Robertson replaced Franschhoek as his home turf and his heart has remained there ever since, despite a career spent shuttling between the two regions. He met wife Ann in the kitchen at renowned Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek.
'There was nothing much for a bachelor boy to do in Franschhoek in those days. It was long before the valley became such a vibey, hip wine and food mecca. After work, I'd pop into Le Quartier, owned by Arthur and Adré McWilliam Smith, and Adré would rope me in to do some chopping.'
So began two new love affairs for Pieter Ferreira: one with the McWilliam Smiths' daughter Ann 'who keeps me on the straight and narrow; the other with food. The pair have been cooking together ever since. From Franschhoek, it was to Robertson where William and Kate, the Ferreiras' very own 'royal couple', were born. Then it was back to Franschhoek when Pieter took on additional cellarmaster duties at a later Beck state-of-the-art winery on historic Bellingham wine farm.
In the next few years, with the Franschhoek property in the throes of transferral to Johann Rupert's nearby Anthonij Rupert Wines, and the children moving on... who knows, it may be back to Robertson.
The loss felt by Pieter Ferreira at the passing in mid-2010 of the man he has always referred to as 'Mr. Beck, is palpable, both on winemaking and personal level. 'I feel a responsibility to help continue the legacy he began.' Now in the hands of a family trust directed by Beck's widow Rhona and US-based son Antony, Robertson remains the home farm and heart of the family's wine business.
'But, wherever I hang my pot, that's my home is pretty much Pieter and 'Antjie's' version of the old Marvin Gaye song from the 1960s. An ever-expanding, daily dirtied collection of copper cooking pots suspended above the hob has accompanied them wherever they've settled. Starting with a few from Ann's late mother (who keeps an eye on cooking activities from a black-and-white portrait on the wall), it's been augmented on visits to famous family-owned kitchen shop E. Dehillerin (est. 1820) in Paris during winemaking and marketing trips to France.
'That's my car hanging there,' comments Pieter wryly. Casting about for some spending money prior to a working trip to France once, Ann suggested Pieter sell his beloved but basically on-bricks 1987 Ford Escort XR3. 'The whole lot - about R6 000 - was spent on copper pots!'
He replaced the car with another vintage run-around, a cherished open-top little burgundy Citroen 2 CV. That too is now in mothballs, possibly awaiting 'conversion' for another shopping trip to Paris' 1me Arrondissement if Ann had anything to do with it, or to be magically turned into the 'gorgeous peppermint green 1956 Aston Martin DB2/4 in the Franschhoek Motor Museum down the road' if it were up to Pieter.
Beef fillet with polenta and salsa verde recipe by Pieter Ferreira paired with The Ridge Syrah wine....
Seared salmon with olive oil and caramelised vinegar dressing recipe by Pieter Ferreira....