Breathtaking scenery, warm hospitality, South Africa’s Gourmet Capital, fine wines, distinctive artists, and a small village atmosphere. These are the hallmarks of the picturesque Franschhoek Wine Valley, situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands.
Taking these unique qualities into account visitors will be further enlightened to all that this area has to offer with a leisurely journey along the recently launched Franschhoek Wine Valley Food & Wine Route. This exciting initiative builds on Franschhoek’s reputation as the Gourmet Capital of South Africa, taking the concept of a food and wine experience to an entirely new level. Offering visitors an array of innovative food, wine and lifestyle experiences is truly unique to the Cape Winelands.
The route is available throughout the year and includes, amongst others, food and wine pairings, varietal specific tastings, Cap Classique tastings, chocolate making, cooking classes in demonstration kitchens, olive oil tastings as well as stopovers to some of Franschhoek’s culinary establishments. A map will be made available to visitors highlighting the various activities, allowing them to tailor make their itineraries and appreciate what the valley has to offer, at their leisure. This unique initiative has the support of the area’s primary business establishments, and promises to emphasis the character of the area, not only as the country’s Gourmet Capital, but also as the ultimate lifestyle destination.
‘A project which has taken months to fine tune and put in place, we’re thrilled to finally make this route available to visitors wanting to experience all that Franschhoek has to offer. We’re proud to be involved in this initiative and are positive that it will grow from strength to strength,’ adds Franschhoek Wine Valley CEO, Jenny Prinsloo.
Visitors’ experiences are further enhanced by the understanding that Franschhoek is the ‘place to be’ where you go to celebrate life! Be it for a special occasion such as a birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s Day treat, wedding, honeymoon or simply a weekend getaway; Franschhoek is a truly exceptional destination.
Dalewood Cheese marks the beginning of the route, followed by Babylonstoren, Backsberg, Noble Hill and Vrede en Lust, Val De Vie on the R310, all the way through to Boekenhoutskloof and Franschhoek Pass Winery, allowing visitors to experience the beauty of the valley between the mountain ranges.
See below segmented speciality routes for some of the experiences on offer. Should you not find what you are looking for or require additional information please contact our offices on +27 21 876 2861 or contact Tania at marketing@franschhoek.org.za
CHEESE TASTING EXPERIENCES
Alleé Bleue Estate – 021 874 1021
Cheese platter R69
Dalewood Fromage – 021 875 5725
Cheese tasting by appointment (open to buy cheeses daily from 09:00—16:00 Mon – Fri)
Dieu Donne – 021 876 2493
Cheese platter R70 for 2 people
Franschhoek Cellars – 021 876 2086
R40 per person, tasting of 6 wines with 6 cheeses
Cheese platters R100 per couple
La Cotte Inn wine sales – 021 876 3775
French cheese tastings
Mont Rochelle – 021 876 3000
Cheese platter R75
Plaisir de Merle – 021 874 1071
Cheese platter R60
Rickety Bridge Wine Estate – 021 876 2129
Cheese platter R50
Solms–Delta – 021 874 3937
Cheese platter R65
Vrede en Lust – 021 874 1611
Cheese platter R95 for 2/3 people
OLIVES AND OLIVE OIL TASTING
Allora Ristorante – 021 8764375
Will open in the New Year at Gooding’s Groves Olives Guesthouse
Babelonstoren Farm Shop – 021 863 3852
No tastings
10h00 – 16h00
Olive oil in a tin at R95
Boschendal Gift Shop – 021 870 4280
No tastings
09h00 – 17h00
R80 per bottle
Burgundy Bourgogne – 021 876 4623
No tastings
By appointment only, olive oil at R40 per bottle
Olive oil for sale at R60 per bottle at Grand Provence Heritage Wine Estate
Farm Shop at Môreson – 021 876 4004
No tastings
10h30 – 16h00
R45 per bottle
La Bourgogne – 021 876 3245
Wine, olives & olive oil tastings at R30 per person
La Motte Farm Shop – 021 876 8000
No tastings
09h00 – 17h00
Sell Rupert & Rothschild olive oil @ R85 per bottle
Noble Hill – 021 874 3844
10h00 – 17h00
Free Olive oil tastings
200ml at R60 per bottle
500ml at R95 per bottle
FOOD & WINE PAIRINGS
La Motte Food & Wine Tastings: 021 876 8820
Striving towards innovation when it comes to the experience of wine and food, La Motte now introduces a tutored Food and Wine Tasting of note. Presented from a private room in the elegant La Motte Tasting Room, well-informed and enthusiastic Wine Ambassadors will pair five La Motte wines with five tastings of Pierneef à La Motte’s cuisine created by Chef Chris Erasmus. And, although the little tasters in the Food and Wine Tastings are beautifully presented as examples of haute cuisine, they represent flavours and tastes we experience every day and will guide guests towards more reliable future food and wine selections, with reference to weight and intensity, as well as the influence of the primary taste sensations.
