This is the start of a journey to provide you with knowledge of what is going on in the wine industry as well as to provide you with information on what not to miss when you are exploring the Cape Winelands.  This page is under construction - so bear with us as we develop it!

PAM'S FAVOURITE WINE ESTATES IN THE CAPE:

1. Helderberg Region:

This region is about 45 minutes drive from Cape Town and is nestled among the suburbs of Somerset West.

• Vergelegen: This farm should be number 1 on your hitlist if visiting the Cape.  It is one of our most historical estates dating back to the early 1700's.  The history is fascinating and worth delving into.  The estate boasts extensive gardens that can be explored.  Do not miss out on visiting the Rose Garden in summer.  At the estate you can explore the historical Cape Dutch Homestead, the gardens, the camphor forest, the yellow wood forest (note that this forest is very young) and see the Cape's oldest camphor tree and the oldest oak tree (be warned it is small!).  Note that Vergelegen often walks off with many of the wine awards each year - as such a wine tasting is a definate requirement when visiting.  Additional attractions would be to book for a cellar tour and to book for a picnic in the camphor forest.  Note that this is one of the most civilized picnics you will ever go to.  They set the tables for the picnic randomly around the forest.  You arrive and report into the kiosk in the Rose Garden and a waiter brings your prepared picnic basket to your table.  It is a serviced picnic - so a waiter will pop in every now and again to check if you need more drinks.  If you have the time in your itinerary, plan to arrive late morning for the cellar tour and spend the afternoon enjoying the picnic.  It is an amazing day out. See  www.vergelegen.co.za for booking details.  NB book your picnic well in advance in summer - often booked a month in advance
• Morgenster:  Directly next door to Vergelegen is Morgenster.  Morgenster is noted for its very good Bordeaux blend reds and its award winning olive oil.  Visit Morgenster to do a wine, olive and olive oil tasting.  They do a formal olive oil tasting - yes, you smell the nose.......and actually sip the oil.  A scratchiness at the back of your through indicates that it is a fresh extra virgin olive oil. The farm has a wonderful setting with views of the mountains.  The tasting room is stylish and the staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic.  It is a really fun experience not to be missed. Open Mon - Fri 10am - 5pm, Sat & Sun & public holidays 10am - 4pm. Tasting fee: R30.  Booking not neccessary for groups under 10.  For more details visit their website www.morgenster.co.za
• Lourensford:  The wine here seems to be getting better with each year.  The farm is worth a visit to meet the coffee roaster who is on the same premises.  He brings in beans from various places and roasts them onsite.  He will offer you a cup of coffee so that you get to experience the sensational difference between fresh roasted beans and what you usually get at your regular coffee shop.  For a small fee you can book him to do a talk on coffee and a tasting of various different coffee beans - approx R50 per person.  There is also a cheese maker on the premises - he was out when I last visited - but will keep you posted on what his cheese is like from my next visit. (http://www.lourensford.co.za )
• Uva Mira:  This estate is well worth a visit - it is a breath taking drive through the estate as you travel over the mountain to get there.  The tasting room offers panoramic views and is tastefully done.  However if you make the journey to taste the chardonnay, you will be disappointed as it is sold out before it is released! It is still worth the drive - so head through there.  They have been winning lots of awards over the last few years for their chardonnay.  Check out their website: www.uvamira.co.za
• Hidden Valley estate: Next door to Uva Mira.  The wines are good here and it is worth a stop to see the very modern architecture of this cellar and the breath taking view - I know that sounds dramatic - but trust me this region is dramatic! On this estate is one of South Africa's top restaruants - OVERTURE - check out my Cape Restaurants page to get the contact details.  Note that over summer bookings are essential as Overture is extremely popular.  Don't try and pop into the restaruant without an appointment.  For wine tasting you are welcome to visit. www.hiddenvalleywines.com - note that you can also taste the Lands End range of wines here from the Cape Agulas region (This region is a very cool region and is as such excellent for sauvignon Blanc)
• Ernie Els Wines - next door to Hidden Valley.  Once again panoramic views with extremely modern architecture and excellent wines.  What do you get when you combine one of South Africa's most well known personalities and one of our top winemakers?  Excellent wine that can be marketed at a really high price!  The tasting centre is stylish and they offer a very stylish tasting.  You are welcome to ask them to show you around the cellar.  Engelbrecht/Els has cleverly built two brands - Ernie Els and Guardian Peak.  The Ernie Els wines use only 1st fill oak, they then pass the barrels over to Guardian Peak who produce more easily accessible wines - both in terms of drinking and in terms of price! As such both estates are well worth a visit and they are next door to each other. www.ernieelswines.com  

