My South Africa Diary: Cape Town Day 2

As I’m sure you’re aware by now autumn is my favorite season.  It’s a bit ironic that I’m writing this post on South Africa at the beginning of our fall in the States when, at the time we were in Africa it was the end of their fall (May into June).  While to most people this might not be the most desirable time to visit Africa, for my mom and me the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

Some people might not even realize Africa actually has an Autumn season.  But the mountains and valleys were awash with fall colors when we were there.  Surprisingly, Cape Town has quite a lot of Oak trees.  While not native to the country, their colors change just as they do back home. 

We were thrilled to be surrounded by fall colors but what made the day even better: wine, well kind of.  Our second day was to be spent on a private tour of the Cape Winelands.  Stellenbosch and Franschhoek sit just 30 minutes outside of Cape Town. This area is the largest winemaking region in South Africa where grapes have been cultivated since the 1600s.  The vast amounts of wineries in this area (well over 100 estates) are located against a backdrop of mountains with breathtaking views.  The area is known for its complex Bordeaux blends, Shiraz, Chenin Blanc and robust Pinotage.  Pinotage is a red wine grape and is South Africa's signature variety.  It was bred there in 1925 as a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut.  It typically produces deep red varietal wines with smoky, bramble and earthy flavors.  Pinotage has its critics who say it has no place in a vineyard.  Despite that criticism, it is considered a symbol of the country's distinctive wine making traditions.  It is a required component in "Cape Blends" which are available not only in South Africa but also in the states.

Unfortunately, the two of us had a bit too much fun back at the Leopard Bar at the Twelve Apostles the night before and weren’t too keen on the idea of more booze at 10 a.m.  But let me assure you that once we saw the views and had a bit of wine, all issues from the previous evening quickly faded away.

Before I get into the gorgeous wineries we visited, I have to talk about a very special stop we made on our way to the vineyards.

My mom and I are both huge animal lovers, which is why our trip to Africa was so special to us.  I really wanted to interact with some of these incredible creatures.  I knew there were outreach programs that offered these “encounters” and it was just my luck that there was a cheetah outreach facility on the way to the wineries.  I felt like I had just won the lottery, I was going to be able to play with cheetah cubs (well at least that’s what I thought was going to happen).

 The Cheetah Outreach is a program was created to raise awareness of the plight of the cheetah.  Cheetah cubs have a 90 percent mortality rate in the wild.  Their numbers are rapidly diminishing.  Couple that with a decrease in their habitat and local farmers killing the adults, and the statistics are even worse.  By running this facility they are not only campaigning for this incredible animal’s survival but also allowing visitors a once in a lifetime experience with this endangered species.  I was able to visit with one of the cubs named Layla and let me tell you she looked nothing like the little fur ball I had imagined myself cuddling with.  No, she looked like a full-grown lean, mean, fighting machine.  It was quite the humbling experience (I’m sorry I’m getting cheesy) to be in such a magnificent animal’s presence.  I would not want to be on Layla’s bad side.  If you want to check out more information on the Cheetah Outreach program click here!

Okay so back to the wine.  I’m not exaggerating when I say pretty much every winery we visited that day was absolutely beautiful and totally unique from one another.  I will also say they all had lovely bathrooms because let’s be honest people, drinking wine for 5 plus hours means lots of potty time…

We started the tour at Ernie Els’ winery in Stellenbosch. The drive along the winding dirt road was lined with trees that were at their peak color.  The style his winery reminded me of what you might think a winery in Napa would look like but with a modern twist.  We sat and sipped on Cabernet Sauvignon, Ernie Els Big Easy (mom’s favorite) and Ernie Els Proprietor’s Blend (I’ve found this one in a few stores back home).  The best part about this winery, and pretty much everyone we visited that day, were the views.

 Our second stop was to the Morgenster Estate.  And an estate it was.  This gorgeous property has a magnificent history of growing grapes and olives since 1711!  The winery is most recognized for its beautiful manor house, but what I noticed upon arrival were the sounds of classical music.  And yep you guessed it, they weren’t playing Tchaikovsky for our enjoyment, but rather for the grapes in order to cultivate better wine.  It felt like the perfect fall day, so we sipped on some of the estate’s flagship wines out on the front porch including the Morgenster red Bordeaux blend.

 At this point our bellies were rumbling and we had just enough wine to feel its relaxing effects.  So what better time than to kick up our feet, fill our stomachs and drink more wine.  We headed to the Delaire Graff estate where I had by far one of my most favorite lunches of all time.  Let me just paint the picture for you.  This world-renowned resort is the brainchild of Laurence Graff, Chairman of Graff Diamonds International.  Let's just say he has a little extra cash to play around with... When he acquired the property in 2003 he vowed to make this one of South Africa’s most desirable art, hospitality and wine destinations.  In my humble opinion he did just that.  Much of the artwork displayed throughout Delaire Graff is from Mr. Graff’s personal collection and represents some of South Africa’s finest contemporary artists. The estate is nestled between a majestic mountain range and overlooks the vineyards of Stellenbosch.  The entire property was so lavishly elegant my mouth dropped when I got out of the car.

We enjoyed lunch at the resort’s Indochine restaurant that features fresh organic produce grown in the greenhouse on the estate. We started our meal with Tom Yam Khaa soup, which was a delicious combination of chicken, coconut, ginger, lemon grass and mushrooms.  Our main course was the most insane lamb curry I had ever had.  It was accompanied with lemongrass, garlic and the robust flavors of cardamom and cumin.  This lunch was the epitome of decadence with wonderfully aromatic and lively flavors.

 After our incredible lunch it was about time to head back to the homestead.  And because our day was just so incredibly stress-filled we just needed a way to relax.  So what better way to relax than a 90-minute full body massage at the Twelve Apostles Spa.  Now that’s what I call a decadent day.

More Africa posts to come!

Until next time, cheers!

A