The evening brought together three of Stellenbosch’s icon winemakers who not only have in common their brilliance as purveyors of their craft, but are also the only three cellar masters in Kanonkop’s history of making wine under its own label. Since its first estate bottling in 1973, Kanonkop’s cellar operations was led by Jan Boland Coetzee (1968-1980), Beyers Truter (1981-2003) and Abrie Beeslaar who took over from Beyers and is still in charge of winemaking at this estate recognised as South Africa’s First Growth.

With a menu designed to match the selected wines, the three winemakers took to the floor, engaging with the audience – not only about their time at Kanonkop, but also of the wine ventures Jan and Beyers followed subsequent to their careers at the premier Simonsberg estate.

Jan was afforded the opportunity of presenting some of his Vriesenhof wines, made from his beloved Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, while Beyers led the conversation on – what else? – Pinotage, introducing the Beyerskloof Reserve and Diesel made from Pinotage grape. Last but not least, Abrie showed a few legendary vintages of Kanonkop Paul Sauer and Cabernet Sauvignon.

These three giants of South African wine may have different personalities, but listening to them it was evident that they share a profound wisdom on the matter of wine. And their approach to the craft begins in the understanding and knowledge of the vineyards from which their wines are made. It can safely be said that much of this respect for the vineyards and the subject of terroir was formed during their time among the vines growing on decomposed granite soils on the slopes of the Simonsberg.

Of the three personable winemakers, it appeared that Jan was the philosopher, Beyers the storyteller and entertainer, and Abrie the focussed craftsman with a palpable knowledge of what it takes to convert the blessings of Kanonkop terroir into those show-stopping wines. Jan likes to state that there is no such thing as a winemaker, only a grower and a carer. “The French don’t have a term for a winemaker. For them, there is only a vigneron, who is a grower and carer of the vineyards. So, whatever you like to call him or her, a winemaker is a person who cultivates the vineyard, prays and hopes. Or as the late Australian winemaker Jack Mann said: ‘A winemaker is a humble servant of nature. His role is to give nature the opportunity to produce the best possible wine. Nature creates. Man only guides.’”

As usual, Beyers provided light-hearted relief, regaling the audience with the story about the cellar worker and the slip into the tank of fermenting Pinotage. “We were, as usual, punching the fermenting grapes through the skins every two hours when our trusty colleague Soldaat slipped and fell in the tank of juice and skins. This was in the middle of the night, and we helped the chap out of the tank. Despite Soldaat wanting to continue working, I sent him home as I could see he was a bit tired. A few hours later, Soldaat was back in the cellar. When I asked him what he was doing back in the cellar, he said: ‘I came to retrieve my shoe. It came off when I fell in and is still lying in the tank!’”.

According to Beyers, that year’s Kanonkop Pinotage stood out as an excellent vintage. The wines presented were, as could be expected, brilliant and totally world-class, which together with the chef’s menu and the conservation around Stellenbosch’s favourite topic – wine – made this evening at De Warenmarkt one that will be talked about for years to come.

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Heritage House’s self-catering units in the historic Neethling Street in Stellenbosch offers a unique experience of old-world luxuries and modern technology. The elegantly renovated Victorian building also boasts a beautiful swimming pool adding a cool respite to the many attractions the town has to offer.

Heritage House is centrally located within walking distance of various local attractions and the town center, making it perfect to explore the unique streets of the town from your home away from home, in its very own little reclaimed sliver of history.

Click here for location.

Call 082 777 0370 | Visit www.stbhh.co.za 

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Escape with a spa day

Relax the senses and let the harmony and tranquillity of Lanzerac’s majestic surroundings gently restore body and mind. The estate’s spa offers a wide array of massages, skincare and beauty treatments, with large sash windows ensuring you can also allow views of lush vineyards and towering mountains to add their effect. Spa-goers are greeted by a skyblue indoor heated swimming pool that entices you to enjoy leisurely dips and a bubbling Jacuzzi. Lanzerac Spa also has a private relaxation lounge, a sauna, a steam room, a Rasul Chamber, mani and pedi station and a fully equipped fitness room. Expect a day packed with pampering and goodness and if you’re feeling peckish, the Vitality Corner offers wholesome dishes, refreshing raw juices and tropical smoothies. This is a place where comfort, luxury and excellence come together for a restorative health and beauty experience. The spa is open Monday to Sunday, 09:00 to 18:00.

