Honoring the New Year, is a series of posts highlighting sites and links, that I find amusing or inspiring when viewed through the lens of my identity and world-view as a Witch and Pagan.

So I was surfing the internet the other day, trying to correct and expand some of the links on my “Links!” page… it was brought to my attention that several of the links originally listed in Ceremonial Magick more properly belonged in their own area under Thelema…when I discovered todays amusement…

Thelema Mountain Vineyards

No!  Seriously!!

South Africa is, over all, rather blessed for a country its size with a fair amount of wine country, a long history of viticulture and vintnery.  Ostensibly named for the Abbey of Thelema from Rabelais’ “Gargantua and Pantagruel” this Vineyard and Winery is in  Stellenbosch, which is the epicenter of the Wine making industry of South Africa.   Stellenbosch is the Loire, The Napa or Okanagan Valley of South Africa.

Now is definitely the time to try wines some of the superlative wines  from South Africa as global warming will undoubtedly have some variety limiting and production altering effects on this viticultural earthly paradise.

See, wine grapes come in all different varieties… species too, but the main species for wine making is Vitis Vinifera… and these different varieties evolved in some very specific areas and under specific conditions… and these are the conditions that certain grape varieties thrive under.

This is why you have some French Champagne houses looking at investing in land in the South of Britain as an early investment against global warming. The Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes that are used in Champagne may not be suitably grown in the Champagne region by the end of this century.  No word yet on what they’d actually call French made Champagne grown somewhere other than Champagne… since you’d pretty much HAVE to make it near the vinyards to ensure quality…

…did I mention that wine grapes are finicky?

Anyhow now is definitely the time to start trying out wines from South Africa, while they are at their finest and the peak of their game.  If you’re looking for an investment in the future start looking to unconventional wine regions like Canada… yes, I said Canada.

Now the observant amongst you may have observed that when talking about Thelema Vineyards, I said “Ostensibly named after…” well go read their about our name page and tell me what you think…

Peace,

Pax

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