It’s harvest season in the Boland, which means all hands are on deck at Babylonstoren. As the summer sun is bearing down, winemaker Klaas Stoffberg and his team keep a hawk eye on the vines, ready to pick when the bunches are at optimal ripeness. And back in the farm cellar, the 2025 vintages are starting to take shape.
Meanwhile, farmer Ian and his team have kicked off the annual almond harvest just as the last of the Afri-Blush apples are being picked. From the Babylonstoren tunnels, there's an abundance of quirky cucumbers, the most colourful array of sweet snacking peppers yet, and their new exotic watermelon selection. Have you ever tried the Moon and Stars watermelon? The garden team is also relishing the season’s first ripe figs, prickly pears and quirky kei apples.
Love apples – with love from the garden
Babylonstoren's garden is a treasure trove of seasonal delights – especially in summer – overflowing with string beans, fragrant basil and sweet peppers. In the nursery tunnels under tunnel master Elzé Bresler's watchful eye, heirloom tomatoes are in full flush in February. In France, tomatoes are also known as pomme d'amour, which translates to "love apple". How fitting for the month of love!
Whether you enjoy a classic caprese salad made with tomatoes and Babylonstoren’s authentic water buffalo mozzarella, or prefer stirring up your own Italian-inspired tomato sauce, these juicy and hearty heirloom jewels offer more flavour than any commercial counterpart. Order online at shop.babylonstoren.com and Babylonstoren will deliver to your doorstep.
Simply the best
The new year kicked off on a winning streak for Babylonstoren, who raked in 11 awards at the 2024 Food and Home Awards. Farm favourites like Vonkeltee, which launched last year, as well as stalwarts like bitterlekker and the authentic water buffalo mozzarella, all secured gold status after rigorous taste tests by standard bearers in each industry.
Gold award winners
- Water Buffalo Mozzarella
- Herb Halloumi Skewer
- Rooibos Tea
- Coffee Beans
- Bitterlekker
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil Blend
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Whole Kalamata Olives and Herbs
Silver award winners
- Vonkeltee Rooibos Sparkling Ice Tea
- Babylonstoren Water Buffalo Full Cream Yoghurt
- Kalamata and Anchovy Tapenade
Click HERE to shop online.
Cheers to the 2025 wine harvest season
February means winemakers are in the thick of the harvest season and the cellar team is firing on all cylinders. At Babylonstoren, the chardonnay vines have been picked, soon to be transformed into their 2025 vintage of Sprankel. It will be a while before we’ll taste the fruits of this season’s labours as this flagship Cap Classique is made according to the traditional method over four long years.
In the meantime, the cellar team cast their palates to creating this year’s Mourvèdre Rosé – another Babylonstoren favourite. This beautiful blush rosé is to be enjoyed crisp and fresh, and in time for the 2025 Chelsea Flower Show held in the UK in May.
With the wine harvest in full swing, it’s the perfect time for a cellar tour (booking is essential) to see the winemaking process up close. The tour culminates in a tasting in the underground tasting room, which offers cool respite from the February sun.
Over at Soetmelksvlei, the harvest has kicked off too, albeit at a slower pace. Here, noble mules Annatjie and Saartjie transport grapes from Babylonstoren’s cellar to Soetmelksvlei, where the bunches will be sorted and stamped by foot to extract the ruby-red juices. Guests are invited to join in the fun from 13-15 February and again 27-29 February. The experience includes freshly baked mosbolletjies, a light harvest platter and a glass of fresh mos. Booking at babylonstoren.com is essential.
Let love grow
It’s only apt that February is the month of love, with its intense heat, abundance of red-ripe figs and a final flush of sweet-smelling roses. A sensory explosion awaits in the Puff Adder walkway where more than 80 types of roses will be on display for the month of February. Swing by to see – and smell – the likes of Mermaid and Albéric Barbier, Champagne Pearl and Rosa Damascena alongside classics like Mme Alfred Carrière, Kiftsgate and Souvenir de la Malmaison flowering on the garden pergolas.
There are many more ways to lean into the month of love on the farm. Why not treat your beau to our Valentine’s workshop, aptly named Say it with chocolate and cake, and learn how to bake your own Valentine’s treats at Soetmelksvlei.
There’s also a tribute to fresh figs in February where you can bake our own fig tart at Soetmelksvlei. Bookings at babylonstoren.com are essential.
If you’re unable to be on the farm, you can still experience love at your leisure. The Babylonstoren delivery team are going all out with swoon-worthy hampers, sensational soetkoekies, delightful Rooslekkers, farm-made Rose Gelato and sensual spoils from the Scented Room (try the limited-edition Roostuin scent). These can be delivered to your darling’s doorstep to show your adoration. Order at shop.babylonstoren.com, with nationwide free delivery.
A shot in the dark
It’s time you add the Babylonstoren coffee roastery to your travel list for 2025. The wine farm’s house blend may be a newcomer to the caffeine cult, but it has been crowned the official winner in the cupping round of Coffee Magazine’s A Shot in the Dark competition. This prestigious title celebrates their team’s dedication to crafting exceptional coffee. Get a taste of victory in the farm’s authentic coffee roastery (and try the buffaccino while you’re there), or have your brew delivered to your doorstep.
Did you know? Babylonstoren’s coffee capsules are completely compostable.
Workshops in February
- 5 February - Waterwise gardening 101
- 7 February - Bake your own at Soetmelksvlei: teatime treats with choux pastries and almonds
- 12 February - Discover and grow cycads
- 14 February - Say it with chocolate and cake: bake your own Valentine’s treats at Soetmelksvlei
- 19 February - Join us for healing tea
- 20 February - Bloomin' and beautiful: the art of flower pressing at Soetmelksvlei
- 21 February - Fig feast: bake a fig tart at Soetmelksvlei
- 26 February - Discover the secret life of bees
- 28 February - Traditional needlework: the basics of colourful quilting at Soetmelksvlei
To book your spot at one of our workshops, click HERE.