Wine and Food Heaven, are we there yet?
Trip Start
Unknown
1
7
23
Trip End
Ongoing
Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
We might not have died and gone to wine and food heaven, but I think we're in the departure lounge, or vestibule, or what have you. I got it on good advice in a small eatery in the Cape Quarter that there are 315,575,411 grape vines in S Africa. Well I reckon that 90% of these must be in the Stellenbosch and/or Franschhoek districts. This area is fully wine tourism on steroids and at the moment it’s wet. Have I mentioned that before? Showers about 30% of the time but it’s warm and very picturesque.
We left the Cape Quarter late morning and headed north on the motorway to the wine districts.
Roads quite good, much like in Aus and just as much speeding (limit 120K) so we got to Stellenbosch around the lunch hour
Gemma & Victor, Stellenbosch
. We thought we’d do the local cheese emporium for lunch but as usual the girls were hanging out for a coffee. So found this charismatic coffee corner adjacent to the charismatic Stellenbosch visitor centre and proceeded to get the good oil from charismatic proprietors Victor and Janet( see photos). Janet insisted that Victor cough up his considerable insider knowledge of the local drop, so after suitable caffeine beverages the maps came out and Victor circled the hot spots for us. Maybe he gets a commission, perhaps a Christmas bottle or something, but there’s that many wineries around here it’s difficult to know where to start and Vic’s info turned out to be stellar. After the briefing we toodled off using the trusty GPS to guide us to 'Fairway,’ the renown cheese factory to partake in a cheese based lunch.
Very interesting place, French/german chateau style, and very tourist catering establishment. Disappointed that they only had limited goats cheeses (their speciality) on the tasting menu. Never the less suitably replenished we commenced the tastings and the first one was gold. BeyersKloof Estate (Vic’s favourite) and famous for its pinotages, of course. The tastings at the wineries vary between R10 and R30 per person ($1.50 -$4) and there doesn’t seem to be any rule as to what that provides but Beyerskloof gave you the full repertoire (about eight wines plus fizzes and brandies) including the expensive vintages
Beyerskloof tasting
. Naturally we bought a couple of bottles. We opted for a couple more on the roads to Franschhhoek and were suitably impressed with the style of these of these wineries.The wine estates have spent big on the tasting rooms, some in the $$million plus area and put to shame the meagre sheds that comprise many an Aussie tasting room. There is an argument that the wines can speak for themselves of course,(i’ve often found myself talking to a good bottle of red late at night), but it was comfortable and educational to be entertained in these very classy ‘tasting salons’.
Eventually got to Franschhoek and the Country Guest House late in the arvo with a pleasant glow.
The Guest House (more like a collection of provincial French villas) is fantastic and one of many 5 star establishments in the district. It also comprises the award winning Monneaux restaurant and the food that night did not disappoint. Africa-European fusion I think you’d call it, but whatever name you’d give it the nosh and nips were top class. Seafood fresh and matched perfectly with SA spices and vegies.
Rooms and service first class, and as the nights were a little chilly (down to about 14c), opens fires were lit in cosy lounge areas where complimentary sherries served prior to dinner. (you just helped yourself to the decanter).
Started to wonder how the liver was going to make it through the next day or so.
