Day 3: Cape Town

Day 3: Cape Town, Saturday, Aug 30

QOTD:

What's the word?

Sister have you heard

From Johannesburg?

Weather: Very clear and cool (50s)

We sleep in! Get about 10 hours and arise at 6am, in time to get to gym for a ride on the bike. A handsome breakfast buffet: yogurt and not-to-sweet granola, decaf espressos with hot milk, included.

We have hired a private guide, Cedric of Luhambo Tours, to take us on a winelands tour. And so he does, for 8 hours!! The overview: great scenery, some decent art, a few terrific wines at big ticket $$ and mostly decent to good wines at very reasonable to extremely cheap $$, and a very good lunch in great setting.

They also grow strawberries here

A very clear days, the hills in the distance as we leave Cape Town

Cedric is right on time, and off we go in his car towards Stellenbosch, about 40 minutes away. Cedric used to run safari tours, including a 22 day version that went slowly from Cape Town to Victoria Falls and a return in 4 days. The day is all inclusive except for lunch, meaning that we’ve paid ahead of time for the tastings as they are included in the price. We help out by sharing a tasting rather than just throw out half the wine that would’ve been served.

And, it is a wonder THB can remember anything about today, he (even sharing with DB) imbibed a fair amount of wine. However, even THB can remember tasting at the first spot, Hidden Valley. That’s where the wine pairing came with chocolates and THB knocked over his glass after only one tasting, breaking it into maybe 6 or 7 pieces, and from that point on he not only shared a tasting with DB, he shared a glass too. Glorious setting, up a hill overlooking a valley and some great mountains (same-same for most of the day’s stops).

We sat under one of these umbrellas and THB broke a glass

Chocolate accompanies wine

Real plants in front of the winery

A quick stop at Rust en Vrede (not pronounced like it’s spelled, including “rust”) where we taste two cabs, $85 and $120 respectively, and the best wines of the day (THB hopes so!). Our pourer is a Peyton Manning fan, truly not relevant to this report except to show that THB remembered two things about the day.

Lunch at Delaire Graf estate, on the outside patio looking at some pretty mountains, one range has a ribbon of snow at the top (it’s the beginning spring here). Graf made money in diamonds, and DB encourages THB to just take one little peek in the store...THB says he has to stay focused on the wines today. Oysters (excellent) and mozzarella & root veggie salad for DB; Trout tartare & slow poached egg with pea sprouts and mini-potato cakes along with a smoked yellow tail salad that has roasted sweet potato, pumpkin seeds, one shared glass of sauvignon blanc / semillon blend, $70. And great art on the walls, including a very good Kentridge that we agreed would be special in the loft.

THB's salad deconstructed, and very good

SNOW!!!

More art and tasting at Grande Provence, where we all agree that one of the reds was not a well made wine (Cedric, who was not drinking, just smelling, actually tasted this one and reported such to the tasting room staff).

$140k and made out of tires

$30k for this one

Hint of what is to come

Another gorgeous view

Again, more art and tasting at Glen Carlou. This winery is part of the Hess Collection where the owner’s art is on display (he owns wineries on 4 continents, and has a major art/winery in Napa Valley). Great art, and two wines so good for the money that Cedric buys six bottles, four of an unoaked chardonnay that is made in a very large odd shaped concrete egg and sells for … for …. for … EIGHT DOLLARS!

$8 no-oak Chardonnay

No oak: Egg shaped aging device

Last stop of the day: Fairview. It is the only really commercial winery we see with a very odd style of tasting: you pick out six wines (here, THB and DB get their own glasses, they’re small and seemingly unbreakable) and mid-way through we take our glasses over to another section and try six very mediocre cheeses (3 of which THB refuses to try). Then, after trying (or not, in THB’s case) the cheeses, back to the tasting bar to try some more wines (a decent petite syrah) and lastly a sweet wine where it’s off to the cheese tasting again.

Goats at Fairview

Back at 5pm, still not jet lagged (phew), maybe just a bit overloaded on wine, and settle up with Cedric: $350 which includes a very generous tip, and well worth the money: no driving on the wrong side of the road while alcohol inhibited, plenty of conversation about SA and other parts of the world, and spectacular scenery without having to keep THB’s eyes on the road.

Dinner in the hotel: sliders (THB swaps his hamburger with  DB for a lamb burger) and fries, one bitter lemon, $27.

And trobles lording the pcatureds ageen.