Wine Diva

I recently visited a very beautiful place, and just being there made me fall in love with the Cape Winelands and our history of wine-making all over again. Can you believe that I have been living in the Cape since 2008, and this was my very first visit to the Constantia wine valley!

Groot Constantia - alive with history

Anyhow, what an inspiring place to begin at the beginning, where sophisticated modern-day wine-making techniques meet 1685 Simon van der Stel old-school era. And although the place is dripping in sweet Grand Constance history, the day we visited, the place was alive with activity and people, in an elegantly “families chilling under ancient Oak trees” kind of way – there were even a few hounds sniffing around.

My dutch cousin and I were greeted by the award-winning, friendly and very down-to-earth winemaker, Boela Gerber, as he was ushering in some timeously harvested grapes, in fears of the weather man’s rain prediction.

Boela welcomed us into his cellar, which was in full swing and we got a personalised guided tour.

Here’s some pics of me and Boela, in some punchdown action with an experimental barrel of Shiraz.

Wine Diva punching down at Groot Constantia

"Are you stirring in an anti-clockwise direction?"

After the cellar tour, we were treated to a select tasting of sophisticated yet deliciously easy drinking wines – my favourites being the Gouverneurs Reserve Red and the Grand Constance dessert wines. The Grand Constance wine is an exact replica in recipe and bottle of the Constantia wines of yesteryear. Some telling clues including a piece of broken glass found by an American citizen in 2004 bearing the words “Constantia Wyn” on it, helped the clever people at Groot Constantia to design and deliver to you a treasured reproduction of the famous sweet wine that Napoleon quaffed down by the boat loads, while he felt sorry for himself in exile.

After we were done wine tasting, we wandered around inside the Manor House, which was Simon van der Stel’s impressive home with lots of old and interesting artefacts and artworks to behold. My dutch cousin was in awe as he recognised and identified with the sheer uh, well, “Hollands” of it all.

My dutch cousin knocking on Manor House door

My cousin and I really enjoyed our time at GC, and I think that you’ve just got to experience it for yourself… You can check out their website for more clues on what you too can do at Groot Constantia

On Saturday 26 February, Spier will celebrate the grape harvest on the banks of the Eerste River, in front of its acclaimed farm-to-table restaurant, Eight.  The restaurant will be transformed into a market offering delectable treats to create the ultimate picnic, while the adjacent lounge will offer tastings of Spier’s award-winning premium wines.

Grab an old-fashioned basket and fill it to the brim with homemade breads, cheeses, dips, salads and cold meats.  Relax with your picnic and bottles of wine under the trees while the kids play interactive games including puppet shows, magicians, face painting and popular vineyard tours via tractor.  For the more energetic adults, boules and croquet will take place on the bamboo lawn.

In the Private Collection Lounge, Spier’s new MCC will be on offer with oysters, while the award-winning Spier Creative Block blends will be available for tasting outside on the stoep.

Spier’s celebrated Cellar Master, Frans Smit will bless the harvest and his winemaking team will lead the charge in the annual grape stomping challenge! Three bands will play during the day, filling the air with bluesy tunes.

The Spier Wine Harvest Festival runs from 10h00 to 16h00 and costs R60, which includesa wine glass and five tickets that can be used either for wine tastings or games.  Tickets can only be purchased at Spier on the day.

For further info, visit www.spier.co.za or call 021 809 1100.

South African Airways has selected two award winning Fleur du Cap wines for its exclusive Business Class in-flight service, the highly acclaimed Unfiltered Chardonnay and the ever popular Bergkelder Selection flagship Merlot.

During the entire month of December, SAA Business Class passengers will be treated to the sought after 2009 vintage of Fleur du Cap’s Unfiltered Chardonnay. One of the country’s finest Chardonnays, this much lauded wine holds a gold medal from the prestigious 2010 Old Mutual Wine Trophy Show and is a Diamond Award winner at this year’s Winemaker’s Choice awards. The wine has a creamy texture with a dash of fruit and hints of wood spices that linger long on the palate.

The 2008 Fleur du Cap Merlot to be served in SAA Business Class during March 2011, boasts a 2010 Veritas gold medal. Full bodied with a soft, velvety texture, this wine teems with ripe berries.

For more information visit www.fleurducap.co.za