Departure 08:00 am, you will be picked up from your Hotel/Apartment by Guide/Driver and travel along the N2 via R310 stop at Ernie Els Wine Estate for your first wine tasting. The Cape Winelands are amongst the most scenic in the world. A visual feast of lush green valleys, rugged mountains, fine cuisine, and world-class wine-producing estates make up the Winelands. Its many historic wine estates, characterized by classic Cape Dutch-style buildings with distinctive gables and thatched roofs, and massive vineyards date back centuries. Wine estates are bordered by the Hottentots Holland, the Franschhoek Mountains and in the north by the wemmerschoekberg. Because wine is such a personal preference, wine tours will be tailor-made to suit the guest’s individual wine preference. The following are some highlights vineyards for your tour in Stellenbosch Valley,
Wine tasting at Ernie Els Wine Estate; Wine tasting with Cheese Platter at Alto Wine Estate; Wine tasting with special chocolate Lanzerac Wine Estate; Wine tasting and Vineyard tour at Delaire Graff Wine Estate; Lunch and wine tasting at la Petite Ferme restaurant
Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa full charming scenes and rich in history. Old oak trees line the streets and frame the most beautiful surviving examples of Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victoria architecture in the Cape. Stellenbosch wine route is the oldest in South Africa which was established in 1971, by Governor Simon Vander Stel. Dorp Street is a national monument and has one of the longest rows of old buildings surviving in any major town in Southern Africa. It was once the wagon way to Cape Town and now the oldest residential street in South Africa. Explore Stellenbosch’s center on your own for about 30 minutes. Places of interests include a historical walk through old parts of Stellenbosch, famous Oom Samie se Winkel and Stellenbosch village Museum. Our Private Wine Tour will be focused on more wine tasting with different histories.
ERNIE ELS WINE ESTATE – Explore the wonderful and fascinating world of wine as seen and enjoyed by South African golfer ERNIE ELS. Through his many travels around the globe, Ernie has been exposed to and appreciated some of the world’s greatest wines and 1999 decided to pursue his developing passion for fine wine with the creation of ERNIE ELS Wines. Thereafter we will proceed to ALTO WINE ESTATE for our wine tasting with a cheese platter.
The farm started in 1693, where it was part of farm named Groenrivier (means Green River). In 1919 owner, Hennie Malan, divided the land, and converted into a wine farm and name it ALTO (Testament to the Vineyard’s Altitude and Their Goals for It). Special on Red wines such as Rouge, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and port. Thereafter we will proceed to LANZERAC WINE ESTATE for our wine tasting with special chocolates.
The Grande dame is synonymous with old-world charm and rich Cape heritage. Positioned in the idyllic Jonkershoek Valley on the outskirts of the historical town of Stellenbosch, the Estate boasts views of dramatic mountain ranges, endless rows of lush vineyards and hectares of gardens shaded by giant Oak trees. The homestead was transformed into a manor house in 1959 – reminiscent of the traditional French way of fusing a country hotel and wine estate. Today the iconic property hosts an elegant five-star Country hotel, acclaimed bars, restaurants and Deli, a remarkable tasting venue and a chic day spa. Lanzerac is steeped in spellbinding history, having been established in 1692 – a mere 13 years after Stellenbosch itself and is the third oldest farm in the area. The first owner was Isaac Schrijver who planted the very first vineyards and, unsurprisingly, named the farm Schoongezicht, meaning a wonderful view. In the early 1800’s the first cellar was erected and subsequently complemented by the iconic Manor House, which exhibits an unusually high level of sophistication for Cape Dutch architecture of the period with its main gable dating back to 1830. Thereafter we will proceed DELAIRE GRAFF WINE ESTATE for wine tasting.
Has achieved what owner and globally renowned visionary Laurence Graff, Chairman of Graff Diamonds International, had in mind when he acquired this magnificent Cape Winelands property in 2003 and vowed to transform it into South Africa’s most desirable art, hospitality and wine destination. Thereafter we will proceed straight to Franschhoek la petite ferme for Lunch and wine tasting.
La Petite Ferme is a beautiful, luxurious and well-known wine farm with its amazing view of overlooking the incredible valleys of Franschhoek. Not only does it offer breath-taking views, but you can also be sure to indulge in a delicious meal accompanied by La wine-tasting, as they are winemakers. Started with John and Carol Dendy-Young moved from Zimbabwe to Franschhoek in 1974 when they bought the La Petite Ferme farm to start farming with predominantly plums. After farming with plums and pears for ten years, the business was not doing well at all and with the fruit industry at a low, the Dendy-Youngs had to make some difficult decisions. Carol was forced to get a job or they would have to sell the farm, so she took a position at the 1688 restaurant (now Le Quartier Francais) where she worked from 1982 to 1984 doing both fronts of house and cooking. She then decided that they might as well open up their own restaurant and so in 1984, it took John and the farmworkers twelve months to build the forty-seater restaurant. They also sold the bottom half of the farm which meant they had to close the fruit packing shed and left all the workers without a job. They employed all the ladies who worked in the packing shed in the restaurant as cooks and waitresses, some of them not even able to speak English. With Carol’s love and passion for cooking, she put together a menu that was both heart-warming and comforting, with some items still on the menu today. Explore the Franschhoek town and crafts market.
Franschhoek was founded by the French Huguenots over 350 years ago and widely regarded as the culinary capital of South Africa. It lies against the backdrop of the majestic Franschhoek and Drakenstein Mountain, its beautiful setting with many guest houses, café lined streets, antique stores, art galleries, bakeries, and the chocolate demonstrate a truly French fair.
Franschhoek is also home to many festivals from the annual Bastille Day festival kwon as French National Day and from is the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, which was a turning point of the French revolution. Cheese, Wine and Olive festivals at various times throughout the year. Explore the Franschhoek Graft market on your own about few minutes that you will be given to your Guide. Places of interest include the French Huguenot Museum, Village Motor Museum, and Franschhoek Gardens (Time permitting). Thereafter we travel back to Cape Town.
