Tag: paarl

A Taster Tour of the Paarl Wine Route

Cape Town,Cape Winelands,South Africa
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By Melanie Du Toit on

Aptly named after the Afrikaans word for ‘pearl’, the town of Paarl is undoubtedly one of the many jewels of South Africa’s Western Cape. Nestled among acres of seemingly endless winelands, its location along the prolific self-drive tourist route R62, and its convenient proximity to Cape Town makes a stop in this town a necessary addition to any worthwhile itinerary exploring the area.

Vineyard along the Paarl Wine Route
Image credit: D.F Malan

But that’s not all: the Cape Winelands is a proverbial melting pot of flavour and fun. Numerous wine farms, estates, and all sorts of other points of interest showcase the gastronomic and viticultural talent that the region has become known for. As resident Capetonians ourselves, we’ve become regulars to this gem located just over an hour from our head offices in the Mother City. Allow us to lead you on a Taster Tour through the Paarl Winelands where your taste buds are sure to be left tantalised:

Babylonstoren:

Mountain views and gardens at Bablyonstoren

Located on one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms in the region, Babylonstoren has its roots extending as far back as 1692. Today it’s 3.5-hectare gardens provide its restaurants, Babel (located in a modern and restored cow shed) and the Greenhouse (located in its namesake), with fresh fruit and vegetables for its table. Visitors can also enjoy garden tours and workshops from the estate’s resident green-thumbed horticulturists themselves.

A scenic spot to relax at Babylonstoren, at the Paarl Wine Route

The garden is undoubtedly the theme of this place, whether you’re gazing through the Greenhouse windows to the dappled sunlight outside or languishing in the ‘living spa’ found in a bamboo forest and framed by gently trickling water channels.  And after all of this? Simply amble about and marvel in wonder at the veritable Eden surrounding you.

The sunny Babylonstoren tea room

The Spice Route:

A self-declared ‘sensory journey of discovery for the modern-day explorer’, the Spice Route offers a dizzying array of diversions for all to enjoy, whether you’re a group of friends exploring the area, a couple on a day out, or a family with two excitable kids in tow. A full day is definitely in need to enjoy all that the Spice Route has to offer. It is found in the winelands, so, naturally, wine tasting is most certainly on offer, but why not also sample craft beer at the Wilderer Distillery or enjoy a beer and biltong pairing at the Barley & Biltong Beer Garden?

A statue reaches for the sky, outlining the Paarl Wine Route
Image credit: Werner Bayer

Artisan chocolate can be bought from the Spice Route’s studio, decadent tapas and pizza can be munched on at La Grapperia, or those in search of a truly South African meal can enjoy lunch at Bertus Basson’s restaurant. There’s even a kids play area, art gallery, and Venetian-style glassblowing factory, as well as a cafe and deli allowing visitors to take a bit of Paarl home with them!

Instagrammable scenery awaits at the Paarl Wine Route
Image credit: Kumweni

Fairview:

Many may think that the Paarl Wine Route is all about wine—but they would be mistaken! At Fairview Wine & Cheese Estate, cheese is the chosen morsel of the day with its range of over 20 different artisanal cheeses that have become famous nationwide. That being said, Fairview wine is the perfect accompaniment to Fairview cheese – so why not enjoy a carefully chosen pairing while in the Tasting Room? Don’t forget a photo op at the estate’s unique goat tower which has sparked a worldwide trend, with numerous copies popping up all across the globe.

The iconic Fairview Goat Tower at the Paarl Wine Route
Image credit: Anthony de Jager

Fairview is not home to one, but two tasting rooms: the Main Tasting Room housing numerous unique pods around which visitors cluster to learn about the wine and cheese, and the slightly more formal (but just as refined) Beryl Back Master Tasting Room. There is also an extensive shop and deli allowing visitors to take all their favourites of the day home with them, as well as the popular Goatshed Restaurant, dishing up only the freshest fare with ingredients for their dishes coming from Fairview itself and surrounding farms.

