17 May: Day Two in Stellenbosch

Today we have another Wine tour. This one is a hop on hop off bus where you can go to up to five vineyards. It’s a beautiful day, lovely day to be doing a vineyard tour.

The first stop was Simonsig where we had a bubbles tasting. Then Delheim Estate where we taste some very nice Chenin Blanc, then an amazing picnic lunch at Warricks vineyard with pate, crusty bread, cheese, salad, cheese cake, fruit and rose.

1st stop on the Hop on Hop off wine tour

Simonsig Estate

2nd Stop Delheim

Delheim tasting rooms

Delheim Estate

Warwick Estate

Warwick picnic

 

Warwick picnic

Then off to Remhoogte vineyard where we met a group from Scotland who are celebrating a 40th, previously they have done turning 40 celebration trips to Las Vegas and Prague.

Then the last vineyard of the day – L’avenir, which is next to a very nice lake. It was very nice relaxing in a bean bag by the lake watching the water flow past.

L’avenir

L’avenir

4th vineyard Remhoogte

We had dinner at the Stellenbosch Hotel. Outside was a group of singers, and I was included in the group. Given my inability to hold a tune I just hummed and clapped my hands.

We shared a very nice Leaping leopard chennin blanc (had this previously in Arusha). I had a very nice lamb curry and deconstructed lemon meringue pie.

Dinner at the Stellenbosch Kitchen

Dinner at the Stellenbosch Kitchen

Dinner at the Stellenbosch Kitchen

16 May: Day One in Stellenbosch

Today we are doing a wine tour by bike which a bit like a busman’s holiday. The company is called Bikes ‘n’ Wines and our guide is called Ethan. As well as doing these tours Ethan is also doing a tourism guide course to give him more options for employment. Tourism is a big industry here, the taxi driver Colin who dropped us off is doing a sommelier course.

Riding a mountain biking is a big adjustment from a cyclo cross bike, especially how hard and sudden the front brakes stop you, plus riding without cleats. Also mentally convincing myself I could ride this bike on the terrain because it was made for this stuff, such as through sand, uphill, and over jumps and bumps.

Amongst the vineyards

Ride n’ Wines

We went to 4 vineyards
1. Neethlingshof, which was fantastic we had a wine and food match
2. Dewal wine
3. Skilpadvlei, where we had wine and a cheese platter
4. Lovane, where we had wine and a chocolate platter

Ride n’ wine through the Stellenbosch vineyards. 1st off: Neethlingshof Estate est. 1680

Neethlingshof Estate

The wines were Chenin Blanc, Pinotage (a cross between a Pinot and a cinsaut), plus a mixture of other red and whites. It was a very pleasant way to spend the day but would have been challenging doing the ride without a reasonable amount of bike experience and fitness.

We had dinner at a place called the Fat Butcher. We had a nice Shiraz. I had lamb rump chargrilled rare to medium (had to be returned once as it was medium to well done). Brett had a steak called the Collins which was flambéed in Cointreau.