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The sheer beauty of the Cape, it's Winelands, and Peninsula lures photographers and artists to capture its magnificence along with attracting those on wine and culinary adventures eager for quality and variety. Touring the area is a must on your visit to SILKBUSH Mountain Vineyards. Cape Town is the second largest city in South Africa and is the capital of the Western Cape Province. It is located in the south-west corner of the country near the Cape of Good Hope, and is the most southern city in Africa. It is a stone's throw from South Africa's world-famous Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. The route to the Winelands region is a 40-minute drive along the N1 from Cape Town to Stellenbosch. or, alternatively, visitors follow the N2 to Somerset West and the Helderberg region. Spend a day or two visiting world class wine farms and wineries, tasting award winning wines and savoring the natural beauty of one of South Africa's most popular tourism destinations. If you're a seasoned sommelier or a first timer you can be sure to find a tour to suit you here.

The Cape Winelands region is the source of many legendary Cape wines, the product of row upon row of grapevines, many of which were first planted hundreds of years ago. The Winelands classic Cape-Dutch homesteads, mountainous surrounds, grand heritage and sumptuous restaurants have earned the Cape Winelands the right to call itself South Africa’s culinary capital. Apart from a wide choice of wine estates lined with top-class wines, visitors will discover a variety of locally produced cheeses, olives, export-quality fruit and organic produce to sample and buy, as well as numerous world-class restaurants. This is surely a region not to be missed on your South Africa visit.

Table Mountain (Tafelberg in Afrikaans) is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top. The mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. The view from the top of Table Mountain has been described as"http://www.rockhaven.co.za">www.rockhaven.co.za)

As you can see, the main dining room of the Rockhaven Guest House is very comfortable and the view across the bay is spectacular. There is a paved public pathway just off the beach, and the only sounds are those of the wind and surf. Robben Island lies almost directly west. (Guest house contact information is found under "Planning a trip to South Africa" section of the website.)

No tour of the Cape is complete without ascending Table Mountain by the new cable car system: modern, safe and rapid ascents/descents. This shot shows the equally famous mountain shoulders known as Lion's Head (to the left) and Signal Hill, the green ridge in the center. Between them both, about six miles offshore, is infamous Robben Island, a prison or leper colony for hundreds of years, now a tourist destination.

Cape Town really encircles Table Mountain, making it the dominant centerpiece. Even more than the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, this mountain can be seen from all directions and is synonymous with Cape Town. Try to visit when the "table cloth" (frequent cloud cover) is not set. Incidentally, the rough NE end of the mountain seen in the photo to the right is known as Devil's Peak. Devil's Peak is part of the mountainous backdrop to Cape Town. When looking at Table Mountain from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, or when looking at the standard picture postcard view of the mountain, the skyline is from left to right: the spire of Devil's Peak, the flat mesa of Table Mountain, the dome of Lion's Head and Signal Hill. The central districts of Cape Town are nestled within this natural amphitheater. The city grew out of a settlement founded on the shore below the mountains in 1652 by Jan van Riebeeck, for the Dutch East India Company. Some of the first farms in the Cape were established on the slopes of Devils Peak, along the Liesbeek River.

The real working harbor of Cape Town, where container ships dock, is further east, so out of the photo. But old Victoria Basin, protected from winter storms by the extended seawall, is the real tourist attraction, akin to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 in San Francisco. Some of the best shopping in the city is also found at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront center, on the left or west side, and two of the most expensive Cape Town hotels are adjacent. The tour boats to Robben Island also leave from here. The tour is of a sterile old prison, but it does have a great view of Cape Town from the sea.

The two national freeways (N1 and N2) nicely dive into the heart of Cape Town, making for good ingress/egress, other than during rush hours. In the background, with the semicircular roofline, is the Good Hope Center, and closer toward the viewer is the old Castle of Good Hope. Cape Town is a relatively informal but modern city, relatively safe for tourists but ridden with more than its share of burglars. (Don't leave anything in your car.)

Above the winding road is a white structure, which is the bottom of the Cableway system. Taking the cable car to the top is one of the "mandatory" tourist events for most visitors. However, make sure it is a clear day, such as this one. Many days the top of the mountain is enshrouded in a cloud, and the view then is akin to that of the inside of a sack of flour. The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway is one of Cape Town's most popular tourist attractions with approximately 800,000 people a year using the cableway. The lower cable station is at an elevation of 302 metres (991 ft) on Tafelberg Road near Kloof Nek. The upper cable station on the westernmost end of the Table Mountain plateau is at an elevation of 1,067 metres (3,501 ft). The upper cable station offers views over Cape Town, Table Bay and Robben Island to the north, and the Atlantic seaboard to the west and south.

The Cape of Good Hope has also been known for centuries as the Cape of Storms. This steel plate map of sunken vessels is mounted on a pathway on the ridge of Table Mountain. When the weather is good, and it mostly is, the ocean below looks like a mill pond. But the winter storms on the South Atlantic can be quite awesome. As the plaque reads, there were over 650 ships lost in these waters over the last 400 years.

Whenever the sun comes out ont the mountain, the Dassies also emerge to beg food from tourists.

Dassies are also called Rock Hyrax, Rock Badger, and Rock Rabbit. They are one of the four living species of the order Hyracoidea, and the only living species in the genus Procavia. Like all hyraxes, this Dassie is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal, superficially resembling a guinea pig with short ears and tail. The closest living relatives to hyraxes are the modern-day elephants and sirenians. Hyraxes typically live in groups of 10–80 animals, and forage as a group. They have been reported to use sentries: one or more animals take up position on a vantage point and issue alarm calls on the approach of predators.

Lion’s Head is a mountain in Cape Town situated right next to the Table Mountain. It is a dramatic peak that has hiking trails that would never pass muster with OSHA in the US! Lion’s Head peaks at 669 meters (the Table Mountain is about 400 meters taller). Lion’s Head peak forms a dramatic backdrop to the city of Cape Town and there is a famous stone Ledge which makes amazing photos. Wheelchair friendly it is not, and you could take some very nasty falls ascending or descending, especially in the dark. "Assumption of risk" falls upon the climber, as well it should.

