wine estates

Returning to visit the Cape we delight in the prospect of visiting new wine estates.  This year our first stop was Overgaauw which ticks all the boxes which matter most to us.  I love family run estates, they have a warm sense of home and history.  The current wine maker is 4th generation and a new addition to the family …

Yesterday we visited the Wine Show at Sandton Convention Centre, what an awesome afternoon out!  Cliff and I almost never get to go out alone together and we were very grateful that big sister Domi looked after little siblings Fjord and Acacia.  I love The Wine Show (previously called the Jo’burg Wine Show), I like the fact that it’s on …

On radio talk shows we had recently heard a few references to May de Lencquesaing and were fascinate by her story. She sounds like an incredible, dynamic lady. In her 70’s she moved from Bordeaux France to South Africa to start Glenelly Wine Farm. For 30 years she was the owner of Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Second Grand …

We visited Mulderbosch Vineyard on a family lunch outing.  Again having a play area with jungle gym and some space for the small people to roam free was a big plus. The restaurant only serves pizza but very good pizza which were thoroughly enjoyed all pizza are R75, there is a kids margarita pizza which is the same size as …

If there is somewhere to go for tea and cake on a Saturday afternoon in Paarl we didn’t find it.  The town is so beautiful, if I were to live in the Western Cape it would be my top choice from the areas which we have seen, but on a Saturday afternoon it was impossible to find a tea garden …

After a trip to Butterfly World we looked for somewhere to eat, after a disastrous meal at the Jungle Leaf Cafe at Butterfly world last year we did not risk eating there again.  Simonsvlei Wine Estate 5.3km from Butterfly world was the perfect place to go with small children, they had the best play area which I have seen at …

A visit to Hidden Valley Wines made me wonder if a name sometimes plays a part in a persons destiny.  It would be a waste of a cool name if Dave Hidden did not own a wine farm so perfectly suited to his name in such a perfect location. The smart tasting room is glass sided looking onto enormous shining …

When in the Western Cape, visiting wineries and wine estates really adds to the richness of the experience.  The venues are usually set in beautifully scenic areas and many are housed in amazing historical buildings.  Of course there’s also yummy wine to be had.  For a long time I was rather intimidated by wine drinkers, they use big words and …

Our visit to Grangehurst Winery was another good outing.  We bought a dry rose with a low sugar content of 1.1g.  With the exception of the rose which is a 2011 vintage the other wines on offer were no younger than 2005, proof that their wines age very well.  Our other purchase was the Nikela which is a lovely 2005 …

We popped into Lanzerac wine estate for a tasting.  They also sell very yummy chocolate truffles which are paired with the wines. The estate is one of the oldest and was founded in 1691. The estate now falls under the SFW (Stellenbosch Farmers Winery) umbrella so is corporately owned, I do prefer the family estates but the atmosphere at Lanzerac …