*Disclaimer: I have been hosted at both wineries. All views are my own and not paid for. All extra expenses were paid for by myself*
The valley of Franschhoek has many things to offer the avid foodie, wine aficionado and even the keen adventurer. Having lived most of my life in the beautiful Cape, I am not as well travelled as I would like to be, however this leaves me with an excuse to venture out and explore our bountiful province as much as I possibly can. A few weeks ago, I was invited to visit La Motte for the Harvest experience and GlenWood Winery for their gourmet sushi and wine offering and words cannot express what a lovely experience it really was, with that said have a look at these photos I took along with what I can best describe as being, utterly delicious!
Enjoy an introduction to the various varietals from Cabernet Sauvignon to Cabernet Franc, harvest processes are passionately and carefully explained for the layman or wine professional.Spot the differences between the various varieties and taste the sweetness of the ripe berries.
Interesting fact – La Motte practices biologic production. Additional grapes are obtained from other affiliated family-owned farms and La Motte-managed vineyards situated in various regions. This adds versatility to the grapes supplied to the La Motte cellar. Passionate about terroir, La Motte enjoys WWF Conservation Championship status, with the objective of keeping biodiversity intact.
In the cellar
Experience the hand-sorting of grapes, crushing, pump-overs and other cellar activities, concluded with a tasting of grape must (fermenting grape juice) from a fermentation tank.
In the tasting room
Sit down to a tasting of La Motte’s award-winning collection of wines – five wines from the La Motte Collection as well as the two wines from the estate’s renowned Pierneef Collection. My personal favourites are the 2018 Pierneef Syrah Viognier, the exquisite 2015 Hanneli R Syrah based blend and of course what would life be without a fantastic glass of MCC, the La Motte Methode Cap Classique is an absolute knock out of a bubbly!
What followed was a tranquil brunch underneath the age-old oaks. A special harvest lunch prepared by award-winning Chef Eric Bullpit and his talented team to end of a wonderful experience at La Motte. I couldn’t leave without a few bottles of the syrah viognier and of course their famous mosbolletjie loaf! I would drive the 35 +- minute trip just to visit again any day! Their Harvest experiences runs every year open to the public from the second week of February to the end of March. Bookings are essential.
Situated in the heart of the Franschhoek Valley (and slightly off the beaten track). Developed in 1984, GlenWood has established itself as a sought-after wine producer in local and international markets. With 25 ha under vine from which they produce close to 90,000 bottles annually, adhering strictly to sustainable farming guidelines, applying best labour practices and protecting their indigenous fynbos. The farm is surrounded by beautiful scenery, lush oaks and lawn with plenty of space of your furry friends and kids to play on. Owner Alastair Wood served us a glass of their Grand Duc Chardonnay, refreshingly light with a touch of body, a perfect accompaniment to their utterly delicious sushi.
The Food
With a high-end sushi restaurant situated on the premises guests get the opportunity to enjoy sushi accompanied by their wines in an idyllic outdoor setting looking out to the grand Franschhoek mountains, this certainly makes for a unique sushi and wine experience. GlenWood proves to have the ingredients for a memorable winelands lunch experience.
The Elgin Valley, synonymous with award-winning Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals that sing with cool climate melodic notes. Situated about 70 km’s from Cape Town. It’s incredibly easy to drive by if you’re not a local and just take in the scenic drive en route to another nearby town. In case you’re not familiar with South Africa, the Western Cape is a treasure trove of so many wondrous and beautiful wineries, each region takes on a different and own unique typicity of terroir. This fact excites me and could get me reading and listening about wine in a geographical sense for hours! Don’t get me started 🙂
Why Elgin you ask? For our honeymoon, we ended up touring a few of my favourite regions, such as the Walker Bay, Swartland and Bot River regions. So in reliving the magic, we decided on our first anniversary this year, we would explore another favourite, Elgin. The valley of not just cool climate wines, but the home of Appletiser, apples and, who can’t forget Peregrine!
