Full day wine tours
Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch
The Paarl Valley (“pearl valley”) was first farmed by Dutch settlers in the late 17th century. Today it is known for its exceptional wineries and as the headquarters of the KWV, the largest wine cooperative in the country. Our tour begins with a visit to Fairview Estate on the southern slopes of Paarl Mountain. Winemaker Charles Back’s friendly riposte to the European Union’s insistence on authentic nomenclature has resulted in the world famous “Goats Do Roam” range of delicious estate wines. And to complement the wines, we sample the full range of farm-made cheeses for which this winery is equally renowned.
Our second tasting is at La Motte in the heart of the Franschhoek Valley. Here we enjoy top-end service in the well-appointed tasting room, where some of South Africa’s very best wines are presented for our enjoyment.
Lunch (own account) will be reserved for you at La Petite Ferme restaurant with its incomparable views over the Franschhoek valley.
After lunch we drive directly into Stellenbosch (founded in 1679) for a drive through the old Dutch village and down Church Street with its array of interesting coffee shops and art galleries. Our first tasting in this region is at Waterford Estate, tucked away on the slopes of the Helderberg outside Stellenbosch. Kevin Arnold’s fine wines have been highly rated in Europe, the UK and the USA, and we get to see why with a chocolate-and-wine pairing in the unforgettable stone-built winery.
En route back to Cape Town our final stop is at Muratie (1685), one of the oldest and most atmospheric of all the cellars in the Cape. Unforgettable red wines and port wines are a fitting end to the day.
Full day wine tours end with a drop off in the city at about 18h00.
Stellenbosch and Somerset West
We begin the day with a visit to one of South Africa’s high-altitude cellars, Uva Mira, renowned, as we would expect, for their white varieties. From their small tasting room we can see both False Bay and Table Bay as we sample their delicious chardonnays and sauvignon blancs.
Dropping down from the heights of the Helderberg we call in on the Ernie Els Estate with its panoramic views of the Stellenbosch Valley. All of their red wines have achieved iconic status amongst international afficianados.
The tour proceeds directly to lunch (own account) at Camphors, the newly refurbished restaurant on the legendary Vergelegen Estate near Somerset West.
After lunch we sample the wines crafted by Andre van Rensburg and come to understand why they are so highly rated, both at home and abroad.
Our final visit is to Morgenster Estate hard by. Morgenster has been producing both olive oil and wine under the careful supervision of Giulio Bertrand, for whom this farm is a passion.
Full day wine tours end with a drop off in the city at about 18h00.