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Winelands Explore Socials

Join me on my exciting adventures through the winelands with tips that will help you enjoy your winelands experience to the full.

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🌞 Bring on Summer and bring on Eikendal’s Jan

📣 My NO-NO's when wine tasting! Wine tasting s

📣 My NO-NO's when wine tasting!

Wine tasting should be enjoyable so here are a few things to avoid if you can.

Leave a comment below with your NO-NO's when tasting wine 🍷

❌️ Don't drink coffee just before tasting wine.

❌️ Don't wear heavy perfumes or colognes when wine tasting.

❌️ Don't chew gum while drinking wine as it affects the taste.

❌️ Don't drink old wine that has been open for many days or weeks (who has left over wine anyway 😉)

❌️ Don't store wine in direct sunlight or leave it in a warm car.

❌️ Don't drink from a dirty glass as it can change the taste of the wine.

❌️ Don't put sulphite eliminating drops in your wine.

❌️ Don't be a wine snob!! Wine tasting should be fun so leave your ego at home.

Have a winederful day! 🥂

🌞 🍷@vredeenlust lies within a natural amphit

🌈 As the name suggests, this boutique wine farm

🌈 As the name suggests, this boutique wine farm is the proverbial ‘pot of gold’ at the end of the rainbow.
I struggle to find the words to describe the magnificent views as you take in the mountainous amphitheatre from Rainbow’s End Wine Estate deck.

Our recent visit to @rainbowsendwine with @rewine_sa was fabulous, relaxed and of course included some excellent wines.
🍇 The Estate backs onto the Jonkershoek Mountain range overlooking the beautiful Banghoek valley, with high-lying slopes that rise to 540m above sea level.
This family run estate is led by Jacques Malan, who we had the privilege of meeting and chatting to, as well as his two sons Anton and Francois.

🍷 The tasting room has a fabulous wrap-around deck to enjoy your wine tasting while savouring the views. If the weather is not ideal, the inside section has floor-to-ceiling windows that gives exceptional views while staying warm by the fire.
Their focus is predominantly on red wines, although they do have a Chenin Blanc, Rosé and Cabernet Franc Blanc de Noir.
Fennel took us through our tasting, and he is as knowledgeable as he is friendly.
🍽 There is no restaurant, but the cheese and charcuterie platters are ideal to keep hunger away. Child friendly but nothing for them to do.

What I learnt…….I was reminded to appreciate the beauty that is all around us, to feel like I could reach out and touch the mountains, to catch up with friends and remember that life is truly a gift! 🤍

Have a winederful day! 🥂

🇿🇦 🏉 🍷As we continue through the Rugby

🇿🇦 🏉 🍷As we continue through the Rugby World Cup with the Springboks playing like champs, yesterday’s game called for the Groot Phesantekraal Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, which is perfectly paired with rugby fever 😉.

🍷 The Durbanville Valley is home to award-winning Sauvignon Blancs, and their red wines are just as great.
This wine shows an array of bright raspberries and concentrated dark fruit aromas, which follow through on the palate. Pinecone, black pepper and violet scents are in harmony with the fruit, creating a full-bodied and complex wine.
A beautiful tightness on the palate with dried herb nuances emphasise the cool climate terroir of Durbanville. This wine has a long and full finish that lingers with a blueberry aftertaste.

Along with this wine that I was so generously gifted from the Durbanville Wine Valley was a favourite S.A. snack…biltong. Handpicked from the acclaimed 2022 KFM Best Biltong Butchery, Boer and Butcher.
The other fun essential is Rhino Balls, which are ideal to light the braai, a fireplace or to use when camping. They are eco-friendly and made from wax and rhino dung. How cool!! 🦏

I hope you enjoyed the game – GO BOKKE!

What did you have in hand when you watched the Springboks yesterday?

Have a winederful day! 🥂

#drinkDurbanville #dineDurbanville #discoverdurbanville

🐑 Hermanuspietersfontein Wines…..their name i

🐑 Hermanuspietersfontein Wines…..their name is a mouthful and so are their wines!
Located at the very beginning of the Hemel-en-Aarde wine valley, just outside Hermanus is the @hpf_skapie tasting room. The name pays tribute to the founder of Hermanus, Hermanus Pieters, who in 1855 started the small village that has grown into a bustling sea-side town we know today.

🍇 The grapes for this wine herald from the cool climate vineyards that are actually located on the Sondagskloof farm between Stanford and Elim in the Walker Bay district. This is approx. 54km away from the cellar door, and home to four lovely self-catering cottages for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.