Peregrine (not pictured here) has grown from a deli/farm stall into a tourist attraction for their fresh produce, freshly baked loaves of bread, wine section and restaurant. Outside a small grassy patch with a little park for the kiddies and pooches to be entertained and refreshed. This is one pitstop you cannot miss. Be sure to stock up on lots of delicious freshly pressed apple juice, sourdough, mosbolletjie bread, last but not least, the pies are LEGENDARY!
Our first winery stop, was at Oneric. O N E I R I C; pronounced “Oh! – ne – rik” borrowed from Greek terminology and roughly translated as ‘dream’ is exactly that – a gem nestled in the heart of the cool-climate Elgin Valley. Warmly received and graciously hosted. We found not only the view from the small estate but the Chardonnay quite a dream.
There were so many wineries on my list, and of course this was pre-lockdown, which also meant the valley was mostly empty. There next winery, I am a loyal admirer and consumer of, Elgin Ridge. We were fortunate enough to be hosted for a tasting by the Winemaker himself, Kosie van der Merwe. having been treated to a tasting of their incredibly delicious 2018 vintage 282 Chardonnay via a Coravin! (drools) Any oenophile will know when I say to own a Coravin is a dream indeed. I curiously ask in and out about the difference between organic and biodynamic viticulture, Kosie is visibly passionate about biodyamic viticulture in order to get the best out of the typicity that Elgin Ridge as a farm has to offer it is best to let the wines do the talking with minimal interference.
Today, Elgin Ridge is proudly certified biodynamic by Demeter (since 2016) and certified organic by ECOCERT (since 2012) and CERES, (since 2019). At current they are the only certified organic producer in the Elgin valley and one of just two certified biodynamic producers in the whole of South Africa! Visit purely for their range of gorgeous wines. The 282 Pinot Noir has a bright ruby colour and displays a raspberry and dark cherry fruit core with subtle hints of floral scent. On the palate, the acid adds an uplifting freshness to the cherry fruits and floral scent on the nose. Indulgent, special and one of those wines you open to celebrate something, be it, a celebration of life! The Crunch range, the everyday drinking range, but that’s certainly not to say it lacks in quality and taste. 50% whole bunch natural fermentation and aged for 7 months in concrete egg before bottling. With aromatics of intense raspberries and cranberries that carries over to the pallet with a salinity that leaves your mouth watering for more. The Crunch Sauvignon Blanc is equally delightful too!
Iona wineries was a bit of a trek up a 5km gravel road up alongside the hill that separates the main town from this (at the risk of sounding clichéd) hidden gem. I remember tasting their Sauvignon Blanc at the FNB TOP 10 awards, and was completely blown away, hence my eagerness to visit the estate. Greeted by a very fervent ridgeback pup leading us straight to the small but warm tasting room with a classic car emboldening the space but definitely not taking up space as one would think. The trek to find the winery was well worth it!
In the endeavour to produce a fine glass of wine from this stunning farm, Iona focuses on four quality wines; Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and the One Man Band, an estate blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Mourvedré and Viognier.The philosophy at Iona is to make wine that expresses the soils and climate as closely as possible, making use of sustainable farming methods and to maximise the use of natural products in farming and winemaking. Everything is done in-house, from the vineyard to the wine distribution.
Give me a glass of MCC any day and I will be more than content! I’ve heard very good things about this Elgin wine estate and of course needed to see what the fuss was all about. The tasting room dons many a memorabilia from days past from the owners adventures to photos paying homage to working with renowned French winemakers. Originally an apple and pear farm, The Furneaux Farm was purchased by Charles and Zelda Fox in 2005 after an intensive search for terroir that would be perfect conditions for growing chardonnay and pinot noir grapes and producing MCC. I do love a good Brut, the Charles Fox Reserve Brut Rosé was a token of which I decided to bring back home with me.
