Easy drinking
The Cape Winelands induce images of symmetrically lined grape trees, oak barrels and noses buried deep into wine glasses. Leaving the cellar doors behind, I joined an educational tour sponsored by the Don Valley marketing group to learn about the often overlooked, but equally rich experiences available.
Full-bodied, robust, slightly fruity
First stop, Mangwanani Spa; located at the top of a hill on the Zevenwacht Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. Meaning “˜good morning’ in Shona, my morning at Mangwanani started out with a choice of desserts. I opted for a refreshing cheesecake with berry sauce, equating this to eating yoghurt and fresh fruit for breakfast. After washing my guilt down with a café latte, I was led to a treatment room with picture windows framing the valley below to receive a Molala, an ancient massage using sesame seed oils to massage the head and neck. Following this was a traditional foot massage called a Neo Maoto. My therapist started with the most sumptuous rose-petal wash, then exfoliated with a sugar and lavender scrub and finished with a sensuous almond oil massage. The last time I felt this much pleasure before noon might be too risqué to recall.
www.mangwanani.co.za
Racy, earthy, biting aftertaste
Feeling invigorated, I couldn’t imagine that anything could top the morning I had delighted in already. But the next thing on the agenda capped it off; drink and drive! Or at least, drink, and go on a game drive. Sitting next to Diale Rangaka, or Oupa as he is affectionately nicknamed, I didn’t stand a chance. As head of the family, Oupa gave me the history of M’hudi farms while enthusiastically offering samples of the entire selection of wines available on their farm. I think we saw some gemsbok “¦
The Rangaka family is the founder of M’hudi and a visit to their farm feels like an intimate party in your backyard with some wildlife to boot.
www.mhudi.com
Meaty, sharp, bright flavours
Ready for a meal, next on the itinerary was lunch at Kamamma Swarbooi’s home. This is an authentic homestay in the township of Kayamandi located on the outskirts of Stellenbosch. It is a wonderful experience giving visitors an insight into the culture through food and life stories. We were served authentic Xhosa dishes and feasted on isophu, chicken curry, pap, chakalaka, umxhaxha, and homemade ginger beer. Mama Lily made us feel at home and showed us the comfortable rooms where guests sleep and eat three meals a day with the family. Visitors can also enjoy a tour of the township given by Mama Lily herself either by car or on foot.
www.once-upon-a-stove.co.uk
Complex, mature, delicate character
Our final stop for the day was in Pniel, a quaint town linking the more popular destinations Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Nestled at the foot of Simonsberg, vineyards and orchards surround the “˜face of God’, and the Dwars River runs through it. Historically, it holds much significance as it served as a refuge for emancipated slaves. Pieter de Villiers and Paul Retief donated hectares of nearby farmland in the 1840s out of concern about the lack of land and accommodation available. Local resident Matthew Cyster proudly gave us the history of his beloved town and took us through the 150 year-old church. The Slave-Bell and Fountain of Freedom are both monuments erected to symbolize and celebrate freedom from slavery. Matthew invited us for a home-cooked meal that his wife had graciously prepared for us. It was a gourmet of traditional dishes including pickled snoek and malva pudding.
Crisp, complete, pleasing to palate
With our stomachs bursting and our senses overloaded, we finally laid our heads to rest at the Orange-Ville Guesthouse located within the Banghoek Valley.
It has bright and colourful chalets equipped with a mini-bar, satellite TV and an inviting double bed. I chose my weapon and was out for the count within seconds.
I awoke to an invigorating scene of mist rising from the ground and panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. I leisurely made my way through the garden to the main house where I was served a fresh breakfast on the patio. For the summer days, they have two pools to enjoy and a two-hectare subtropical garden to explore.
www.orange-ville.com
Aromatic, expansive, polished
We started our morning by visiting the garden at the Babylonstoren Farm. Sheltered by the mountains of the Drakenstein Valley, it is a wonderfully cultivated garden inspired by the Company’s Garden in the Cape and it is named after the mythical hanging gardens of Babylon. Our incredibly energetic and knowledgeable guide, Gundula, passionately led us through the garden. It spans across three hectares and contains over 300 varieties of edible and medicinal plants. The science involved in the planning of the garden is remarkable. Food can be harvested year-round and it is divided into fifteen areas of vegetables, fruits and indigenous plants. Using a 300 year-old method, it is nourished by natural streams that join waterways and gravity feeds the water into the garden. A trip here is both educational and fun for the whole family. They’ve even created complex mazes to meander through and a surprise fountain game.
www.babylonstoren.com
Opulent and elegant
We finished off our tour at La Motte Wine Estate in the Franschhoek Valley. This estate is home to some of the country’s finest wines, produces ethereal oils and specializes in flower cultivation. We were seated in their restaurant, Pierneef à la Motte, for my first wine and food pairing experience. I was tickled by how the delectable foods aptly complimented the selected wines. I took a stroll through the estate and contemplated having a game of life-size chess, but decided against it and instead sat outside in the garden digesting my experience as the sun shone down on me.
www.la-motte.com
Slightly corked, cheesy and dry
As I came to discover, a trip to the winelands without wine is like a braai without beer, but leaving the wine to breathe and exploring other accessible and pleasing options made me not only look past the glass, but upon my return, it even seemed half full.
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