The Winelands are really beautiful in winter. I came across some photos I took last year that reminded me of how much I love the change in season.
There is something incredibly striking about the last shades of summer.
The rows of bare vine trellises remind you that nature works in cycles. In a few months time the vineyards will come back to life and bloom new grapes. There will be colour and fertility. But winter has an ability to put life on hold – it’s both fascinating and comforting.
I love the way the manor houses look against a backdrop of twiggy trees and fading crimson leaves. And the thickets of pine trees cross hatching the icy Boland mountains. There is beauty in the stark numbness of winter. It makes me think of ski seasons in the French Alps and countryside walks in frosty England.
I think the winelands should be enjoyed for their wintry glory. And not only celebrated as a summer haven. Log fires, crisp cold air and drawn out lunches in musty cellars is something I’m looking forward to.
