The last few months have been fabulous from start to finish. I have travelled and met amazing people along the way. Kanu is getting legs to the most extraordinary places around the world and I am so excited to see what awaits in 2014.The Chardonnay grapesIn the Vineyards the Kanu team are hard at work preparing the vines. Weed control is the order of the day, while all the water pipes have been serviced; ready to keep the vines from dehydrating in the coming summer's heat.The news from the Cellar is that Johan has finihed bottling the Giselle MCC 2013, where secondary fermentation will take place. More of the Giselle 2012 has been degorged due to a ever growing demand in the market. This will be labelled within a week, before being dispatched nationwide. So if you happen to enjoy a ice cold bottle of Giselle over the festive season, know that it has made its way to you with the love and dedication of the Kanu team.The brand new batch of barrels has arrived, which always gives me butterflies. These remarkable 170 year old oaks have been grown, cut and moulded to perfection, to be brought all the way to Kanu and become part of our master piece wines. It is small things like this that brings the excitement and rush of the 2014 harvest home.Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2012 The Chardonnay Pinot Noir is a pink glass of bliss, served ice cold on a blistering summer’s day. Boasting flavours of citrus, ripe white pear, cranberry and bramble berries. A seductively balanced wine, marrying the noble cultivars of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. My favourite summers dish is an oak smoked salmon and avocado salad served with a fresh lemon dressing. Ribbon cucumbers, buffalo ricotta and baby green salad leaves. Cracked pepper and Maldon salt to top it off… What a better way to celebrate the Kanu Chardonnay Pinot Noir with?To learn more about the Kanu Chardonnay Pinot Noir, click HERE.(Easy-Peasy) Caprese tart with roasted tomatoes I “met” foodie Alida Ryder one random day on Twitter, after I went on and on about how great the new Nomu food catalogue looked. Well, Alida was the one who had styled and co-produced the recipes for Nomu’s monthly recipe cards. So as time passed I started to get a food-crush on her work. (Everything she touches makes me drool!) She has quickly become the Nigella of South Africa and definitely one to keep an eye on. She has a cookbook called Simple & Delicious: Recipes from the Heart and also has a website and blog (www.simply-delicious.co.za) where you can food-stalk her like me.Alida’s “Caprese tart with roasted tomatoes” is the perfect quick-summers-dish. Serve with a leafy salad and a glass of chilled Kanu Viognier and you are ready to impress! Click HERE for full recipe.Click HERE to read more online.