The weekend we spent wondering and tasting our way through the valley were spent mostly at Elgin Vintners, to which they have a guesthouse with four luxurious suites. We had the entire guest house to ourselves, but stayed in the Browne Suite. The Manor house was built in 1927 to a Sir Herbert Baker design, the Manor House has been restored to its Victorian glory, with all the modern comforts. Accommodating up to 10 guests in luxury suites, the Manor House is child-friendly and gives guests the run of the property, including the swimming pool, tennis court, garden and braai area.
Guests staying at the Elgin Vintners Manor House are offered the following complimentary services:
Breakfast – a full Continental or hot breakfast on order, complete with coffee & tea
Complimentary use of the estate’s swimming pool and tennis court
A complimentary wine tasting of 4 Elgin Vintners wines at the Tasting Room
Bottled water
Wireless internet
Bathroom and swimming towels
There were a few wineries like Almenkerk, Oak Valley and Paul Cluver that were unfortunately closed to visitors at that point before lockdown. But with level 3 in effect and with the hope of the virus coming to an end in the near future, I urge you to please plan your visits to as many of these wineries and perhaps if you can now, please order your favourite wines online from any of these magnificent wineries, in the Elgin region or any other local wine region for that matter.
Start planning your wine adventures, it’s never too late.
Why visit the quiet, dusty region of Swartland? I can give you plenty of reasons, starting with their daring winemaking techniques shaking up the wine industry, the picturesque vast landscapes that feel as though you’ve packed up your life and moved to a remote part of Mexico, not to mention the ample lovely places of accommodation in the area. In need of a quiet getaway to gather your thoughts and reflect? This is the place to do just that!
A last minute honeymoon surprise by my husband led us to the ever popular Kalmoesfontein farm, where the renowned A.A Badenhorst winery is situated on. A long and winded gravel road leads you to the farm that has three cottages on with a few more still to come. We stayed in the Silo cottage which has an open-planned farm feel with lots of fresh modern touches to the tranquil space.
Upon check in there was this magnificent picnic spread of cheeses, charcuterie, spreads and freshly baked sourdough bread that was baked on the farm! A picnic basket with a blanket was added in case we decided to take our picnic out on the farm wherever we chose. However, we were so exhausted from all the wine road-tripping that we chose to have our romantic picnic indoors in the comfort of our suite. With no TV, and no mobile devices brought along but lots of books, this place is ideal for the ultimate digital detox, couple getaway or the perfect family vacation for everyone.
We arrived a tad late which to my dismay meant for us that wine tastings were closed for the day/weekend. My dismay quickly turned to joy when the onsite manager Christine organised a bottle of their deliciously popular Secateurs Chenin Blanc for us to make up for no tastings, which proved to be the perfect accompaniment to the leftover cheese board!
A simple yet moreish farm breakfast with the freshest homemade sourdough toast accompanied with locally made relish, marmalade and jams and locally produced coffee that gives you just the kick you need to start off your day on the right footing. Breakfast is catered for by the incredibly warm and friendly staff on site. It is encouraged to roam around freely on the farm (with the main homestead off limits of course) Surrounded by patches of veggies, indigenous fynbos, and trees of plump ruby red pomegranates hanging like baubles on a Christmas tree ready to plucked off.
Our first day, after brekkie, we went wine tripping through Wellington. Stopping by Diemersfontein first to get a taste of their vast offering of wines. I’ve heard so many good things about them but prior to this visit have never been to visit. Well known for their award-winning Pinotage that keeps on racking up plenty of awards every year, Diemersfontein has recently launched another wine label under Thokozani wines.
Thokozani means “a celebration” and is a BEE Based and belonging to the POC Farmworkers. Thokozani prides itself on empowering their staff on the farm by making them shareholders in the company. This is such a great initiative seeing as the South African winelands does not exactly have a glowing reputation in terms of farm labour. They have 6 different wines, 5 of which are under the label Ovation and are available for sale at Woolworths’ Wine section. R65 gets you a tasting of five different wines of your choice. My favourites are the full-bodied Pinotage and the slightly tannic merlot.
The staff behind the tasting counter is incredibly knowledgable about their wines and the region in general, and even offered us a few options on where we should go next. Setting us off with a wine map and a taste for more of what the region has to offer.