Above and beyond

Chef extraordinaire Peter Tempelhoff’s new concept at Buitenverwachting, beyond, promises something fresh while acknowledging the estate’s rich history. “If I could choose a quote to sum up the philosophy behind the food at beyond, it would be something British chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White once said: ‘Mother nature is the artist, we are just cooks’,” says Peter. While sustainable and seasonal pro- duce, as well as a respect for provenance, informs the menu, he and his team create a memorable culinary experience with food that comforts and nurtures. In the kitchen, Peter is joined by group executive chef Ashley Moss and head chef Julia du Toit. And the setting? A fresh take on tradition is evident in the contemporary and casual yet refined space conceived by interior architect Tristan du Plessis. The wine, too, tips its hat to history, and Jennifer Hugé, Peter’s longtime colleague, cites the Constantia Valley as inspiration for the masterful selection. Book online, send an email to info@beyondrestaurant.co,za or call +27 (0)21 794 0306.

Magic with moss

When entrepreneur Kevin Brown came across images of preserved moss installations on Instagram in 2019, he immediately reached out to the concept’s European supplier. Before long, Kevin’s corporate plantscaping and maintenance company, Earthlings, secured exclusivity for the South African market. “The main idea behind Moss Works SA was driven by the need to provide a low-cost, low-maintenance ‘living’ plant option for corporate, retail and domestic markets. While traditional green walls – consisting of growing plants – are a maintenance nightmare owing to waterproofing requirements and other factors, preserved moss requires no watering or lighting,” says Kevin. Every installation is a unique work of art, is fire retardant, boasts incredible acoustic properties, can take the shape and form of any interior surface and is fully dyeable. Moss Works SA offers a range of preserved moss decor solutions, and ships and installs nationwide. For more information, send an email to kevin@mossworks-sa.co.za or call 079 581 2133.

Taste, learn and laugh

Basewent recently collaborated with Haskell Vineyards to treat wine lovers and connoisseurs to an evening of memorable food and drink. Matija Leskovic ́, a Croatian-born oenologist and the founder of Basewent, presented celebrated wine from his home country while Rudolph Steenkamp, the winemaker and vineyard manager at Haskell Vineyards, enlightened guests with interesting facts behind a few of Haskell’s top wines. Both Croatian and South African wines were paired with dishes courtesy of Longtable Restaurant. When Matija arrived in South Africa to tackle a PhD in oenology at Stellenbosch University, he was eager to experience a guided overview of the best wines Stellenbosch has to offer. After tasting hundreds of our local wines, he came up with the idea of a unique and intimate tasting experience, Basewent. “Our mission is to deliver a different and enjoyable wine learning experience for everyone who joins us,” says Matija. To book for future wine masterclasses, send an email to matija@basewent.com.

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South Africa is represented by way of Lot 70, comprising of owner-signed magnums by Eben Sadie, Hamilton Russell, Vilafonté, Kanonkop, Mullineux & Leeu, Meerlust and Klein Constantia plus a wine experience. 

“This is a truly unprecedented coming-together of the world’s greatest wineries to raise funds to encourage diversity in the global wine industry. Seven of South Africa’s most recognised wineries have been invited to join the world’s first growths to proudly support this initiative. An auction of this extreme quality will likely never be repeated again. Please be generous in your support,” notes Mike Ratcliffe from Vilafonté.

The auction opens on Thursday 23 September 2021 and finishes at a dinner at the London club Annabel’s on 7 October 2021.

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The report contains several highlights, most notably full marks for the Rhône-style 2019 Sadie Family Columella and scores of 99 for Sadie Family’s 2020 Skurfberg Chenin Blanc, Alheit Vineyards Magnetic North Chenin Blanc 2020, and Porseleinberg Syrah 2019. There were 23 wines in total that scored at least 97 points, with Syrah in the lead, taking five of the top spots.  

