Klapmuts Amble

The Klapmuts Wine Route

I spent a very pleasant time driving this route. Pick and choose the places you feel like visiting. Feel free to stop off for a cheese tasting or have a cup of coffee and cake - or a picnic - at one of the many restaurants. The idea is not to stress over a checklist, but to enjoy a pleasant meander through one small part of the winelands, tasting wines and making new discoveries, as I did.

Driving from Cape Town, head north on the N1 and take the Klapmuts turnoff. Turn right under the freeway onto the R44 and at the four-way stop turn left onto the R101.

The first place to stop is Welgemeend. The sale of this historic property was finally concluded a few months ago and Ursula and Louise Hofmeyr have moved to Paarl after more than 30 years on the farm. Welgemeend is where the late Billy Hofmeyr introduced South Africa to the concept of a Bordeaux-style SA red blend, making the Estate Reserve wine comprising Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc and Merlot. Changes are planned but were not finalised at the time of going to print. The tasting room (lined with great bottles consumed by the Hofmeyrs and friends - Gaja, Echezeaux, Pétrus, Latour….) only used to be open on Wednesdays from 14h00 to 16h00 and Saturdays from 09h00 to 12h30 - but call first.

Just a few hundred metres away is Welgeleë, the farm belonging to Chris and Lidea Meyer. Drive past the horse paddock and short avenue of trees to the tasting room which only opened in September last year. "We've found ourselves hosting weddings and functions - simply because there's a demand for it and we have the facilities," says Meyer. Their range is confined to a Shiraz and Cabernet at present but expect that to change.

A short drive down the road is one of the most recognized sights from the N1, Simonsvlei - the winery with the massive bottle outside. There truly is something for every pocket and palate here - from the top-end boutique "cellar within a cellar" Hercules Paragon wines, through the "classic" range and then the lifestyle tier. After all, with 9 000 tons of grapes vinified every harvest, there's guaranteed to be a wine for you. Keep tabs on their activities by logging on to their revamped website (www.simonsvlei.co.za). They also host musical evenings in the cellar - coming up in May, for example, is a tribute to Cat Stevens and in July it'll be the popular DNA Strings.

Often overlooked is the fact that it's called Simonsvlei because there's a vlei virtually on the winery's doorstep. On the drawing board is an ambitious plan to rehabilitate it and provide nature walks, viewing spots and information boards.

Continue towards Paarl and just before the outskirts turn right on the R45 towards Franschhoek. Past the brickfields you'll notice a tableau set up on the right-hand side of the road. Although it changes, usually there is a trailer of wooden barrels and a mannequin couple enjoying a bottle of wine. They're advertising the turnoff to Lindhorst wines. There's a tasting room and a restaurant - as well as one of the first Qolf courses in the country. In between a round of chipping on the manicured greens, try the Shiraz and Pinotage. There's also a Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz/Merlot blend called Statement and Max's Tribute - a Cab/Shiraz blend. For fans of white wine, Lindhorst make a zippy Sauvignon Blanc too.

For something different, head further down the R45 to Helmut Wilderer's grappa distillery. He distills apricots, plums, quinces, passion fruit, apples…and grapes too. Having been in the restaurant game in Germany for many years, Wilderer's restaurant's a good one, the gardens are perfect for rumination and he hosts jazz evenings every first Sunday in the month.

 

Next up is Cru Wines. Fluttering flags and an impressive gateway of river stones. It's relatively new but their wines are recognizable - you've seen them under the Alphen Hill, Bushman's Creek and Dolphin Bay labels. Across the spectrum you'll find a sparkling wine, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, blends and all the usual red suspects. There's a deli where you can eat or order items for a picnic and take it to a spot overlooking the Berg River.

Driving a little further along you'll see the Vrede en Lust cellar on your right. Turn off onto the "road with no name". First up is Cotage Fromage - a wonderful place to break off for a coffee, light meal, cheese tasting or cooldrink.

Vrede en Lust has only been around for a few years, bottling their first wines in 2002, but it's fast become a "must-visit" place in the winelands because of its spectacular setting, gardens and wine. Try the Barbère rosé, which is unusual, or the Karien, a Chenin/Semillon blend - both are good with food. Another Vrede en Lust plus is that wine is available in 500ml bottles. A popular wedding venue, Vrede en Lust also has guest accommodation.

