westerncape – WANDER OUR WORLD

Hello, Bonjour and Molo from Cape Town, Western province in South Africa. As I get often asked, „Janine, which wine farms do you recommend in the Cape Winelands?„, I thought I will put my current favorite ones into this blog post.

Cape Town is the door to the best wine regions in South Africa and the Cape Winelands are just a short drive from Cape Town. It is one of the most picturesque and celebrated wine regions in the world. It spans from the coastal region at the Cape Point to the northern west coast as far as Tulbagh and into the succulent karoo with towns named Montagu or Bonnievale. With rolling vineyards, historic estates, and a perfect Mediterranean climate, it’s no wonder that wine lovers from across the globe flock here to experience its diverse offerings. Here are my top favorite wine farms in the area, each offering a unique experience and their own specific highlights.

1. Thelema Mountain Vineyards

Wine tasting with a view from the veranda of Thelema

I recently discovered this hidden gem nestled in the mountains of the Banhoek area, surrounded by the Hottentots-Holland Mountain Catchment area on one side and the Simonsberg Nature Reserve on the other side. The little dirt road passing by Tokara wine farm that will lead you to this estate, sets the scene and makes sure you know something marvelous is waiting for you: a modern farm sourrounded by mountains and vineyards far away from traffic. This is an idyllic place combined with exceptional wines. My personal favorite is the Thelema Grenache but also the Thelema Sauvignon Blanc is wonderful. The first Thelema labeled wines were released in 1988 and since then established themselves as one of the most-sought after wines from the region. The estate is family-run and offers a serene and intimate experience, especially the wine tastings are a highlight, presented by knowledgable staff with breathtaking views onto the mountain ranges. My personal must-visit for any wine and nature lover. Enjoy!

The dirt road leading you to Thelema Mountain Vineyard

2. Simonsig Wine Estate

One of my first wine farms that I have visited when I lived in Cape Town and until today it remains a favorite of mine is Simonsig. It is situated just outside Stellenbosch with uninterrupted views onto the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve and the Simonsberg. This family-owned estate belongs to one of the old farms in the region, being established in 1688. It is well known for its Kaapse Vonkel – the exceptional Methode Cap Classique (MCC) sparkling wine, which has a reputation for high quality bubbly. The wine tastings here are laid-back, classy and make for a relaxing day in nature. My absolut favorite wine at Simonsig is the Chenin Blanc 2021 along with the Kaapse Vonkel MCC. One note to remember is to not come too hungry as there is not a wide variety of food but more a delicious little cheese platter. If you do get hungry Beyerskloof Wine Estate, the home of Pinotage, is close by and has amazing Pinotage home-made burgers.

3. Haute Cabrière

In the heart of Franschhoek, surrounded by the Haweqwa Nature Reserve at the backside and the Hottentots-Hollandberge in front of it, this place has won my heart from the get go when I first visited it in 2018. Until today, I love returning and enjoy the epic mountain views as well as their bubblies. Haute-Cabrière is the home of Pierre Jourdan MCC range and my personal favorite MCC – Pierre Jourdan Belle Rose. If I am in Franschhoek you will surely find me here at some point, enjoying a bubbles tasting on the veranda overlooking the mountains. The farm was originally established in 1694 by the French Hugenot, Pierre Jourdan and was bought in 1982 by German descendants von Arnims to awaken the sleeping beauty of the estate. Pop in for a Friday lunch hosted by second generation Cellar Master, Takuan, enjoy a cellar tour or just marvel at the epic landscape while tasting through the different wines and MCCs.

4. Ernie Els Wines

Charcuterie platter and wine tasting on the veranda of Ernie Els

This winery was officially opened in 2005 and recent renovations have transformed the winery into an iconic symbol of the Helderberg region. It is situated high on the mountain slopes of the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve offering panoramic views of Cape Town and Table Mountain to the west as well as Stellenbosch and the Helderberg mountains to the east. It is a super stylish wine farm with huge wooden farmhouse-style doors leading onto the expansive tasting room. The estate is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and its blends. The ambiance is not as laid-back as in other estates but the views are just incredible and honestly, I come here to mostly enjoy the spectacular panorama and views of Table Mountain. If you look for a more relaxed, laid-back setting for families and friends with similar views, you can just drive down the road and stop at Stellenzicht Wines offering wine tastings in their lovely wine pod.

