South African sandwiches or cake at the
wineries Farmshop & Deli to bistro
Venture inland and upwards from Cape
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Avondale
(avondalewine.co.za)
This quiet spot in a gracious old
homestead serves delectable,
PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF LA MOTTE WINERY, COURTESY OF FRANSCHHOEK WINETRAM
organically made wines. The
tasting takes around an hour,
or you can join a two-hour
eco-safari through the vineyards
on the back of a tractor, which
ends with a tasting. The
restaurant, Faber, is one of the
Winelands’ best, with dishes
such as roasted springbok loin.
Viljoensdrift
La Motte vineyard,
near Franschhoek
and fruit farm has a vast
formally designed garden.
It’s an incredible undertaking
featuring edible and medicinal
plants, lotus ponds, espaliered
quince trees, chicken coops and
a maze of prickly-pear cacti. The
new wine cellar is a model of
contemporary design, with
interesting exhibits related
to the wine-making process.
There are hourly cellar tours.
lunches featuring produce
grown on the farm at the Werf.
La Motte
(la-motte.com)
There’s enough to keep you
occupied for a full day at this
vast estate just west of
Franschhoek. As well as tastings
of the superb shiraz range, you
can book for wine-pairing
lunches and dinners served
at the Pierneef à la Motte
restaurant – named for the
South African artist Jacob
Hendrik Pierneef. A collection
of his work is on show at the
on-site museum.
Spice Route
(spiceroute.co.za)
Spice Route is known for its
complex red wines, particularly
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glass-blowing demonstrations,
wine and charcuterie pairings,
a chocolatier, a grappa distillery
and a superlative microbrewery.
When you’re hungry, not only is
there an upmarket restaurant
headed by celebrity chef Bertus
Basson, but also a pizzeria.
Spier
(spier.co.za)
Spier has some excellent shiraz,
cabernet and red blends, but
a visit to this vast winery is less
about wine and more about the
other activities available. There
are superb birds-of-prey
displays, three restaurants, and
picnics to enjoy in the grounds.
Look out for special events
during the summer months,
including open-air cinema
evenings and live entertainment.
Vergelegen
(vergelegen.co.za)
Willem van der Stel (son of
Stellenbosch founder Simon van
(viljoensdrift.co.za)
One of the most popular places
to sip in the Robertson region,
especially on weekends. Put
together a picnic from the
estate’s own deli, buy a bottle
from the cellar door and taste
on an hour-long boat trip along
the Breede River. Boats leave on
the hour from noon. Bookings
are essential.
Warwick Estate
(warwickwine.com)
Warwick’s red wines are
legendary, particularly its
Bordeaux blends. The winery
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wine safari (grape varieties,
not large mammals) through
the vineyards, and picnics to
enjoy on the lawns. Advance
bookings are required for
picnics, but simple cheeseboards
are available if you just rock up.
All aboard
TOP PICKS
If you’d rather ditch the car
and properly enjoy the tasting
rooms, as well as take a fun
Winelands tour, try a trip on
the Franschhoek Wine Tram.
The actual tram line is short,
and only two wineries have
a tram stop; the rest of the
hop-on, hop-off service uses
an open-sided bus to shuttle
passengers between farms.
There are two routes, each
visiting up to seven wineries.
Booking is advisable – and
take a jumper; the bus, in
particular, can get pretty
chilly (winetram.co.za).
If you’d like a less formal dining
experience, the Garden Bar is
open on Friday evenings. You
can enjoy wines and sharing
plates from the Faber kitchen.
Babylonstoren
(babylonstoren.com)
On the north slope of the
Simonsberg mountain, between
Klapmuts and Paarl, this wine
Boschendal
(boschendal.com)
This is a quintessential
Winelands estate, with lovely
architecture, food and wine.
Tasting options include bubbly,
brandy or a wine and chocolate
pairing, and there are excellent
vineyard and cellar tours. When
it comes to eating, there are
various options, from
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in 1700. The buildings and
elegant grounds have ravishing
mountain views and a
stately-home feel to them. You
can take a tour of the gardens
or cellar, or just enjoy a tasting
of four of the estate’s wines.
There are two restaurants: the
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child-friendly bistro Stables.
May 2019 127
 SOUTH AFRICAN WINERIES
TOP PICKS
Sleeping
Pat Busch
Mountain Reserve £ Best for a rural retreat
Best for activities
(patbusch.co.za)
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128 May 2019
Cascade Country Manor ££
(cascademanor.co.za)
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MAP KEY
SIGHTS
Avondale
Babylonstoren
Boschendal
La Motte
Spice Route
Spier
Vergelegen
Viljoensdrift
Warwick Estate
SLEEPING
Cascade Country Manor
Lanzerac Hotel & Spa
Pat Busch Mountain Reserve
Lanzerac Hotel & Spa £££
Best for luxury
(lanzerac.co.za)
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FDUHIXOO\ FRQVLGHUHG GHFRU DQG FURTHER READING
VRPH ZLWK SULYDWH SRROV 7KH OurCapeTown &theGarden
WDVWLQJ URRP DQG UHVWDXUDQWV Route book (£13.99) has more
DUH DOVR RSHQ WR QRQJXHVWV DQG on theWinelands; the chapter is
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IURP6WHOOHQERVFKWRZQFHQWUH shop.lonelyplanet.com).