A stone's throw away is Rupert & Rothschild. You'll need to set up an appointment to visit but it's worth the effort. This is a joint venture between the Rupert family of South Africa and the Rothschild family of Bordeaux fame. Talented Schalk-Willem Joubert is the man responsible for making the elegant Baron Edmond Cab/Merlot blend, the Classique (same blend components but in different proportions) and the serious Baroness Nadine Chardonnay.

Next up is Drakensig, which I recently visited for the first time. At the time, staffers were reducing the crop of Shiraz grapes hanging heavily on the vines. This is done to ensure concentration of fruit on the remaining bunches. If you can tear your view away from the medallion-draped bottles of Shiraz lining the tasting room counter, the vista is spectacular. Very Tuscan - with cypresses and olive trees framing the picture. Farm olive oil is available for sale too, something owner/winemaker Marais Viljoen is very proud of.

There are new hands at the helm of the Cowlin/Noble Hill winery. Neil Coventry and Kathleen Tillery and a third partner took charge of it just a few months ago. "We can't believe we own this little piece of heaven," enthuse the duo, who used to live in East Africa for many years. "There's just so much potential in this area - and what's not to love about it?" Winemaking is still in the capable hands of Rodney Zimba along with consultant Kobie du Toit. "He's integral to everything we do here." Expect the name to change from Cowlin to Noble Hill. "We want to make the most of the rock at the back," says Tilley, referring to the distinctive outcropping behind the tasting room and deli. The gardens are beautiful and ideal to picnic in.

From a very modern venue to a wonderfully traditional old Cape Dutch werf at Ziggurat, where Anton Louw is the sixth-generation farmer and winemaker.

"I convinced my dad to allow me to make a bit of wine and it's taken off from there," says Louw, even though he's picked up a few bumps along the way. His most notable scrape ("upon reflection I could have killed myself!") was cleaning out a small stainless steel tank while it was balanced on a forklift. Needless to say it fell off. . .

Louw, a philosophy graduate ("It helps in trying to understand this crazy business!"), has worked harvests in California and also at Buitenverwachting but admits that much of his efforts are focused on growing grapes for other producers - like Nederburg, for example.

The name Ziggurat refers to the same koppie that the Cowlins dubbed Noble Hill, and only because other neighbours Backsberg had already laid claim to its original name of Babylonstoren! A Ziggurat is an ancient, block-shaped tower built by the Babylonians…

Ask anyone you know to name a Backsberg wine and the answer will probably be Dry Red. The first SA winery ever to offer cellar-door sales, they are geared up for visitors.

Their range is amazingly broad, even though owner Michael Back has trimmed it somewhat. There are top-end special production wines, large volume wines (such as the 18 000 case Dry Red), special niche products such as the Port, and even Kosher wines.

The gardens are a delight and the restaurant does a mean spit-roasted lamb.

Niel Joubert/Klein Simonsvlei is a little further down the road and you'll need to make an appointment. Don't be deterred by the long drive to the cellar, past the sawmill and acres of vineyard. Winemaker Ernie Leicht says that much of what they produce is for export but they still sell an impressive 60 000 cases of wine locally. "And that's off a zero-base in 2003!" Good value is what they're selling and the visit will be an extremely personal one if you take the trouble to call.

The second last stop is at Glen Carlou where Swiss owner Donald Hess opened the newly revamped tasting room amid much fanfare late last year. This thatched edifice now also boasts a temperature- controlled, contemporary art gallery, Mr Hess's other passion. The artwork changes once a year and the intention is to display only contemporary African art.

Winemaker and GM David Finlayson, who grew up on the property, couldn't believe the palaver involved in installing the artworks. "I thought we wine folks were fussy about things like temperature and humidity… we've got nothing on the art lovers!"

Expect to taste some fantastic wines at Glen Carlou - especially Quartz Stone Chardonnay, the Grand Classique blend, Gravel Quarry Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, as well as the more easy-drinking and pocket-friendly Tortoise Hill range.

From tortoises to frogs - which are the focus at Anura, the last stop on the Klapmuts loop. Frog statues in metal and stone grace the gardens and pond in front of the tasting room and restaurant. Harvest was in full swing when I visited, with grapes being basket-pressed for sparkling wine. Owner Tymen Bouma and winemaker Carla van der Mescht have grown Anura from a boutique cellar six years ago to an impressive operation today. The focus is on reds but Van der Mescht is an inveterate experimenter and is always working on something new. Anura's 2004 Chenin Blanc scored 4½ Stars in WINE, and before leaving try the Forest Hill cheeses too.