5. Buitenverwachting Wine Farm

The name explains it all: Buitenverwachting means beyond expectations in Afrikaans. And this beautiful farm truly surpasses expectations. It is situated on the east-facing slopes of the magnificent Constantiaberg in the Constantia Valley just outside of Cape Town. The farm was established in 1796 and originally formed part of the Constantia Estate, founded by Simon van der Stel. It changed hands from thereon all too often, bursting with history. And yet it flourished as a wine farm since 1825 when Ryk Arnoldus Cloete planted 90,000 vines. On its coldest most south facing vineyards, the wine farm produces its outstanding Sauvignon Blancs that are rich in flavours similar to green peppers. Of course you can come and join for a wine tasting in the historic wine cellar with its traditional thatched roof but Buitenverwachting has much more to offer. I personally love their picnics on the lawn by the magnificent 250 year old Norfolk pine. Platters on the lawn works on a first come first served basis, so be sure to arrive early in time to reserve your private spot. If you are into fine dining, then Buitenverwachting won’t disappoint you with Peter Tempelhoff’s creation being served at the Beyond Restaurant on site. A remarkable place just outside of Cape Town that will take you into the tranquility of nature and well-composed wines.

6. Badsberg Wine Cellar

Mountains in the Brandvlei Nature Reserve

Situated at the foot of the Badsberg Mountain, close to Rawsonville in the Breede Valley you will find an absolut amazingly tasting Chening Blanc. To get here you will drive over the Du Toitskloof pass offering breathtaking mountain views right up until you almost reach Slanghoek area. The wine farm is a rather small estate situated between the Hawequas Mountain Catchment Area and Bain’s Kloof, about 20km from Worcester and about 80km from Cape Town. It was established in 1951 and produces amazing wines while offering unique food platters such as the mini soup platter. As you can gather from my entry sentence, I am a big fan of their Badsberg Chenin Blanc – the long drive is definitely worth it. And if you don’t feel like driving all the way back to Cape Town stay in the Dwarsberg Trout Hideaway in the mountains, I can highly recommend it!

May your feet take you where your heart wants to go!
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View from Mont Marie Estate close to Stellenzicht Wine Pod

I hope you enjoy my current favorite wine farm list and whether you are a wine connoisseur or just looking for a peaceful getaway, these different wine farms offer you a range of unforgettable experiences! So get ready to take a scenic drive through the Winelands and indulge in some of South Africa’s finest wines – and don’t forget to please let me know which ones are your favorite ones.

Old manor house of Zorgvliet Estate close to Thelema Mountain Vinyards

My latest lessons learned during my wine farm experiences:

Thelema Mountain Vineyards – follow the dirt pad, you are on the right way;
Badsberg Wine Cellar – the longest drive might lead you to the best Chenin Blanc and
Buitenverwachting – come early as no reservations are taken for picnics, the food might be gone by the time you pitch up!

Cheers to wandering the world and exploring the beautiful Cape Winelands – bye bye, salut and bhayibhayi ∞

Hello, Bonjour and Molweni from Cape Town where I live and work since December 2020. Due to the ongoing pandemic, I have arrived about 9 months later than it was planned. But I think all of us have realized by now that planning and COVID-19 are not much compatible.

I have started my work in January and I am still settling in, buying all items you need to have in order to sleep well, make your life easier and drive around town. It has been already 3 months since my last blog, as time just flies by when one moves continents and ends up in Cape Town, a city with plenty possibilities for outdoor fun!

