18
My Summer
WINE
DECEMBER 2020
"From the top of the Houw Hoek Pass, one gets the first glimpse of the vast, rolling hills and big sky of the Bot River area, where real people make real wine"... VISIT WWW.BOTRIVERWINES.COM FOR MORE INFO, OR FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM (@BOTRIVERWINES)
THIS CREDO OF THE BOT RIVER WINEGROWERS ASSOCIATION DESCRIBES THE UNSPOILT, DOWN-TO-EARTH, SOCIABLE CHARACTER OF THE FARMERS – OUR WINES ARE FOR LOVERS OF THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED. ANYSBOS OLYWE
Johan and Sue Heyns bought the land that was to become Anysbos in 2007. Here they make cheese and olive oil and wine with patience and care. Since their first wines were released three years ago, they have won 4½ Platter stars for their Grenache Noir and DisDit white blend for three years in a row. They started small and grew slowly and are sold out – sorry! Next year they’ll keep some for their visitors and should have the necessary facilities. And perhaps boast a five-star wine.
‘Our wines are an expression of the soils, wind, people, and time and care taken to craft them,’ says winemaker/viticulturist Sebastian Beaumont. A new kitchen and deli beside the tasting area offers a seasonal café-style menu, pre-booked picnics, freshly baked treats, frozen meals and farm produce, allowing visitors to experience a delightful combination of great wine, delicious food, fresh country air, a children’s playground and inspiring farm views. Trading Hours: Mon to Sun 10:00 – 16:00 in Dec; Closed 25 & 26 Dec and 1 Jan Main Road, Bot River • 028 284 9194 info@beaumont.co.za
BOT RIVER HOTEL
farmyard animals. Ecology Lifestyle Farm is both child and pet friendly and has become a much-loved destination in the little town of Bot River. The African-lodge style venue rates in the top 10% of travel destinations on TripAdvisor. South African favourites on the menu include their famous mutton curry, open-fire braai plate, wood-fired pizzas, carrot cake and koeksisters. The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch from Monday to Sunday 08:30 – 17:00, including public holidays. Bookings are essential for their Christmas Lunch. Trading Hours: PaardenKloof Wine Tasting Room & Wine Shop open Mon to Sun from 09:00 – 17:00 including public holidays.
Founded by Melissa Genevieve Nelsen, Boutique Cap Classique producer Genevieve MCC is inspired by its creator's passion for producing sparkling wine of unsurpassed quality. The first vintage was produced in 2008 from old Chardonnay vineyards with quality yields and then extensive time on the lees, ensuring elegant characteristics and style. Trading Hours: Open by appointment only
Karwyderskraal Road, Bot River Melissa 083 302 6562 melissa@genevievemcc.co.za www.genevievemcc.co.za
JAYNE'S
R43, Bot River • 028 284 9809 info@ecologylifestyle.co.za
GABRIËLSKLOOF
Trading Hours: Not open to the public Johan: 082 601 1067 / Sue: 082 606 7666 hello@anysbos.co.za
ARCANGELI WINES
This boutique winery offers an authentic Italian experience where visitors can enjoy wine tastings and accommodation in luxury self-catering guest suites. Arcangeli produces a Merlot Petit Verdot Cabernet Sauvignon blend which is refreshingly different from similar Cape offerings and a Syrah Mourvèdre which is made in the unmistakable Southern Rhône style. Trading Hours: Tues to Sat 10:00 – 17:00
Experience PaardenKloof Wines at this iconic 130-year-old heritage hotel in the heart of the village. Browse the amazing displays that capture the history of the area while sipping on a glass of wine, or visit the iconic Bot River Bar to enjoy a pint of Bot River draught beer and classic dishes from the Ecology menu. Relax and take in the ambience on the hotel’s legendary stoep, steeped in old-world charm and overlooking the town square. Catch some live music on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays, and don’t miss out on the best New Year’s Eve Party. Trading Hours: The pop-up restaurant is open Mon to Sun & public holidays for breakfast, lunch & dinner from 08:30 onwards. Bot River Town Square, Bot River 028 284 9640 • info@bothot.co.za
ECOLOGY LIFESTYLE FARM
The Heyns family has owned and run Gabriëlskloof, the home of fine wines and award-winning olive oil, since 2001. With Peter-Allan Finlayson as cellarmaster, the estate produces three ranges that collectively showcase the complexity, richness and diversity of the unique terroir. Environmentally friendly and sustainable farming is matched with exacting winemaking, culminating in the Gabriëlskloof Range which focuses on the estate vineyards and are accessible on release, the Landscape Series which showcases their top vineyard sites along with some of South Africa’s best old vines, and the Projects Range which is the result of experimentation with alternative fermentation and ageing methods. This family-friendly winery boasts an attractive tasting room and a popular country-style restaurant.
Jayne’s Pinot Noir and Electrique Chardonnay were born 12 years ago, following the dream Jayne and her husband Raoul Beaumont had of a small Pinot and Chardonnay vineyard on the hillside behind their Compagnes Drift Farm. When he died in 2008, Jayne went ahead with the wine as a tribute to him. Winemaking magically blends her love of art and science – the grapes are hand-picked, hand-pressed in a small basket press and matured in barrique, and bottled with hand-drawn labels. While her son Sebastian has taken over Beaumont Family Wines, Jayne continues to live on the farm and make her own wine. Her motto is ‘Drink wine first… life is uncertain!’ Trading Hours: Mon to Sun from 10:00 – 16:00 in Dec; closed 25 & 26 Dec and 1 Jan
082 928 2300 www.beaumont.co.za
LUDDITE WINES
Trading Hours: Tasting room is open Mon to Fri from 09:00 – to 17:00, Sat & Sun 10:00 – 15:00. Restaurant is open every day from 09:00 – 17:00
N2, Bot Rivier • 071 183 7025 sandro@arcangeliwines.com
BEAUMONT WINES
R43, Bot River • 028 284 9865 (Press 1 for the Tasting room and 2 for the Restaurant
GENEVIEVE MCC
‘Elegance over power’ sums up the Beaumont family’s winemaking philosophy at Compagnes Drift, their historic Bot River farm dating back to the mid-1700s.
Experience PaardenKloof’s premier wines paired with Ecology Restaurant’s extensive home-grown and hearty farm-to-table meals. Meet the owners and enjoy a tasting of single vineyard wines which include Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. Relax whilst the children roam the garden and playground and greet the
We are open! Trading Hours: Mon to Fri from 09:00 – 16:00. Sat & Sun by appointment only. Closed 25 Dec & 1 Jan.
Van der Stel Pass, Bot River 083 444 3537 • www.luddite.co.za info@luddite.co.za