As the sun started to set on this spectacular evening, you can see that the shadow of the lion is clearly outlined to the left, with Devil's Peak right above it. It is a pretty rigorous climb but this stunning view was worth the effort.

SILKBUSH friends John and Flynn Rauck visited South Africa for the first time in December 2001. They explored game camps in Botswana first and then drove the Garden Route (from Port Elizabeth to SILKBUSH) before enjoying the full Winelands experience. So the first time they saw Table Mountain in person was from the rooftop of Amani Vineyards http://www.amani.co.za . (<a href="http://www.amani.co.za/">www.amani.co.za/</a>)

Two of the more fashionable communities south of Cape Town are Hout Bay, seen below the gap in the mountains, and Llandudno. Dave Jefferson, SILKBUSH Managing Director, was a luncheon guest of Mario Ilotte, a retired Italian Grand Prix race car driver, who lives with his wife and two sons in Llandudno. Mario and Christina elected to leave Milan in 1995 and emigrate to Cape Town because it represented a far better living condition for their family than Europe. They take their old Land Rover and frequently tour the "outback" of many of the countries to the north. Hout Bay (Houtbaai in Afrikaans) means "Wood Bay." It is near Cape Town, situated in a valley on the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape Peninsula. The name "Hout Bay" can refer to the town, the bay on which it is situated, or the entire valley. Llandudno is a residential suburb of Cape Town, also on the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape Peninsula. There are no street lights, shops or commercial activities, and the suburb has some of the most expensive residential property in South Africa.

Stellenberg is actually larger and nicer than most Cape Dutch residences in Cape Town. It is the family home for Andrew and Sandy Ovenstone, SIKLBUSH Founder, Dave Jefferson's classmates from Stanford in the 1960's. The Ovenstones kindly threw a dinner party for him on his first visit to the Cape and introduced him to several wine industry luminaries, and thus "the hook was planted". The grounds of this Heritage property are truly spectacular.

Just south of Simonstown, on the False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula, is Boulders Beach, home of a colony of penguins. They are a monagamous species (about 3,000 pairs at the Boulders) and the lifelong partners take turns incubating their eggs and feeding their young. The boulders protect the penguins from the surf and also create a small sunbathing/wading lagoon for families. The parking lot is police patrolled but the tourists and the penguins can get as close together as they choose.

They are also called African penguins, but the old name stemmed from the call of the bird which sounded like the bray of a donkey. These little buggers are cute, but if you get too close, they evidently can nip very hard. Their diet consists mainly of squid and shoal fish. They are just fascinating to watch, and reportedly are exceptional good distance swimmers. They swim at an average 7 kilometers/hr, and can stay submerged for up to two minutes.

We took this photo as we were leaving the Cape to show Simonstown (Simonstad in Afrikaans), the former British naval base for almost 150 years, and to illustrate how narrow the peninsula gets south of Cape Town. This is where most tourists go on their way to Cape Point, the most Southwesterly point in Africa, and to the nature preserve adjacent to it. Between there and Simonstown is Boulder Beach, the penguins, and a lot of cold water.

De Grendel is a new, modern winery established"http://www.degrendel.co.za ">www.degrendel.co.za ) Located in Durbanville, the very large farm is directly across a major road from dense residential subdivisions, NE of downtown Cape Town. The majority of the land is maintained as a fynbos conservation area, but 104 hectares are planted to wine grapes. The De Grendel winery itself is perched on the Tygerberg (Tiger Mountain), 350 meters above sea level with an exceptional view of Table Mountain and Lions Head in the distance. The farm has been in the Graff family since 1911, but the tasting room is lined with historic photos of Graff family figures from the Boer War days and afterwards with period luminaries such as Generals Jan Smuts and Louis Botha. David Pieter Graaff was elected Mayor of Cape Town in 1890, at age 31. When "Sir David" purchased the farm, after after a noted career of public service, it was to breed Arabian horses in a dry climate. Later the family used the property to raise champion cattle, sheep, and now wine grapes.

In addition to being born into a historically prominent Cape family, the current (Baronet) David Graff made an astute selection in 2005 by hiring Charles Hopkins as Cellarmaster of De Grendel ("the housekey"). Charles has been among the top winemakers for many years and was fortunate to be able to work closely with Marius van der Vyver,"http://www.degrendel.co.za">www.degrendel.co.za) . The hillside vineyard and winery is only 7 kilometers from the sea, making it an exceptional area for growing wine grapes, especially Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Durbanville is a farming town in the Western Cape province area. It is a rural residential suburb and is surrounded by farms producing wine and wheat. De Grendel is located here and even if they did not make excellent wine, this winery would likely have very good patronage due to the stunning setting and proximity to several other well established Durbanville wineries. According to Mia Mangiagalli, De Grendel Tasting Room Manager, the winery has a very loyal and repeat weekend patronage from Cape Town locals, and they plan to add an easy day-trip program with the international downtown hotels. The De Grendel Tasting Room offers visitors the opportunity to taste the full range of De Grendel wines in a setting that Table Mountain "smiles upon". The long glass encased veranda looks out onto the vineyards and the Atlantic Ocean, while the tented section offers a relaxed lounge atmosphere. They also now offer a light seasonal menu to add to the wine tasting experience.

Nestled between towering mountains in the beautiful Cape Winelands lies the magnificent Franschhoek Valley. This is the food and wine heartland of South Africa, where splendid wines are grown and top chefs create international cuisine. In the Franschhoek Valley, you will find breath-taking scenery, warm hospitality, world class cuisine and the finest wines. We at Silkbush feel especially close to Rickety Bridge Winery which is in the heart of the Franschhoek Valley, as they have been purchasing Shiraz grapes from us for several years to make their award winning wines. We understand we are about 40% of their blend. The Rickety Bridge Winery is completely charming and the restaurant superb; we at SILKBUSH highly recommend a visit www.ricketybridgewinery.com (<a href="http://www.ricketybridgewinery.com">www.ricketybridgewinery.com</a>) .