🍷 At the modern wine tasting centre, with tables both inside and outside you can sample a variety of their wines for a fee of R10 each.
Dogs and children welcome, but not too much for them to do. Unless you go on a Saturday morning when they have their mini market, affectionately called Die Markie, where local producers showcase yummy artisanal food, live entertainment and good wine of course.
They do not have a restaurant or platters, hence another reason to go on a Saturday 😉.

What I learnt……the Hermanuspietersfontein back label on each wine bottle is written completely in Afrikaans. Most labels are written in English, so it is super interesting and fun that they are the only farm that does this.

Have a winederful day! 🥂

🇿🇦 🏉 Yes, you guessed it….the Rugby Wo

🇿🇦 🏉 Yes, you guessed it….the Rugby World Cup starts today!! So grab your BOKKE t-shirts, flags and Vuvuzelas as we get ready to support our boys in green and gold.

🍷 I received this fantastic gift box of goodies from the Durbanville Wine Valley and couldn’t wait to try on these funky custom @versussocks with #drinkDurbanville design when drinking the @dariawinery Shiraz 2022.

🍇 Known for their exceptional Sauvignon Blanc, the Durbanville Wine Valley takes equal pride in its diverse selection of cool climate reds, which consistently win awards.  The D’ Aria Shiraz 2022 is a one of these and essential when supporting our beloved Springboks!

🍷 The D’ Aria Shiraz is a dry-style Shiraz with expressions of pomegranate, dark berries and pepper, and complemented by oak-derived aromas of vanilla and cedar.  Although 93% Shiraz, the other 7% Viognier gives this wine a palate laced with elegant fruit and acidity, making this an easy-drinking red wine with a 5-year ageing potential.

🇿🇦 Join me in raising a glass to celebrate the start of the Rugby World Cup with the spirit of #drinkDurbanville.  GO BOKKE!!

Have a winederful day! 🥂

#drinkdurbanville
#dinedurbanville
#discoverdurbanville
#dariawines

🏆 The Michelangelo International Wine and Spiri

🏆 The Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards are in their 27th year, and offer South African producers the opportunity to have their wines adjudicated locally by a highly experienced and respected panel of professionals from around the world.

🥇 On Friday night I had the honour of attending the glamorous awards ceremony to announce and celebrate the winners, which was held at the luxurious @southernsunhotels Hotel in Cape Town.

🍷 The panel of judges are hand-picked wine experts from five different continents, who undertake a blind tasting process to score each wine using a 100-point scoring system.
This year there was a total of 633 overall winners, including 21 Platinum Awards, 22 Trophy Awards and 4 Grand Prix Awards.

🥇 The @michelangelo_awards_sa are an acknowledgement of excellence in the wine and spirits industry.

Don't miss the live streaming today Monday 4th September at 14.00.

Have a winederful day! 🥂

#michelangeloawards
#southernsunwines

🌟 The gorgeous Spring weather in Cape Town call

🌟 The gorgeous Spring weather in Cape Town calls for De Grendel’s Sauvignon Blanc 2023 side by side with a crispy cider battered fish and chips – so delicious!

This beautiful Sauvignon Blanc heralds from the slopes of the Tygerberg mountains that overlook the Atlantic Ocean, and comes with an impressive track record that consistently rates
4 * in the Platters Guide.

🥭 Imagine an abundance of tropical fruit aromas like passionfruit, grapefruit and guava on the nose that follow through on the palate.  Layered complexity with fresh minerality keeps you wanting more.

🍇 The fruit is picked in batches over three weeks and has over two months of lees contact, giving this wine a gorgeous richness, body and intense flavour.

Thank you @degrendelwines and @liquidpulsepr for sending me those beautiful wine to try!
Let’s just say that it is a must have this Season! 😉

Have a winederful day! 🥂

🎶🍷🎶 Say the band name WATERSHED, and mo

🎶🍷🎶 Say the band name WATERSHED, and most South Africans will break out into song....Your my little Indigo Girl!

This multi-platinum selling band are going on 23 years and have released 5 studio albums, toured the world, topped pop charts and are one of the most respected and decorated bands to come out of SA.
🎤 Lead singer and songwriter Craig Hinds played at @sanooksomerset last night, and reminded everyone why they are so successful.
Craig is a great singer, down to earth genuine guy and now a wine maker. Lets say that again, yes they have added a wine label to their repertoire together with @kaapzichtwines wines.

🍷 We tasted 2 wines as Craig sang and played to an applauding audience.
Letters is an old vine Chenin with lovely complexity on the palate.
Indigo Girl is a blend of Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, and shows red berries on the nose and palate mingled with a hint of spice.
Their wines are available online, so get your hands on these quickly before they sell out!

