The Winelands of the Cape Some time ago a group of wine connoisseurs from Europe visited the Cape. They brought with them a variety of wine glasses, ranging from a common water glass to the most delicate crystal. A tasting for local wine masters brought to light that in each glass, the wine tasted different, and this was due not only to the shape of the glass but also its visual appeal. It is interesting that beauty can so profoundly affect the way we experience things. Appropriately, the wine tasting was held in the winelands of the Cape, a place of exquisite and abundant beauty and which is fast becoming a major tourist destination. Travelling through this fertile region after an absence of several months I found its beauty undiminished. In the distance soft brown cows were grazing in meadows against a backdrop of floating vineyards and clean skies. The season was already deep into autumn, but it was as if summer had graciously extended itself into May to accommodate even the last trickle of tourists. Many visitors seeing this part of the world for the first time express surprise that there is nothing “African” about the winelands and that, instead, it reminds them of the French or Italian countryside. It has taken me a while to grasp the simple fact that this belt along the southern tip of Africa, situated at the same latitude as the wine growing regions of Europe, represents a kind of climatic mirror of its northern counterparts and is therefore ideally suited to the cultivation of grapes. Because the winelands are flanked by two oceans, the Indian and the Atlantic, a blanket of mist drifts in during the late-afternoon and sometimes in the early morning. This helps to keep the grapes cool as summers in this part of the world can be very hot. Another feature of the winelands is the variety of slopes and valleys, which ensures a rich diversity of not only soil types but also mesa-climates. Not surprisingly, the Cape is today one of the top wine producing regions in the world. One of the pioneers of the wine industry’s renaissance has been The Bergkelder. For the wine enthusiast I can recommend a visit to this unique “cellar in the mountain” It has entered into a partnership with some of the leading wine estates in the region and a wine appearing under its seal is normally a good one. But imagine a balmy summer’s night under the stars, sipping a full-blooded Cabernet Sauvignon to the strains of Verdi’s Rigoletto and Gilda reaching the high notes of romantic bliss. If opera on the banks of the Eerste River is appealing to you then make Spier Wine Estate part of your itinerary. Since the government’s drastic cuts in its funding of the performing arts, the estate has emerged as something of a custodian of the arts. A number of successful operas have already been stages in its amphitheatre. Music direction is under the guidance of Brad Jarret, former director of Opera in Australia. The Spier station has now been completed, enabling passengers to travel from the popular Victoria & Alfred Waterfront to the estate to enjoy its pleasures before rejoining the train for a return trip. From Stellenbosch it is about fifteen minutes’ drive to the picturesque Franschhoek Valley. Chamonix, situated high on the slopes of the valley, offers superb cuisine at a reasonable price. In its first year it received the American Express Style Award and has consistently remained one of the Cape’s top restaurants. After a delicious lunch at Chamonix, which consisted of medallions of beef prepared in a mustard sauce, I ambled down to the tasting room. I was met by one of the hostesses, a fresh-faced young girl who was, I learned, from the local community. It was gratifying to note that, increasingly, staff for the winelands’ hospitality industry are being drawn from the local population. This girl wore a pretty red dress. Outside, on the terrace, she presented me with a Cabernet Sauvignon 1993 from the estate. The chef had recommended it. The wine was surprisingly fruity and the in-mouth aroma of blackcurrant was pronounced. After chatting for a while I complimented her on her knowledge of wine and asked how she came by it. She shyly admitted her employer had sent her to the Wine Academy. And then she smiled, as if by way of explanation, and her smile lit up the terrace. She was called away and in the drowsiness of the afternoon I imagined her supporting an ageing mother, seeing a younger brother through school. I found her unaffected manner refreshing. She was professional without being artificial. I remembered passing a mother and child earlier in my car on one of the farm roads. Unexpectedly she had lifted her hand in a friendly greeting. Below me lay the sprawling valley, verdant and lush and bathed in autumnal light. If a Cabernet Sauvignon seemed suddenly friendly and welcoming, it was due not only to the shape or quality of the glass. It was a conspiracy of little details, a smile, a friendly greeting, that had made the wine - and the day - seem more memorable. - Back -    - Menu -    - Contact -