Hello 2017! I’ve been enjoying the last couple of weeks soaking up a beautiful stay-cation (for me) holiday with my family in the Cape Winelands. I actually absolutely love the opportunity to show people around and experience my own home city like a tourist.
We wasted no time and made sure to do, see and eat as much as we could fit into our time together. I was once again reminded just how lucky I am to call this place home.
Here are a couple of pictures that I hope will inspire you to come visit the winelands of the Western Cape for yourself!
Peter Falke
Peter Falke is a beautiful farm and was a huge hit with our family. We loved it so much that we ended up going twice. They have a beautiful sprawling lawn, beanbags to relax on, dramatic mountain views, excellent wines and exceptional service. They also stay open until 7pm, so you can go for a tasting after lunch or order a bottle of wine to enjoy at golden hour as the sun goes down.
Jordan Wine Estate
Jordan is one of my favourite farms. Their shaded deck, where the bakery serves lunch, looks out onto a crazy beautiful view, their wine is pure excellence and their food is a treat. We ordered a couple of cheese boards to start and I had this massive burger with triple fried potato chips. If you’re a Chardonnay fan like I am, I urge you to splurge on their Nine Yards Chardonnay – worth every cent.
Boschendal
I absolutely cannot get enough of this incredible farm. They have so much to offer and they do it all so well. Wine tastings, picnics under the trees, lunch in a light, airy sit-down restaurant, an awe inspiring garden where they harvest almost everything they serve and of course it goes without saying that the wine is amazing. I could photograph every inch of this farm and not get bored. It’s definitely definitely worth a visit – or a couple of visits probably.
Spier
I’ve been to Spier so many times I’ve lost count and it never gets old. What I love about this farm is that while it may come across as a slick operation – which it is – it’s got a pure, beating, heart of gold. For instance, almost everything you eat on the farm grows right there, organically. They also recycle most of their water and waste. Even the plastic wrappers that their brownies come in are made from sugar cane and are biodegradable. They offer a wide variety of wine tasting experiences, but my favourite thing to do is grab a picnic basket and load it up with deli items to enjoy under the willow trees next to the dam.
Lourensford
We visited The Millhouse Kitchen at Lourensford for breakfast and loved it. The coffee is great, the decor is great and the French toast with bacon and syrup was next level good.
Durbanville Hills
This was the one farm my parents requested to visit before they even came to Cape Town and they LOVED IT. We were all really impressed with the service and the unique biltong and wine pairing tasting experience was a major hit. We stocked up in a big way and enjoyed their Chenin Blanc, Rose, Chardonnay and Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc all day everyday.
So in case you didn’t know, the Western Cape’s wine offering is world-class with more award-winning wines and wine makers than I could mention! Probably the most attractive thing about wine farm exploring in the Cape, even more so than the views, is the price. Expect to pay aroun 6USD-10USD for a premium bottle of wine, 3USD for a tasting and 15USD-20USD per person for lunch.
