Spier Quarterly Newspaper Issue # 7 by The Newspaper

since

1692

2016

Visit us: Spier Wine Farm @spierwinefarm #spiermemories t: 021 809 1100 www.spier.co.za

Q UA RT E R LY N E W S PA P E R

WINE / PAGE 3

HOTEL / PAGE 4

EVENTS / PAGE 7

Spier Arts Wine collection pays homage to four era-defining South African artists.

Our hotel and conference venue have been freshened up in time for summer.

From Malay feasts to African drumming, make your festive season a memorable one at Spier.

THE HEART OF OUR FARM With a rich history of more than 300 years, the Spier Werf is one of the oldest farmyards in the country. It’s also the heart of our farm. Here is what that means to us.

Decima Pieterse - Chef, Eight to Go

Mariota Enthoven - Spier family owner “A new chapter in the story of this historic space has begun. We recently restored the Werf with great love and meticulous care. Today, it’s once more a hub of creativity and growth. The artisanal experiences we offer visitors here will evolve as we reconnect with our roots, inspired by how things were done in the past – but in a way that is relevant to contemporary life. Whatever we do here, we want it to be underscored by integrity and love – and accessible to all.”

“It’s beautiful at the best of times – but once our wedding expert Hannes is done decorating it – well, it becomes simply magical. I love the ginormous oak tree near the rocks the most: it looks so old and knowledgeable – like it’s seen lots of history and people. Who knows what it may tell you when you sit down beneath it with one of our picnics!”

“The Werf was a communal space on farms where animals congregated and the inhabitants grew food. We continue this tradition in our food garden, supplying Spier’s restaurants with more than 75 different species of herbs, fruit trees and vegetables that we grow without using pesticides or artificial fertiliser. With each person who passes through the garden’s walls we hope to plant a seed – inspiring them to grow their own food at home, and helping out with any questions they may have about doing so.” Eight to Go: Pick up the picnic you booked online (at picnics.spier.co.za), or stock up on delicious deli treats and seasonal jams and preserves to take home.

Vernon Myburgh - Maintenance supervisor “For me, the Werf is the centre of everything for Spier. It is a beautiful space where people can enjoy the fresh air. It really comes alive when we host markets here – they’re a wonderful opportunity for families to spend quality time together.” PJ Vadas - Chef, Hoghouse BBQ & Bakery “Back in the day, the Werf was where people used to be busy making and baking. 300 years later, it is again. Our team is up at the crack of dawn kneading the dough that is transformed by our wood-fired oven into flaky, fresh croissants and preparing the meat that we roast for 18 long hours in our smoker. We believe in doing things properly. Slowly. Just like the old days. Come enjoy the fruit of our labours —with a glass of wine on our terrace, while the little ones run riot. We’ve got a few regulars that come with their children — and every time those rascals make a beeline for the Werf’s granite boulders where they spend most of lunch clambering. Now that’s what I call good old-fashioned fun.”

John Turner - Farmer

Chef Tiaan Studio: Join Chef Tiaan for cooking demonstrations and classes: a fun activity for team-building, and the perfect gift for foodie friends and family. Hoghouse BBQ & Bakery: In addition to the bread and pastries it’s renowned for, Hoghouse now serves up Afro-Texan barbequed meats. The Food Garden: Our gardeners don’t only supply our restaurants with fresh fruit and veg – they’re also happy to advise visitors on how to grow their own food at home. Spier Werf Market: Our market is back for summer! Stock up on gifts and enjoy tasty treats and wine. Check the festive calendar on page 7 for dates.

Wiseman Wanana - Guest relations ambassador

Gables audio tour: Download VoiceMap onto your smartphone, and set off from the Tasting Room on a tour of the historic buildings overlooking the Werf.

“The old, historical buildings surrounding the Werf reminds me of the estate’s rich heritage.”

/ PA G E 1

FA R M DISCOVER THE FARM WITH A STROLL ALONG THE SPIER WAY

WINE COLLECTION POINT EAGLE ENCOUNTERS

Collect your wine orders here.

Spier’s Old Wine Cellar is South Africa’s oldest dated cellar building (1767).

Get up close and personal with birds of prey at this raptor rehabilitation centre, and find out how these magnificent animals keep the Spier farm healthy and balanced.

