Stellenbosch Hotels

Stellenbosch has has over 160 Stellenbosch hotels, so you are spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing accommodation or where to stay in Stellenbosch.

Stellenbosch is close to Cape Town so it can be visited on a day trip, or you could do a day trip to Cape Town or the Overberg from Stellenbosch. The nearest beach is at Strand.

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Eating the wine route

In training for the Stellenbosch Wine Festival this month, Nancy Richards does a whistle-stop tour of the new dining spots in the vineyards.

’Glass of bubbles?’’ It’s 10.20am and we’re early for our gourmet tour of Stellenbosch, starting at the recently revamped house of mousse, JC le Roux.

“Or perhaps a quick look around first?”

As effervescent as the product, Rozanne Hackart guides us through the tasting room and aerial restaurant and into the lightly chilled processing chamber, where racks of tilted bottles are mid remuage, the twist-and- turn process that settles the sediment in the neck.

“This is the bit that gets frozen, the ice plug is then popped out, the bottle topped up, capped, foiled et voil€! One visitor wanted to know if he could buy the ice plugs to use as lollipops!”

It’s all irresistibly fizzy at JC — fresh, white, blond and light with a bubble motif sandblasted on the glass, with plush pink the accent colour.

We feel the first frisson of a 2004 pinot noir in the silver-white Oyster Bar, followed by a peach-bloom rosé (98% pinot noir, 2% cab merlot) to wash down the platter of shucked, iced molluscs.

But the experience isn’t over till the scintilla sings — the royalty of the range has a dedicated tasting room in green-and-black velvet, where Hackart outlines the plans for sweet and sparkling pairings of their wines with nougat, rose water Turkish delight, fudge and caramel cashews.

On December 24 last year, the winery was struck by lightning. One can only imagine that Bacchus must have been feeling impatient — or jealous.

But not as jealous as he might have been at Dornier, where Zeus himself is immortalised on the wine label, metamorphosing into a twin-headed swan to attract the lovely Lira.

But let me not get ahead of myself. The drive to Bodega (ex La Masseria) on the Dornier estate was an opportunity to let the bubbles settle and find out about our guide, Stellenbosch Wine Route’s CEO and festival organiser Annareth Jacobs, whose wedding plans at this stage are eclipsed by the forthcoming Wine Festival.

Conversation is arrested as, from the homestead’s wide verandah, we take in the magnificent view of the undulated wine cellar and waterfall tumbling down the Helderberg.

Like the wines, stories flow thick and fast here. Swiss owner Christoph Dornier’s father was a well-known aeroplane designer back in the day, and the Zeus/swan logo derives from a painting by Christoph of his son Raphael, who oversees the estate and the restaurant, where the kikoi and Kente- cloth décor make it as colourful as a packet of jelly beans.

The “entry-level” chenin, Cocoa Hill 2008, comes with another story about one-time resident Long Ben the pirate, but gets interrupted by the arrival of a gorgeously, thick and creamy mushroom-and-broccoli soup, matched with another, more wooded chenin.

Twin glasses, splashes of pinotage on the right, merlot on the left, come together with starter rows of vertical prawn and roasted- vegetable spring-rolls; aubergine- wrapped pepper and goat’s cheese with pesto-and-wild-rocket topping; butternut strips with a red onion fan and feta.

Louine du Toit, restaurant and wine-lounge manager, whose years in the trade have given her an impressive savoir, talks us through the Christmas-cake flavours of a 2004 Donatus flagship blend and suggests that a bottle of palette- warming pinotage should be taken neat with no food, and that a good merlot needs lamb.

Next time, she recommends we try their speciality flammenkuchen — a wafer-thin pastry base topped with crème fraîche and anything else that takes your fancy.

Chef Naas Pienaar, whose own kitchen creds could paper a dining- hall wall, emerges beaming to see how we enjoyed it, and we leave just as a small but merry party starts a wine-tasting around the fireplace.

The road to Rust en Vrede, where we are to have a main, passes hydro- ponic tunnels filled with strawberries, a mushroom plantation, the organic farmers’ market and rows of elegantly skeletal trees.

It’s hard not to be distracted by the gentleness of grey-green Stellenbosch in winter, but we focus once again at the award-winning estate — Springbok -legend Jannie Engelbrecht territory — where there’s a reverend hush of history around gables and aged oaks.

Even more so in the low-lit cellar, where, surrounded by archways filled with thousands of bottles of resting wine, we sit at an intimate table to have our l unch of courgette-and-tomato pasta topped with a grilled chicken-breast.

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Roggeland Country House

New 2009 Platter's Guide Reveals Best South African Wines

Whose wine is the finest of them all - the latest edition of the definitive guide to South African wine reveals all...

The 2009 edition of the John Platter's Guide, South Africa's original and still best-selling wine annual, was unwrapped in Stellenbosch on 13 November along with the names of the five-star wines and the coveted awards for Superquaffer, Wine and Winery of the Year.

