The Roads Less Travelled

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

For as long as I can remember, I’ve kept a list of all the place I’ve wanted to see and visit across the globe (and photograph too). If there is one thing that the global pandemic has taught me, it’s to find the little gems that lie at your doorstep and to explore the roads less travelled. Being indoors had us itching to ‘get away’ and seek adventure.

Last December, we travelled to the beautiful coastal city of Cape Town, for a few days to visit the Cape Winelands. Though we’ve had the pleasure of travelling to the Cape Winelands several times – whether it be for a wedding, engagements, pre-wedding sessions and editorial shoots – we’ve never really taken the time to explore. This was the perfect opportunity!

The Cape Winelands or the Winelands is South Africa’s most famous wine growing region including Stellenbosch, Constantia, and Franschhoek. With picturesque views of vineyards, farmlands and mountains, this country landscape lends itself to a perfect road trip and a wonderful opportunity to wine and dine, or as I call it ‘vine hoping’, or even the perfect destination for a wedding.

Our Accommodation

On the outskirts of the historical town of Stellenbosch, just about an hour drive away from Cape Town CBD, nestled at the foothills of Jonkershoek Valley lies Lanzerac Wine Estate. This was perfectly situated for the duration of our stay in Cape Town. Welcomed by a night lit driveway shaded with beautiful towering oak trees that leads up to the grandeur of a centuries-old manor house that takes center-stage in this tableau. As we arrived late at night, we were greeted with a platter of evening snacks and promptly made our way to bed.

This country hotel has elegantly decorated common rooms, hallways, and exquisitely furnished bedrooms, each with its own style. It’s old-world charm architecture, manicured gardens and surrounding vineyards on the estate are blanketed by mountainous landscapes, which lends itself for you to discover picture perfect moments — be it your wedding, your honeymoon, or a luxurious getaway.

WINE TASTINGS THROUGH THE CAPE WINELANDS

The truth is that there is only one reason to get married in or visit the Cape Winelands: all the wines and landscapes. As much as there are some amazing places to dine at, admittingly a foodie journey wouldn’t exist here without the many wineries that are found in the area. While we are certainly not wine connoisseurs, we enjoy having a glass of wine now and then, it was only fitting to embrace the region and taste some of wines on offer.

Our First Stop

Lanzerac – Stellenbosch

Our first tasting was at the Lanzerac Estate Deli. We were seated at our table and presented with a selection of wines to taste by our sommelier. Though we have white wines on rare occasions, we found to our surprise that our favourite to be the Mrs English Chardonnay, as well as the Le Général Red Blend and the Pionier Pinotage. These three wines form part of their Heritage Range and are worth having for special occasions. Another favourite was the Keldermeester Versameling Prof Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, of which only 1396 bottles have been produced, had a wonderful sense of freshness and lightness to the palate.

An All-Time Favourite

Meerlust – Stellenbosch

Meerlust wine estate is just a mere 23 minutes away and has some of the most iconic red wines we have had. Upon arrival, the estate presents a more easy-going feel with the casual way in which wines are served as one socializes. Later, we made our way into a private tasting room furnished with vintage bottles produced by the estate over the years. The tasting experience still more casual, as the sommelier brought each tasting at a time. The Meerlust Rubicon wines are iconic of this estate. They are a full body red blends that are classic vintages that promise a long future of maturation and enjoyment. Certainly, worthy of having in a wine collection and ideal for intimate family celebrations, like engagement parties or rehearsal dinners, or weddings.

An Italian Villa to Reminisce

Waterford Estate – Stellenbosch

Situated in Blaauwklippen Valley, Stellenbosch, we travelled to Waterford Estate. The estate has a Italian-style/ Spanish villa architectural design, with a beautiful courtyard and manicured gardens, created a wonderful ambience. We took to the tasting room and opted for two different wine experiences, The Jem and Portfolio tastings. An all-time favourite of ours was the Rose-Mary, a beautiful light and refreshing Blanc de Noir (white wine produced from red grapes). Another enjoyable wine from the estate was the Grenache Noir, a fruity and spicy red. The beautiful surrounds of the outdoor garden made this estate a pleasure to visit and would be ideal for lunch too.

Keeping It Light

Ernie Els Wine Estate – Stellenbosch

Named after the famous South African golfer, situated in the Helderberg region of Stellenbosch is the Ernie Els Wine Estate. It’s beautiful view of the valley, vineyards and the mountain ranges makes for a perfect outdoor tasting. With a very modern appeal and yet relaxing ambience, our favorite wines being the Signature, Big Easy and Proprietor’s, made for the perfect pairing for a Saturday afternoon. We enjoyed this wonderful, relaxed afternoon with a red tasting of our favourites at this wonderful estate.

Our Favourite Reds

Rust en Vrede – Stellenbosch

Just 15km from False Bay, we drove through roads surrounded by wine yard and arrived at the historic 1780 Cape Dutch building of Rust en Vrede. It’s tranquil manicured gardens and walkways shaded by beautiful acorn trees, guided us to a terrace beneath ancient oaks that overlook verdant lawnse. Known of their full-bodied reds, the Rust en Vrede wines are my personal favourite. Our friendly sommelier brought us an generous portion of chips (or fries) to have along with our wine tasting. While we enjoyed them all and each wine has its own complexity as to why it’s an exceptional wine. The wines that stood out for us were, the Syrah and The Estate Wine, along with the 1694 Classification Vintage and the Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard, which are both are certainly more of a splurge on wine but worth having especially for monumental occasions, like weddings or anniversaries. We sat under the shade provided by acorn trees and enjoyed the sunny casual afternoon.

Sometimes, the roads less travelled are the most memorable! Exploring the beauty of The Cape Winelands and enjoying the experiences it has to offer is certainly worth it. The mountainous landscapes, vineyards and the warm orange sunsets all add up to breathtaking photo opportunities and experiences. We can’t wait for our next adventure or dining experiences at one of these beautiful hotels and restaurants; or another opportunity to create and capture the magic in such a beautiful place.

Looking for places to host your next celebration or a memorable dinner in the Cape Winelands?

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