The menu of Goatshed restaurant at Fairview
Image credit: Warren Ski

Val de Vie:

Apart from its award-winning wines, Val de Vie’s manicured estate also boasts polo grounds, a polo club, all-weather arena, tennis academy, and swimming club. Throughout the year, the estate is home to high-profile events attracting the creme-de-la-creme of the South African sporting and social scene. The onsite Health Club even boasts a swimming academy led by a South African gold medallist Olympic swimmer – how’s that for learning from the best?

A game of Polo
Image credit: Heather Moreton

Val de Vie’s Polo Club Restaurant offer an array of experiences to suit every palate, from its flagship tastings and pairings, to its home-cooked meals, special events, and chef nights that happen throughout the year. Here, visitors can meet new people and get personally acquainted with the Polo Club’s chef.

Rhebokskloof Wine Estate:

Thanks to its unusual location between the lush Paarl valley and the stark granite hills of Paarl Rock’s mountains, a unique microclimate has flourished on the landscape where Rhebokskloof Wine Estate is found. Aside from its world-class wines, Rhebokskloof also produces grape juice and olive oil which can be bought from the estate. For an all-encompassing experience of untold relaxation, this estate is the answer.

The vineyards
Image credit: Jacqueline Macou

Enjoy pairings in its Tasting Room, sumptuous fare at its restaurant, and relaxed picnics on the manicured lawns surrounding its dam. Picnic basket options abound with menus to suit kids and those who favour banting and gluten-free meals. Parents are sure to rejoice with the estate’s trampoline, jungle gym, pony rides, and jumping castle – all guaranteed to keep little tykes entertained while their folks enjoy a well-deserved time out.

Are you ready to enjoy your own Taster Tour of the Paarl Winelands? 

Let us take you there! Contact one of our trusty consultants to start planning your trip today or visit our web page to see what else this region has to offer.

Bosman’s Restaurant at the Grande Roche

Cape Winelands,South Africa
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By Matthew Sterne on

The Horny Grazer ReviewFour Rhino Rating
Eat Out is the definitive Top 10 for South Africa restaurants and this year Bosman’s at the Grande Roche Hotel in Paarl made it to fourth spot. And so it was with glee that we checked in for 4 days of absolute indulgence.  Unfortunately you cannot eat at Bosman’s twice a day for the simple reason that you’d soon be in a worse financial state than Greece. Bosman’s is staggeringly expensive. Wines cost pretty much double what they would cost at any other Cape Town restaurant meaning that the prices would not be out of place in a top London restaurant.

They seem to get away with it because it’s an extremely popular hotel whose guests think nothing of paying those prices. Unfortunately for most South Africans though it’s prohibitively expensive. And surely that defeats the point of a South African Top 10 restaurant?

Bosman's Restaurant at the Grande Roche
We stayed at the Grande Roche over the Christmas holidays. If you stayed at the hotel over Xmas, you had to have the Xmas Eve set menu. The set menu was R1,250 per head for five courses, excluding wine. If you wanted it paired with wine, it was a further R650, taking the total per person to a lip quivering R1,900 per person. Admittedly though it was Xmas Eve when most restaurants charge a premium.

Is it worth it? I think once you’re able to afford to eat in a restaurant like this, price becomes rather trivial. The service is exceptional and the expert sommelier knowledge is a real treat, proffering some great pairing suggestions. The dining room is classical and elegant – dominated by dark wooden shelves and glass chandeliers. Dinner is accompanied by the graceful tinkling of the ivories on the grand piano (the pianist reads from an iPad no less – one of the few concessions to modernity). A stunning Cape Dutch building set among lush rose gardens and vine yards and with a spectacular view of the mountains.

The best of the starters were the wild mushroom risotto with dried parma ham and beurre noisette foam (R75) and the pan fried sea bass with spinach-chorizo & gnocchi ragoût, baked quail egg and garlic foam (R105).