Wynand Groebbelar, the winemaker at Rickety Bridge, is not only movie-star handsome, but he is also bloody smart and charming. That's why we naturally included him in our SILKBUSH video which you can view on our website.

We at SILKBUSH got to know Hansie & Ingrid van Niekerk (pictured here at Wynhuis Wine Bar http://www.wijnhuis.co.za (<a href="http://www.wijnhuis.co.za">www.wijnhuis.co.za</a>) ) in 1997 when consulting for the then Napa-based Beringer Wine Estates. Beringer considered leasing a portion of Knorhoek hillside land for a South African label; they knew what wonderful soils the Van Niekerk's had, which now produce wonderful export wines under their own label. (<a href="http://www.Knorhoek.co.za">www.Knorhoek.co.za</a>) . Hansie and his brother James grow the grapes at Knorhoek, and, until 2005, most of the wines were produced off site at various contract wineries; this is how we make our SILKBUSH Mountain Vineyards wine as we do not have fermentation facilities on the farm.

The Simonsberg Mountain is in the background, and the farm home of our friends, the Van Neikerks, nestles in the kloof. Alas, Chardonnay and Shiraz, their two very gentle Boerbols, are gone. These dogs were quite large and looked ferocious, but a visitor risked getting more slobbered rather than bitten.

Today the Van Niekerk brothers are the 5th generation to own and work this beautiful farm. Following in the footsteps of their father, Hannes, who was awarded the prestigious Smuts Trophy for his wines, they continue the long and honorable family tradition of winemaking. James, in charge of the vineyards, and Hansie, responsible for winemaking and marketing, together with their wives Carol and Ingrid, form a vibrant young team, passionate about wines and delighted to share their heritage with visitors and guests. Situated in peaceful gardens, with a tempting rock pool and rustic outdoor lapa, the country guesthouse spoils visitors with traditional Cape hospitality and fine food. Knorhoek is a popular venue for weddings, conferences and other functions as well.

What used to be a lapa and pool became a nifty restaurant for the public, and it has developed a great local following. Translated, the restaurant name means "magic woods" and it absolutely is a magical place. Towerbosch has been awarded the "Eat Out - Best Country - Style Restaurant" in South Africa for 2013 Award!! When visiting Towerbosch for a lazy lunch, you can expect a delectable Country Feast.

One of two brothers who inherited and now runs Knorhoek, Hansie is responsible to the winery and their strategic planning. He's also a good man with the braai and has a great sense of humor.

Here is Hansie van Niekerk at the Braai. His bride Ingrid is the really good looking one in the family.

All sorts of wild birds and animals prowl around on the mountain winery, including several peacocks. These baby owls hung out in an oak tree just outside the the Knorhoekk Guest House. The Van Niekerks welcomed them as any other visitors!

The Cape Winelands also boast Quoin Rock Winery http://quoinrock.com (<a href="http://quoinrock.com ">quoinrock.com </a>) . Quoin Rock has done many upgrades of late and there are major improvements planned for the visitor spaces in and around the tasting room soon. Their philosophy is that they don’t want visitors to simply show up, taste wine and head to the next vineyard. The staff wants visitors to stay, relax and enjoy the venue with their wines. Guests may spend time on their deck with a cheese platter, overlooking the dramatic Simonsberg Mountains, or enjoy a romantic Valrhona Chocolate and Wine pairing. Visitors also may venture below ground and have a private tour of the cellar and cave. There is a triangular glass skylight which provides natural light into the underground cellar, making a marvelous effect. The 198 Ha Quoin Rock land was purchased in 1998 from Knorhoek wine estate and construction began on the wine cellar, manor house and farm infrastructure. A replanting program was implemented in 2000 and continued for a two-year period. This involved removing some of the old vineyard and existing pear orchards, in order to establish selected wine grapes that have proven well suited to the soil and climate conditions of the area. Eventually 45 Ha of vines were established, consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Viognier, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Mouvedre and Sauvignon Blanc cultivars.

Former owner, Dave King, may not personally know how to farm, but he certainly knows how to spend money for great effect. This winery, located on the road to Knorhoek Vineyards, is well thought out, beautifully executed, and half of its space is under ground, reducing the need for air conditioning. Of course, behind this outside door is a wine cave/roundtable for feasts with the King, an ostentatious touch many think.

The Quoin Rock winery is situated in the foothills of the Simonsberg near Stellenbosch. This region is known for producing more complex and full bodied wines, which is partly due to the high red clay content in the soils that are characteristic of the area, and for which reason it was known as the “Clay Hole” long ago. Although Quoin Rock is a fairly young wine estate, the history of the land on which it is built, and the heritage that goes with it, reaches as far back as the origins of the Cape itself. This land is part of the original Cape Winelands growing region.

On the hill above his new winery Quoin Rock, Dave King built this Cape Dutch bungalow with magnificent views of Table Mountain. But, in 2006, the Republic of South Africa Receiver of Revenue's Scorpion fraud unit went after Mr. King for several billion Rand of unpaid taxes. A sale of Quoin Rock occurred in 2012. There has since been an exciting time of renewal and growth at Quoin Rock. They recently completed a full refurbishment of the cellars, doubling capacity in some areas, and with a variety of new technology which will offer great flexibility in the creation of the wines. For the 2014 harvest, their viticulturist, Nico Walters, has been using micro-management techniques to ensure the best possible quality, health and optimal ripeness of the grapes to be delivered to the cellar. And, with this process now running smoothly, winemaker, Narina Cloete, will get a head start in the new state-of-the-art cellar, where the range of innovative new winemaking equipment will help her to lead the industry in producing balanced wines that will age beautifully.

