil 1998

• If not a winemaker, what else?

Something in nature. Maybe something to do with animals; but creative as well. Definitely not in an office.

• What’s left on your bucket list?

I want to make my own olive oil. Travel more.

• What pet(s) do you have?

Animals are a high priority in my life. At this moment I have two cats and a dog.

• What’s your favourite TV program?

Expresso (SABC 3)

• What songs do you sing in the cellar/shower/car?

Brindisi from La Traviata (especially recordings by Maria Callas). I also like the music of the Gotan Project, U2, Lira, Freshly Ground and Miles Davis.

• What motto do you live by?

Life is short. Enjoy it while you can and don’t postpone things that you want to do. Dream a lot.

• What do you think of box wine?

It’s not for me, but I believe there is a place for it. Maybe if the packaging was nicer?

• What wine do you drink if not your own?

Champagne. Especially Bollinger! Or wine from Priorat (Spain) and Sicily.

• What cultivar was the wine at the wedding reception in the New Testament?

Champagne!

• Tent or Hotel?

Depends on the occasion.

• How do you relax?

A walk with the dogs. A lekker kuier with friends. Eating out. Doing yoga.

In the tasting glass:

Saltare MCC Brut Nature

The Brut Nature is a fresh wine perfect on its own anytime during the day and amazing with oysters and other seafood. It spends a minimum of 18 months on the lees and we do not add any sugar or sulphur when it is disgorged. The dates of bottling and disgorgement are printed on each label to give you the exact time the bottle has spent on the lees.

Tasting notes: Aromas of sliced grapefruit and white flowers introduce the freshness of the wine, accompanied by brioche and biscuity notes. There are fresh lemon, strawberry, gooseberry, lime zest and honey-cake on the palate, with a delicate texture of oyster shells that reflects the chalky origins of the vines. The fine and consistent mousse leads to a complex, refreshing finish.

Production: 3000 bottles per year

Price per bottle: R 140.00

http://saltarewines.co.za

Tel. +27 21 883 9568

Come quickly, I am tasting the stars! – Dom Perignon

Remember gentleman, it’s not just France we are fighting for, it’s Champagne! – Winston Churchill

Too much of anything is bad, but too much of champagne is just right. – Mark Twain

Images: Chris

Hard work in the cellar.

2010 Harvest

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