The jewels of Cape Winelands

The jewels of Cape Winelands
Magazine: June 2007

Cape Winelands, which encompasses Franschhoek, Stellenbosh, Paarl and Constantia, has a unique atmosphere, a mix of Old Europe and New Frontier, which in recent years has acquired a highly glamorous charm. Blessed with a dry and sunny climate for nine months of the year, Cape Winelands has become the new, chic travel gioielli coloniali destination, loved by English aristocrats, Parisian models, Italian businessmen, international pop idols and Hollywood stars. The area boasts most of the country’s leading wine growers (SA is the world’s seventh largest wine producer). Some of the estates also offer hospitality in the form of modern design suites or charme rooms furnished with colonial pieces. And where you can pamper your palate in refi ned restaurants. At Grande Provence, we stayed in the stunning Owner’s Cottage and took breakfast on the veranda that overlooks the private pool. The cottage is rented as a unit and has four rooms, a magnifi cent suite and a crisp décor, given warmth by the colours typical of Africa.

Time traveller The imposing Manor House of the historic Boschendal estate has been transformed into a kind of home-museum, with four poster beds, embroidered bed covers, Dutch grandfather clocks, walnut wardrobes and Ming porcelain. A showcase of the lifestyle of the Huguenot settlers and the free burgers (Dutch colonists) in the South African wine producing regions in the 17th-18th century. Further west, the southern slopes of Table Mountain, the geographic icon of Cape Town, cradle the Constantia wine producing estate, the oldest in South Africa. The unique microclimate is generated by the fresh ocean breezes from False Bay. Governor Simon Van der Stel founded Groot Costantia, the ancestor of all the wine companies in 1685. The original manor house is now a museum, where we were able to admire the beautiful period furniture and historic wine cellar, the Cloete Cellar.

Fred the collector The vineyard run by John Loubster produces the award-winning Sauvignon Blanc Reserve and other important wines. The estate is famous for its hotel de charme, with beautiful colonial style suites. Paarl, north of Cape Town is the last stop in our Winelands tour. When the fi rst colonists settled here in 1654, it was the kingdom of lions, elephants, leopards, zebras and jaguars. Now, it has been tamed into ordered rows of vines chosen by the eclectic Fred Ulhendorff for Fred the collector his new venture, after a life as a super-manager and seven years sailing across the seas of the world. The Palmiet Valley Estate emerges into view among centuries-old oak trees and purple jacaranda blooms, complete with the original late-17th century house and cottages, which Uhlendorff, meticulous collector that he is, has furnished with free burger trunks, Pakistani wardrobes, antique Indian or English pieces and early 20th century Viennese beds.

10 things you must do
1_Dinner at Catharina’s at Steenberg, Constantia.
2_Visit the historic Boschendal estate with its magnificent Cape Dutch-style Manor House at Franschoek.
3_Treat yourselves to a super-deluxe weekend at the Owner’s Cottage of Grande Provence, Franschhoek.
4_Wine-tasting tour of Meerlust (Stellenbosch), Groot Constantia (Constantia), Boekenhoutskloof and Moreson (Franschhoek) and Palmiet Valley (Paarl).
5_Lunch at Bread & Wine (Franschhoek) to indulge in tasty Mediterranean dishes in the shady garden.
6_Weekend stay in Cape Town, to experience the buzzing atmosphere of the Victoria & Albert Waterfront, wander around Bo-Kaap, explore the colourful Malaysian quarter of Cape Town, spend a day on the Cape Riviera beaches and the evening among the movida of Long Street nightlife.
7_Go on a pilgrimage to Robben Island, the ex-prison for political prisoners (where Nelson Mandela spent a good many years of his life), today a nature reserve and history museum with multimedia expos.
8_Trekking on Table Mountain: conquer the summit (1086m) on foot (instead of by cable car) for an emotionally charged experience.
9_Visit Klein Constantia to taste the Vin de Constance, appreciated by both Napoleon and Queen Victoria.
10_Take a stunning scenic drive across Cape Peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope, where the wind never stops blowing.

Cape Winelands boasts the highest concentration of top wine producers in South Africa, which ranks the worlds seventh largest wine production