While Flagstone is not a Breedekloof neighbor, we feel quite close to Bruce Jack and his winery over the mountains. We send them more SiILKBUSH grapes every year, especially Pinotage, with which he and we are making quite a reputation with ABSA Top Ten Pinotage winners. Bruce expanded his winery into two large historic buildings in Somerset West, close to False Bay. The main building used to be the glycerin factory for Cecil John Rhodes dynamite factory, built about the time of the Anglo-Boer War. The buildings are located"http://flagstonewines.com ">http://flagstonewines.com ) .

Automation usually replaces jobs and this would be one in particuar! This athletic young man at Flagstone Winery, above the open-top fermenter tank, is really earning his pay today! He is using a stainless steel plunger, with two large plates attached near the bottom, to "punch down the cap," which is winery parlance for breaking up the "cap" of floating grape skins, extracting more color and tanins, and exposing the fermenting wine below to additional oxygen. A classic technique entailing a great deal of exertion. (Don't fall in!)

Anne Thistleton (holding the cardboard case insert), Anton Roos (in the background), and Dave Jefferson had a meeting with Bruce Jack, the owner/winemaker of Flagstone Winery in Somerset West. While acknowledged as an exceptional winemaker, Bruce is a real character, noted for his humorous writing and public speaking. Bruce Jack's curiosity and palate has taken him the length and breadth of the globe. Bruce completed his undergrad in Political Science and Literature at UCT and then read his Masters in Literature at St Andrew’s in Scotland. His subsequent winemaking degree came from the Roseworthy Campus at the University of Adelaide, Australia. Bruce is a pioneer, and in many respects a maverick, and what he brings to winemaking is an articulate opinion about his greatest passion.

Stan and Norma Ratcliffe, owners and founders of Warwick Estate winery (<a href="http://warwickwine.com">http://warwickwine.com</a>) have been good friends of SILKBUSH since 1994. It was great fun introducing them in 2001 to John Rauck, a Burdell Partner (Silkbush) and the General Manager of the entire vineyard operation in Napa and Sonoma Counties. (Tragically, Stan passed away after the 2004 harvest and all who knew him miss him deeply.) Warwick Estate is still a family-owned and run winery. Managing Director Michael Ratcliffe is the 3rd generation family member to oversee this high quality boutique operation. From 1771 till 1902, Warwick was known as the farm ‘De Goede Sukses’.

Mike Ratcliffe is the Managing Director at Warwick, founded by his late father, Stan, and his mother, Norma, the first female winemaker of note in the Western Cape. Warwick's wines have attained international recognition in the highest journalistic circles, including Wine Spectator, and Mike's outstanding marketing efforts are as important as the rest of the team behind him.

Dave Jefferson, Founder of Silkbush Mountain Vineyards, considers Norma Ratcliffe his "third sister" since they have been friends from his first trip to the Cape in 1994. Norma, after co-founding Warwick Estate in 1966, is now semi-retired, living in Cape Town, Hermanus (by the sea), and is the Chairperson of the winery her son runs. We finally got Norma out to Silkbush in 2012, and she was quite impressed with both the farm and the wine.

These two oak fermenters were built in France for our old friends at Vilafonté Winery, a very small but exclusive winery in Stellenbosch. Meeting over 30 years ago at Robert Mondavi Winery, and now splitting their time between Sonoma and South Africa, Phil Freese and his wife Zelma Long are arguably the most talented and well known grape growing and wine making couple in the world. Therefore, as"http://www.vilafonte.com">www.vilafonte.com) . Vilafonté is the coming together of great wine experience from California and South Africa. Vilafonté is the culmination of a dream to produce wines which stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great wines of the world.

Vilafonté is named after vilafontes, one of the more unique soil types in their vineyard. Vilafontes is one of the oldest recorded soil types in the world and has been defined as being somewhere between 750,000 and 1.5 million years old. The age of the soil is important as it is deeply evolved and has been stripped of much of its inherent capacity, with a low production potential that encourages smaller vines, lower yields and highly concentrated fruit. The state-of-the art Vilafonté Winery is located in Stellenbosch at Bosman’s Crossing, an urban area at the base of the mountains that surround the town. It is one of the most advanced wineries in South Africa purposefully and specifically designed by Zelma Long for the highly specialized art of fine red wine production.

Muratie Estate's rich history is captured in every nook and cranny. Wherever you are"http://www.www.muratie.co.za ">www..muratie.co.za ) .

Muratie Estate is a lovely, pastoral winefarm that dates back to the late 1600's. The owners are wonderful and it is a joy to know them. (<a href="http://www.muratie.co.za ">www.muratie.co.za </a>) . The Guest Cottage, originally used as an art studio by renowned Stellenbosch painter and late farm owner George Paul Canitz, the Muratie Guest Cottage boasts a classic combination of Old World charm, Bohemian aesthetics and exceptional comfort. Guests wake up to spectacular views of the Simonsberg mountain range, taste Muratie’s award winning wines and experience the 300 year old estate and traditional Cape viticulture.

Rick's dad Ronnie Melk was evidently "larger than life." Rugby player, the MD of Stellenbosch Farmers Winery (SFW) that finally evolved into giant Distell, and a major party animal. Many still miss him.

Leopard's Leap could easily be in any other top wine region in world, Napa Valley, Sonoma, Mendoza, New Zealand, you name it. This stylish facility is for a modern generation of Yuppies, tourists from anywhere, and "ladies who do lunch." Sourcing grapes from selected vineyards in the Western Cape Winelands, Leopard’s Leap Family Vineyards produces and markets quality wines under the Leopard’s Leap label, aimed at consumers with a preference for affordable, easy-drinking wines, fit for any occasion.