Now you can hear, see and taste the creations of Craig and @watershedmusicofficial - how awesome! 🎼

Have a winederful day! 🥂

📌 Approx. 1.5hrs from Cape Town is the quaint a

📌 Approx. 1.5hrs from Cape Town is the quaint and relaxed town of Stanford, right in the heart of the Overberg.
You may mistake Stanford for a sleepy country town, there is an assortment of activities going on for foodies, families, outdoorsy types, birdwatchers, those seeking to relax and of course our wine farm goers.

🍽 Restaurants a plenty - Fantastic restaurants that cater for every palate, from cozy coffee shops on the main road to Mexican food or breakfast at a beautiful Manor House.

🍷 Wine away the day - The Stanford wine route is unique with its close proximity to the cold Atlantic Ocean and their cool climate producing wines.

🍺 Micro-Brewery for the win - The Birkenhead Brewery at Walker Bay Estate was founded in 1998 and one of the first craft breweries in South Africa.

🛏 Where to stay in Stanford - In the heart of the Stanford Wine Route is a little gem called Blue Gum Country Estate.

🦁🐯 Beauties to behold at Panthera Big Cat Sanctuary -
Panthera Africa is a non-profit organisation and sanctuary for any captive-bred big cats to live out the rest of their days in a safe and loving forever home.

🪻 Dazzling Colours at Eikenhoff Orchid Nursery - I absolutely love Orchids so you can image my excitement when visiting the Eikenhoff Orchid Nursery that specialises in exotic orchid plants.

🧀 Getting Cheesy with Klein River Cheese - The Klein River Cheese farmstead is unfortunately closed to visitors, but you can still browse and purchase their cheeses and cheese products from their shop at Walker Bay Estate.

⛵️ Meander down the river on a Stanford River Cruise -
The Klein River that originates in the Klein River Mountains winds its way through the scenic countryside until it meets up with the Hermanus Lagoon.

🚵‍♀️ 🏃‍♀️ Let’s adventure outdoors - As if the above adventures are not enough, there are a myriad of outdoor activities to keep you busy, including mountain biking, trail running, canoeing, paddling and hiking.

Stanford offers relaxation or activity, depending on your mood and lifestyle choices.

See my blog for the full article (website link in bio), and let me know what else you find!

Have a winederful day! 🥂

🛻 Eikehof Wine Estate is a family-owned winery,

🛻 Eikehof Wine Estate is a family-owned winery, surrounded by majestically old oak trees and part of the Tram line on the R45 in Franschhoek.
The Malherbe family have owned this hidden gem since 1903, and today Francois Malherbe is the 4th generation winemaker to make this family proud.

🍇@eikehofwinery has 23 hectares of land, with both vines and peach orchards on.
They have 6 varietals, including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon, Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.  In fact, the farm has the oldest block of Semillon bush vines in South Africa, dating back to 1902! 😳

🍷 The inside tasting area is made up of gorgeously carved wooden tables, with spacious arrangements.
On a sunny day, the outside area is shaded over by huge oak trees providing a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere, with pretty views.
They have 4 tastings available, as well as a Cape Ruby tasting, fondly named Grandpa’s 1942 Ford. This is made in a ‘port-style’ from Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and fortified to 18% alc.

🍽 According to Eikehof and M.F.K. Fisher – “Wine and cheese are ageless companions” and I agree whole heartedly.
With this in mind, there are cheese and charcuterie platters available.
Child friendly with acorns to collect, grass to play on and two friendly ostriches to feed (watch those fingers).

What I learnt……the 1942 Ford that stands proudly under the oaks is a proud piece of the Malherbe family and is also found on the label of their Cape Ruby.

Have a winederful day! 🥂

💜 💗 💚 Happy Women's Day to all the amazin

💜 💗 💚 Happy Women's Day to all the amazing women out there!

🎁 I received this beautiful gift from La Motte to celebrate today, and as the name suggests it is a wine of joy.

Although inspired by the style of a French Rosé, the grapes used in La Motte's Vin de Joie are truly South African with the diverse blend of 71% Grenache, 17% Mourvèdre, 6% Syrah and 6% Cinsault.

This wines delicate salmon pink colour, has a joyful complexity with notes of nectarine, melon, rose petal and Turkish delight, and is made to celebrate life's everyday joys.

This beautiful wine is popular on its own, or as a partner to food and friends.
Otherwise, paired elegantly here with a notebook and colourful pens to let the creative juices flow, because "Sometimes.....when we write them down, it’s easier to recognise all the joys in our lives."