Our next stop after a few u-turns, was Andreas Wines. A boutique Winery only specialising in Shiraz winemaking and growing only this varietal on the farm. Situated in the Bovlei valley, just outside of Wellington, this boutique winery is a well hidden gem comprising 4.5 hectares of vineyards, an elegant eighteenth century house and incredibly lush gardens. Having not called ahead and made an appointment for a tasting, the winemaker himself had accommodated us after a Skype call to partners in the U.K. Shaun Meyeridricks, formerly from Boekenhoutskloof (if you’re as much of a fan of their renowned Chocolate Block) Then you’ll want to start planning your visit to book a tasting and maybe even a stay at their luxurious cottages on site!
Shaun is incredibly passionate and not to mention knowledgable about Syrah as a cultivar. We spoke for almost two hours about Andreas wines, it’s origins and of course all things wine in general. The name Andreas was named after a previous owner, which the now new owners and partners from the U.K decided to keep. Booking is essential and tastings cost R45 pp. We tasted the 2015 vintage of Andreas Shiraz. Bruised dark berry, tart plum and a hint of spice on the palate, with incredible length! To say I was infatuated was understatement! If you buy a bottle or like me a case, the price of the tasting falls away. The one thing that really stuck with me after we left Andreas was the warm hospitality of Shaun, and Henry in charge of their lovely accommodation which I cannot wait to stay at next time! Oh and something Shaun mentioned to us “A bottle of wine should tell a story of the day you went to visit the estate.” To me, opening a bottle of Andreas Shiraz will now remind me of our perfect but brief visit to Andreas and how uniquely passionate the winemaker is.
Unfortunately we did not get a chance to visit some of my other favourite wineries in the Swartland area due to monthly or quarterly scheduled tastings. We will certainly be back and this post will then be updated with plenty more wineries to choose from!
On my list was:
A.A Badenhorst Family Wines
The Sadie Family
Testalonga
David & Nadia
Mullineux & Leeu
This week Friday I am headed back to the Hemel-en-Aarde region with a few industry professionals to visit Creation Wines. A winery that was on my list when there but sadly had to give it a skip. The excitement is building and I cannot wait to share with you my experience!
And this folks was the end of our honeymoon wine trip!
Being a new-found wine geek, I’ve only recently discovered that Walker Bay/Hemel-en-Aarde is renowned for South Africa’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay during my recent WSET courses. This left me with a curious palate and a sense of adventure to travel to the wine region. Not knowing the area very well, I opted to stay in an AirBnB close-by to the glorious valley and the sea-side town of Hermanus. This is the second instalment of my three part wine-trip honeymoon series. I wish we had more time to explore all of the regions and wineries in each region but alas reality was calling.
Hemel-en-Aarde is a top cool climate for winemaking in South Africa situated towards Hermanus along the scenic and picturesque R320. There is beauty in abundance in the valley, it definitely feels as though you are between Heaven and Earth.
The most southerly situated wine farm in the region was purchased in 1975 by founder Tim Hamilton Russell. Mr Hamilton Russell is said to have founded the Hemel-en-Aarde region. With his fascination of Pinot Noir as inspiration to bring this soft and delicate gem of a varietal to South Africa. His son, Anthony Hamilton Russell, who took over in 1991 and then buying the property in 1994, narrowed the winery’s range to Pinot noir and Chardonnay only and registered Hamilton Russell Vineyards as an Estate, committing to work only with grapes from their terroir.
We were in a very laidback kind of mood and thus didn’t make any bookings for wine tastings, which is encouraged especially with this region having lots of boutique wineries that sometimes insist on bookings. I would imagine this is because of the small number of staff on the farms. We were lucky enough to show up and have the tasting room manager assist us in an impromptu and very insightful tasting experience. ladies and gentelmen, this was the day I fell head over heels in love with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay! Something for the fellow wine geeks – this region’s soil is made up of a stony, clay-rich, shale-like minerality and is optimal for the growth of varietals produced in this area.