Peter-Allan Finlayson of Crystallum and Gabriëlskloof was awarded Winemaker of the Year. “Last year, his dad, Peter Finlayson was crowned Winemaking Legend. There is something particularly moving about a tradition of family excellence.”

Atkin calls the 2021 Winemaking Legend, Charles Back “one of the country’s most visionary, courageous and pioneering wine personalities. It was he who lead the revolutionary move into the Swartland, becoming the catalyst for significant change in winegrowing and winemaking. He helped introduce new cultivars to the Cape, set new standards in wine tourism and he is also one of the most progressive employers. Plus, he gave Eben Sadie a job when he was relatively unknown.”

Elizma Visser, who has been making wines at Olifantsberg in the Breedekloof since 2015, is the Young Winemaker of the Year.

“Compiling my ninth SA report was a continuation of the same remote judging process I followed last year with the generous help of Wines of South Africa (WOSA) and other industry players, not to mention around 70 Zoom calls with local producers.”

TIM ATKIN MW SOUTH AFRICA REPORT: THE PODIUM 2021

Winemaker of the Year: Peter-Allan Finlayson of Crystallum and Gabriëlskloof

Young Winemaker of the Year: Elizma Visser of Olifantsberg

Viticulturist of the Year: Marco Ventrella of the KWV

Co-operative of the Year: Koelenhof Winery

Winemaking Legend: Charles Back of Fairview and Spice Route

Best Cellar Door Experience: Waterford Estate

Overall White Wine of the Year: 2020 Alheit Vineyards Magnetic North, Citrusdal Mountain

Overall Red Wine of the Year: 2019 Sadie Family Columella, Swartland

Overall Rosé of the Year: 2020 Bellingham Founders’ Series Quintessential Couple, Franschhoek

Overall Sparkling Wine of the Year: Colmant Brut Absolu Zero Dosage Non-Vintage, Western Cape

Overall Sweet Wine of the Year: 2018 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance, Constantia

Overall Fortified Wine of the Year: 2004 Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve, Calitzdorp

Red Wine Discovery of the Year: 2018 Taaibosch Crescendo, Stellenbosch

White Wine Discovery of the Year: 2020 Mullineux Iron Chenin Blanc, Swartland

Best Value White of the Year: 2020 Cape Dreams Chardonnay, Robertson

Best Value Red of the Year: 2019 Mountain Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Breedekloof

Best Value Rosé of the Year: 2021 AA Badenhorst Secateurs Rosé, Piekenierskloof

Best Value Sparkling Wine of the Year: Saltare Brut Rosé Non-Vintage, Stellenbosch

Best value Sweet Wine of the Year: 2020 Joostenberg Noble Late Harvest Chenin Blanc, Paarl

Best value Fortified Wine of the Year: 2019 Du Toitskloof Red Muscadel, Breedekloof

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I won’t lie. For the first few minutes I was regretting getting out of bed that morning. Having never been a fan of heights, how exactly, I wondered, had I come to find myself a few hundred metres above the Namib Desert? In only a basket, nogal. 

But fortune favours the bold and with a pilot like Denis Hesemans at the controls of our hot-air balloon, I knew I was in good hands. “Before long you won’t even feel the breeze because we become the wind,” he explained with a smile, as the roar of gas-powered burners floated us ever higher. I took a deep breath. The views were a welcome, and worthy, distraction. As the sun inched slowly over the Nubib Mountains, enigmatic fairy circles emerged like a million freckles on the landscape. The shadows of oryx trotting on the plains lengthened across golden grasslands. To the west, the ochre dunes of the Namib Desert, one of the oldest on the planet, continued their relentless march to the north. The scenery was nothing short of remarkable and for an hour we were – as Denis had said – at one with the wind.  

I certainly felt sorry when our 16-person basket eventually succumbed to gravity and rejoined terra firma. My sorrow, though, was softened by glasses of South African sparkling wine enjoyed with a breakfast spread served on linen-decked tables that stood, in somewhat surreal fashion, upon the grasslands of the NamibRand Nature Reserve.

