Stunning Stellenbosch And Its Wine Farm Accommodation

November 2, 2009 at 1:32 pm (Uncategorized)
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Stellenbosch which is situated near Cape Town at a distance of about 45 minute drive, is one of the most famous wine regions in South Africa.  Hotels and accommodations on the fertile lands of the wine farms make it even easier for the traveler to explore this scenic beauty.

Officially declared as a wine route for the first time in 1971, this region houses a variety of cellars that produce some of the country’s most acclaimed wines. The University town of Stellenbosch with oak-lined streets has numerous museums and galleries apart from cafes, bars and restaurants. Most of the wine farms offer a wide range of accommodation like cottages, self catering accommodation, luxurious single, double or family rooms, suites, bed and breakfast type rooms etc. The other facilities that you can expect at these hotels and accommodations are wine cellar, Jacuzzi, air-conditioners, secure parking and guest transportation. Food at these hotels and accommodations can be enjoyed at outside dining facilities, dining rooms, meal sections or even a Sundeck or a Private Deck for those who would not mind spending a little more on luxury. .

Some tips that could help you during your vacation on the wine farms are outlined below

Seek route guides and maps that are freely available at the hotels and accommodation on the wine farms. Try and familiarize with the routes on the map to save time while exploring.

Confirm the days available for sight seeing as some of the wine farms which are normally open Monday through Saturday may be closed on weekend.

If you are planning to visit more than one wine farm, it would be prudent to stay a night or two at each wine farm accommodation or hotel available. This will not only save you traveling time but will also give you the chance to experiment on local cuisines and culinary delicacies. Some hotels even offer sumptuous Mediterranean style buffet lunch

Another innovative idea particularly if you have kids around or are traveling with other families would be picnic spots that these wine farms are so famous for. Enquire if the hotel or accommodation you are staying in provides picnic lunches. Carrying them will save you the trouble of having to worry where the next meal will come from.

Tasting is allowed at most of the wine farms. In fact you would enjoy them so much, that you could probably get tipsy just tasting so many samples. Remember drinking and driving in South Africa is a heavily fined offence.

The best way to discover the wine farms is by car, as you can stop wherever you wish. The hotel and accommodation on the wine farms would be more than ready to help you with local travel agents.

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Wine Tours In Cape Town, South Africa

October 1, 2009 at 9:53 am (Uncategorized)
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Cape Town boasts of several wine regions where you can enjoy good wine in god-blessed scenery. Though you can’t bring home the scenery, bringing a few bottles or cases will be your next best option together with the wine tasting experience of a lifetime.

Paarl – About 45 minutes from the city, Paarl boasts of quality wines with Shiraz seemingly the favorite produce. With more than 20 wineries in this beautiful valley, there will be a wine to suit every taste.

Visit Boland Kelder in the heart of this vast wine land and share their high quality wines which have won them awards at local and international levels. Another award winning wine producer is the Laborie where you can have a taste of their unique brand of desert wine. Bring home some bottles as welcoming gifts but you may want to keep some for yourself first. If you are looking for affordable wines, find them at Landskroon and if you are missing your weekly golf, head for Lindhorst, a little way off Paarl towards Franschhoek.

Not only concentrating on wine alone, you can find a glass blowing studio at Seidelberg Wine Estate. Personalize a carafe for your wine maybe? And just when you thought you’ve seen and tasted all, think again. A must try are the Kosher wines at Zandwjik which produces Kosher products too.

Franschhoek – Boasting as a culinary centre of South Africa, Franschhoek has a number of award winning wine farms. The list of wines ranges from the Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay to the full bodied red of the Merlot and Shiraz, just to name a few. This part of the wine land boasts of the well-known sparkling wines and Ports. You will not be ‘lost’ for accommodation in the wine lands which caters to touristy needs.

Stay at the The Franschhoek Resort Residence to experience a true wine-tasting tour. Go back in time when you visit Boschendal where winemaking started in the late 1700s. Savour their unique wines aged in their old wine cellars.

Try the award winning Sauvignon Blanc at Franschhoek Vineyards or for the artier, visit the Haute Provence Vineyards where the tasting room boasts an art gallery displaying works of South African artists. Feel like Mediterranean cuisine with your wine? Head for Môreson Matin Soleil where you can have both worlds of exquisite wine tasting infused with Mediterranean gastronomy.

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South Africa & the Wine Route

September 8, 2009 at 7:51 am (Uncategorized)
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On the southern, lower slopes of Table Mountain is the wine country of Constantia, some of the most beautiful landscape in South Africa. From Cape Town, it is easy to reach. Constantia is a wealthy district and wine has been produced here since the 1700’s. One of the largest and oldest is Groot Constantia, where tourists are very happy and always welcome. The old mansion is now a museum and allows access to the original wine cellar, where tastings, cellar tours and a visit to the restaurant can also be made.