The HR 2018 Pinot Noir has elegant balance and structure, elevated length that carries the delicious notes of dark red fruit, alluring spicy and savoury notes on the palate. Reminiscent of a very good burgundy. The Chardonnay entices with lime, crisp green pear on the nose, has bright natural acid and earthy minerality which the terroir lends to this wonderfully elegant wine. The 2018 Ashborne Pinotage/Cinsault is an unwooded blend of 80% Pinotage and 20% Cinsault and is made from grapes sourced from old vineyards in the Swartland appellation. The richness and depth of the Pinotage is sophistocatedly freshened by the lightness and brightness of the Cinsault. This had me beaming with excitement, as our next wine region stop was the exciting and daring Swartland! With all the wedding gift money we were so lucky to receive ,we left with a few bottles of 2016 Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and the 2018 Ashborne Pinotage/Cinsault, and a few rocks I requested from the tasting room manager that was on display in the charming tasting cottage for reference for my next WSET Level 3 course. This was certainly one of a few highlights of this trip for me. (not the rocks, the wine guys!)
A short drive from Hamilton Russell, is the acclaimed Newton Johnson. Like HR racking up local and international awards with the likes of Decanter and Platters is an easy feat with the quality of their wines and passion of their winemakers. Owned and managed by the Newton Johnson family, the farm is situated in the upper Hemel-en-Aarde valley. Well known for their mastery in producing Pinot Noir at its best, they believe in making wine with purity of flavour and natural expression. They offer three ranges of wines, namely the Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Range, The Newton Johnson range, and Felicité by Newton Johnson. The first and second bowled me over. Specifically the Windansea Pinot Noir unfortunately not for tasting and exclusively available only at their winery, originates from a specific block on the Estate, and of course the 2017 Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir which has such bold expressive characteristics and elegant structure.
Home to the 2018 SA Wine Index 100 point award for the elegant Galpin Peak Pinot Noir, the 125-hectare property only has 22 hectares under vine with the rest left wild to conserve the indigenous Fynbos flora. The winery began as collaboration between Paul Bouchard, celebrated Burgundian winemaker, and locally awarded Peter Finlayson. Together, they built what is today world-renowned as Bouchard Finlayson.
The Husband taking in the view
When visiting, the tasting rooms were abuzz with wine-influenced bubbly chatter and laughter, with a few groups of tourists and one or two locals indulging in some leisurely wine-tasting on a weekday. Having only tasted a select few, like the Galpin Peak Pinot Noir which was an interestingly structured with a hint of jammy red fruit. The highlight for me was the legendary Kaaimansgat-Crocodile’s Lair Chardonnay. The Kaaimansgat /Crocodile’s Lair vineyard is hidden away in the Elands Kloof Valley behind the village of Villiersdorp, just 80km from Hermanus. A spot inside a valley nestled amongst majestic mountains. I can certainly see why this winery pulls so many awards! Other cultivars from the farm include Sauvignon Blanc, Sangiovese, Chenin Blanc and Riesling as well as some newer varieties: Nebbiolo, Barbera and Mourvèdre.
I adore the architecture of the tasting room building of this invigorating winery, incredibly bold, and at the same time traditional like a majestic old chapel. Greek for “a serene state of mind, free from worry and preoccupation”, Ataraxia certainly lives up to the hype and name. This was our last stop in Hemel-en-Aarde with only so much wine I could consume in one day. Make sure to keep hydrated with lots of water (no, wine doesn’t count) and line your tummies with lots of tasty food to soak up all the wine! Please also make the responsible decision to have a designated driver along with you when wine-tripping, so you can really go all out and have as much fun! 🙂
In 2004, The Skyfields Farm was visioned into the Ataraxia wine label when husband and wife team, Kevin and Hanli Grant and a few friends purchased this 47-hectare prime vineyard property situated on a steep slope in upper hemel-en-aarde, with views that only can only dream of if not seen with your own eyes! Okay, Wine geeks fix your eyes, there are fourteen soil types on Ataraxia derived from the deposits of Table Mountain Sandstone, Cape Granite and Bokkeveld Shale. Collectively, all of these deposits make up the geology of the Hemel-en-Aarde region and can be traced back to more than 1000 million years. Interesting stuff, right?!
