Ken MacKenzie - real fighter pilots drink Hartenberg Shiraz.
Irishman Ken MacKenzie was the type of man to be avoided if angry.
He had a fierce temper.
On October 7th, 1940, during the Battle of Britain, he was piloting his Hurricane Fighter over the London docks, fighting aerial duels with the Luftwaffe.
He must have been pretty annoyed. After running out of ammunition he chased a German Messerschmitt 109 back across the channel towards France.
He caught up with the German and rammed him, causing him to crash into the sea. His damaged plane limped back home over the white cliffs of Dover and he crash landed, losing a few teeth. He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for this action.
MacKenzie went on to become a fighter ace, was promoted to Wing Commander, was shot down over France, and ended up as a prisoner of war in Nazi Germany. He eventually escaped by pretending he was insane by affecting a terrible stammer. He was nicknamed “Stork” , because of his long legs.
He lived in southern Africa for a long period after the war, running the Zambian Air Force, Kenyan Airlines and doing a bit of farming. During this time his tipple of choice became Shiraz from the Hartenberg Estate.
MacKenzie passed away in 2009, aged 92.
The Stork Shiraz 2008 honours Ken MacKenzie.
It’s a 4 1/2 Star wine in Platter’s SA Wine Guide 2011.
A Hurrican Fighter Plane.
In this years Syrah du Monde competition in France it won top place against 445 other Shiraz wines from around the world.
The winemaker, Carl Schultz, describes a wine that teems with flavours of black fruit, violets and cherries - richness, with a broad
palate to finish.
And for Father’s Day we’d like to commemorate Ken by making Stork Shiraz our wine of the month, and we are also giving away a bottle as a prize for one of our lucky readers.
It’s worth R380, and is a limited production, due only for release in September.
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is to send me an e.mail, telling me why your Dad deserves this wonderful bottle of wine for Father’s Day.
Please e.mail me on clare@spill.co.za
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