While the dunes of Sossusvlei and the wildlife of Etosha are what bring most visitors to Namibia, the NamibRand offers an otherworldly landscape that should be high on every traveller’s bucket list. Bounded to the east by the Nubib Mountains and to the west by the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the NamibRand forms a remarkable conservation corridor in south-western Namibia. Yet, for generations this corner of the country was little more than a patchwork of marginal sheep and cattle ranches, where farmers eked out an existence in a landscape forever thirsty for more rain. 

Rain that often never arrived. In 1984, when a long drought had made farming untenable, Albi Brückner stepped in with a bold vision for the future. And so the idea of a vast wilderness conservancy was born. The sheep were trucked off to greener pastures, the farmhouses locked up for the last time. The barbed wire fences that were torn down would have stretched from Windhoek to Cape Town – and then some. 

Over the years the landscape slowly returned to wilderness and today the NamibRand Nature Reserve is one of the largest privately owned conservancies in southern Africa. “The NamibRand is so important because it is a transitional zone of grassland between the Namib sand sea and the Nubib Mountains,” explained Murray Tindall, control warden of the 205,000-hectare reserve. “Because of these vast areas you simply don’t see predators very often and they don’t become habituated to vehicles, although our camera traps show a surprising number of leopards and spotted hyenas. But the NamibRand is really a landscape experience. It’s about being in this vast space.” 

We were chatting in the lounge at Kwessi Dunes, the latest addition to the handful of lodges scattered across the reserve. It’s lodges like Kwessi Dunes that provide much of the income for protecting these remarkable spaces. Here, tourist dollars link directly to ecosystem conservation. Part of the Natural Selection portfolio of properties – Lekkerwater in De Hoop Nature Reserve is another – Kwessi Dunes opened briefly in March 2020, just as Covid-19 swept the globe. Shuttered for seven months, it finally hit its stride in October and has since grown in leaps and bounds. 

Across 12 suites of thatch and canvas, it’s a lodge that focuses heavily on celebrating the landscape. From the glorious outdoor showers the desert views are endless, while private decks offer ample time and space for watching clouds form in cobalt-blue skies or oryx wander silently to the waterhole each morning. They’re not the only ones in search of water. There’s a pool deck for searing summers and no end of activities to fill your days. Balloon flights and day trips to Sossusvlei are popular, and at additional cost, but you’ll find little reason to leave the 15,000-hectare private concession surrounding the lodge. 

That afternoon, we set out to explore the reserve with our guide, Papa G, who grew up on a farm nearby before sheep ranching gave way to conservation. Though the NamibRand may seem like a land of extremes – endless shimmering horizons and the elusive promise of a predator sighting – there’s plenty of middle-ground magic to discover in between. 

As we drove west towards the belt of ochre dunes, I marvelled at the striking coloration of the grey-backed sparrow-lark, a bird endemic to southern Africa. Trundling down sandy roads we disturbed flocks of Namaqua sandgrouse, a diminutive bird with beautifully speckled wings and a remarkable trick up its sleeve. To survive and raise chicks in this unforgiving desert environment, the male will fly for dozens of kilometres each day in search of water, carrying precious droplets on his feathers back to the nest. “The original San people would actually use the sandgrouse to find natural waterholes,” explained Papa G, before turning to point out a Rüppell’s korhaan breaking cover between the grasses. 

There are furry locals here as well as feathered. Black-backed jackals skulked off into the grasslands and well-muscled oryx cantered gracefully away from the vehicle. In the summer of 2021, the NamibRand enjoyed its best rains in almost a decade. The grass grew high and the wildlife is thriving. Perhaps surprisingly for this desert landscape, there’s botanical beauty here, too. Bushman and ostrich grasses eke a living out of sun-baked sands. On an evening drive towards Jagkop we admired euphorbias and quiver trees clinging to the hillside, surviving on the morning mists driven 100km inland from the icy Atlantic. At our sundowner stop the hills were alive, not with music but the persistent calls of the barking geckos that are endemic to arid corners of southern Africa. 