A little further south, the Stellenbosch Wine Route includes 106 wineries and a landscape of extraordinary beauty and culture. The city itself, Stellenbosch, fascinated by old buildings, museums and oak avenues, is home to South Africa’s oldest university and has a great reputation both in sport and music ..

On the Garden Route, along the Stellenbosch Wine Route is “Spier”, an old mansion on a large estate. It holds for its visitors a variety of companies. The Cheetah Park is home to a group under the Cheetah Outreach program, hand-reared, these rare animals can be seen extremely close up.

Garden Route comprises approximately 750 km of beautiful scenery along the southwestern coast of the Cape’s. Some of the highlights include!

* Mossel Bay and the sandy beaches and Maritime Museum, shell museum and aquarium has to offer. Whale watching tours are regularly launched from the port.
* Cango Caves, with its fascinating limestone formations already considered one of the largest natural wonder of the world.
* George, a very commercial city and famous for first-class golf courses.
* Wilderness National Park boasts of its lakes, rivers, estuaries and beaches before lush wooded background. Lots of recreational facilities, among others, hiking, canoeing, abseiling, hang-gliding, fishing and bird watching.
* Sedgefield is a paradise for water rats. Canoeing, windsurfing, fishing, scuba diving are just a few offers. The village is situated along the sea Swartvlei arm and borders on the Goukamma Nature Reserve which is especially for bird friends a great enrichment.
* Plate-mining Bay, is known for its white sand beaches and the beautiful nature.
* Knysna is not only home to the Knysna Elephant documented in the surrounding forests can be found. Because of the protected sea shore poses is also very good conditions for the extremely rare Knysna seahorse. Tours at the lagoon are a good option to the rare animals to watch.
* The Tsitsikamma National Park stretches over 80 km along the coast and offers a variety of beautiful walks through the ancient forest. Take the “Hanging Bridge on the River Trail or go to the Cape Clawless Otters marked on the Otter Trail. The offers are plentiful, ranging from abseiling to mountain biking.

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What to Experience in the Cape Winelands and Finding Winelands Accommodation

August 28, 2009 at 12:23 pm (Uncategorized)
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Visit the Cape Winelands and plan a picnic, have a perfect outing, experience some amazing scenry, greenery and enjoy amazing South Africa. The Cape Winelands is a treat for any one – of all ages and stages. It is encouraged as an annual visit and experience. Visit the Winelands to take in the beauty of the wine farms, the culture that accompanies the greater Winelands. Restore your inner peace and tranquility.

Additional pleasures of staying on a Winefarm enable you the pleasure of taking a walk along the vineyards. Cape Winalands Accommodation is often situated on a Cape Wineland – where the hosts often become wine farmers. Partake in having lunch on a wine estate as well where you can enjoy the local wine tasting.

Cape Winelands Accommodation is renowned for offering quality, luxury and absolute class. The mere air about this region is superior. It is really ideal for those needing romance, families, the young and the old. Popular areas in the Winelands include majestic Franschhoek – aptly incorporating a french flair following the arrival of the Hugeneots, the locals kept the french naming of Franschhoek Accommodation establishments and so also offer some of the best restaurants in South Africa. Franschhoek is set amidst beautiful mountains, so no matter where you position yourself, you are in for a great view and world class food.

Wellington and Paarl are also beautiful little areas. Paarl is full of heritage and offers a wealth of attraction, insight and tourism facilities.

These are small local areas that exhude culture, life, food, quality places to stay and hospitality and a real chance to experience the country and wine offered in the Western Cape’s Winelands in South Africa.

Visit Guest Files to find Cape Winelands Accommodation and Franschhoek Accommodation as well as all your other Southern African tourism needs.

Guest Files offers a range of South African Accommodation, Accommodation in the Winelands, including Franschhoek Accommodation, Montagu Accommodation, Paarl Accommodation and Wellington Accommodation. Winelands Accommodation options include Winelands Guest House Accommodation, Winelands B&B Accommodation, Winelands Bed and Breakfast Accommodation as well as Winelands Self Catering Accommodation and so much more.

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Tips on How to Order Wine in a Restaurant

July 27, 2009 at 9:48 am (Uncategorized)
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Imagine having invited people over for dinner in one of the best fine dining restaurants in your place. Imagine struggling over the wine menu. This can be embarrassing and this can ruin a good evening for you. A good wine choice can mean a lot of difference to your food. Wine connoisseurs know that there are wines that compliment certain kinds of foods. Basically, if you are served a chicken dish paired with a glass of white wine, you will certainly enjoy your meal more. Now, it is easy to remember which wines go with what kind of food, you just have to know how to order wine in a restaurant.

