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The Cape’s Top Ten<br />
Text Graham Howe<br />
If you won a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the best of the<br />
Cape winelands, where would you go Graham Howe, a local food and wine<br />
editor who spends a day in the winelands every week, makes his personal<br />
selection of must-see cellars which tempt visitors with winery tours and<br />
tastings, wildlife and fine fare.<br />
The most popular<br />
Boschendal, the historic Cape Dutch homestead and wine farm established<br />
by empire-builder Cecil John Rhodes offers scenic vineyard tours, cellar<br />
tours and tastings in the Franschhoek Wine Valley. On top of fine wines,<br />
the culinary attractions make it a hotspot. Try the café in the slave quarters,<br />
the sumptuous Cape buffet in the 1686 cellar, or the most famous picnic<br />
in the winelands, served in style on manicured lawns.<br />
Boschendal, R310, Pniel/Simondium, +27 (0) 21 870 4200, www.boschendal.com.<br />
The most charming<br />
A country track leads to Delheim, the delightful home of the Sperling<br />
family, pioneers of the Stellenbosch wine route that put the Cape back<br />
on the map in the 1960s and 1970s. Explore a biodiversity vineyard trail,<br />
a cellar tasting, or lunch with the ducks that waddle through the garden<br />
restaurant that serves home-grown mushrooms and snails.<br />
Delheim, Knorhoek Road/off R44, Stellenbosch, +27 (0) 21 888 4600,<br />
www.delheim.com.<br />
The most authentic<br />
A palm-lined avenue leads to Diemersdal, a rustic Cape wine farm<br />
(1698) owned by the Louw family in the historic Durbanville Wine<br />
Valley. Stroll around the farmyard with its old homestead, gables, dairy<br />
and cellar, and taste cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc as well as top reds<br />
made by four generations of winemakers in the family.<br />
Diemersdal, M58/Koeberg Road, Durbanville, +27 (0) 21 976 3361,<br />
www.diemersdal.co.za.<br />
Fairview<br />
28 | Feb / Mar / April 2009 SAinbound
Wine<br />
The most chic<br />
Set against the Simonsberg, the landscaped rose gardens, the<br />
tower, the tasting centre and the magnificent underground cellar<br />
of Morgenhof (1692) are built in the classic style of a chateau in<br />
Bordeaux. Owner Anne Cointreau who comes from a famous<br />
French family, brings a classic French ambience to the wines, café<br />
and restaurant.<br />
Morgenhof, R44/Klapmuts Road, Stellenbosch, +27 (0) 21 889 5510,<br />
www.morgenhof.com.<br />
The most wildlife<br />
With guinea-fowls running riot on the lawns, the labels and the<br />
cellar-door restaurant menu, the menagerie out of Africa (including<br />
black springbok) is a drawcard for Saxenburg (1693), one of the<br />
Cape’s top wine producers of fine red wines.<br />
Saxenburg, R306/M12, Stellenbosch, +27 (0) 21 903 6113,<br />
www.saxenburg.co.za.<br />
The most prestigious<br />
Founded in 1700 by Governor Adriaan van der Stel, the 300-yearold<br />
camphor trees, exquisite rose gardens, and state-of-the-art<br />
gravity-fed cellar draw the tourists to Vergelegen - as well as the<br />
award-winning wines of Andre van Rensburg, South Africa’s<br />
leading winemaker, served at the alfresco restaurant and picnics.<br />
Vergelegen, Lourensford Rd, Somerset West, +27 (0) 21 847 1334,<br />
www.vergelegen.co.za.<br />
Groot Constantia<br />
Morgenhof<br />
The most modern<br />
The late Swiss artist Christoph Dornier created this red-brick cellar with rimflow<br />
mirror pool, glass-cage winery and underground cellar – a post-industrial<br />
setting for his expressionist totems in the art gallery and the unusual flagship<br />
blends available in the arty wine bar and Bodega restaurant in the heart of<br />
Stellenbosch’s golden triangle.<br />
Dornier, Blaauklippen Road, Stellenbosch, +27 (0) 21 880 0557, www.dornierwines.co.za.<br />
The most cheesy<br />
Cheese and wine go together like oysters and bubbly at Fairview, a popular<br />
cellar destination on the Paarl wine route. The tourists love the landmark<br />
tower that keeps the alpine goats happily churning out the cheese served in the<br />
Goatshed restaurant. Innovative winemaker Charles Back amuses the French<br />
with humorous labels like Goats do Roam and Goat Roti - and some of the<br />
Cape’s most exciting new wines.<br />
Fairview, off R44, Agter-Paarl, +27 (0) 21-863 2450, www.fairview.co.za.<br />
The most historic<br />
You should start a winelands tour in Constantia, the place where Governor<br />
Simon van der Stel planted the first vineyards in the late 17th century. Going<br />
back to its first vintage in 1688, Groot Constantia is the oldest cellar in the<br />
Cape with a fascinating collection of antique presses, stills and vats. Visit the<br />
furniture, carriage and slavery exhibitions in the Cape Dutch homestead and<br />
taste the Governor’s Reserve.<br />
Groot Constantia, off M41, Constantia. +27 (0) 21 794 5128, www.grootconstantia.co.za.<br />
The most entertaining<br />
Winemaker Achim von Arnim makes six renowned sparkling wines and Pinot<br />
Noir, while his family entertain visitors with the art of sabrage - popping corks<br />
with a sabre - in the spectacular tasting centre and cathedral cellar deep in the<br />
Franschhoek mountains. Try the innovative gourmet food and wine pairing<br />
menu at the restaurant.<br />
Haute CabriÀre, Franschhoek, +27 (0) 21 876 8500/3688, www.hautecabriere.com.<br />
Vergelegen<br />
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