The 2017 Ataraxia Chardonnay, is an exquisite example of the varietal and this one commands respect, like our insightful wine consultant enthusiastically mentioned. This Chardonnay has bold crisp flavours of green apple peel, lemon zest and vanilla on the nose. The 2016 Pinot Noir is what I had to leave with. It’s intoxicating earthiness, minerality as well as bruised dark fruit made it such an easy choice, but who could choose between these two elegant wines! I adore the ruby red colour, especially glistening in the autumnal sun.
This legendary eatery is listed on the Top 100 Eat Out list as a unique dining experience not to be missed. They come highly recommended to all I’ve spoken to in the know. Don’t leave without trying their famous Seafood Curry!
Again, on a very lax and lazy buzz, because I mean honeymoon! We decided to pop in without phoning ahead to see if we were lucky enough to snag a spot in the local seaside eatery. Upon Entry the restaurant was packed to the rafters for a Tuesday evening, however the chef himself warmly welcomed us in and insisted he make space for us at the best seats in the house, in a little nook right next to the kitchen. Something I appreciate being that close to all the action and intoxicating aromas wafting out of the kitchen. Starters was a plate of fresh West Coast Oysters, a glass of Gabriëlskloof Rosebud Rosé which would prove to pair perfectly with both the starters and the mains which of course was the incredibly delicious seafood curry, served with freshly made naan. My Husband had “the best fish ever” which was a dish of succulent Snoek with sweet potato that had been roasted then fried to a crisp on the outside. The salty, smokey and sweet combination is what he loved but more over the texture of the fish was spot on!
Plaaskombuis
A farm-stall diner with delicious home-cooked meals and old-school thick milkshakes and family-friendly garden outside with a play area for the kids. Conveniently situated along the R320 between the wineries for those looking for a pitstop to fuel up on wholesome deliciousness. They have a cute little store on site, where you can stock up on your trip snacks.
I can’t stress how much you need to visit the valley between Heaven and Earth and the seaside town of Hermanus! I would suggest going in the off peak seasons to benefit from the fact that accommodation would be more affordable and will be a tad bearable if you’re like me and can’t do crowds.
I would suggest calling ahead and booking if you’re in larger groups of 5 or more. I think in our case, we were really lucky to just pop in, especially with the smaller boutique wineries.
Happy International Chardonnay day! What will you be celebrating with?
Dominique x
**This post is not sponsored. All expenses were personally incurred**
In my haste to help plan my honeymoon together with my now husband, yes! it’s been just over a month since we said ‘I do’! My head had been full of all of the outlandish ideas of travelling South Africa, maybe even abroad but weddings do cost quite a bit of money. This is when the thought occurred to me whilst sipping on a glass of Saboteur – Luddite “Aha! we’ll go wine tripping!” lucky for me my enthusiastic other half was happily on board with my plans and even planning a secret stay at the end of our blissfull week away.
Where did we go? We started our wine region road trip in Bot River with a stay at the breathtakingly beautiful and secluded Copia Eco Cabins some 7-8 km’s from the sleepy town, and toured some of the wineries in this spectacular region. We moved on to two other wine regions, Hemel-en-Aarde/Walker Bay and the exciting Swartland.
Because we saw and tasted quite a bit in those respective wine regions, I will be breaking it up into three parts per wine region. The name Bot River derives from the meaning ‘Butter River’, where the local Khoi tribe used to sell butter. With just an hours drive from Cape Town you get to feel like you’re in a different country, with small town charm and picture-perfect views. Perfect for a family getaway or a romantic honeymoon.
Copia Eco Cabins
Affordable, high in demand, incredibly beautiful and so serene, our stay at Copia certainly was the ideal breakaway that this city slicker needed. If you love looking after your car as much as we do, then beware of the gravel road with many bumps along the way to the cabin, either take the chance (like we did) or hire an off-roader if you can. I highly recommend booking a stay here but do it at least a good couple of months in advance it tends to fill up very quickly.
