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Published: June 12th 2022
For our wine tasting experience, we headed towards the cape winelands via the N1 Highway, the first section of the famed Cape to Cairo Road.
Our destination was the cities of Paarl, Franschhoek, and Stellenbosch, and selected vineyards in each of these locations.
Paarl is the third oldest city of European settlement, and the largest town in the cape winelands. Paarl gained international attention when, on 11 February 1990, Nelson Mandela walked out of Victor Verster Correctional Centre in Paarl ending his 27 years of imprisonment. Today, a bronze statue of Mandela stands outside the prison.
Franschhoek, which translates as “French Corner”, was established in the late 17th century as French Huguenot refugees settled in the area. They are credited with the development of the wine industry in South Africa, and producing wines that were sought after by Napoleon, Bismarck, and even King Edward VII.
Stellenbosch is South Africa’s second oldest town and the scenic Stellenbosch Wine Route is the oldest in the country. It is a university city, but it's Cape Dutch Architecture gives a sense of colonial history.
The N1 road took us past the barren landmark that was once the infamous District 6.
Once a melting pot community, in 1966 it was declared a white only zone by the Apartheid Government and 60,000 inhabitants were forcibly removed and their houses bulldozed.
Some of the most interesting aspects of these drives were the anecdotes about various aspects in life in South Africa, and many of the problems that face them. We all know the term "stole anything that wasn't nailed down," but that remark doesn't apply in South Africa. There, they even steal the nails.
We saw a bridge that was supposed to be lighted at night, but all the wiring was stolen, train tracks that are not utilized because the metal rods were stolen. Even the culverts are being replaced with plastic ones because of the metal ones have been stolen. It appears it's uncontrollable, not only in Cape Town but other areas as well.
The drive passed quickly thanks to the beauty of the landscape, and soon we were arriving at our first stop, the Fairview Wine and Cheese Company in Paarl. Yes, not a mistake, they have a goat farm, and make their own cheeses which were as marvelous as any cheese I've ever had. We enjoyed a
pairing of eight wines, and it was here that I developed a liking to the South African grape Pinotage. I tried to taste Pinotage wines after that, every time I had an opportunity.
Not only were the wines and cheeses delicious, but the setting and ambiance was old world and elegant. It wasn't hard to believe this farm was established back in 1693. I found the setting of all three properties to be beautiful.
Our next stop was Allee Bleue in Franschhoek. After the spectacular pairing we have just had, it was inevitable that the next tasting would suffer by comparison, but the wines themselves were worthy of one of the oldest vineyards in the country, and the setting of the vineyard was probably the most spectacular.
Following this tasting, we headed to Stellenbosch for a lunch break, followed by our final tasting at Neethlingshof Estate, established in 1705.
We stopped around the City Center of Stellensbosch, a quaint looking area lined in shady oak trees and the anticipated cape Dutch colonial buildings. We spotted a wine bar, with the original named the Stellenbosch Wine Bar, where I indulged in another glass of Pinotage paired with
a plate of tasty Herb Arancini. Just enough to provide a foundation for the next round of wines. It wasn't until leaving the wine bar that we noticed a craft beer bar across the street and felt irritated with ourselves. I would have loved to have tasted a South African craft beer.
Oh, well!
Our next and last stop was Neethlingshof Estate. Neethlingshof Estate lies just outside the town of Stellenbosch. Established more than 300 years ago, it boasts some of the best restored and preserved traditional Cape Dutch buildings, with a distinct sense of history and old-world charm. Again, nothing but praises for the wines from this memorable vineyard.
On our return we also passed Khayelitsha, a shanty town or township as they are also known in South Africa, located near Cape Town. Khayelitsha has a population of over 1.8 million people and is one of the largest townships in South Africa. These settlements of makeshift dwellings abound around the country, some without power or running water and with the fierce winds of the cape lethal fires occur regularly. Also, since a lot of these townships are located near sources of water, some of the structures
get occasionally washed away by overflowing rivers during heavy rains.
The return drive was a sleepy and unambitious time and, as it often happens, the plans for the evening seemed like too much of an effort given the rainy weather and the fact that we were neither very hungry nor very energetic. Add to that an early morning the next day and we decided to go to the hotel bar for a glass of wine and a bite. Sigh. Usually a mistake. The bite turned into a big plate of food I could not finish, and a missed opportunity to check out one of the trendy bars not far from the hotel. Hindsight is 20-20.
Note to self. If ever in the same situation, at least buy some cheese from Fairview, a bottle of wine from any of the vineyards, and enjoy it comfortably in the room.
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