Wine and meal
Executive Chef, Roland Gorgosilich hails from Salzburg – the Austrian influence is evident in a lot of the dishes. Not being a fan of much that’s Austrian, I was relieved to find that the influences are contemporary interpretations. The spice crusted springbok loin with vodka flavoured parsnip purée, schupf noodles, shaved foie gras & cranberry jus for example was quite delicious (R190) as was the vanilla milk poached kingklip with carrot purée & garlic-potato espuma (R175).

On the second occasion I went for the ‘fillet mignon flambee prepared at the table’ with wild mushroom ragoût & herb tagliatelle (R200). This was sloppy. Great flavours, but hardly a dish worthy of a Top 10 restaurant. A little novelty value perhaps, but considering they couldn’t actually get to the table to flambee the fillet in front of me, not a welcome novelty as I had to go to my fillet which was being cooked in the reception under the massive Xmas tree which was in grave danger of being razed. It was certainly an odd experience standing in reception in front of the other diners, watching someone cook a steak with more butter and cream than one would think possible to include in a single dish.

Bosman's restaurant
That was the only culinary let down. Everything else was superb. But the highlight for me? The cheeses. South Africa really doesn’t do cheese very well, but these guys do. I’m a big fan of strong and pungent cheeses – Stinking Bishop and Munster are a couple of my favourites. Bosman’s produced a varied and distinguished selection – paired with something delicious from the extensive red wine list and that’s pretty close to my idea of heaven…

So there you have it. A great restaurant – impeccable service and delicious food. But you’ll probably have to send your kids to state school…

Bosmans at the Grande Roche
Why not enjoy the Cape Winelands at your own pace and choose where you want to eat? Read more about the Cape Winelands on our website.

The Grande Roche Hotel in Paarl

Cape Town,Cape Winelands,South Africa,Traveller's tales
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By Matthew Sterne on

The Grande Roche is one of South Africa’s most famous hotels. It’s hosted no fewer than three of my good friends on their honeymoons (three separate couples that is – they were not a thrupple as seems to be the style of the times).

My folks have wanted to stay at the Grande Roche for a good few years now. What better time to visit just as the Bosman’s restaurant was voted into South Africa’s Top 5 Restaurants by Eat Out magazine?

We stayed for four days. Four days of unmitigated bliss. Surely one of the most relaxing spots on the planet – the grounds and gardens are immaculate. Vintage, straw-roofed, Cape Dutch manor houses amid vineyards, ancient oaks, billiard-table lawns, raffia palms and rose gardens. It’s an easy 45 minute drive from Cape Town and is in the heart of Paarl which itself is about 15 minutes from Franschhoek and Stellenbosch – the other winelands’ heavyweights.

The vibe is classical and elegant and the service is exceptional – warm, professional and personal. Not to mention rather easy on the eye. As well as local staff, there seems to be an emphasis on recruiting from the sommelier and hotel schools in Sweden. There are thirty five suites spread over the property in various listed out houses. It’s on the site of the old De Nieuwe Plantatie in the Drakenstein valley and dates back to 1717 when a grant of land was given to Hermanus Bosman. Over the years the homestead grew and changed and, in 1876, it was renovated to reflect the then popular Victorian style. The farm was bought and modernised by the Du Toit family in 1926 and after a fire in 1953 it was rebuilt as a Victorian manor house.

It was finally restored to its original Cape Dutch splendour in 1991 and transformed into a luxury hotel. In 1993, the fastidious restoration was acknowledged when the Grande Roche Estate was declared a national monument. The duplex suites for example are in what was originally the slave quarters.

There was a real Festive Season buzz in the air when we arrived. Beaming smiles and glasses of bubbly overlooking the vineyard and the mountains beyond were the order of the day as our baggage was whisked away to the newly refurbished rooms. It’s much like the Mount Nelson in this regard. The rooms were badly in need of an overhaul to bring them up to the standard of the grounds, restaurants and the service. Only the Duplex suites at the Grande Roche remain to be done, so just check that you don’t get one of these before they are refurbished. After that they intend to redo the poolside spa facility – the ‘Kraal’, which is certainly past its best.