We drove back to the lodge with the headlights off, Papa G finding the road by feel and long experience. For while the NamibRand is enigmatic in daylight, it’s equally carving a reputation as a destination to discover under the cover of darkness. In 2012, it was certified as an International Dark-Sky Reserve (IDSR). This is an initiative driven by the US-based International Dark-Sky Association, a non-profit organisation working to minimise light pollution and protect the night skies for future generations. Today, with a raft of dark-sky conservation measures in place, the NamibRand remains one of just 18 IDSRs worldwide and the only one in Africa. 

For wildlife that means less disruption to natural patterns in the sensitive desert environment; for visitors, stars as you’ve never seen them before. And there is surely no better place to admire them this winter than under the duvet at Kwessi Dunes. Attached to each suite, a spacious ‘stargazer’ room is where your king-size bed awaits, fitted with fine linen and a chandelier of southern stars you won’t forget in a hurry.  

Plan your trip

Where to stay: Kwessi Dunes
Getting there: Airlink flies direct from Cape Town to Windhoek, a scenic five-hour drive from the NamibRand.
Fly with: Namib Sky Balloon Safaris
Visa: No visa is required for South African passport holders.
Weather: Winter is an ideal time to visit Namibia, with crystal-clear skies and excellent stargazing.

Bubbly and balloons

The tradition of drinking sparkling wine or champagne after a hot-air balloon flight began, not surprisingly, with the French. When ballooning became a popular hobby for the French aristocracy in the late 1700s, pilots would often land their fire-breathing balloons on the fields of local farmers. To appease any shock at the newfangled invention or annoyance at damaged crops, the balloonist would give the farmer a bottle of champagne. Always, of course, with a second bottle on hand for the pilot and passengers. 

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Serums are characterised by a high concentration of active ingredients and light texture allowing for ideal absorption. But why should a serum be part of our daily skincare routine? The experts at organic skincare brand Team Dr Joseph explain.

Due to its high-water content, serums are absorbed faster by the skin without leaving a film. Just a few drops are enough to supply the skin with essential functional ingredients and provide intensive care. Gentle tapping can additionally enhance the effect.

Known for its effectiveness, a serum delivers superior results and is often used to manage specific skincare concerns. A serum is typically thinner than a moisturiser making them perfect for layering under your skin-specific cream or mask. Want to upgrade your skincare routine? Consider adding a powerful serum. But why should you use a facial serum?

1: Brighten your look

Team Dr Joseph’s Intense Energising Serum is a powerful, highly concentrated face serum for a vital skin texture and irresistible glow. It is rich in vitalising ingredients that can increase the oxygen content of the cells and revitalise tired facial skin. Papaya has a slightly enzymatic effect, while hyaluronic acid moisturises and boosts the skin. Use daily for a rosy-fresh and glowing complexion.

2: Plump and reduce wrinkles

Team Dr Joseph’s Hyaluronic Age Repair Booster Serum is a rich luxury cream serum with deep-acting plant-based functional ingredients for the intensive care of demanding facial skin. The unique combination of firming, skin-smoothing and muscle-relaxing active ingredients makes this serum a natural Botox-alternative and ensures a firm and even complexion. For long-lasting beauty and a vital appearance.

3: Manage acne-prone

The Deep Purifying Serum by Team Dr Joseph is an intensive treatment for impure skin. The power serum supports the natural skin, cleansing and clarifies deep into the skin. Rich in soothing and cleansing active plant ingredients, it ensures a smooth and clear complexion.

4: Hydrate

The Ultra-Hydration Serum is recommended for dehydrated skin. Deeply effective functional ingredient complexes and plant-based ingredients provide intensive moisture and strengthen the skin’s barrier. For daily use for a moisturised and vitalised skin.

5: Calm

The composition of protective, healing and soothing functional ingredients gently cares for the skin, can prevent irritation, and restores the skin’s natural balance. The Extra Sensitive Calming Serum is for sensitive skin and ensures a balanced and soothed skin feeling.

Your step-by-step guide

STEP 1: Cleanse
STEP 2: Exfoliate
STEP 3: Tone
STEP 4: Serum
STEP 5: Eye and lip care
STEP 6: Moisturise
STEP 7: Broad spectrum sun cream

A serum is undoubtedly the most potent addition to your skincare routine. Most serums are water-based eliminating any other fluids, so what you are left with is powerful ingredients that your skin needs. Serums are the immune booster for your skin – they deliver far more superior results and are the true workhorses of any product line.

