For many years, my hubby has patiently (read – VERY patiently!) driven us around the beautiful Cape winelands. Way before our son was born (or before we’d even decided to start a family), we used to hop in the car on most weekends and take off to explore and discover new wine estates. Sometimes we planned where we were headed for the day; other times we spontaneously drove off to see where the road would lead us.
This is great fun if you’re the passenger/navigator and don’t have to drive. Not so much fun if you’re always the designated driver. So, my friends and I decided to do a day trip to the Stellenbosch winelands with a difference. This time, sans kids and instead of one of the husbands having to drive, we decided to make use of a private tour guide to take us around. All I can say is that it was well worth it!
I’m a big supporter of local businesses and contacted Keith Sinclair from Easy Airport Tours and Transfers. Keith’s business was predominantly an airport shuttle business. Since he became a qualified tour guide in 2015, he realized his passion lies with offering personalized private tours (2 – 6 persons at a time).
Keith promptly collected us from our home at 9.30am on a cool and bright autumn Saturday morning. The tour bus was soon filled with excited chatter as we headed for our first wine estate of the day, the historic Saxenburg Wine Farm, situated in the Bottelary Hills between Stellenbosch and Kuils River.
Dating back to 1693, the Tasting Room is the place to be to enjoy award-winning wines in a relaxed atmosphere. As we were the first guests of the day, the fire wasn’t yet lit but I can just imagine how cosy it must be to sit and sip sublime wines beside a roaring fire. Saxenburg is famous for their Shiraz, but many of their wines – reds and whites – are enjoyed worldwide.
What pairs REALLY well with wine? CHEESE! While quaffing away, we indulged in a divine cheese platter that had to be the biggest one I’ve ever had the pleasure of tucking in to! The cheese portions were incredibly generous, along with freshly baked farm bread, crackers, olives, fig preserve, strawberries and a moreish garlic aioli that had us all coming back for more, even after we’d had our fair share.
All too soon, it was time to move on and make our way to the next wine stop, this time to The House of JC le Roux! Situated in the picturesque Devon Valley near the town of Stellenbosch, I’ve no doubt that many of you are familiar with this very popular South African MCC and sparkling wine brand. We hadn’t been in ages and some of our friends had never been before.
We thoroughly enjoyed the Nougat Experience (5 Sparkling Wines paired with 5 pieces of specially crafted flavoured Nougat), while two in our group tried the Olive Experience (5 Methode Cap Classiques paired with artisanal olives). Booking is essential as they are usually fully booked on weekends. The cost per tasting is R120 p/p, so use The Entertainer App (Two for One) if you have it. On our way out, we were each given an ice lolly made with various fruit flavours and of course, bubbly! (Non-alcoholic lollies are available).
Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards, high up on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain Range, was our next destination and recommended by Keith as a must visit. And quite rightly so! Nestled against the Helderberg Nature Reserve, this hidden gem has breathtaking views over False Bay and Table Bay.
Often wrapped in clouds, we were fortunate that the sun made an appearance so that we could marvel at the endless mountain, vineyard and ocean views. It quite literally takes your breath away! Half the time I found myself wondering “Am I really in Africa?” as the scenery has a very European feel to it. But then, your eye catches a glimpse of majestic Table Mountain in the distance, and you know exactly where you are.
We entered the Tasting Room, and after a somewhat lengthy debate with the young man that greeted us as to where we were allowed to sit, we were eventually accommodated and sat down to try their wines.
As we had just done two tastings, hubby and I decided to each have a glass of The Mira Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 which was utterly sublime. Artisanal cheese and savoury meat platters are available if you’re on the peckish side, but these do require pre-booking.
After the amount of eating and drinking we had already indulged in, you would think that we had no space left for anything else. But you’d be wrong. The men especially were starving as it was way past lunchtime. The popular Root 44 Market was on our way home, so we popped in there for a late lunch. This all-weather family market is open every Saturday and Sunday from 10am – 4pm and has a whole host of activities to enjoy that keeps everyone happy.
Sit back and relax while listening to live music. Or indulge in some retail therapy at the many traders that specialize in clothing, accessories, footwear and health and beauty.
Gourmet foods, various craft beers and wine are available to satisfy your thirst or hunger. There are also a number of activities to keep the kids entertained (please check their website for costs).
Time flies when you’re having fun and we certainly did on our no driving required winelands day tour. I’d highly recommend Keith as your tour guide, whether it’s for a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary, or just a fun day out with friends. First and foremost, he is a true professional with a friendly manner that exudes a genuine warmth and keen interest in his clients without being intrusive. Contact him through his website for a quote. I think you’ll find his prices very competitive.
I’d love to know what your experience with Keith is like. So get in touch with me and share your story and photos!