The iconic Table Mountain with all its hiking trails

Golden hour is always epic at the mountain side

Since February I am renting my apartment where I am living at now, which is a piece of heaven to me. Some of my furniture have arrived via sea freight after being postponed and postponed for about a month. Apparently that was due to the weather and wind that was too terrible in Cape Town. To me the ocean looked very clam in that period but well, I guess with my views until the horizon, I can probably not judge correctly…

Surely, of all the wonders of the world, the horizon is the greatest
Freya Stark

In the meanwhile, another short hike waited for me on the edge of Signal Hill. The path starts directly at my apartment and goes along the side of Signal Hill leading eventually to Lion’s Head. However, I didn’t yet hike the whole path as I am still recovering from an injury when I had a horseback riding accident a few weeks ago. All is healing well, but it takes also some time and I have to be patient. This accident has brought me already the second time into the South African hospital, I am a good customer now and I hope I won’t have to go back so quickly. Hence, no riding for me at the moment, but I try to keep up with walking, easy hikes and a few little running rounds in between. Thus, it is incredible convenient to have a stunning hiking path just next to my place, it makes things so much easier if you love hiking.

During Easter time I took some holiday to enjoy one of the game farms in the Western Cape and spent 2 nights at the Garden Route Game Lodge, which is about 4, 5 hours driving from Cape Town. I stayed in a little Bush chalet with an amazing view on the waterhole. Every morning and afternoon I joined a game drive through the reserve where we spotted zebras, springboks, buffaloes, giraffes, lions and even 2 cheetah mums with their 9 little cubs in total. I was so lucky to see the older cubs come walking towards the vehicle. They just laid down very closely to it. However, the younger cubs that were about 8 weeks old only were all tucked up in the thick bush and it was hard to get a close shot of them. But I could still see their honey-badger like fur. These special sightings really were the best.

Safely tucked away in the bush but still curious to see what’s happening

The older Cubs were really lovely to watch

The lions were a bit lazy I must admit, they were only laying around in their enclosure, so it wasn’t such a hard job to find them as they have a smaller area just for them. The cheetahs however roam freely in the biggest enclosure, which is a bit of a challenge to spot them. But they do wear a collar around their neck, so there is always a good chance to track them.

The getaway weekend went by very quickly and on my way back to Cape Town, I shortly stopped at the most Southern tip of Africa in Agulhas and the little fisher’s village, Struisbaai. It was such a lovely trip and journey through the Western Cape.

Back in Cape Town, I visited the Cape of Good Hope and Boulder’s Beach to see the little cute penguins. This time I was so lucky to spot a few ostriches, elands and even a zebra in the National Park around the Cape of Good Hope. It surely is worth a visit if you want to also see some wildlife. Also, you should stop at Kalk Bay, which itself is a cute little village with a harbour were you can get good fish. I can recommend Scirocco as a little outdoor restaurant, where you sit underneath a big palm tree that is the heart of the place. The atmosphere is quite special with the light decoration and life music, something you don’t want to miss if you are in that area.

Nothing beats the cuteness of these little creatures

During one morning, I went kayaking with Kaskazi Kayaks & Adventures, which was an incredible adventure. There were whales close to the shore and I was so lucky to see them quite close during the kayaking tour. Sometimes, it even felt a bit too close to my kayak and I tried to make sure to not be in the way of these huge creatures. It’s magnificent to spot them from this angle and they seem even bigger than I thought.

Someone enjoying the ocean in front of us

I also went for an incredible tandem paragliding adventure from Signal Hill. The start was so quick that I didn’t even recognize what was happening, all of a sudden I had this huge backpack on and was already running down the hill with two men on each of my side helping to get the momentum with the heavy paragliding thing behind me. I flew over Sea Point right towards the ocean where the sun was about to set. From above, I could even spot my apartment, it was such a great adventure even though it was quite quick. All in all, I might have been 5 minutes in the air only before landing on the grass next to the Sea Point promenade. Next time, I would love to fly from Lion’s Head.

My newest lessons learned in my new home town:

Chalet number 27 – that’s the best one to have a magnificent view towards the waterhole at Garden Route Game Lodge;
Windy excuses – blame it on the wind if you are late seems to work in many businesses here &
Be late – enter Boulder’s Beach shortly before it closes at 5pm and you will enjoy the penguins on your own!

Cheers to wandering the world and exploring my new home town – bye bye, salut and hamba kakuhle ∞

Schlagwort: westerncape

My favorite wine farms in the Cape Winelands

Discovering my new home