Now in its 29th year, Platter’s is the definitive guide to who’s who and what’s what in South African wine, with comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of most currently available brands, as well as wine cellars, winelands restaurants and accommodation, tourist attractions and more.

For the new edition, the guide’s tasting panel reviewed some 6,400 individual wines and in the process identified 85 wines as potentially worthy of the maximum five star rating. After a further round of tasting, a record 33 labels received the sought-after top grading, making them truly the crème de la crème of South African wines for 2009.

The 2009 Platter’s Guide five-star recipients are:

Cabernet Franc
- Buitenverwachting 2005
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Boekenhoutskloof 2006
- Kanonkop 2004
- Thelema The Mint 2006

Pinot Noir
- Meerlust 2004

Pinotage
- Simonsig Redhill 2006

Shiraz
- Boekenhoutskloof 2006
- De Trafford 2006
- Eagles’ Nest 2006
- Hartenberg The Stork 2005
- Signal Hill Clos d’Oranje 2006

Red Blends
- De Toren Fusion V 2006
- De Trafford CWG Perspective 2005
- Kaapzicht Steytler Vision 2005
- Morgenster 2005
- Vilafonté Series C 2006
- Waterford CWG Auction Reserve 2004
- Chardonnay
- Ataraxia 2007
- Jordan CWG Auction Reserve 2006
- Uva Mira Single Vineyard 2007

Chenin Blanc
- Ken Forrester The FMC 2006

Sauvignon Blanc
- Quoin Rock The Nicobar 2007
- Semillon
- Constantia Uitsig 2007

White Blends
- Cape Point Isliedh 2007
- Nederburg Ingenuity White 2007
- Sterhuis Astra White 2006
- Tokara White 2007

Dessert Wine, Unfortified
- Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest 2007
- Klein Constantia Rhine Riesling Noble Late Harvest 2006
- Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Vin Pi Two NV

Dessert Wine, Fortified
- Mons Ruber Muscat d’Alexandrie Jerepigo 1997

Port
- Boplaas Vintage Reserve 2006
- De Krans Vintage Reserve 2006

During the second round of tasting for five stars, the label which emerges as the clear leader is singled out for special praise as the Wine of the Year.

For the 2009 edition, the front runner (and only the guide’s 5th Wine of the Year) is the Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon 2004.

The guide’s other major award, Winery of the Year, is made by the editor after considering a variety of consumer-driven criteria, the aim being to spotlight a winery which epitomises the best of South African winegrowing today.

"One winery deserves special recognition. For decades it has maintained exemplary standards, remained focused and true to its terroir amid the vagaries of fashion, and produced classic, elegant, world-class wines, even in less conducive vintages. It is our privilege to honour Kanonkop Estate as Winery of the Year 2009," said editor Philip van Zyl.

In a continuing focus on highlighting value-for-money wines, Platter's tasters identify a number of entry-level wines which are exceptionally drinkable and well priced. The best of these, like the five-star candidates, go into a second round of tasting to select the Superquaffer of the Year. For the second year running, Simonsig Chenin Blanc 2008 heads the list of ultimate easy sippers.

New, tourist-friendly features of the 2009 edition include GPS coordinates for most wineries open to the public by appointment or at set hours. 

If South African wine and the Cape winelands are of interest to you, then subscribe to our Editor’s Picks Newsletter , browse our Wine and Lunch section and ourCape Winelands section for a comprehensive selection of wine news and Cape Winelands activities.

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Top 10 Safety Tips For Cape Town Visitors

Don’t let the bad press about South African crime put you off visiting the beautiful city of Cape Town! Follow these simple safety guidelines and look forward to a fun, incident-free vacation in one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

1.Don’t walk around late at night unless you keep to well-lit places like the Waterfront and Camps Bay. Rather take a (decent) taxi than risk being mugged in a dark side street after nightfall.

2.Don’t accept help from a stranger at an ATM when drawing cash.

3.Stay in a group when out at night.

4.Don’t �~wave’ your bag, camera or cell phone around while walking in the city, day or night. This attracts undesirable attention. Avoid keeping anything of value in back pockets or open backpack compartments.

5.Keep the windows up and the car doors locked when driving around the city.

6.When driving, discourage �~smash & grab’ theft by keeping bags, keys, cell phones or anything �~tempting’ on the floor and not on the seats.

7.If you wish to visit a township, go with a reputable tour guide, not alone. It’s easy to get lost and some neighborhoods are less safe than others.

8.Fancy a train ride? Go on one with a blue �~Biggsy’s Restaurant Car’, enjoying a cup of coffee or a yummy breakfast while watching Cape Town’s suburbs pass by the window. Unfortunately, despite the security staff on the trains, muggings and harassment are fairly frequent. Traveling in the restaurant car is a safer, more comfortable experience.