Visit Team Dr Joseph online for more information.

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As a Porsche Club member we welcome you to our community where you can read the latest issue of Stellenbosch Visio here.

Stay up to date with the latest news and insiders guide to the Winelands by signing up to our newsletter or enjoy Stellenbosch Visio delivered to your door by subscribing to the magazine.

The Winter 2021 issue of Stellenbosch Visio offers a smorgasbord of experiences for both these ‘selves’. For our sensual self, Dave Pepler shares his delight in the earthy smells of mushrooms gathered in the wild, while Danene van der Westhuyzen finds sensory bliss in the taste of !/abbas, the Kalahari truffle. Ryan Sandes talks about the exhilaration of trail running in the mountains and Richard Holmes writes about becoming ‘one with the wind’ when taking a hot-air balloon trip over the Nubib mountains and the ancient ochre dunes of the Namib Desert.

For your virtual travels, Stellenbosch Visio is happy to act as a guide with a special feature on the remarkable journeys you can undertake to museums worldwide. You can now get to know more about Egyptian mummification practices in the British Museum, take a tour of Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum and see the Mona Lisa close-up in the Louvre in Paris. No entry fees, no queues, no throngs to peer through. Bliss.

We are all finding a new rhythm to our lives. In between the daily challenges of homeschooling our children, working from home and shopping online, many of us have rediscovered the joys of hiking, cycling and exploring the beauty of our landscapes. During lockdown I tried my hand at baking cinnabuns, did tele-conferencing and Pilates on Zoom and made albums from digitised old photographs. More recently, I hiked our surrounding mountains and travelled in my own country. In doing this I have gained an enormous appreciation for the beauty of South Africa. Let’s not forget about those other timeless indulgences, such as owning the priceless beauty of diamonds like those featured in a photo article on the latest Graff Tribal collection, shot in the dunes near Cape Town. 

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Mountain bike the Spice Route

Complete your hike, trail running and MTB experience with Spice Route Destination’s latest sporting addition: Hero Adventure Trails. For the adventurous at heart, get active with mountain trails ranging from a basic 2.5km to more complex 35km tracks. And for outdoor-loving families with youngsters: a 100-meter Choc-o-Trail track is also available for an exciting outing fit for the little ones.

When: From 06:00-19:00 during summer months. Take note that the registration office closes at 12:00. Contact +27 (0)83 384 2976 / +27 (0)76 022 5141 or send an email to info@hero-adventure.co.za for more information.

Ocean discoveries with Tintswalo

Heard of Tintswalo Boulders’ Marine Exploration Adventure Experience? Now guests have the opportunity to explore the fascinating underwater world of False Bay during a three-day package that includes a snorkelling safari in wetsuits through kelp forests, guided kayaking in the sheltered bays of Simon’s Town, a visit to Boulders Beach’s famous African penguins and two nights’ luxury accommodation with breakfast.

Good to know: Package rate for SA residents costs R5,250 per person sharing including two nights’ accommodation, coffees & teas, daily breakfast, one brunch, one lunch, one dinner and two water-based activities, as well as afternoon snacks on day one, and canapes and a sunset cocktail on day two. Offer valid until 31 March 2021.

Live beats at Lanzerac

Experience dynamic musical duet Acoustic Element at Lanzerac Wine Estate on Friday 27 November whilst enjoying celebrated cuisine from executive chef Stephen Fraser at the estate’s opulent Manor Kitchen. Tap your feet or sing along to some of your favourite songs for a one-of-a-kind summer concert experience.

Time: 19:00
Bookings: R500 per person (includes three-course set menu). For reservations, contact +27 (0)21 887 1132 or send an email to events@lanzerac.co.za.

Campfire and theatre

Conceptualised by internationally acclaimed theatre director and playwright Brett Bailey, this summer Spier Wine Farm is hosting Constellations, an array of theatrical campfire gatherings to dazzle spectators. Small groups of attendees will follow a trail after dark through the beautiful wilds flanking Eerste River. Along the way, guests will visit three campfires where they will spend some 40 minutes hosted by a Fire Guardian before heading off to the next fire. Because the Fire Guardians’ identities are hidden, a surprise is in store at every fire.