Copia provides you with firewood, firelighters, tasty rusks, sugar, coffee, and a few farm fresh eggs. With only one little mini market in the town selling only the basics, so do take a few goodies with you that you could cook on the braai (barbecue) or on the two plate gas stove in the fully equipped modern kitchen. There’s no TV and there’s absolutely no signal out there, perfect for a digital detox! I’d recommend bringing a few good books accompanied with your favourite wines to enjoy on the wood-clad balcony or in the luxurious hot tub overlooking the valley. Top tip: The hot tub is powered by a wood-fired stove, although there are instructions on how to fire it up, it does take a while to master the art of keeping the fire alive, so start a few hours in advance before you plan on soaking it up like a boss.
Try the Tapas for two that comes with a tasting of their Estate range of about 6 wines. The Tapas and the Rosebud Rosé was by far the highlight of our visit. The tapas board consisted of freshly baked flatbreads, the most fragrant dukkah ever, two types of hummus, the butternut one though! You’ll need a moment of silence for it, pulled pork tacos, and crispy salt and pepper squid, with every morsel and sip of wine, it’s clear that care and thought went into the making of not only the delicious bites of food but their wines too. Did you know? Gabriëlskloof produces their very own olive oil from groves on their farm, they are also renowned for their award-winning old-vine Chenin blanc, Elodie.
Just a short drive away from Gabriëlskloof we reach Wildekrans Wine Estate. The first thing I notice is the informative board about mountain leopards that roam freely in the nearby woods, just then I had heard a crunch of leaves, my heart starts pounding at the thought that it could be a leopard lurking close by but to my relief it was only a cyclist zooming past. Okay, enough excitement for one day! Here’s why you should visit: the tasting room is situated in the original Cellar building built in 1936, which has been restored to its former glory, the Barrel Select Pinotage which a cool climate Pinotage show elegant complexity with delicious juicy red fruits and dark plum with hints of leather and tobacco on the palate. All this wine tasting can work up a decent appetite, next to the tasting room is their popular restaurant Forage. Sadly the kitchen was closed when we arrived.
Hosted by none other than Winemaker Sebastian Beaumont himself. He had sent his staff off to Cape Town for a post-harvest celebration, which meant he was manning the tasting room. We started off with the white wines and worked our way to the reds, my favourite from the first flight is the 2018 Hope Marguerite Chardonnay. My hubby’s fave is the Beaumont Vitruvian red blend. Why the peculiar name? The key component of their 200 yr old water mill is known as a Vitruvian Mill. This is where the inspiration for the name came from. We were lucky enough that it was a quiet time of day in the little town of Bot River that I got to pick Sebastian’s brain about wine, South Africa Wine on the international stage and how we are actually in a league of our own in terms of what we have to offer as a new world wine region. He surprised us with a little memorabilia for our honeymoon, a 2000 vintage bottle of Beaumont Mourvedré! Certainly one of those keepsakes you get to look at but don’t open, given its age. Thank you Sebastian for the hospitality and great memory we will always have!
It was at The Shortmarket club that the sommelier had recommended a glass of Luddite Saboteur red blend to accompany the chargrilled lamb rack, and what a match made in heaven! Ever since I’ve been a Luddite fanatic. A year ago, we drove from Cape Town to Bot River just to have a tasting at Luddite and to my surprise the winemaker, Niels Verburg had hosted it himself around the long table with other wine enthusiasts alike. That day we went back home with boxes of our favourite varietals and vintages and a jar of apricot jam that Niels had suggested we absolutely must take home.
This time, having our Luddite wine stash back at home, we knew to make a stop as we headed out of the town to stock up on that delicious jam. Yes, it is just that good! The jam is made from apricots grown on the farm, and made on site too. I highly recommend you take a drive soon to see what i’m talking about.