Thank you La Motte for such a thoughtful and pretty gift!

Cheers to all the insanely powerful, beautiful and graceful ladies!

Have a winederful day! 🥂

🍇 🌟 @rakawine – “Born of the sea, Guid

🍇 🌟 @rakawine – “Born of the sea, Guided by the stars, Blessed by the earth” is a favourite place to visit when in Stanford.
This estate borders the Kleinrivier river with the Kleinrivier Mountain slopes (the Southernmost Mountain range in Africa) providing the estate with a variety of soil types and aspects.  Hand in hand with this is the cooling sea breezes from Walker Bay that gives these wines a unique character.

🚢 The name Raka came about when Piet Dreyer who bought the farm in 1982, had a black freezer fishing vessel built that he lovingly named RAKA.  This was in fact an Afrikaans poem about an African tribe that was threatened by Raka, a half man, and half beast as black as the night.  He then took the name with when he went into winemaking, and hence the slogan above.

🍷 The tasting room has an inside and outside section with mountain views and friendly staff.  There is one tasting of 8 wines, including a Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Sangiovese, Merlot, Malbec and Pinotage and different blends to name a few.
Child friendly with a small jungle gym but not much for them to do.

🍽 There is no restaurant, but they do have a small deli-style shop where you can buy local produce like cheeses, biscuits, ice cream, olives etc to eat while you do a tasting.

What I learnt……The Akkedisberg Boerdery is a vineyard workers trust based at Raka that has officially launched their first wine this year, a barrel-aged Pinotage.  Led by Josef Dreyer (Raka’s winemaker), this project aims to empower the community with a transfer of skills and knowledge.

Have a winederful day! 🥂

⛰️ 🍷 Approx an hour and a half from Cape To

⛰️ 🍷 Approx an hour and a half from Cape Town, past Hermanus and into the town of Stanford is where you will find @stanfordhills .  A boutique and family-owned wine estate with lots going on!  From hot tub accommodation to wines and concerts....lets explore it all....

🍷 Stanford Hills Estate with 12 hectares under vine, has a relaxed and rustic charm with emphasis on the outdoors, good food and good times together.
You can do a wine tasting in their wine shop, but I would recommend you rather do one in the restaurant.  Here you can have breakfasts or lunches, craft beers and sample 6 of their wines.

🍽 The restaurant overlooks a pretty dam, valley below and gorgeous views of the nearby mountains.  The outside seating area is spacious with different seating options to admire the natural beauty all around you, ensuring a relaxing time for all.

Both child and pet friendly, with grass galore and different jungle gyms and wooden ships to explore.  Don’t be alarmed if you see a massive pig strolling through the grounds, as this is Crackling, the resident pig that pops in and out to say hi 🐷.

🛏 Accommodation at Stanford Hills can either be their well preserved Manor House or other smaller cottages that offer self-catering.  Otherwise there are 10 Africamps with luxury glamping tents (5 with private wood fired hot tubs) so guests can enjoy the fun of camping but comfortably 😉.

🥁 This musical estate has brought many a South Africa musical talent to play here, including the likes of Louise Carver, Ard Mathews, Watershed and Arno Carstens.
Keep a lookout on their website for upcoming events.

What I learnt…..Stanford Wine Estate offers horse-riding, hiking, fishing and whale-watching by air.  The farms private landing strip provides the opportunity to see the nearby whales (when in season) from a bird’s eye view.

Have a winederful day! 🥂

💥 Paarl’s new kid on the block is a force to

💥 Paarl’s new kid on the block is a force to be reckoned with as they take the wine industry by storm.  Baccō Estate planted their first vineyards in 2016 and their state-of-the-art cellar and tasting room completed in 2020, so be sure to keep your eyes on this one.

🍇 Talk about opulence, talk about modern, talk about a family’s love to create a Tuscan-inspired dream in the heart of the Paarl winelands.
My recent visit included a cellar tour by their super talented winemaker and just really great person Julia Blaine, as she took us through their energy-efficient, technologically advanced, temperature-controlled systems that allows for minimal intervention.
Followed by a walk through the humidity-controlled barrel maturation cellar to further brings their wines to life.

🍷 After working up an appetite on the cellar tour, I sat in the beautifully decorated tasting room to try their 6 wine and canape pairing.
There are 4 tasting options available, depending on your palate and varietal preference, and this is one of them.
The inside section is spacious with great attention to detail, while the outside patio allows for a pretty view of the Taal Monument.