2.    Stellenbosch Region:

Note that this region is really large - so take out a wine map to plan your visit to the area or else you will be driving from one end to the other all day! Stellenbosch is recognized as our best red wine region in the country. 

• Meerlust - This is one of South Africa's top wine estates and also one its oldest.  They are most well know for their Meerlust Rubicon.  This is a Bordeaux style red.  Meerlust was the first estate in the country to try and produce a Bordeaux style red.  This wine definitely has icon status in our country.  A visit to the estate is a definite "must include" for any visit to Stellenbosch.  True to their terroir, their focus is mainly on reds.  They do however have one white - a chardonnay that is quite oaked and quite delicious!  Meerlust is also one of the few producers of Pinot Noir in the country.  The tasting room is located in the old wine cellar and you are surrounded by posters of art from various art galleries around the world.  It has a feeling of being really filled with history and boasts a lovely Cape Dutch homestead (private so take a picture from a distance!).  I would highly recommend a visit.
• Spier -  I always think of Spier as the Disney of the Winelands.  It is the best example of brillaint marketing that there is in the Wine region. It is now one of the Top 10 places to visit when you visit Cape Town.  Dick Enthoven transformed Spier from a simple wine estate with a historical homestead to a place where people come and spend half a day or a few days.  On the one end of the campus he has given ground to the Cheetah Outreach project and to Eagle Encounters (a raptour rescue project).  The cheetah's act as ambassadors to raise money to protect the largest free population of cheetahs - which is in Namibia.  At the project you can go in and iteract with the adult or cheetah cubs (when they have them).  This is in exchange for a "fixed" donation that does into the project.  It is a non-profit organization.  The Raptour project is also non-profit and they have wonderful flying shows of the raptours - this is very interactive as the birds actually come and perch on your gloves - well worth taking kids of all ages as the show is great.  I think it is at 11am - but check out Spier's website for details.  On the same campus, you can head through for a wine tasting - the wines have improved leaps and bounds over the last three years, then head through to check out the flea market shops along the lake, visit the Moyo shop for excellent South African crafts and odds and ends, stop for a picnic at the lake (note no private picnics), head for lunch at Moyo (nicer at night though!), if it is summer check out what is on at their open air theatre - they have some wonderful productions, book a conference on the estate, stay at the hotel, charter a train to take you through to Spier Station if you are a company, go horse riding, play golf..........location 15 minutes from Stellenbosch town.  This is perfect if you have kids as there is also a nice play area for them. www.spier.co.za
• De Toren - (Tasting by appointment only).  De Toren simply keep bringing in the awards for their red blends - Z and Fusion V.  If you are fascinated by the technical side of wine production, this is a definate to include in your day.  Your vist will be conducted by either the owner, the winemaker or the viticulturist.  De Toren believe in minimum intervention in the cellar and as such focus on using gravity and as such allow no pumping of the wine.  An appointment for a tasting is a tour - so expect to spend at least an hour there.  They are highly technical on the viticulture - it is fascinating and I love visiting them.  www.de-toren.com