Eat Out in Bot River
Manny’s Kitchen serves the best damn chicken prego roll and chips I have ever devoured in my 31 years of life! Over the train tracks and what looks like an old train station is The Shuntin’ Shed. The theme is American dinner meets South African bistro. They serve up a mean gourmet burger and their pizzas are pretty good too. Although we never made it out to this vibey spot, The Bot River Hotel has a lovely restaurant which proves to be quiet busy every day.
*These are my own views based on my experience thus this post is not sponsored. All accommodation, tastings etc was at our own expense. *
It always astounds me how much beauty exists right in my backyard, I mean I am situated just 5 minutes from The Durbanville Wine Route and 20 minutes, on a good day that is, from the breathtaking beautiful Winelands. Darling, an hour’s drive from Cape Town, is the perfect pit-stop town, with so many to see, do and taste. This charming town is fast becoming a favourite of mine. If you read my last blog post you will know that I visited Darling Brew, a local craft microbrewery also situated in the heart of Darling.
Darling Lodge is a 3 starred guest house with a beautiful Victorian feel inside and out. This grand dame offers three individually styled country rooms. The more modern garden annex consists of three further generously appointed rooms with a grape-vine covered patio which overlooks the sparkling swimming pool.
We drive around leisurely stopping to see all of the weird and wonderful types of scarecrows propped up all around town in preparation for the Scarecrow festival which took place from the 26 – 28th of October. Finding Darling Lodge is no hard task, located in the heart of the town, just off of the main artery of Darling. We pull up to the entrance of Darling Lodge, with a scarecrow affectionately named ‘Bennie’ of their own perched up on their post surrounded by plentiful blooming flora. Co-Owner Stephan warmly receives and welcomes us in. Showing us around all of the available suites, aptly named after local artists, each suite is styled according to the artists’ style together with the personal touch of their own flare both Stephan and partner Olivier posses.
We’re escorted to their lush and serene garden which feels as though we’ve been transported to an English garden in what I would imagine a setting would look like out of an Emily Brontë novel. You’re probably wondering how their beautiful gardens look and stay this lush? Guests are encouraged to reuse their shower water (remember, no taking baths as we’re still in a drought) with 5 litre bottles punctured to let the water seep out into the ground with spouts attached at the top to make it much easier. Stephan tells us most guests actually enjoy this water-wise chore!
Darling Lodge Guest House is the perfect venue for small business meetings and conferences, individual retreats, anniversaries or weddings of up to 24 guests. Children of all ages are welcome. They offer secure off street parking, a swimming pool with open air lounge, free internet Wi-Fi, a cosy TV lounge with garden view and privacy certainly conducive to curling up or putting your feet up to read a good book, an honesty bar (licenced), a relaxing library and individual concierge services.
Breakfast is served near the garden in the breakfast room equipped with plenty of varieties of tea and coffee, juices and more. The ambiance in the breakfast room as is the whole lodge is that of a family friendly, stay as long as you want type of feel.
Spend a weekend catching up on R&R or take a walk exploring Darling. There’s so much to see and do in the town and surrounds. Visit: http://www.darlinglodge.co.za/attractions.html and find out more. Stephan is quite knowledgeable about attractions in the area and where to get the best meal in and around the little town.
Find Darling Lodge Guest House through Darling on the Culture Route on West Coast Way and book your stay today! Have a look at their newly renovated website too:
Darling Lodge is a 3 starred guest house with a beautiful Victorian feel inside and out. This grand dame offers three individually styled country rooms. The more modern garden annex consists of three further generously appointed rooms with a grape-vine covered patio which overlooks the sparkling swimming pool.
Darling Lodge Guest House is the perfect venue for small business meetings and conferences, individual retreats, anniversaries or weddings of up to 24 guests. Children of all ages are welcome. They offer secure off street parking, a swimming pool with open air lounge, free internet Wi-Fi, a cosy TV lounge with garden view and privacy certainly conducive to curling up or putting your feet up to read a good book, an honesty bar (licenced), a relaxing library and individual concierge services.
The Corkless Mind 