Wine Farms & Estates

Ditch Secret Santa. Time for #SecretStellies

Date: December 13, 2014

Author: Marthélize Tredoux

Categories: Events, Wine Experiences, Wine Farms & Estates

#SecretStellies – The Setting

‘Tis the season and all that, but if you’re like me and you’re struggling to get into the Christmas spirit (but you also desperately don’t want to be a grinch) then I may have just the solution for you. You see, while I love and have always loved the Festive season, I must admit that this being a grown-up gig has taken some of the magic out of the whole thing. Work, deadlines, last minute crises. And let’s not talk about the anxiety of figuring out leave and holiday arrangements. Bah! Humbug! Hardly things that make me want to wrap myself in tinsel and sing Fa-la-la-la-laaaa. So how do we combat The Grinch at this truly lovely time of year? What could we do to dust off the anxiety and “meh-ness” of 2014 and get ready to have some summer fun in the gorgeous winelands? Lucky for you all, I have a secret. It’s called #SecretStellies and it might just put you in the summer festive season mood.

Nederburg – Hiding in plain sight

Date: October 3, 2014

Author: Marthélize Tredoux

Categories: Wine Experiences, Wine Farms & Estates, Wine in Cape Town, Wine Reviews

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Nederburg Estate, Paarl

South African wine farms are diverse with many offering not just wine, but experiences, pairings and world-class gastronomic experiences. Diversity aside, there is a golden thread that runs through and binds many of our most well-known estates: history. Since the humble beginnings of our country as a halfway station between Europe and India, wine has been an established part of that history. Groot Constantia, Vergelegen, Blaauwklippen, Muratie, Alto (to name a few) were all established within the first century of the Dutch setting foot in the Cape. In 1791, Nederburg was bought by Philippus Bernardus Wolvaardt for 5600 guilders and the estate took its place in SA wine history. And this historical (and oenological) gem is hiding in plain sight.

A Visit to Lithos {Guest Post}

Date: September 18, 2014

Author: Marthélize Tredoux

Categories: Guest Writer, Wine Farms & Estates, Wine in Cape Town

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Lithos Cellar

After one of our most interactive and exciting Twitter tastings with Lithos wines, one of our SuperFANS, Stephen Brierley, went along to the farm to discover where the magic is made. If you want to follow Stephen on Twitter for his magnificent tweets about wine, you can find him at @sbrierley75. If you’d like to visit Lithos, contact them at @wines_lithos or visit their website.

I had a long overdue engagement with Tim Hoek, the winemaker from Lithos wines and just under two hours in traffic from Century City to Somerset West was not going to stop me. The farm is on Old Sir Lowrys Pass Road, on Wedderwill Country Estate. The Estate has another wine farm on its property, but that is a topic for another post. Lithos wine farm is situated between the Schapenberg mountain range to the east, the vistas of False Bay, that go on and on all the way to Cape point, to the west.

A VIP visit to De Toren {Guest Post}

Date: April 23, 2014

Author: Marthélize Tredoux

Categories: Wine Experiences, Wine Farms & Estates, Wine in Cape Town

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*This article was originally published on Real Time Wine by guest writer Bryce Gillespie – 10 January 2014*

Earlier in the year, SuperFAN Charl Engels and I were invited by another SuperFAN, Charlotte Spicer, to head over to De Toren for a special VIP tasting with them. The De Toren tasting is already pretty special, so I was extra excited for this one. I had absolutely no idea it would turn into what it did… This is my attempt at an enthralling “recap” of the afternoon’s events.

Brenaissance – New Beginnings: Bold, Brave and Beautiful

Date: April 22, 2014

Author: Marthélize Tredoux

Categories: Wine Farms & Estates, Wine in Cape Town

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*This post was originally published on Wine Whiskers – 29 January 2013*

“Like in life, you need a partner who is passionate to make it work” – Tom Breytenbach

The Brenaissance Wine and Stud estate is situated in Devon Valley, Stellenbosch

These words encompass the philosophy behind the new and very noteworthy Brenaissance Wine and Stud estate situated in Devon Valley, Stellenbosch. Partners in crime, the husband-and-wife team, Tom and Hayley Breytenbach, own and run the newest gem of the valley.