Adore Chenin Blanc? You must visit the Breedekloof Wine Valley

21 April 2016 - 02:00 By Richard Holmes
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
You’ll find a wonderful range of wine to suit all palates and pockets at Breedekloof Wine Valley.
You’ll find a wonderful range of wine to suit all palates and pockets at Breedekloof Wine Valley.
Image: iStock

Head for the hills this winter and discover the wonderful wines in the nooks and crannies of Breedekloof Wine Valley

Although home to some of the oldest estates in the Cape, the Breedekloof Wine Valley tends to keep a low profile. Revolutions and fancy festivals just don’t fit this laid-back corner of the Cape, which makes it all the more worth a visit this winter.

When the vines start to turn, book yourself a mountain cottage or a riverside campsite at the delightful Dwarsberg Trout Haven, and start exploring. Begin your wanderings in and around Rawsonville; the town is a little scruffy, but the wineries on its outskirts are charming.

Deetlefs Wine Estate has been in the same family for seven generations, and produces entry-level and premium ranges. Unsurprisingly the top-tier Deetlefs Familie wines are the highlight: the Familie White, 100% Semillon, is superb, and the Deetlefs Estate Chenin Blanc is also well worth a taste.

story_article_left1

The Breedekloof is particularly well known for its Chenin Blanc, and a handful of the region’s winemakers have banded together to promote the region’s signature variety.

Merwida Estate produces lovely Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Barbera, but the Chenin is especially good; blending bright fruits with the minerality typical of this family-owned estate’s white wines.

Then hop across the N1 and into the gorgeous Slanghoek Valley where you’ll find more top-notch Chenin at Opstal, another family-owned estate with deep roots in the region. Winemaker Attie Louw’s Carl Everson Chenin Blanc is the standout here: made from old vines, fermented with wild yeasts and matured in old oak barrels, it’s a true taste of Slanghoek terroir.

Prefer a glass of red? Jason’s Hill Private Cellar up the road produces excellent Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, while its Jason’s Creek Classic Red is a great everyday quaffer: a delicious blend of Pinotage, Shiraz, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. The estate restaurant also offers casual country cooking and wonderful valley views.

At the northern end of the valley Bergsig Estate has been in the Lategan family for more than 170 years and today has more land under conservation than cultivation. Self-guided walking trails meander through the vineyards to a permanent bird hide, so bring your binoculars and tick off the 150-odd bird species recorded on the farm. And the wine? You’ll find a wonderful range to suit all palates and pockets.

 

This article was originally published in one of the Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Property and Lifestyle guides. Visit Yourneighbourhood.co.za, like YourNeighbourhoodZA on Facebook and follow YourHoodZA on Twitter.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now