Sea, Wine and Sun in South Africa

While we Opimians often have wine and wine regions at the top of our travel list, there is no doubt that most destinations offer more than just our fix for all things wine. South Africa is such as destination.

When we can all travel again, consider South Africa for its beaches and its oceans (yes, oceans – plural) as well as its viniculture. But first, let’s talk about the wine...

The winelands of the Western Cape compose the largest wine-producing area of South Africa. An easy drive from Cape Town, this area offers so many vineyards to visit, including Opimian’s own Groote Post in Darling, Warwick and Aristea in the Stellenbosch area, Richard Kershaw in Elgin, Bosman in Wellington, and Vilafonté in Paarl.

Stellenbosch, 50 kilometres from Cape Town, is perhaps the most famous wine-producing region in the country. The town, the second oldest in South Africa, is steeped in history and is home to the country’s best-known wine estates. The scenic Stellenbosch Wine Route is the oldest in the country and one of the most popular destinations for local and international visitors alike. Tired of looking at vines? Grab a pair of binoculars and observe the wildlife for an impromptu bird safari: keep a lookout for various kingfisher species, the African Fish-Eagle, and the Cape Sugarbird

FANCY A SWIM?

Boulders Beach, near Cape Town, is a sheltered beach made up of inlets between granite boulders, from which the name originated. It is a popular swimming beach, although people are restricted to beaches adjacent to the penguin colony: a colony of African penguins settled there in 1982. The penguins are best viewed from Foxy Beach, where newly constructed boardwalks take visitors to within a few metres of the birds. Boulders Beach forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. If you seek more thrills, book a shark expedition in False Bay, home to 27 different species of sharks. Observe them from a boat or dive in if you dare!

With over 2,500 kilometres of coastline facing both the cold and restless Atlantic, as well as the tropical Indian Ocean, South Africa is a surfing mecca. There are so many surf spots worth exploring that one visit is hardly enough. The numerous world-class waves have the world’s best surfers coming back year after year. Have I piqued your interest? Watch for the Opimian Travel Program in the future. This just may be one of the first destinations.

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WARWICK THE FIRST LADY CHARDONNAY, WESTERN CAPE, 2020

Chardonnay

$ 19.00 $ 114.00

Subtle notes of nectarines combine with fresh white fruits, melon, pears and lemons making this a very pleasant easydrinking wine. A small part – just 8% – was fermented in oak to add depth to the palate, but there is no obvious flavour of oak.

Nectarine, white fruits 6°C

Melons, pears, lemon, [D]

Chicken korma with basmati

NEW

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OR A HIKE?

Towering 1086 meters over Cape Town, Table Mountain is a playground for nature enthusiasts. The mountain has for over 540 million years offered shelter to porcupines, mongooses, snakes, lizards, tortoises, and the Table Mountain ghost frog, a species unique to the mountain. One of the Seven New Wonders of the World, the exceptional view offered at the top is worth the hike; different trails with various difficulty levels are accessible.

Don’t miss out on South Africa’s natural wonders, from its ancient soils delivering exceptional wines to its oceans and mountains, a true feast for the eyes.

13.5%

WARWICK THE FIRST LADY BRUT ROSÉ MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE, WESTERN CAPE, NV

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

$ 29.00 $ 174.00

Watermelon-pink in colour, it has fresh aromas of sherbet and blackcurrants. The frothy palate reveals flavours of strawberries and cream leading to redcurrants and a crisp finish. The bottle fermentation was followed by 24 months aging on lees creating a perfect wine for a summer afternoon treat, or a more serious celebratory occasion.

6°C

12.5%

Vilafonté

PAARL

South Africa

While the Vilafonté winery lies on the outskirts of Stellenbosch, the vineyards are some distance away towards Paarl on the bench of Simonsberg. Vilafonté is a tripartite venture between California viticulturist Phil Freese, his winemaker wife Zelma Long and South African Mike Ratcliffe, whose family previously owned Warwick Wine Estate. The estate is named after ancient Vilafonté soils dated to be between 750,000 – 1.5 million years old. In preparing the land for planting, stone-age cutting tools were found dating 1.4-1.9 million years ago and have been attributed to Homo ergaster, known as “working man.” Their presence on the surface of the soils is testimony that the region has never experienced glaciation, volcanic disturbances or sedimentary deposits.

$ 122.00 $ 732.00

Deep in colour, 2017 Series M has an intense smoky nose with graphite, vanilla and wood seasoning over dark fruits with ripe blackcurrants. It is medium bodied, soft and mouth-filling with a grainy texture. Black and bitter cherries, a plump mid palate and oaky flavours create an elegant wine with persistent finish. 2017 is a blend of 42% Merlot, 39% Malbec and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was matured for 21 months in French oak barrels with nearly a quarter new.

Smoke, graphite, wood, blackcurrant 18°C

Black cherries, oaky 14%

Barbecued flat iron steak with blue cheeserosemary butter

$ 47.00 $ 282.00

Named after the ancient soils on which Vilafonté vineyards are planted, Seriously Old Dirt is a youthful approachable style for earlier drinking yet still has good cellaring potential. I am told I am the first person outside of the winemaking team to taste the 2019 vintage and what a delight. The blend had been finalized by Zelma and Chris days earlier and will be bottled in December. It has mellow fruit aromas of plums and cherries over a savoury background with dark chocolate. It is supple and fine in texture with flavours of red apples, sour and maraschino cherries with almonds. It consists of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 5% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc and was matured for 18 months in older French oak barrels.

Plums, cherries, dark chocolate 18° C

Maraschino cherries, almond 13.5%

Blue cheese-stuffed burgers