Now this Beverage Manager has taste!

I’m just loving these interviews. Reading James’ answers to the ‘Getting to know you…’ questions took me off on a couple of journeys of my own.

A restaurant in Maputo; 4 hour working weeks; cool music; champagne in the mornings and a very interesting claim to fame!!

Meet James Boreland, Beverage Manage at the Taj Hotel in Cape Town. You MUST follow the link to his favourite getaway spot!

Name:
James Boreland

Claim to Fame:
20 years ago at a blind sparkling, MCC & Champagne tasting I once wrongly identified a bottle of Nederburg Kaap Sekt, which had been a display bottle in a wine shop window in Franschhoek (with the sun belting down on it for three months), as a bottle of Bollinger RD (no not the ’79 vintage!).

I’m still reminded of this!

Favourite restaurant?
Restaurante Costa do Sol on the Marginal, Maputo for the freshest line fish and LM piri-piri prawns; with a Maputo sunset on the skyline or more locally, Brewers & Union for a charcuterie platter and a couple of Steph Weiss craft beers.

Favourite getaway spot?
Ibo Island, Quirimbas Archipelago, Northern Mozambique

Favourite music at the moment?
Old Ska / Rocksteady.

Artists like Desmond Dekker and Toots & The Maytals

What book(s) are you reading?
The 4-hour Working Week by Tim Ferriss

Sweet or Savoury?
Savoury

Favourite celebration?
Christmas

What do you never go to a party without?
A good bottle in the hand and taxi fare in the back pocket

Do you remember your first sip of champagne?
I don’t remember that far back!

When do you usually drink champagne?
Before 10am, 9 on the weekend

Do you keep champagne corks from special occasions?
Corks no, but I do have a collection of over 1000 metal crown caps!

The perfect accompaniment to bubbly?
Someone special coupled with a couple of dozen Luderitz oysters

Most memorable champagne moment?
Sharing a bottle of Krug on Boxing Day on the Charles Bridge, Prague whilst it was snowing. The Champagne actually got colder as we sipped!

You’re sitting at your favourite restaurant with chilled Genevieve MCC on the table. Who is joining you?
PL …… don’t ask!!