Exceptional tasting experiences around the winelands

Craving a mid-year winter break? The winelands await!

Sure, it might be chilly outside, but our Joburg Wine Club partners are sure to keep you cosy and warm with their exceptional wine tasting experiences.

Here are a few of our favourites:

Gourmet selection at De Grendel

Enjoy a gourmet snack selection, prepared by Chef Ian Bergh, when you head to De Grendel Wines in the Durbanville Wine Valley for a tasting.

There are a range of light snacks to choose from, including Peperoncino hummus, Paté de foie de canard and brisling sardines. They are served with freshly baked Three Spades Cider-infused corn bread, melba toast, assorted crackers, olives and beef biltong.

Cost: R195 per selection

Collector’s Reserve Tasting at Durbanville Hills

The Cellar tour and wine tasting is R90 pp, allow 90 mins for the full experience

It is a detailed tour about the wine making process at Durbanville Hills through both their fermentation and maturation cellars, and also includes a tasting of 5 wines from their wine list.

Booking 24 hours in advance and tours are only available at 15:00 on a Monday , at 11:00 or 15:00 on Tuesdays to Thursday and 11:00 on Fridays.

The Crystal tasting is R70 pp - a selection of five wines from their wine list (Excludes Tangram) and a branded souvenir wine glass.

The Food and wine pairings are R95 per pairing and consists of five batons of chocolate, five small blocks of cheese and two dried fruit with 3 biltongs with 5 tasting portions of wine.

Chocolate and wine pairing:

Atlantic dusk : Dark blackcurrent and hazelnut – Durbanville Hills Pinotage

Spiced south easter: Milk cinnamon and nutmeg – Durbanville Hills Shiraz

Blushing bride: milk roast nuts and honey – Durbanville Hills Melort Rose

Spring blossom : Jasmine and stone fruit – Durbanville Hills Chenin Blanc

Timeless tides : Gooseberry, peach and stone fruit – Durbanville hills Sparkling Sauvignon blanc

Cheese and Wine Pairing:

Goats cheese – Durbanville Hills Chenin Blanc

Camembert – Collectors reserve Chenin Blanc

Boerenkaas – Durbanville Hills Merlot

Peppered boerenkaas – Durbanville Hills Shiraz

Gorgonzola – Noble late harvest

Biltong and Dried fruit

Dried mango – Sparkling sauvignon blanc

Dried Guava – Durbanville Hills Chenin Blanc

Beef sticks – Merlot Rosé

Beef slices – Durbanville Hills Cabernet Sauvignon blanc

Kudu Doërwors – Durbanville Hills Pinotage

Collectors reserve experience – R295

A guided tour through the CR interactive experience followed by a cellar tour.

The experience includes a tutored food and wine experience consisting of the following:

1. CR Sauvignon Blanc

Crispy bruschetta topped with olive tapenade and Tomini cheese, garnished with lemon zest. Roasted vine tomato on the side.

2. CR Chenin Blanc

Smoked Stanford cheese. Serve with waldorf salad

3. CR Chardonnay

Klein River Grana mature cheddar

4. CR Merlot

Camembert with spiced prune reduction

5. CR Pinotage

Aged Boerenkaas and Kudu droëwors

6. CR Cabernet Sauvignon

Tender stemmed broccoli wrapped in Parma Ham with baba ganoush

7. CR Shiraz

Pepper Boerenkaas with a Moroccan-spiced hummus

Salt and wine tasting at Fleur du Cap

Yes, you read that right! When you head to Die Bergkelder in Stellenbosch, the home of Fleur du Cap wines, things are sure to get salty.

Taking place daily, this tasting experience brings unique artisanal salted morsels and naturally-crafted wines together for an earthy flavour explosion!

The wine and salt pairing includes the following pairings:

Fleur Du Cap Sauvignon Blanc with Seasoned Butter Popcorn
Fleur Du Cap Chardonnay with Green Olive Tapenade
Fleur Du Cap Merlot with Carpaccio of Beef
Fleur Du Cap Cabernet Sauvignon with Duck Rillette
Noble Late Harvest with Homemade Red Alaea Fudge

Cost: For only R120 visitors can indulge in this unique salt and wine pairing.

Join them for an interesting tour of this famous “cellar in the mountain” including a wine tasting in the cool alcoves of Die Bergkelder. Enjoy your journey through the tranquil cellar, admire the carved oak barrels and soak up the history of South African winemaking from your knowledgeable guide. Cellar tours to be booked one week in advance.

Cellar Tour Times

Mon–Fri: 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm Sat & Public holidays: 10am, 11am, 12pm

Chocolate and wine pairing at Groot Constantia

Treat yourself to a truly delectable experience at Groot Constantia, as the knowledgeable tasting room staff guide you through a pairing of 5 selected wines and 5 hand-crafted chocolates.

You can combine this with a Visitors Route Experience, which gives you access to the museums on the property, a cellar tour and a souvenir glass.

Cost: R140 per person