Music, adventure and family fun on Spier’s festive line-up

Sundowners, platters and live music on The Werf

Head to the Werf on weekend evenings to feast your ears on “Soul of Motown” - a selection of soul, Motown and pop classics performed by the vibrant and charismatic singers Nathan Daniels and Chelsea Vox. Get a glass of wine from the Spier Wine Truck and some snacks from the Spier Farm Cafe to enjoy while you relax and listen on the lawn. 6pm to 8pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from December 11, 2020 to January 17, 2021. https://www.spier.co.za/events/live-music-on-the-werf

SUNDOWNERS AND SNACKS The long summer nights are here to enjoy. Soak up the setting sun on Spier’s Tasting Room deck with wine and snacks. Cheese and Charcuterie platter with two compli mentary glasses of Signature Wine - R185 Cheese and Olive platter with two complimentary glasses of Signature Wine R160 Daily between 4pm and 6pm from December 11, 2020 to January 31, 2021. https://www.spier.co.za/visit/wine-tasting

Take your inner child – and your kids – on an adventure inside Spier’s new Elemental Play Garden This summer, a new garden with fun outdoor workshops for kids launches at the historic Stellenbosch wine farm. Features of the garden include a slide landscaped into earth mounds, a tunnel to crawl through, a Charl Conradie wind sculpture and a swing bridge. The water in the Water Quadrant has been treated and is safe to splash about in – perfect for hot summer days.

Occupants of the Inhabited Curated by Kefiloe Siwisa, in collaboration with Spier Arts Trust, the historic Spier Manor House is home to a new exhibition this summer. “Occupants of the Inhabited” sees selected artists (their thoughts) and their practices inhabiting the Manor House. In a sense, they become its occupants, the building’s second skin. Be sure to explore the artwork with your next visit to the farm.

Treat your friends and family to the goodness of Spier Spier’s online shop, home to a gorgeous range of more than 15 gifts, ensures your festive season present buying is a breeze. Each comes beautifully wrapped and can be delivered nationwide. Spoiling your loved ones with distinctive, high quality gifts has never been so easy.

Celebrate the warm weather with the Spier Signature Chardonnay/ Pinot Noir Granita Simply made for summertime sipping, this Signature Granita is unpretentious, beautifully balanced and full of flair – marrying strawberry and apple flavours with a crisp finish. While delightful at brunch, on a picnic or alone with a good book, the Spier winemaking team also recommends combining it with fresh strawberries and thyme to create granita: a luscious, delicately flavoured frozen dessert. The perfect show-stopping conclusion to a lavish dinner, this granita is also brilliant as a palate cleanser served during a multi-course feast.

The hardest part is simply remembering to make the granita a day ahead, as it needs to spend at least overnight in the freezer.

250 ml (1 cup) Spier Chardonnay/Pinot Noir 1/2 cup regular white sugar 4 sprigs thyme 250 g fresh strawberries, stalks/hulls removed A squirt of fresh lemon juice

Method: Place half the wine in a small saucepan with the sugar and thyme. Heat to the beginning of a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat, swirling until the sugar has dissolved. In a blender, add the remaining wine, strawberries and lemon juice. Remove the thyme sprigs from the hot syrup mixture; then add the syrup to the blender. Blend on high speed to a very smooth pulp. Transfer to a wide plastic container, cover with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate overnight (or longer, but not less than 8 hours). The granita will never freeze completely due to the alcohol and sugar content. At serving time, quickly use a fork to scrape the granita into the desired number of glasses.

Eagle Encounters The birds of prey project at Eagle Encounters is an all-ages crowd pleaser. Come and join the daily flying display (including dancing owls) at this incredible birds of prey rehabilitation and conservation project on the farm.