State of the art, and through the plate glass, visitors find a kitchen goods store where you can purchase all the trendy and cutting edge cutlery. Culinary Classes are presented in the state-of-the-art and exceptionally well equipped Leopard’s Leap kitchen, accommodating 22 students per class. Each student has his/her own cooking station, with individual stove and utensils. Large-screen television sets give a clear picture of the chef’s instructions and techniques, while each student receives a printed recipe to apply the newly acquired cooking skills at home. www.leopardsleap.co.za (<a href="http://leopardsleap.co.za">www.leopardsleap.co.za</a>) .

Leopard's Leap does not produce a single liter of wine, but buys very good wine in bulk and sells it in large quantities at prices far below most of its neighbors. This entire facility including the covered patio outside, is so comfortable and inviting it is changing the second oldest wine valley in the Cape.

Francois Naude had been the acclaimed winemaker at L'Avenir Estate in Stellenbosch but chose retirement in 2005. (Short retirement: he's consulting at numerous wineries now.) He has been a close friend and wine advisor to us at SILKBUSH for many years. Francois is a remarkable personality, having been a pharmacist in Pretoria until his mid forties, when he and his family completely changed lifestyles and ends of the country. Among other things, Francois was noted as one of the top 10 Pinotage winemakers year after year, a brilliant lecturer, and great fun. Pictured here is Dave Jefferson, SILKBUSH partner, with Francois.

Moyo, an outdoor restaurant at Spier Estate, showcases a very large and highly developed multi-use property in Stellenbosch. The cuisine is African, served as essentially an "all you can eat" buffet. The food is quite tasty, but the real draw is a large African dance troop that comes to town by bus from Johannesberg. Evidently the restaurant owners have a similar operation in Jo'berg and the dancers will perform at both. The music is recorded but the enthusiasm of the dancers is terrific. www.spier.co.za (<a href="http://www.spier.co.za">www.spier.co.za</a>) .

One glance shows these ladies were having a great time performing. While Black African tribes constitute 75% of the population of South Africa, they are only around 10% of the population of the Western Cape. Far and away the dominant local ethnic group are the Cape Coloureds, essentially the product of intermarriage (and less formal arrangements) for hundreds of years of the indigenous San People with early European settlers, sailors, missionaries, and Malayan slaves.

Both were members of the dance troop, and they were quite excited to be performing. The costumes and makeup were resplendent; the entertainers and audience alike had a grand time.

A former property developer/engineer from Jo'berg, Murray Boustred is a gentleman farmer deeply involved in producing red wines on the Simonsberg. A professional hunter in prior years, his property also has a large reserve for zebras, bonteboks, springbok, and gnus. His son Chris tends the wines on a daily basis, while the peripatetic French winemaker, Michel Rolland, advises on the final blends.

South Africans are very much "outdoors" people and most males still love to hunt for meat, sport, or trophies. While the Boustred's now raise game animals on their property, the animals will never be hunted but just admired by visitors through the wire fences (<a href="http://www.remhoogte.co.za ">www.remhoogte.co.za </a>)

The Boerboel is very popular in South Africa as a guard dog for the home but is quite friendly to the families that own them, especially the smallest of children. According to our research, the Boerboel ('farmer's dog") is a direct descendant of large dogs brought to the Cape in 1652 by Governor Jan van Riebeek from Holland, and then interbred over the centuries with numerous other breeds.

This Stellenbosch Estate history dates back to 1691, when it was first granted as a farm. Its present owner, Markus Rahmann, acquired the property in 2001 and has been expanding and modernizing it in every way possible. Asara www.asarawine.com (<a ref="http://www.asarawine.com">www.asarawine.com</a>)
Today, after systematically analyzing and replanting the whole farm for its maximum potential, Asara produces approximately 75% super premium red wine and about 25% top quality white wine on a 180 ha Estate.

Markus Rahmann acquired Asara Wine Estate in 1999, with the goal of making the historic winery a world class facility. An international businessman, he brings an intensity, intelligence, and drive that is unsurpassed. Markus has assembled a talented farming, winemaking, and marketing team equally committed to making great wine.

Planned as a boutique hotel along with the winery, and incorporating an upscale restaurant and a conference center, Asara's new hospitality facility is gorgeous. The eastern views toward the Helderberg and Stellenbosch mountains are smashing and the overall quality of the hospitality facililty is second to none. Check out: (<a href="http://www.asara.co.za ">www.asara.co.za </a>) .

Asara Winery, like many other wineries, now has machinery to replace an exhausting job of "punching down the cap" during red wine fermentation. This pneumatic plunger can be positioned over any one of several open topped fermenters; then the grape skin cap floating over the fermenting juice will be pushed below the surface in order to obtain greater skin contact and extraction. Notice, however, the wooden fermentation tank, something seen increasingly in top quality wineries; combinations of old and new techniques frequently mark modern winemaking.

Waterford Winery's red tile roofs, rock tower, and stucco walls poke over a citrus orchard, giving it a decided Tuscan appearance. Waterford (www.waterford.com) (<a ref="http://www.waterford.com">www.waterford.com</a>) won a very prestigous award in 2005 for best Cellar Door (Visitor) experience of any winery in the world, and its physical grandeur was certainly a significant part of winning the award.

Waterford is a relatively new winery, and one of an increasing number not built in the traditional Cape Dutch style. This winery clearly adopted a Tuscan, or at least Mediterrean style, and brought it off exceptionally well. The courtyard is planted to Plein trees, or as they are more known in America, the Sycamore. Waterford wines are also quite wonderful, and are being imported to the US as well as Europe.

Waterford is owned by Jeremy Ord, a highly successful high tech entrepreneur, and Kevin Arnold, an equally famous winemaker. We first met Kevin in 1996 at Rust en Vrede, where he was making a name for himself and the traditional winery. A few years later, with Jeremy's financial backing, Kevin built a very modern winery, with elevated steel fermentation tanks, and insulated walls. Kevin told me the labor needs of the winery are quite low, due in part to design and gravity flow; but certainly they built a very attractive barrel room to add to the romance of the newest Stellenbosch icon.

