Drink

TOKARA, the family owned Stellenbosch wine estate known for elegant wines with understated flair, has just released the second vintage of its ultra-stylish Méthode Cap Classique. This 100% Chardonnay is crafted from cool climate grapes grown on Tokara’s prized Elgin property. The 2012 vintage is a…
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TO be fair, the invitation to celebrate "the beautifully reinvigorated Haute Cabrière" didn't really convey the extent of it. Nevertheless, I wasn't even mildly embarrassed to accept within seconds. You're a fool if you turn down any opportunity to visit this farm in Franschhoek. It's been 25…
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CELEBRATE with family and friends at this year’s Middelvlei sunset carols on Sunday, December 1. While the children get to know the farm animals, run around on the sprawling lawn or partake in some fun traditional games, the older generation can sit back and relax while sipping on a glass of…
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LOZÄRN WINES, handcrafted on Doornbosch farm in the Robertson region, is the champion of the Carménère grape variety on home soil. In 2012, winemaker Salóme Buys-Vermeulen was enjoying a fine Chilean Carménère with husband, Sybrand and a friend. She says it “was love at first sip”. This moment led…
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BEGIN the festive season on a fashionably high note at the annual Franschhoek Cap Classique & Champagne Festival, The Magic of Bubbles, presented by Sanlam Private Wealth. One of SA’s premier social calendar highlights, this year’s event takes place over the weekend of November 30 and December 1…
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WHEN Hope On Hopkins launched its trio of gins just five years ago, there were about seven local craft gins on the market. Today, there are more than 300. It truly boggles the mind. Now, these pioneers have rebranded and refreshed their products, along with a new name: Hope Distillery. Founders…
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THERE are so many things to do and see at Hazendal in Stellenbosch, they require a six-page fold out guide, with three rows of activities on each page. Where to begin? Maybe with the thing that first drew my attention on Facebook a few months ago - Wonderdal, the interactive, immersive and…
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SOME things are worth getting out of bed for; others are worth driving 80km in unseasonal torrential rain for (and back again) – and that would be a tasting and lunch at Le Lude in Franschhoek. We met with winemaker Emma Bruwer, who shared her story and that of the owners, Nic and Ferda Barrow.…
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AN easy hour’s drive from Cape Town, through the tunnel then left and left again and you’ll find yourself in Slanghoek Valley. If you go left-right, you’ll be heading to Rawsonville. It was difficult to tell on the day I went down that road for the first time, on account of it being full of low…
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AT Grande Provence in Franschhoek, there is a 2018 Merlot which is quite simply out of this world, for something so young. It was but one of the many joys experienced on the day we visited for the launch of the Spring Heritage tasting menu created by another youngster, head chef Marvin Robyn.…
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