Tripping through the Swartland
There is so much variety in the winelands, and in one afternoon we experienced Eben Sadie, an icon who walks the walk, living off the grid and ensuring that his vineyards are sustainable, to Lammershoek - a foreign owned farm with the oldest block of Chardonnay in South Africa planted in 1981, to a 3rd generation farm owned by the Basson family, viz Babylons Peak. Stephan and his wife are carefully building a brand, and taking care of their farm and workers, quietly making exceptional wines.
Neethlingshof: The whole picture
When we enter wine farms, the vineyards are often just part of the pretty scenery, with little connection to the bottle of wine that is poured in the tasting room or restaurant. But the vineyard is where the story starts. It is amazing to make a connection between one of your favourite wines and the vines that produced the grapes. The Maria Noble Late Harvest from Neethlingshof is my favourite sweet treat - on Wednesday, we were hauled up the hill on the Stellenbosch estate and the Maria block was pointed out. A great moment.
But from the hill, we could see the large estate that is Neethlingshof, a 240ha property with around 110ha under vines. Neethlingshof likes to look at the bigger picture, with great respect of the wildlife that calls the estate home. Their commitment is displayed on their labels - The Owl Post Pinotage, The Caracal Red, The Jackal's Dance. This is an estate that has stories to tell, and tell them they do.
Benguela Cove, where movement matters
There really is a lot on the go at Benguela Cove from meeting the needs of a wine anorak, a foodie, kids seeking adventure, an art lover or a group of friends celebrating life. Monumental Sculptures from Anton Smit are scattered about; there is a call to movement much like the lick of the wind which is in continuous motion over the property. There is no shortage of events that are lined up for the year into next. Which leaves no excuse not to allow for the staff to take you on a journey which might get you contemplating whether or not you would like to secure a plot bordering the Botriver lagoon. Who knows maybe you are lucky enough that the wind dies down just enough for you to motion a pontoon cruise.