La Motte Food and Wine Tastings can be enjoyed from Wednesdays to Fridays at 11:00. Prior reservation is essential and can be made by calling the La Motte Tasting Room at +27 (0)21 876 8820 or e-mailing tasting@la-motte.co.za
A tasting will take one hour and the fee is R120 p.p. For more information, please visit http://la-motte.com/experience/food-and-wine-tasting/
Solms-Delta: Dik Delta Food and Wine Pairing - 021 874 3937
For something out of the ordinary – try their new Dik Delta Food and Wine Pairing. Each dish is made with ingredients freshly picked from the Dik Delta Culinary Garden and consists of dishes such as Wildesalie flavoured goats cheese tart with Dik Delta lemon and ballerja chutney; Gerookte snoek, Dik Delta makataan, roosterkoek and wilde kruie roasted patat en Citrus boegoe yskastert with mint malva mousse. Bookings essential.
Vrede en Lust: Cotage Fromage Tasting Menu – 021 874 3991
The Cotage Fromage Tasting Menu is the result of a many requests for a comprehensive and special tasting experience, where top dishes from the Cotage Fromage are carefully paired with the delicous Vrede en Lust wines.
Duncan and Susan put together a 6 course tasting menu that is ideal for those guests who have a bit more time available and with a shared passion for fine food and wine.
There are only two versions of the tasting menu available: Regular or Vegetarian. Each menu consists of 6 smaller portions that is served with a half-glass of wine specially selected by the Vrede en Lust winemaker, Susan Erasmus.
The Regular Tasting Menu:
Duck Liver Pate with Pepper Crackers and the Vrede en Lust Casey’s Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from Vrede en Lust’s cool climate vineyards in Elgin. The combination works suprisingly well!
Course 1: Tomato Cuvee with spring vegatables and coriander. Served cold, it is healthy, fresh and paired with the Vrede en Lust Casey’s Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from Vrede en Lust’s cool climate vineyards in Elgin.
Course 2: Duck liver parfait, pepper crackers and baby beet salad. The tastes work together really well and it is perfectly paired with the luscious new Vrede en Lust White Mischief 2011. The White Mischief is a blend of 5 different white grapes from the Vrede en Lust Elgin vineyards.
Course 3: Truffeled wild mushrooms on toasted sourdough and served with a smoked butter sauce. Paired with the Vrede en Lust Marguerite 2011 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay. The Marguerite’s body and substance really compliment the richer, toasty flavours.
Chocolate Fontant
Course 4: Steamed prawn and crab wonton with a pineapple and ginger dip. A taste explosion that is ideally matched by the Vrede en Lust Jess 2012 Dry Rosè
Course 5: Duck club – confit duck, pancetta, quail egg and spiced breast, branded apricots on rye. A mini version of one of our most popular dishes paired with the smooth and elegant Vrede en Lust Syrah 2009.
Course 6: Warm chocolate fondant, berry salad, 70% Cacao Venezuela chocolate. The desert is paired with the Vrede en Lust red Bordeaux style blend and flagship wine, the Boet Erasmus 2009.
Six of Chef Duncan Doherty’s most flavoursome dishes paired with 6 perfectly matching Vrede en Lust wines for only R299 per person. A minimum of 2 servings per order, due to the process involved. Reservations will be very helpful!