🍽 Their restaurant is a treat of Italian inspired small plates, as well as in-house patisserie selection with teas and coffees, and a kiddie’s menu.
All these creative and tasty meals are created by patisserie chef Carla Jankelowitz recently back from Le Cordon Bleu, London.
Both child and dog friendly with balls to kick around and lawn games available.

What I learnt….. @baccoestate forms part of the Franschhoek Wine Tram experience on the Purple Line.  This way you can hop on and hop off at the various estates and plan your day as you wish.

Have a winederful day! 🥂

🎾 🍷 Tennis followed by a tasting!! Durin

🎾 🍷 Tennis followed by a tasting!!
During our relaxing stay at @bluegumcountryestate in Stanford, Anton (owner and winemaker) took us through a tasting of a nearby wine estate called Strandveld Vineyards.
I love it that they have a Wine farm of the month, whereby a tasting of wines from farms in either Elim, Hermanus or Agulhas are offered to guests.

🍇 @strandveldvineyards is just 9km from the sea and spans the ‘tempestuous tip of Africa’s southernmost coastline.' This maritime climate is characterised by severe winds, billowing mist and below average temperatures gives these wines a unique and distinct character.
Due to this terroir the choice of vineyards is therefore important, and they focus on Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, and Pinot Noir, with small batches of Semillon, Viognier, Grenache and Mourvèdre for blending.

🍷 Seated outside in the Winter afternoon sun, we tasted the Strandveld Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Strandveld Adamastor (Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon blend), Strandveld Navigator (Rhone Blend).

👏 After this, we tasted the first vintage of Campbells Peak Sauvignon Blanc, from the grapes grown there at Blue Gum estate.  The sense of pride and accomplishment was evident as the wine was poured for a first tasting.  It was encouraging to see the end result of years of hard work and fruits of one's labour. Well done Anton and team!

What I learnt…..no matter how old you are or where you may find yourself in life, there is always an opportunity to learn something new or make your own wine 😉.

Have a winederful day! 🥂

🐳 Baleia Wines is wonderfully unique in that th

🐳 Baleia Wines is wonderfully unique in that they are the only producer in the Lower Duivenhoks ward near Vermaaklikheid on the Cape South Coast, with their vineyards just a stone’s throw from St Sebastian Bay.
On a recent rugby tour to Riversdal, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit this beauty (and bumped into a wine friend too @jakkalsonderdietrap ).

🍇 A Mediterranean climate with soil consisting largely of solid limestone and a super high mineral content makes for interesting wines and winemaking.
An ever-present south-easterly wind, rock-hard soil and extremely cold winters means a smaller yield of concentrated berries, which results in a particular mouthfeel of chalky minerality and maritime salinity, and therefore excellent terroir driven wines.

🍷 Inside the elegant tasting room is a warm fire, lounge pockets and graceful whale art hanging overhead.  There are also tables and chairs outside for a sunny days visit.
The Casa Da Baleia Range is beautifully balanced for everyday drinking, while the Limitados Wines are concentrated and elegant!

@baleiawines has 3 wine tasting options to choose from, gracefully presented on an information sheet for ease of reference to each wine and its characteristics.
They also make Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 4 delicious coffee blends to satisfy any caffeine craving!

🍽 At present there is no food available, but there is a Mug n Bean right next door for food or milkshakes etc.  Child friendly and although not much for them to do, there is a lovely big grass area to run around on or have a teddy bear’s picnic.

What I learnt……the name Baleia is Portuguese for Whale, and because their vineyards are situated so close to St Sebastian Bay, which is known as the whale nursery of South Africa, it inspired the naming of their wines accordingly 🐳

Have a winederful day! 🥂

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Time spent with family a

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Time spent with family and friends is important, and I am always on the lookout for places that are family friendly so that the kiddies can enjoy themselves as much as the adults do.

ℹ️ My article is out today on the 5 family-friendly wine farm destinations in Franschhoek that are ideal for adults and children alike, as there is something that appeals to the young and old.

- Beautiful Boschendal

- Relaxing at Rickety Bridge

- A day out at Allée Bleue

- Gracious Grande Provence

- Lazy days at Leopards Leap

💜 The bond that links a family is not always one of blood, but of respect and joy in spending time together.
Families come in all different shapes and sizes, and even if some family members may drive you crazy, it is key to finding a place that meets the needs of most.
💚 I hope that when visiting these farms, you can all experience laughter and fun while making special memories.

For the full article, see the blog page on my website or the news page on @wine.co.za
https://news.wine.co.za/news.aspx?NEWSID=41563

Have a winederful day! 🥂

@alleebleue
@boschendal
@boschendalwines
@ricketybridgewines
@grandeprovence
@leopardsleap
@franschhoeksa

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