Anytime a new architectural style is introduced in the Cape, the traditionalists, who view anything other than Cape Dutch as heresy, go ballistic. Dornier is owned by a famous Swiss artist, Christoph Dornier, and clearly is making a statement with his new, red brick facility in a great setting, virtually across the road from Waterford. (And by the way, it won an architure award from Great Wine Capitals of the World!) www.dornierwines.co.za (<a ref="http://www.dornierwines.co.za">www.dornierwines.co.za</a>)

All visitors to Dornier Winery must walk by a large, rectangular pond reportedly about one meter deep, that is stocked with beautiful and colorful khoi. Beside the art statement, the purpose of the pond is to help cool naturally the barrel maturation cellar located below. (No swimming allowed signs warn in several languages!)

The external buttresses, the chest-high fieldstone foundation covered with rough plaster, and small, high windows at Kleinood all are indicative of wonderful respect of a bygone era. The grey steel roof is modern, of course, but all else evokes traditional Cape Dutch agriculture, especially the "ringmuur, the low brick wall defining a farmstead's former boundary. But no, the sly architect and Libby, his designer wife, did this all from scratch in 2004! Bravo for a wonderful deception. Inside, the 6,300 case winery is very modern, stainless steel running everywhere, including a circular ceiling-mounted conveyor system which mechanically hoists and transports small tanks of fruit from destemmer to crusher to stainless steel open-top fermenters. More can be learned at (<a href="http://www.kleinood.com">www.kleinood.com</a>) .

There is probably a very modern underground pipe system in addition but this is a small attention to classic building detail which helps to transport the winery visitor to an earlier time. The winery owner/architect carries a frequent French Huguenot last name, de Villiers, as do many others in the Cape wine industry. The French Calvinists were run out of France with the repeal of the Edict of Nantes, and the imposition of Catholicism (enforced on pain of death) on all who remained behind. France's loss of early protestants was South Africa's gain of wine-making expertise, when 200 French immigrants showed up in 1688, transported by the Dutch East Indies Company, who knew what they were doing. (Earlier colonial attempts at winemaking were reportedly quite ghastly.)

We had met Gunter Schultz on an earlier trip to Kleinood, the vest pocket gem across from Waterford, but we did not become acquainted with the owner, Gerad de Villiers, until our return in October 2008. Gerad's real claim to fame so far is being one of the leading winery designers in the Cape. Having seen his 100 ton Kleinood operation, he took us to lunch at nearby Hidden Valley Wines, a gravity-flow, high tech 220 ton cellar he also designed. Very impressive, glass and stainless steel operation and the restaurant is deservedly popular to boot, despite being quite, yes, hidden. See (<a href="http://www.hiddenvalleywines.com">hiddenvalleywines.com</a>) .

Neil Ellis is a top flight winemaker who sources almost 100% of his grapes from independent growers in the Cape. Flying in the face of traditional thinking that only Estate wineries (who own their own vineyards) can consistently make great wine, Ellis works hard and produces award winners every year. However, he has built a show-stopper of a winery on the Oude Nektar Estate owned by his partner. (<a href="http://www.www.neilellis.com">www.neilellis.com</a>)

Located in the Jonkershoek Valley, just east of Stellenbosch, the Neil Ellis facilities are as striking as his labels are plain. Far from the usual Cape Dutch style, the buildings are closer to Tuscan in architecture. The running/falling water feature was restful "white noise" and the entry gateway very impressive.

Originally know as the Dombeya Wool Farm, this very attractive mountain side winery still sells a very nice range of wines known as Dombeya, while reserving their very best for the Haskell title, as the wine farm is owned by Preston Haskill. Preston is an American who has lived for many years in Moscow and is evidently very successful as a real estate broker in the Russian Federation for Colliers, a large international firm. (<a href="http://www.haskellvineyards.com">www.haskellvineyards.com</a>) .

Avondale Winery is located on an obscure road off the R303, on the Franschhoek side of the N-1. It has a Paarl Appellation yet a magnificent view of the Simonsberg Mountains in the Stellenbosch district. According to the Platter Guide, the farm has 100 Ha under vine and is producing top quality wine. (<a href="http://www.avondalewine.co.za">www.avondalewine.co.za</a>). The picturesque 160-hectare farm that is today known as Avondale has been under cultivation for more than 300 years. Early records show that the land was one of the first in the Paarl valley to be allocated specifically for the production of wine grapes.

Their are several Grieve family residences on the property, any one of which could qualify as a Manor house. This was the first one, and likely fairly new, judging from some of the window treatments, but still in keeping with a Cape Dutch motif of the 1800s.

Nestled next door to the world famous Vergelegen Winery, Morgenster (Morningstar) Estate Winery was established in 1993 by Italian Giulio Bertrand. It produces two classy red blends, one dominated by Cabernet Franc and the other by Merlot. It also produces exceptional olive oils and tapenades. Gerrie Wagener, an old friend and exceptional winery executive, is Managing Director (CEO). Interestingly, Morgenster utilizes a mobile bottling service, as we do as well at White Oak Winery, for their 8,000 annual case production. This is one classy winefarm. (<a href="http://www.morgenster.co.za ">www.morgenster.co.za </a>)

Paarl, the largest city in the Cape Winelands, gets its name from the two large rocks on the ridgeline, which the early settlers called "pearls" (Paarl in Afrikaans). The marine layer (fog) was still burning off when we went over the old Sonstraal pass, so the view was a bit hazy. The windbreaks of beefwood trees are needed in most areas to abate the capricious South Easter winds that can appear anytime during the growing season and really ravage growing grape crops.