9.Don’t give cash to beggars. Rather make a donation to a registered local charity. Money gained through begging, unfortunately, is inevitably ill-spent. Giving out cash also makes you a candidate for being mugged once you have your wallet out.

10.If you are eating out or watching a movie, do not put your bags on the floor or hang them over the back of your chair. Keep them on your lap, to avoid becoming a victim of opportunistic bag-snatchers. These scoundrels have even been known to operate in churches!

Remember: Pickpockets and muggers are a sad fact of life the world over. Just be careful, and you’ll find Cape Town as friendly, safe and enjoyable as any busy cosmopolitan city in the world.

Source: Article Snatch
Cape Winelands Guest House


Cape Winelands Holiday Destinations

The Cape Winelands are only about 45 minute to one hours drive from the centre of Cape Town. The Cape Winelands can be visited as a stand alone holiday destination or as a days trip away from Cape Town.

• South African Wines are some of the most respected in the world, wine making in South Africa goes back to Jan van Riebeeck
  
• The Franschhoek, Paarl and Stellenbosch Valleys are some of the prettiest areas in South Africa. Combine this with lovely original Cape Dutch Architecture and its no surprise that its one of the most popular areas to visit in South Africa
  
• Eat and drink like Kings and Queens. There are many wonderful restaurants to choose from in the Winelands and of course savour the award wining wines.

Take a Holiday to the Cape Winelands

The trick to exploring the Cape Town Winelands is not to hurry. There are so many things to see and do. From wine tasting, olive tasting, cheese farms, horseriding, quadbiking, mountain hiking, grape stomping, health spas, antique shopping, jewellery shopping and pottery studios. Many guests travel here for the day from Cape Town whilst others will spend up to 2 or 3 nights simply absorbing the atmosphere and spending the time in any one of the beautiful boutique guesthouses and hotels.

Cape Winelands : Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, Constantia & Paarl

Cape Town is in our opinion one of the most beautiful destinations in Africa. The close proximity it has to the beaches and mountains, make it a truly unique holiday destination. Long summers in the southern hemisphere mean that its popular as a place to escape to during the long northern winters. Early sunrises and late sunsets mean that you can seemingly pack so much more into your day.

The Cape Winelands are very close to Cape Town and therefore it will come as no surprise that visitors to Cape Town will often include a few days holiday in the winelands, relaxing, wine tasting, soaking up the scenery and visiting the beautiful towns of Franschhoek, Paarl and Stellenbosch.

A well known wine critic for the New York Times, wrote that he harboured a "nagging suspicions that great wines must be made in spectacular surrounding" and nowhere is this more evident than in the Cape Winelands.

The Cape Winelands, in direct contrast to the cosmopolitan vibe of Cape Town, really gives you the feeling as if you are in the country. Walk amongst the vines, take a drive to across the Helshoogte Pass to admire the views, wine taste, savour cheeses at the Fairview Farm or stop at any number of the beautiful wine estates to admire the original Cape Dutch architecture.

The towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek are pretty and interesting. Second to Cape Town, these were some of the first towns to be developed in South Africa. The towns are full of heritage and history dating back to the late 1600’s. Enjoy the oak lined streets of Stellenbosch, or the originally French named Streets of Franschhoek, or the extremely long high street of Paarl.

Source : Rhino Africa
Roggeland

South Africa's Top Attractions - Cape Winelands

By Mairead Foley

The Winelands are the largest wine producing region in South Africa and it produces some of the finest New World Wines. The Winelands are divided into a number of regions and the 6 largest are Stellenbosch, Constantia, Franschhoek, Paarl, Robertson and Wellington.

Stellenbosch is perhaps the most famous of these regions and you may recognise some of the names produced here including Boschendal, Delheim, Delair, Spier, Saxenburg, La Motte, Chamonix and Cabriere. The village of Stellenbosch itself is a wonderfully charming village which was the second settlement founded in in the Western Cape by European settlers.

In the Constantia Valley you'll find some of the oldest wine estates in the Western Cape and home to a number of award winning wines and restaurants. Historically, this area is famous for is sweet dessert wine, sold under the name Constantia, but today there is more variety. Most of the vineyards in the area offer wine tasting and tours so a visit to Constantia Valley is never a dull experience.

Franschhoek Valley wine was first settled by French Huguenots over 300 years ago. The Mediterranean like climate proved to be perfect for the growing of the vines they had brought with them. The other regions, Paarl, 3rd oldest settlement and largest town in the Western Cape; Robertson, a town which experimented with ostrich and stud farming but seems to have settled with grapes; and Wellington, in addition to grapes also grows citrus fruit and has a strong brandy industry as well; are all equally interesting places to visit.

Mairead Foley writes for http://www.Novacarhire.com/where you can book car hire at airports, ferry ports, rail stations, cities and towns all over the world. Visit Novacarhire.com for all you need to know before you take to the roads in South Africa, like where to go and what to see with your car hire. Book your Car hire South Africanow. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mairead_Foley