The tome of a wine list and the exceptional cuisine will follow you around the property. Be warned though – the wine list is both extensive and expensive. Quaffing a decanted Bordeaux recommended by the sommelier (in crisp white shirts, with black ties and aprons) is a rather splendid occasion here, while culinary temptation lies behind every manicured hedge. Whether it’s a light lunch on your private terrace, a quick salad by one of the two pools (kept at 28 degrees no less), a relaxed dinner at the intimate Alegro Bistro or the tasting menu with wine pairing at Bosman’s, the gourmands out there should take note. Ambling from poolside to meal time, there is no better place to relax and unwind.

The Grande Roche is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection, which includes some of the world’s finest small independent hotels.

If you’d like to find out more about the Grande Roche or plan a trip to the Cape Winelands, then contact one of our expert consultants who will be happy to help you plan a tailor made itinerary at prices that are cheaper than booking direct!

The Cape Winelands – Santé!

Cape Town,Cape Winelands,Traveller's tales
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By Matthew Sterne on

This week sees the launch of the Cape Winelands section of our new website, so we thought it fitting to do some wineland themed Blog posts (more wine than lands). Rather conveniently, Ross spent five days there over Christmas, so watch out for some top tips, including a review of the recently refurbished Grande Roche hotel in Paarl and a Horny Grazer review of Bosman’s restaurant – recently voted the 4th best restaurant in South Africa by Eat Out Magazine.

Cape Wine Route
“And I love to live so pleasantly, live this life of luxury, lazing on a sunny afternoon!”

Picture the family humming along to the Kinks’ melody, meandering along the vineyard clad roads of the Cape Winelands. Over our few days we certainly took advantage of our time by the pool at the Grande Roche, but we did venture out from time to time. Highlights included a trip to Franschhoek where we did some wine tasting at Chamonix wine estate (talk about a super quaffer – I can heartily recommend the Chamonix Rouge for just R38 a bottle) before a pretty good lunch in the courtyard at Reuben’s. The service was slack and the interior in need of a spruce up, but the food was still good. A starter of scallops with crispy pancetta served with a corn chowder was out of this world. Moroccan chicken was a little too sweet, but the cheese burger was excellent.

Another big winner was the gourmet picnic at Warwick Wine Estate near Stellenbosch (I think I should make this clear that we visited Warwick the next day) where we grazed unabashed, shaded by the leaves of the ancient Oaks and buffeted by bean bags, rugs and cushions. Of course we decided to do a little wine tasting there as well. Two whites and four reds. More swallowing than spitting – the perfect siesta inducing combo.

Cape Wine Route

Warwick make good wines. They’re extremely fruity and a bit overpriced for me but good wines nonetheless. We splashed out on a limited edition Black label Syrah which I can’t wait to try.

There’s also the most perfect gravel courtyard if, like me, you fancy yourself as a bit of master boules player. My dream is to one day make boules an extreme sport featured on ESPN. And yes, the boules are available for hire.

Collect your picnic and head out to your chosen spot with some fine wines. Forget your ham sarnies and scotch eggs. The picnic hamper for two without drinks is R299, but it’s well worth it and includes freshly baked ciabatta, camembert and oak smoked cheddar with an apple, pear and pecan chutney, sliced charcuterie with a biltong, mushroom and brandy pate or hummus as well as homemade rooibos and oak smoked Norwegian salmon.

Cape Wine Route

So there are a few cheeky tips from Ross’s holiday. What are your favourite Estates and favourite things to do in the Winelands?

Not only do we do day tours of the Cape Winelands, but we can tailor make an idyllic tour of the Cape Winelands incorporating some of South Africa’s finest hotels and restaurants, so don’t hesitate to contact one of our expert consultants today to plan your 2011 holiday!

Cape Wine Route

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