Turns out, all of the vineyards I visited while driving around the Stellenbosch were very reasonably priced, beautiful and a perfect way to see some awe-inspiring scenery. Eating and sipping vino on the road never looked or tasted this good either!
Last October, a full day of exploring this lush area started with a stop over at the pristine and historic Vergelegen (which means situated far away in Old Dutch) in the Western Cape, nestled against the foothills of the Hottentots Holland mountains. The vineyard dates back to 1700 when Governor Simon van der Stel retired and passed along the gorgeous property to his son and new Governor, Willem Adriaan. In 1798, the Theunissen family took the grounds over, carefully cultivating the lush vineyard that the property now boasts. Today, Vergelegen is owned by Anglo American Farms Ltd, and fortunately for us, the property still carries the charm and history of years gone by.
Apart from touring the cellar, octagonal garden (a typical English garden with fragrant herbs grown as a border), and van der Stel's wine cellar turned library, the wine tasting centre is a stop you don't want to miss. I sampled three different wines from a menu of ten choices for under $5CAD (no, I wasn't driving). Wine tastings range from about $0.75 CAD to $2 CAD per wine - so you can customize the wines you'd like to sample according to your budget. One of the most refreshing was the Vin de Florence- a blend of the estate's Chenin Blanc, Muscat varietals and Sauvignon Blanc. It's described as having hints of green apples, ripe tropical fruit, ginger and Muscat- perfect with spicy dishes. A complete listing of the grounds and their wine selection can be found at: www.vergelegen.co.za.
Next to Vergelegen- in fact it's one the same grounds as the vineyard, proudly sits Morgenster (meaning Morning Star). Italian entrepreneur Giulio Bertrand bought the Morgenster parcel of land in 1992- it's said that the majestic mountains, mild climate and surroundings reminded him of his beloved Tuscany.
He set out to produce world quality olive oil and Bordeaux style red wines on this estate, and he can proudly say his dreams have become reality. The Morgenster olive oil is some of the finest I've ever tasted - it also has a long list of awards to back the claim. With a deep yellow almost green tone, the oil has nuances of freshly cut grass and the flavour is an explosion of freshness. This cold pressed oil is a blend of Italian oil cultivars which include Frantoio, Leccino and Coratina. I walked out of Morgenster with two 250 ml bottles of extra virgin olive oil, a small bottle of white truffle oil and one jar of their amazing black olive paste (no preservatives added). I paid $35 CAD for all of my award-winning edibles which delight diners every time I make one of my pasta dishes or vinaigrettes. Check out www.morgenster.co.za for more information.
A bit off the beaten path, we found ourselves winding through dirt roads to savour some of the most incredible fortified wines at the Muratie Wine Estate (www.muratie.co.za). Situated at the foot of the Simonsberg Mountain in what is known as South Africa's premiere red wine producing area, Muratie is steeped in history. Founded in 1685, the wine tasting room has beautiful stained glass windows purposely covered with ancient cob webs. The folks at Muratie are proud of their long legacy of wine production and want to share the past with those today- cob webs and all.
Our hands-down favourite was the 2002 Cape Vintage Fortified Wine (just like a Port but given that it's not produced or bottled in Porto, Portugal, it can't be called that). For the cellaring fans out there- this ruby red beauty can stand up to 15 years in a proper cellar or it can be consumed now. For $22 CAD, this bottle offers up great value, glass after magnificent glass.
We finished up our wonderful day at Delheim (www.delheim.co.za), located near Muratie in the Simonsberg area of the wine route. This family owned vineyard is owned by the Sperling clan and their work has turned out internationally acclaimed wines. Founded in 1699, the vineyard reflects the traditions that have made it so popular with locals and tourists alike.
Their tasting cellar is quaint and comforting, with knowledgeable staff on hand to help you in your selections. I enjoyed the crisp 2005 Sauvignon Blanc/Chenin Blanc blend. The Delheim desert wines however, were the stellar show stoppers. The Spatzendreck Late Harvest 2004 and the Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest 2004 grabbed our attention in a hurry. In all, we bought two desert wines, one white and two reds for a total of $44 CAD. The tasting cost us $5 CAD for sampling five different wines. Well worth the visit, I assure you.
The day's real gem though proved to be the late lunch we enjoyed at Delheim's Garden Restaurant which offers a picturesque view of manicured gardens and Table Mountain. I had the tart of the day- feta and spinach with a fresh garden salad ($7 CAD), while my husband enjoyed the smoked salmon sandwich on a croissant with brie, a colourful edible flower, marinated mushrooms, onions and avocado with a side salad ($8 CAD). Everything was fresh, well presented and beautifully prepared. We treated ourselves to a glass of white pinot grigio ($4 CAD a glass) each and topped off our meal with a pinotage and berry flavoured ice cream for $4 CAD. Truly decadent, truly South African.
Touring any wine route in North America from my own experience has cost me at least twice the price of what I paid in South Africa. Everywhere we went we were greeted by friendly faces, courteous staff, and savoured excellent wine. At the end of our bustling day, an amber sunset cast a golden glow amongst wined and dined tourists who would gladly return to such a special place.
For more wine route information- go to: www.wineroute.co.za.
Want more tasty wine tips- check out at: Suite101.com's Alan Boehmer's pieces to read about how South African wines compare to some Californian counterparts.