No matter where you wander in the Cape, the old roads still have the greatest charm. The Bainskloof Pass, just west of Silkbush, was built by the great road builder, Andrew Bains, in the early 1800s, once England had taken over the former Dutch colony for good. The R301 highway retraces the original road fairly well, and is curvy and narrow. You should not be in a hurry returning to SILKBUSH on this route, as the views are stunning; there are also some great turnouts and picnic tables along the way. The vineyard blocks below are separated by beefwood tree plantings that serve as windbreaks. It can really blow around here at times.

From the lookout point on the old Sonstraal highway over the mountains, the newer N-1 highway bridge leading to the De Toitskloof Tunnel is very prominent. The interior of South Africa was largely "off limits" to early European settlers from the 1650's until the mid 1800's, due to the steep mountain escarpments that ring the country. However, when the English took over the Dutch colonies from the 1820's, wagon roads were built over the logical pass routes, usually with convict labor, and then railroads, and finally paved highways. Most highways in South Africa are designated as N (national), R (regional), or M (municipal). When this national highway bridge and tunnel were constructed, it reduced the time to get to interior Worcester and beyond by at least 30 minutes. (Our Silkbush neighbor, Earl Buntmann, actually designed and built this massive bridge in 1982.)

On the flanks of these mountains, about halfway between SILKBUSH and Cape Town, lie several renowned wine farms: Plaiser de Merle, Backsberg and Glen Carlou. Just below the Taal and to the west lies Fairview, Seidelberg and Landskroon which are all very fine wineries. On a clear day, even Table Mountain, far to the west, stands out very clearly.

This columned walk way is just one of many indications the Morgenhof Estate Winery has been around, in one form or another, since 1692. There are a great many structures and buildings on Morgenhof Estate that we would simply refer to as "classic." (<a href="http://www.morgenhof.com">www.morgenhof.com</a>) .

Beginning in 2007, the wineries of the Stellenbosch Wine Route, came up with the idea of showing each winery's location on these giant jigsaw puzzle pieces mounted outside each of the participating cellars.

Morgenhof Estate is located just north of Stellenbosch and makes about 35,000 cases per year, most of which are quite spectacular. The owner, Anne Cointreau (yes, THAT Cointreau from France), is a very charming lady with whom Violetta Teetor, from Finland, and Dave Jefferson had lunch with at their first CapeWine show in 2002. Most of the key managers on her Estate are women and it appears they are all doing a bang-up job to show up a male dominated local wine fraternity. Good for them.

Check out this creative use of an old wine barrel. Morgenhof is not the only outift to think of an alternative other to making a planter box out of a used barrel. Gary Doty, a good friend of the Silkbush family in Kenwood, California (Sonoma Winey Country), has been making all sorts of nifty furniture, including wine racks and tables, from barrels for some years. The craftsmanship on both continents is quite high and we really admire the end products.

This Peacock was wandering around Morgenhof Estate when we met Pietman for lunch; these birds are often seen at Knorhoek and many other Cape wineries. They really add to the color of the place, especially the males.

The French Huguenots, the protestant Calvinists driven from France in 1688 by the Catholic King Louis IV, were very significant to the development of South African wine. Early Dutch colonists had been attempting to grow grapes and make wine for some 35 years with very limited success. When 200 Huguenots showed up with French wine technology in their heads, an awkward experiment graduated into a full-fledged industry. And the thirsty sailors of the Dutch East India Company were a ready-made market for the new African wines.

The hillside of young vines behind La Couronne Winery, relatively new to Franschhoek, are in plastic "grow tubes," a viticultural technic used extensively in California but seldom seen in South Africa. The tube creates a miniature "hot house" for the vine and assists it in its first year of development. For many years, cardboard milk cartons were used in California around young vines but that was primarilly to keep rabbits from eating the tasty young vines. (Once they are old and knarly, the rabbits lose interest in them as food.) (<a href="http://www.lacouronne.co.za">www.lacouronne.co.za</a>)

A few years ago, Hansie van Niekerk invited SILKBUSH's Dave Jefferson to lunch with one of the other very few Americans to make a home (at least part time) in the Cape Winelands, Herb Korthoff. Herb retired from US business, and after doing his fair share of big game hunting, decided to buy a vineyard and residence in Franschhoek Valley. In 2006, Dave made his way over to Normandy Winery to say hello to Herb. It was an impressive setting and great visit.

While Dave was 15 minutes late in arriving, Herb Korthoff met him on the verandah with a shotgun which was a little distracting to Dave. Herb quickly explained that a large, poisonous snake was in the bushes and he was going to shoot it so it would not strike one of his small dogs. (Such are the property management responsibilities of the owner of this wonderful home.)

Clearly Herb's gardening crew has their hands full, even when the owner is gone, which is frequent. Herb has a separate swimming pool, of course, but the vineyard reservior below would work fine for an afternoon dip on a hot day too. He also has a couple of South African partners doing the grape growing and wine-making, so he is really enjoying his retirement years.

The entrance to Meerrust Estate (<a href="http://www.meerrust.co.za">www.meerrust.co.za</a>) is framed with Blue Gum Trees, known in the States as Eucalyptus trees. They are clearly old and very impressive, so the Dauphin family owners decided to call their winery "Allee Bleue", or Blue Alley. Their export agent, Tanja Robinson, is an old friend of ours so we trooped out to take a look, and were glad we did.

After tasting us through the numerous top end wines she represents, Tanja treated us to lunch at this new restaurant situated at the entrance to the Blue Alley to Meerrust. The food was terrific, and thematically it was very striking: the photo of the sidewalk to the front door indicates this is a very hip place indeed.

With ALLÉE BLEUE, the Dauphin family has discovered a wonderfully happy place which will touch the heart of anyone who visits. The historical Franschhoek estate has been brought back to life with great dedication and attention to detail. The result is a fascinating combination of the typical South African farming tradition and contemporary lifestyle as well as art and nature. See them at (<a href="http://www.alleebleue.co.za">www.alleebleue.co.za</a>) .

