At lunch with Cope parliamentary leader Mbhazima Shilowa last month, I asked him for his take on the application of a government exploration company to prospect in the vineyards of the Stellenboschkloof, Bottelary Hills and Tygerberg. "They're up to nonsense," was his reply. While the region is undoubtedly prospective, supplying terroir for a tin mine (which provided employment for Herman Charles Bosman's dad) a century ago, perhaps the real reason for the prospecting application is to divert attention from the real target located on neighbouring hills - Asara, Morgenhof, Dornier, Saxenburg, Bein and the many other foreign owned wine farms in the Western Cape. Land ownership has been an emotive issue in South Africa since Jan van Riebeeck relocated the strandlopers and the ANC's nose is thrust in the elegant Riedel sommelier series glass held by a foreign hand on a daily basis. Last week The Times reported government intended to "put the restriction of foreign land ownership in South Africa back on the table". A development far more serious than granting a few exploration permits which monopolizes the attention of local wine commentators at the minute. Speaking in parliament last week, minister of Land Affairs, Gugile Nkwinti, called foreigners buying land "a recipe for chaos...". Foreigners are buying land three times more than the government in the country; that is partly why we have to look at the system in South Africa... It's inevitable because at some point we will end up not having land as a country. So we will look at the quantities and at some point we will make this information available." Restrictions on foreign ownership of land in South Africa have been raised in public by ANC politicians for many years with Thabo Mbeki even launching an investigation into foreign ownership. As government's own land distribution program quietly collapses (The Times reported last week that over 90% of farms bought by the government for restitution or redistribution to victims of apartheid have collapsed, threatening food security and economic growth) the obvious and well-publicized success of foreign-owned wine farms coupled with painfully slow transformation of the South African wine industry, mock the whole policy. My Irish dozen (15) shopping list of leading foreign wineries. The list is by no means exhaustive. Almenkerk: owned by Belgian lawyer-turned-winemaker Joris van Almenkerk. One of the flintiest new wave Elgin Sauvignon Blancs that jumped into the pages of a sighted wine guide in red ink (denoting a sighted assessment of four stars). Asara: owned by Harley Davidson rider Markus Rahmann who has developed one of the most opulent hotels in the Winelands. Markus in leathers with more diamonds in his ears than Lucy gives a new meaning to bling. Capaia: owned by Baron von Essen, this estate is one of the pioneers of wine farming in Philadelphia. The opposite of Markus in terms of style. Eikendal: owned by the Swiss publisher of the leading financial newspaper in Zürich, Eikendal wines are popular with Lufthansa. Glen Carlou: now owned 100% by Swiss billionaire art lover Donald Hess who also owns wineries and vineyards in Argentina, Napa Valley, Australia and Paarl. Glenelly: owned by Bordeaux Grande Dame May Eliane de Lencquesaing who will celebrate her 85th birthday in Stellenbosch, soon. Happy birthday, Madame! May is certainly the most elegant and arguably highest profile foreign châtelaine in South Africa. Haskell Vineyards: owned by flamboyant American property mogul based in Moscow, Preston Haskell, a sighted five star accolade was always a given for the best friend of Prince Albert of Monaco. But with Aussie professional golfer Grant Dodd keeping an eye on quality, no one is crying foul. Journey's End: owned by retired SAS action man Roger Gabb who started Kumala, the largest South African wine brand in the UK which famously had assets in South Africa of one bakkie. Roger has now bought a couple of farms above Gordon's Bay to house his wine interests. L'Avenir means "the future" in French and could this be the future of South African wineries, to be owned by a French negoçiant with a girl's name, Jeanjean? Le Bonheur, Uitkyk, Stellenzicht, Alto, Neethlingshof: 50% owned by German banker and financier and Hong Kong resident Hans-Joachim Schreiber. Historic brands and plenty of prime terroir. A plan to develop Uitkyk as a boutique hotel a few years ago foundered after threats by Gugile's predecessor to restrict foreign ownership of land in South Africa. Morgenhof: owned by Anne Cointreau whose family makes a spirit you might have heard of and a Champagne, Gosset, you probably haven't. Morgenster: owned by Italian wool magnate Giulio Bertrand. For many people's money, the most elegant Bordeaux-inspired red blend in the Cape. Saxenburg: owned by the Swiss family Bührer, the SSS Shiraz broke all price and quality barriers on its release. Vergelegen: owned by international mining giant Anglo American with head office in London and an American CEO. Waterkloof: owned by Mancunian Paul Boutinot. Puts biodynamic farming on a commercial basis with 50ha of vineyards farmed according to the precepts of Rudolf Steiner. Click here to read more on the story on Pendock's blog.