When: Until 12 December 2020 @ 19:30
Rates: R150 per person (includes a glass of Spier Creative Block wine), or R800 per couple (includes a sunset picnic and a bottle of Spier Creative Block – arrival at 18:00)

Click here to book.

Fashion in the Winelands

For the second year running, iconic South African designer, activist and creative thinker, Gavin Rajah, has joined forces with national retail giant, Pick n Pay, to create a platform for fashion designers to showcase their leading-edge work at the Cape Town Resort Collection show, #CTRC2020. This year’s winning designers of the Futurewear incubator project, born out of the Cape Town Resort Collections, are Zarah Cassim and Sipho Mbuto. Their work will be showcased at The Resort Collection alongside some of the nation’s most celebrated designers, such as Gavin Rajah, Maxhosa by Laduma, Maze Collective, Jenni Button, and others.

When: 5 December 2020
Where: Blaauwklippen Wine Estate
Bookings: Seats are limited and tickets are available online.

Merry market magic

Take in the Cape Winelands’ fresh air, mountainous landscapes and quality time with friends and family when strolling through the popular Stellenbosch Slow Market. Held at the historical Oude Libertas, the market is open every Saturday from 09:00-14:00. In the surrounds of the Cape Winelands, you will be greeted with country air and a spacious oak-lined piazza and vineyards. The market features the finest artisanal producers, gourmet food vendors, craft beers and local designers.

Activity festival for all

From 28-29 November, Rhebokskloof Wine Estate will be filled with adventure. The estate’s Flatrock Festival promises a day for the entire family filled with great food, awesome wine and some of the best trails in the Western Cape. Choose between a variety of trail run and walks (3km, 5km, 10km and 21km) and various MTB distances (5km, 10km, 20km and 40km). Best of all, your entry includes a special edition Flatrock Adventure voucher gifting you one free day to all trails and one free Flatrock pizza from Rhebokskloof new Pizzeria.

Click here to book.

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There’s nowhere better to soak up nature while enjoying an alfresco meal between the vineyards in a glorious Cape fynbos country garden. For cooler weather, there’s always the chic dining room that looks out over this wonderland. Generous meals in this beautiful setting ensure Glenelly Estate’s wines, made as naturally as possible, are showcased at their very best. Made with wild yeast fermentation and no acidification, they perfectly complement chef patron Christophe Dehosse’s farm-to-table approach to food.

Simply irresistible

With its outstanding view and accessible prices, The Vine Bistro ticks the boxes for both visual feast and excellent fare. The convivial service is also a winner; there’s nothing stiff or overly formal about the staff, who welcome guests into a wonderfully relaxed and hospitable environment and serve generous traditional bistro dishes. So let’s talk about the food. This spring, expect plenty of fresh seasonal favourites like asparagus and artichokes, says Christophe, explaining that the restaurant sources vegetables from a non-commercial farmer who practises responsible farming close to the Glenelly Estate. In fact, where possible, all ingredients are locally sourced and some, like herbs and salad leaves, are grown on site.

Art of wine

With the recent launch of its first sulphur-free wine, Rosé de May, Glenelly is more determined than ever about its winemaking philosophy.

“We want our wines to express their sense of place and site as naturally as possible,” explains winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain. “We are driving the estate towards organic with minimal interference and this will be reflected in a holistic and natural expression coming through in our wines.”

While the estate’s journey is very much about tapping into nature, he adds, the wines Glenelly produces always conform to three principles and they can be seen on the estate’s logo. “Power is represented by the rhino and elegance by the woman riding side-saddle,” says Luke. Lastly, balance is characterised by the glass poised on the rider’s hand.

As the vineyards mature, the wines are achieving more complexity, notes Luke. “Glenelly is starting to be awarded and seen as a true contender alongside its peers,” he says, acknowledging the accolades commending the wines he and his team are making. Five stars in Platter’s Wine Guide and enthusiastic reviews in Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator magazines in the USA and Tim Atkin’s reports in Europe suggest the estate is well and truly creating wines of distinction.

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