The Corkless Mind

Tag: Honeymoon

Off the Beeten Track – Why you should Visit the Swartland and Wellington Wine Regions
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!

Happy Wine Wednesday! 🍷

Dominique x
June 12, 2019
Off the Beeten Track – Visit the Hemel-en-Aarde Wine Region

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.

Hamilton Russell

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!)

Newton Johnson

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.

Soil samples of the three blocks on the vineyard.

Bouchard Finlayson

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.

Ataraxia

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.

Another highlight of our trip?

Where to eat:

Fisherman’s Cottage

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**

May 23, 2019