A convenient and easy-to-use
passport to great winery, brandy distillery and other drinks experiences has
been launched by a suite of high-profile cellars. Priced at just R120 but
offering R399 in real value, the Cellar Door Collection Passport covers 14
cellar stops mostly in and around the Cape Winelands and is valid for a full
six months from the date of purchase.
Those participating have all been
acclaimed for excellence on local and international competitions. They are
South Africa's most awarded winery, Nederburg, as well as Plaisir de Merle, Fleur
du Cap, Alto, Le Bonheur, Stellenzicht, Uitkyk, Neethlingshof, JC le Roux, Van
Ryn's Distillery, Durbanville Hills, De Oude Drostdy, Klipdrift Distillery and
the Amarula Lapa.
While most cellars are based in or
close to Stellenbosch, Paarl or Simondium, but others stretch as far as
Tulbagh, Robertson and Phalaborwa in Limpopo.
The new-generation passport follows
on a highly successful initial launch several years ago, says Samantha
Stilborg, who has co-ordinated the initiative. "What's new is that we have
an even more generous range of offers, worth an additional R279. These have
been developed on the basis of feedback from the many domestic and
international visitors who purchased the first version of the passport."
She adds that the passports are ideally
suited for people who enjoy the Winelands but also have a chance to venture
further afield, like Limpopo, famous for its game viewing and safari lodges.
"They are extremely popular amongst South Africans, but also foreign
travellers. We have also found they are frequently bought as birthday, special
occasion and festive gifts."
The collection offers a varied and
interesting combination of tastings of wines, including sparkling and Cap
Classique wines and fortified wines, specialty luxury pot-still and popular
brandies, as well as Amarula, the country's best-loved alcohol cream drink.
These can be sampled on their own and one can be upgraded as a complimentary
bonus for passport-holders and paired with a variety of foods, depending on the
combinations conceived by the individual cellars. The food pairings range from
cheeses to canapés and confection, like meringues and marshmallows, chocolate
and fudge.
Passport holders are entitled to a
combination of eight drinks tastings for the cover price, discount vouchers
worth R90 on products purchased from participating cellars, as well as
complimentary coffees served in some of the restaurants involved. Several of
the establishments also offer tours as part of their cellar door experiences to
passport holders.
Van Ryn's, for example, takes
visitors to see its traditional copper pot stills at work and to watch the
coopers assembling the French oak barrels by hand that are used for ageing the
connoisseur brandies. Fleur du Cap's stop-over includes a tour of the famous
Bergkelder cellar built right into the side of the Papegaai mountain, while
visitors to Nederburg will go into the working cellar and also encounter some
of the winery's rich history that goes back more than two centuries.
Passport holders can stay updated
on special seasonal offers from participating establishments by subscribing to
the Cellar Door Collection newsletter.
Passports are available for
purchase from any of the participating cellar doors.
For more information go to www.cellardoorcollection.co.za
or send an e-mail to info@cellardoorcollection.co.za.