Bosman Hermanus offers the best of nature

Writer & Photographer Hedda Mittner

The Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is a special place, known not only for its vineyards but also for its unspoiled landscape, unique fauna and flora and scenic vistas framed by the mountains and ocean. Driving up the R320 Hemel-en-Aarde Road, you’ll leave the hustle and bustle of Hermanus behind and soon find yourself enveloped in a world of stillness and wonder.

Turning left towards the De Bos dam and driving over the dam wall, around a bend and up a hill, you’ll arrive at a sign that reads ‘Bosman Hermanus’. Winding your way through fields of proteas and vineyards, a modest building appears on the horizon, perched on a sweeping landscape and anchored under a large tree.

Aptly named the Frame House, this quaint building on the 200 ha De Bos farm houses Bosman Hermanus’s wine tasting room and picnic service. Every effort was made to minimise its impact on the landscape, using only simple wood and canvas instead of brick and mortar. No excavations were made and the Frame House blends in seamlessly with its natural environment.

Bosman Hermanus is part of Bosman Family Vineyards, based on the Leliefontein farm near Wellington, where eight generations of Bosmans have farmed since their ancestor, Hermanus Bosman, arrived in the Cape in 1707. That name turned out to be prophetic when Jannie Bosman (Snr), searching for the perfect place to plant Pinot Noir, found his way to Hermanus in 2001 and discovered that the Hemel-en-Aarde region provided the perfect cool-climate terroir that he was looking for.

It turned out to be not only the perfect place for vines to grow, but also the perfect place to find peace, to discover the wonders of nature and reconnect to ancient paths. The Bosmans’ desire to share this special place on a more personal level led to the launch of a tasting venue on the farm in December 2017.

Here visitors can kick back and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and magnificent views while sampling a wide range of award-winning Bosman wines and indulging in a picnic of seasonal local fare either indoors, on the deck or in the shade of the large tree that takes pride of place next to the Frame House.

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