THAT is a bit of a sweeping statement but if you know, you know that winter in Cape Town is a season of extremes, from the rain to beautiful warm sunny days without the wind that comes with summer. On those days, being outdoors is nothing short of magnificent, and on a recent trip to Stellenbosch, my first stop was at Spier to have its Winter Picnic.
My basket was ready and waiting for me, so all I had to do was find a spot to enjoy it. A blanket is included but there are also tables if you prefer. For the families, the Werf is large enough for children to run around and do children things. For more structured play, there is the Elemental Play Garden which features a slide landscaped into earth mounds, a tunnel to crawl through, a swing bridge, and a Charl Conradie wind sculpture.
What’s in the basket, which all felt deliciously fresh, healthy and nutritious: a soup of the day (mine was thick butternut) with a baguette (helpfully already sliced) from Vadas and butter; grilled East African-style chicken breast with lentil and herb salad and pineapple chutney; roast baby vegetables from Spier’s garden with white bean hummus and feta; and a cheese course of Harvati, Brie and Gorgonzola with lavash and preserves. To finish there’s a pastel de nata, also from Vadas, which has perfected this pastry. To drink, you have the Farm Café at your disposal with all the Spier wines, as well as soft drinks and juices. If a bottle of wine is too much (said no one ever), there are neat little tins in red, white and pink.
If you do get caught out by showers, you can have your picnic inside the Cow Shed. Book your picnic for R345 per person, and enjoy a complimentary bottle of Spier’s Seaward Shiraz for every double basket booked this winter. Picnics need to be booked 24 hours in advance online, or build your own from the Farm Café.
While you are there, have a look at the ceramics exhibition, An Act Of Faith, which is on until October 23 October. Find it in the Old Wine Cellar from 9am to 5pm daily. From the press release:
“When you hear the word ‘ceramics’, you probably don’t think of magic. But working with this unpredictable medium is equal parts sorcery, artistry and, ultimately, acts of faith. A ceramicist can never be sure that what comes out of the kiln will resemble what they put in.
“As Christian Buchner (featured in the exhibition) says: ‘While every medium affords unique possibilities, ceramics – with their arcane workings in the firing process – bewitch.’
“But uncertainty is not the only challenge facing artists working with ceramics. Chief curator at Spier Art Trust, Tamlin Blake, decided to organise the exhibition after visiting an unusually scant exhibition of the annual Ceramics South Africa exhibition in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.
“’It was shocking because there were very few pieces being exhibited,’ Blake explains. ‘Part of it was due to Covid, of course, but frequent load shedding was also an issue.’
“‘Firing’ or heating up an electric kiln – the most common type of kiln – to the correct temperature before glazing can take up to 12 hours. The power supply needs to remain constant for the duration of the firing to achieve the desired artistic results. So rolling blackouts have baked additional complexity into their work.
“’These artists are struggling just to practise their craft,’ Blake says. ‘Spier Arts wanted to support them and give them an opportunity by providing an exciting exhibition space and an opportunity for exposure to a broader market within South Africa.’
“An Act Of Faith features more than 40 ceramic artworks by artists from across the country. All of the ceramic creations tell a story. Art as a narrative provides the viewer with a powerful, personal and intimate connection with the artists and their work.”
Wine Town Stellenbosch runs from August 1 to 6, making it the perfect time to visit. From August 1 to 4, Vadas Smokehouse & Bakery will be running a Pizza Party special from 12pm to 8pm – R400 for two pizzas and a bottle of Spier Seaward Shiraz. On August 4 at 6pm, join cellar master Johan Jordaan for the monthly Winemakers Dinner as he shares a range magnums of older vintages from some of Spier’s top ranges, including Creative Block and 21 Gables. The generous pours will be complemented by a feast of bountiful platters, including a succulent whole spit-roast suckling pig and roasted garden vegetable platters hand-picked straight from the Spier Food Garden.
For more information, click here.
