Winelands Tour with David Rogers

The route and planning

If you have just one day to explore the Cape Wineland region, then its best to leave early — say 08h00 after breakfast and be back in the late afternoon by 17h00 in order to prepare for dinner. This route (there is also a Constantia, West Coast and Overberg Wine Route) includes some of the highlights of the original wine regions and includes about 160 kilometres of driving.  In this time we should visit at least two wine farms (with some wine pairing and  snacks on the side) and also have time to gain a strong sense of the towns and history. We will have at least an hour of down time for dining, shopping, stretching legs or enjoying another tasting of wine.  Of course, all is entirely flexible — depending on the weather, your interests and how you feel

A bit of history

In the 1700s Dutch farmers explored inland from the Cape toward Stellenbosch and started growing wines and fruit. They were followed by the French Huguenots and together a fine tradition of wine, food and architecture was created in the towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek — the core of the South African Winelands regions.

Paarl

We will pass by Paarl – or literally Pearl — a town bisected by the Berg River with its large granite “pearl” mountain. It is here where  the Afrikaans language monument is found and an interesting place to learn about the history of the Afrikaans movement. It is also home to KWV which is the largest wine co-opertives in the world. Wine farms to visit in this area include Villiera, Kanonkop and Backsberg.

Franschhoek

A highlight of the day is the delightful town of Franschhoek in a valley previously called Olifants Hoek — or Elephant Corner. French protestants fleeing persecution in France settled here and its thanks to them that the town has the most wonderful wine and cuisine. You will love this little French inspired town which still celebrates Bastille Day each year. There are excellent galleries, coffee shops, boutique shops and top wine farms including Boschendal, La Motte and Haute Cabriere.

Stellenbosch 

Stellenbosch which is the second oldest town in South Africa has some of the best preserved Cape Dutch Architecture in South Africa and Dorp Street, which is lined with gabled buildings, is still very much intact.  This is a busy university town, much larger than Franschhoek,  with excellent shops and art galleries. In this area we visit Rustenberg, Waterford and Thelema.

South African Wines

South Africa has excellent wines — and they have become even more sought after since 1994 when the region was exposed to international influences. Pinotage is a local cultivar and of great interest. There are also excellent Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling wines made in the Champagne method. We would love to know if you have any special interests in wine so we can plan your day accordingly. Some of our favourite wine farms are Kanonkop, which is the home of Pinotage, Waterford which has a wonderful chocolate and wine experience and Rustenberg farms a beautiful farm with great wines. We will also stop at Thelema which is one of the friendliest farms around. We suggest just two wine stops in a one day tour. South Africa is also well known for its Brandies including the largest wine cellars in the world.

Other attractions for another day

There are plenty of diversions along the way which could keep you for two or three days in this area. The Franschhoek Motor Museum (a great stop for enthusiasts) which has hundreds of exhibits revealing more than a century of motor transport in South Africa. We also love Babylonstoren which has the most fascinating and productive fruit gardens. If you are interested in art and bronze statues and gardens we can highly recommend a day visit to Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden

For those wanting to experience the “home of South African wine” and learn about a wide range of products then a trip to Paarl and KWV is one of the largest wine complexes in the world and features the very impressive Cathedral Cellar

Our favourite lunch places

La Petit Ferme is a delightful place for a light lunch with a glorious view over the valley. Other wonderful restaurants are found at Haute Cabriere and La Motte. But it is said that nobody serves bad food in the Winelands — they simply would not last.

Photography

The days can be dramatic in summer with interesting clouds and vivid green colours, but the real magic usually happens at dawn and dusk as the light fades, the mountains turn to gold and the skies turn a deep orange

•  It takes time to get great shots. If you want to photograph the Winelands its a good idea to ustay in a hotel or guesthouse, which is well positioned for early morning and late afternoon photography.

•  Harvest time lasts from December through to April. The farmers are very busy at this time of year and there are interesting shots of work being done such as pressing grapes or harvesting. In the Tulbagh area much of the harvesting is done at night and it makes for fascinating photography.

•   There are often very clear and warm days in winter when you can photograph the stark beauty of the dark vines against the green. And if you are lucky enough to have snow in the mountains then you are in for a really dramatic scene.

•  Try and take a cellar tour for some interesting low light photography of bottles. Make sure you remember your tripod.

David is the author of Winelands in Style as well as many other titles.


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