• Zandberg - I have just been to experience the wines of Zandberg this month (Feb 2010) and found the cellar tasting experience to be wonderfully educational.  The idea behind the tasting it to match the nose and the tastes to the different food items that the wine maker has used to descibe each element - as such this is a really fun and interactive tasting.  In order to get the full experience, you need to contact Nick Ridley before you come on 021 842 2945 or 071 332 8922.  Of interest is that the estate offers a white merlot.  This innovative wine seems to have taken off since its first release last year and as such they have increased production of it for this year.  I really enjoyed their dry rose (blanc de noir) - and at R35 a bottle from the cellar it is a real bargain! Note that you are also welcome to book a cellar tour with Nick when you make your appointment.  This estate is great for those wishing to learn more about the process of tasting wine and what you need to look out for when doing a proper tasting.  Another plus is that this estate is home to the 96 Winery Rd restaurant - so if you whet your appetite tasting, you can simply move onto the restaurant.  Location: 96 Winery Rd, Stellenbosch (for planning, this estate is right next door the Helderberg wine region). www.zandberg.co.za and e: wine@zandberg.co.za
• Ken Forrester Wines - They are known as the Kings of Chenin Blanc and has won many awards for his Chenin's.  They have a nice little tasting room and if you are peckish you can get a wonderful platter of Dalewood cheeses to enjoy during your tasting.  Dalewood are one of the best cheese manufacturers in the wine region - so it is definitely worth indulging. Note that if you are in the area and are hungry, 96 Winery Rd restaurant is just around the corner and is always good for relaxed hearty country dining.  Expect to find some of the regions winemakers relaxing here too.  www.kenforresterwines.com
• Rust en Vrede -note that this estate is really close to Ernie Els estate - so if you are in the area, you should visit Rust en Vrede as well.  This estate is home to the icon brand which is simply called the Rust en Vrede Estate blend.  It has been rated by US Wine spectator as one of the TOP 100 WINES in the world in most years out of the last 10 years - so it is well worth a visit.  www.rustenvrede.com Note that the estate's restaurant is extremely highly rated and worth booking to eat at - it is however only open in the evening.  For booking details click here
• Waterford - I am in love with the Waterford Cab, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc and the chardonnay - it is definately worth a visit.  The estate is co-owned by Kevin Arnold (one of South Africa's most talented wine makers with a reputation for excllent Shiraz) and Jeremy Ord a businessman from Joburg.  Together they have taken this estate and built the winery from scratch.  This is one of the most stylish tasting experiences around and they have consequently won awards for having one of the best tasting experiences.  A visit to Waterford is an excercise in relaxation.  Note that offer a chocolate and wine pairing experience that is well worth doing.  Additionally you can ask to taste the JEM which is their most expensive wine - but note that they will charge you a fair amount to do so! The chocolate and wine tasting starts from R40 if you just do it with 3 of their wines - you miss out on the sauvignon blanc and the chardonnay!  www.waterfordestate.co.za  Note Waterford do not welcome groups over the size of 10!
• Rustenberg
• Warwick
• Kanonkop
• Beyerskloof: anyone interested in getting to know more about the uniquely South African varietal pinotage needs to ensure that they include a visit to Beyerskloof on their itinerary.  In addition they have recently done a gorgeous make over of their cellar and tasting area and have included a wonderful new restaurant called RED LEAF after the red leaf oak logo of the farm.  I have personally tried this restaurant and think it is absolutely wonderful.  It is a definate recommendation for a long boozy lunch! The food is very well priced and the wine is reasonably priced.  I had one of the best steaks that I have had in a long time and my friend had the pinotage burger which looked amazing! Click here to red more about the estate and the restaurant.  The article comes from www.wine.co.za which is an amazing wine website that included information on most wine farms in South Africa

New in the Stellenbosch wine region:

Glenelley estate -  located at the foothills of Simonsberg in Stellenbosch. GLENELLY used to be a fruit farm, but May-Elaine de Lencquesaing, the Grand Dame of Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, acquired the property in 2003 and transformed it into a wine farm. A 600 ton contemporary cellar was built, in which gravity plays a huge role throughout the processing stages to assist with traditional winemaking techniques and to obtain the best quality. Their portfolio will ultimately be crowned by their flagship red blend, the Lady May, named in honour of our Grande Dame. The Lady May will be Cabernet Sauvignon based, with a touch of Petit Verdot (To be released in 2010). The core of our range is the Glenelly, which is a Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot blend, reflecting the partnership between a classical lady with a modern vision and a new world country with a historical terroir. In the near future, the Glenelly white will be released. This will be a lightly wooded, mineral Chardonnay drawing on inspiration from Burgundy. Zebra by Glenelly rounds off the range and is a fun loving red blend made in an easy drinking style to be celebrated with friends and family.

They would like to invite you to their beautiful French-patio style Tasting Room, where you can taste the wines, purchase a souvenir and be in awe of Madam de Lencquesaing’s broad art collection. For a light lunch option, they offer Cheese and Meat Platters, accompanied by their wine, to be enjoyed outside under the umbrellas or on the balcony, whilst embraced by the spectacular views.  The Tasting Room is open Mon – Fri 9am – 4h30pm, and Sat & Public holidays 10am – 2h30pm. They offer cellar tours by appointment, except for Saturdays. http://glenellyestate.com

SPIER - Great estate to visit if you have kids - have a kids play area, the cheetah outreach project where they can pet cheetahs, as well as Eagle Encounters for the kids to learn about birds of prey - plus a great flying show twice a day.

VILLIERA GAME DRIVE AND BIRDING - 2010 Villiera has just introduced this activity in the Villiera Wildlife Sanctuary.  The Villiera Sanctuary is situated in Koelenhof and access is gained through their vineyards.  The game drive through the 175 hectares last about 2 hours.  Cisitors are guarenteed sightings of a diverse population of natelope (gemsbok, eland, bontebok, springbuck,  zebra, as well as other small mammals and birds)  On a clear day one has a beautiful panoramic view of teh mountains overlooking the Cape Peninsula.  The cost is R150 pps (kids under 15 - half price).  Booking essential.  Tel +27-21-8652002.  www.villiera.com

KIDS MARZIPAN SAFARI - Asara Wine Estate, Polkadraai Road, Stellenbosch

Known as much for its delectable culinary offering as for its gorgeous wines, Asara offers kids a delightful three hour children’s cooking programme to keep little hands busy, while their moms and dads relax.

The Marzipan Safari sees pastry chef Bernd Strauss showing the little ones how to make the animals of Africa – in marzipan!

Guaranteed fun for all ages. This also include a break of half an hour with yummy hot chocolate and homemade cookies, before heading home with their very own marzipan animals to enjoy and show to their friends (if they don’t get eaten first!).

R150.00 per person (beverages excluded).

Minimum two children and maximum six children per group.

For more information phone  +27 (0)21 8888000, email dining@asara.co.za or visit www.asara.co.za

3.   Paarl Region:

• Fairview
• Joostenberg Winery: If you like small family estates with rustic cellars, you will enjoy Joostenberg.  If you would like to do a cellar tour with the winemaker, it is important to contact them well in advance of your visit.  It is well worth the effort as the winemaker is passionate and it is lots of fun doing barrel tastings with him.  On the other side of the farm near the main road is Joostenberg Deli & restaurant.  One of the daughters married a very talented chef and they do a really fun five course tasting menu which is combined with their wines.  You need to book for this a few days in advance and you need a minimum of four people.  I can highly recommend the experience.  The tasting menu is also very well priced.  The restaurant offers delicious light meals which are exceptionally good value for money.  This is a kid friendly restaurant with a large outside area for children to play.  Click here to read there Spring 2007 newsletter

TO DO IN THE PAARL WINE REGION:

1. Have some fun with quadbikes, horseriding and fishing at Rhebokskloof   021 86...       
2. Visit The Red Hot Glass Studio at Seidelberg    021 863 5206  and watch the sun set over Table Mountain while sipping some Rolands Reserve or you can have a tractor ride for 25minutes and visit the neighbours at Fairview.
3. See what “a birds’ eye view” means by taking a balloon ride with Winelands Ballooning cc                021 863 3192    

4.  Elgin and Botriver Wine Region:

• Iona
• Oak Valley
• Beaumont
• Luddite
• Genevieve Methode Cap Classique - Launched Nov 09 by Michelle Genevieve Nelsen, this is definately the new "girl" in town.  For those that are not up on South African lingo. Methode Cap Classique is what we call our wines that are made using the traditional method of making champagne - we just cannot call it "champers" due to the EU regulations.  This is a delightful fruity dry champagne made with 100% chardonnay grapes from the Botriver region.  Note that although Michelle does not have a formal tasting room, you are very welcome to make an appointment to meet up with her for a tasting if you are in her region.  Tel +27 83 302 6562 or e-mail melissa@genevievemcc.co.za Naturally the price of the tasting will be the purchase of at least one bottle of her bubbly!  She is wonderful, warm and bubbly - so meeting her will be a treat in itself!

Map of Paarl wine region

BIODIVERSITY WINE INITIATIVE SOUTH AFRICA:

What is the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI)?

The BWI is a pioneering partnership between the South African wine industry and the conservation sector. The goals are to minimise the further loss of threatened natural habitat, and to contribute to sustainable wine production, through the adoption of biodiversity guidelines by the South African wine industry.

One of the strategies of the BWI is to identify and enlist interested producers as members or champions of the initiative, who will implement the biodiversity guidelines, conserve critical ecosystems and incorporate a biodiversity story into their winery experience.

Click on the heading to find out more about the BWI's work and to find out which farms have been added to this category.

The 10 top-scoring organic wines from this year's Nedbank Green Wine Awards.  (2010)

Lazanou Organic Vineyards Chenin Blanc 2008 Stellar Organics Chenin Blanc 2009 Reyneke Reserve White 2008 Woolworths Organic Swooping Swallow Sauvignon Blanc 2009 The Ruins CVV 2008 Laibach Ladybird Red 2007 Bon Cap Cape Blend 2006 The Ruins Pinotage 2008 (Bon Cap) Waverley Hills Organic Viticulture Shiraz 2005 Lazanou Organic Vineyards Syrah 2007

CAPE WINE INFORMATION, CAPE WINE FARM INFORMATION, WINE FARMS SOUTH AFRICA, WINE ESTATES SOUTH AFRICA, WINE ESTATES CAPE, WINE ESTATES STELLENBOSCH, WINE TOURING INFORMATION SOUTH AFRICA, WINE FARMS PAARL, WINE TOURING INFORMATION CAPE WINE REGION, STELLENBOSCH WINE REGION, PAMS FAVOURITE WINE FARMS - A LISTING OF ALL THE GEMS THAT PAM HAS FOUND IN THE CAPE, PAMS FAVOURITE WINE FARMS - A LISTING OF ALL THE GEMS THAT PAM HAS FOUND IN THE CAPE, PAMS FAVOURITE WINE FARMS - A LISTING OF ALL THE GEMS THAT PAM HAS FOUND IN THE CAPE, CAPE WINE INFORMATION, CAPE WINE FARM INFORMATION, WINE FARMS SOUTH AFRICA, WINE ESTATES SOUTH AFRICA, WINE ESTATES CAPE, WINE ESTATES STELLENBOSCH, WINE TOURING INFORMATION SOUTH AFRICA, WINE FARMS PAARL, WINE TOURING INFORMATION CAPE WINE REGION, STELLENBOSCH WINE REGION, PAMS FAVOURITE WINE FARMS - A LISTING OF ALL THE GEMS THAT PAM HAS FOUND IN THE CAPE