Ever since Dave Jefferson stayed at De Leuwen Jagt (the lion hunt) in 1997) when his client, Beringer Wine Estates, was giving serious consideration to buying this classic 1692 cellar, it has held special memories for him. The ultimate buyer of the property, Roland Seidel, however, renamed it after himself, not surprising, and has improved it in many ways. A large restaurant has been added, as well as many activities for visitors, in addition to wine tasting. While the wine quality may be moving upward, their three quality range marketing program strikes us as a bit much for a 40,000 case winery. See (<a href="http://www.seidelberg.co.za">www.seidelberg.co.za</a>) .

In striking contrast with the Proteas at Bergsig, the glass flowers adorning the outside flower boxes at Seidelberg are another form of art altogether. They are just one of the many products from the glass blowing shop next to the restaurant at this winery just off the N-1 highway in "South Paarl" and not far from the Taal Monument. An outing to see both in an afternoon is a natural. The glass products in the shop that are for sale are absolutely beautiful, and reasonably priced. These Agter Paarl road attractions are yet further reasons why the Beloved Country is such a tourist's paradise.

Situated on a ridge southwest of the City of Paarl (Pearl), the majestic Taal Monument is impossible to miss as you drive the N1 toward the Huguenot Tunnel (on the way to SILKBUSH). The Taal Monument on Paarl Rock overlooking the town of Paarl commemorates Afrikaans, a South African language with origins in Dutch, Malay, Portuguese, French, German and indigenous Khoi and African languages. It replaced Dutch as an official language in 1925.

Every angle of the Taal is different. You don't have to speak Afrikaans to appreciate the memorial or the rich history of this hardy tribe of Dutch/French settlers. Much like the Washington Monument or the Vietnam War Wall in the US Capitol, the grandeur, simplicity and silence takes your breath away.

Zorgvleit Wines (<a href="http://www.zorgvleitwines.co.za">www.zorgvleitwines.co.za</a>) was established in 2000 on an old farm dating back to at least 1692. Not particularly large in planted acreage (70 Ha), the place has a lot going on: two restaurants, a deli, a conference center, wine tasting, and, of course, a winery, too. The main draw for Zorgvleit is its 100% location on the mountain highway connecting Stellenbosch and Franschhoek and a stunning view of the Banhoek Valley mountains. The winemaker is fabulous and the wines are very nice, and ... who cares. Look at the view.

Judging from the fencing at Zorgvleit, we would expect the owners have a few saddle horses around as well. Or perhaps its just part of their Disneyland for adults total charm and attention to detail.

Cathy Marshall is the acclaimed winemaker for a small, new Paarl winery, Ridgeback Wines, and managing partner/winemaker for her own well-regarded label BWC (formerly Barefoot Wines), which is run out of the same facility. Despite a very hectic schedule, Cathy gave us a tour, tasted our new wine sample, reviewed our planting plans with Anton Roos, and recommended another new winery that may need our future grapes. Most wine industry professionals are very generous with their time with others, but Cathy's efforts were above and beyond the norm. We owe her and will repay the favors someday.

Located in the quaint community of Riebeek West, this 16-room luxury hotel and restaurant looked like a great romantic hideaway. It is only an hour's drive from Cape Town but certainly not on the usual tourist routes. (<a href="http://www.riebeekvalleyhotel.co.za">www.riebeekvalleyhotel.co.za</a>)

As many know, the Cape was settled by the Dutch starting in 1652, and supplemented by French Huguenots, commencing in 1688. Almost all early Europeans were Calvinists, and the N.G. Church is the dominant Afrikaaner church in most communities, large and small. Sundays are for families, and even though most farmers in this area are winegrape growers, virtually no winery is open for business on Sundays.

What a story: Derek Edwards, from a long line of British constables, comes to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in early 1950s to be a colonial cop. Meets wife to be Pam, and by 1974 determines that South Africa will be healthier place to raise their two children. While attending University of Cape Town, the school spots his talent, and hires Derek as a key administrator. (From Far Right to Far Left environments!). Now recently retired in Somerset West, he starts to develop ministorage warehouse with investor son Gary who lives in States and is CFO of public company. Gary wants to own part of a vineyard so sends Mom and Dad to SILKBUSH to check it out. We all hit it off famously and a week later Dave Jefferson is sleeping in Derek's overseas son's bed. (Strangers are simply friends who you have yet to meet.)

When Dave drove down to see Derek's ministorage and have dinner with the family, Pam Edwards promptly threw him in the golf cart for a proper tour. As anyone who follows PGA golf knows, several of the top money winners are South African, starting with Ernie Els. The Edwards golf every day the weather permits, and their home backs up to a beautiful fairway.

Life in the Western Cape is very close to life in California, but the cost of living is dramatically lower, the roads are not as crowded, and the people could not be friendlier.

Lemberg Wine Estate (<a href="http://www.lemberg.co.za">www.lemberg.co.za</a>) is in Tulbagh, 30 minutes north of Silkbush. This small boutique cellar lies situated in the heart of the historic Tulbagh valley, surrounded by the views of the majestic Witzenberg and Winterhoek mountains and the Klein Berg river.

It is a 60 ton cellar where small quantities of Pinot Noir, Pinotage, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and other cultivars are produced.

Lemberg Wine Estate is a unique and amazing experience - the small wine estate with a lot of soul.

Neil Rossouw did a wonderful job of showing our American visitors around and tasting us through the full lineup of wines. Behind him is one of many works of art featured in the tasting room; original art is also a priority at Lemberg. (<a href="http://www.lemberg.co.za">www.lemberg.co.za</a>)

SOUTH AFRICA VINEYARD OFFICE: PO Box 91, Breerivier 685, Western Cape, RSA
Tel: (27) 083-629-1735 or email: [email protected]
Kingsbury Cottage Guest House Rental Information: Tel: (27) 083-629-1710 or email: [email protected]
USA OFFICE: Public Relations, Social Media & Marketing: Lisa O’Connor Email: [email protected]