Unraveling the Wine Ordering Mystery

Indeed, knowing how to order wine in a restaurant is an art. Knowing which wine goes with what dish is a great skill. If you have seen a wine menu or a wine list, you would know that ordering wine can be daunting especially if a restaurant offers a wide selection of wines. You can’t be blamed if you’d end up confused.

If you have no idea at all what to get, you should always seek assistance. It’s always better to admit ignorance then to commit mistake by pretending that you know what you are doing. Most restaurants offering haute cuisines have sommeliers to help out their customers. These are wine “experts” who would be willing to help you if you don’t know how to order wine in a restaurant.

Choosing the Perfect Wines

A good wine menu has all kinds of information about every wine listed. You would find the name, manufacturer, country of origin, wine description, vintage and meal suggestions. If you have guests, it is a good idea to get their wine preference. Courtesy dictates that you should let your guests choose their meal and wine combination. There are people who have particular taste for wines. Their choice may not suit a particular dish but let them enjoy their wine and meal.

However, if you are asked to order the food and the wine, it is good to know how to order wine in a restaurant. Red and white wines are perfect for main courses. When choosing a white wine or red wine, it is best to get a heavy white wine or a light red wine. Now, if you are not familiar with how a wine’s name is pronounced, it is best to leave it to the sommelier. Do not attempt to guess its pronunciation or you could end up embarrassing yourself.

Learning how to order wine in a restaurant does not end with learning how to match wines with meals. You should also learn how to choose the right wine that is within your budget. A good bottle of wine can cost you as much as $500 a bottle.

Going Through the Wine Serving Process

Usually, before a wine is served, you will have to go through the wine approval process. The sommelier will bring your wine to your table. If you don’t know what to do with the wine, you would likely just stare at it and nod your head. What you are expected to do, however, is to get the wine and check it. You need to check the label and see if you are being served the right wine. You should also check its content. You also need to check if the cork is intact, so you would know if you are being served a properly stored wine.

The server will then give you a wine sample. Do not just drink it. What you should do it to check the color of the wine. Vintage wine should look brown. This is the wine’s clarity. You should also check the smell and check for a vinegar-like or a rusty-like smell. If your wine smells like vinegar or rust, you should request for another bottle. Chances are your wine has undergone oxidation due to bad storage or cork problems. Now, if all these things are okay, you can then taste the wine. If the taste is up to your liking, you can then give your approval. The server will then bring out the wine and the rest of your meal. The whole wine approval process can take about half a minute or more depending on you.

Ordering wine can be intimidating if you don’t know what to get. It is best, therefore, that you learn how to order wine in a restaurant. Once you have learned this art, you will enjoy its benefits time and time again.

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How to Read Wine Labels

July 2, 2009 at 12:05 pm (Uncategorized)
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How to read a wine label in a foreign language – or even in English? Meanings of terms often vary according to country – for example, “estate-bottled” does not mean the same thing in the United States as it does in France. But spending a little time deciphering a label pays off. Hiding in it is valuable information about the kind and quality of the wine.

United States:

  1. Brand or winery name.
  2. Vineyard name. At least 85 percent of the grapes must come from that vineyard.
  3. Varietal name (e.g. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon) Wine is labeled according to the variety of grape. By law, it must contain at least 75 percent of that variety (e.g., Chenin Blanc must contain 75 percent Chenin Blanc grapes).
  4. Estate-bottled. The grapes were grown in one county by the same producer. The term “made and bottled by” means that a winery has made at least 10 percent of the wine – the rest can come from anywhere.
  5. Vintage (a year). At least 95 percent of the grapes used in making the wine were harvested in that year.
  6. Other statements (size of bottle, alcoholic content, etc.). If you see the words “table wine” percentage of alcohol must be mentioned.

France:

  1. Brand name or name of estate. The producer of the wine.
  2. Regional name. In France, wine is labeled by region. Burgundy wine comes from the Burgundy region, but it might be made of a blend of several kinds of grapes.
  3. Estate-bottled. Grapes were grown and produced on the estate.
  4. AC or VDQS: Guarantee by French government that the wine is authentic.
  5. Perhaps Cru or Premier Cru. Better than ordinary quality of grapes.
  6. Vintage.
  7. Other statements (size of bottle, shipper, etc.).
  8. Appellation. Place of origin.

Germany:

  1. Name of the village where wine was made, ending in er. For example, wine from Wehlen is called Wehlener.
  2. Vineyard (Weinberg in German).
  3. Grape variety.
  4. Indication of dryness. Trocken, meaning dry; Halbtrocken, half-dry.
  5. Perhaps Erzeugerabfullüng, meaning “put in bottles at the Chateau.”
  6. Weingut: winery.

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