CONFERENCING VENUE

CRAFT MARKET From fridge magnets to masterpieces, the Spier Craft Market, right next to our Tasting Room, offers a wide range of art and crafts, made using a diverse range of materials, including mosaic, beads, textiles and ceramics.

EIGHT Tuck into a delicious hearty lunch or evening tapas – all made lovingly with fresh ingredients sourced from the Spier farm or nearby suppliers who share our passion for ethical farming.

SEGWAY TOURS Departing from outside the Tasting Room, Segway PT (Personal Transporter) tours offer a beautiful glide through the farm to the vineyards with some interesting facts about Spier’s farming practices and wastewater treatment plant on the way.

WINE TASTING Overlooking the Spier dam, our Tasting Room pairs award-winning wine with delicious snacks. Relax in the airy lounge area, or take your glass outside onto the patio which has stunning views of the Helderberg mountains. PA G E 2 /

OLD WINE CELLAR

Our conference facilities include an auditorium that seats 430 people and three breakaway rooms, which can be used separately, or combined, to seat 250 people. Conference rooms are adjacent to the Eerste River and have views of the Helderberg mountains.

AMPHITHEATRE Spier has an open air venue hosting artistic and corporate events with a capacity of 1100 people.

THE SPIER HOTEL THE WERF Spier’s historic farmyard – the Werf – has been meticulously restored. Wander through the food garden or relax on the lawn under ancient oak trees. The Werf is surrounded by beautiful Cape Dutch buildings: the Jonkershuis is home to Hoghouse BBQ & Bakery; Chef Tiaan Studio is housed in the Old Cow Shed. The Spier Werf Market runs here during the summer months.

MANOR HOUSE The 1822 historic Manor House has recently gone through an extensive restoration and three different meeting rooms are available. The building features artworks from the Spier Collection – one of the largest collections of contemporary South African art in the country.

The rooms in our 4-star hotel are situated in village- style buildings grouped around six private courtyards. Enjoy a glass of wine on the terrace with bar snacks, or a meal made lovingly with farm-fresh ingredients at the Spier Hotel restaurant. Have a pampering facial or stress-relieving massage at the Spier Spa, before browsing the selection of locally made clothing, homeware and body products at the Spier Shop adjoining the foyer.

THE DYING SLAVE When seen from a specific vantage point, the nine columns making up this large mosaic work line up revealing the complete image of The Dying Slave. Designed by Marco Cianfanelli, the image was inspired by Michelangelo’s well-known artwork featuring a male slave in the ecstatic throes of dying.

WINE THE SPIER ARTS WINE COLLECTION CELEBRATES ERA-DEFINING SOUTH AFRICAN ARTISTS The Spier Arts collection, a range of eight wines celebrating the era-defining work of four South African artists of our time, is now exclusively available from the wine shop at Spier wine farm.

Developed to commemorate the 150th birthday of Spier’s largest Danish customer, COOP, the wines showcase the work of Sam Nhlengethwa, Mohau Modisakeng, Alex Emsley and Michael Taylor.

“At Spier, we believe in the potential of art to transform society, and we invest significantly in South African artists and arts initiatives,” Frans Smit, Spier’s cellar master, says . “Spier is proud of these artists and what they’ve achieved and want to celebrate their work and success.”

THE ARTISTS AND THE WINES MOHAU MODISAKENG

ALEX EMSLEY

Mohau Modisakeng’s work responds to the history of the black body within the South African context. Born in Soweto in 1986, his films, sculptures and photographs critically engage with the legacy of injustice and violence in the pre- and post-apartheid era.

Alex Emsley, a Cape Town -based artist, explores the classic tradition of still life painting and portraiture, approaching these timeless genres with a contemporary eye. In his still life works, arrangements of the objects he paints are executed in meticulous detail.

• The Mission Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon 2015 • Untitled Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Cabernet Franc / Malbec / Petit Verdot 2013

• Casablanca Chenin Blanc / Viognier 2015 • Winter of Discontent Pinotage / Malbec 2015

MICHAEL TAYLOR

SAM NHLENGETHWA

Michael Taylor explores narrative art and describes his approach as “ironic, illustrative and self-reflexive”. His works are often disarming and enchanting interpretations of simply being human.

Sam Nhlengethwa, a leading resistance artist during the struggle against apartheid, is intrigued by people and their spaces. By recreating the works of his role models then placing them in an imagined interior, he provides a new context for these iconic artists and their “mental space”.

• Mister Breezy Chardonnay / Chenin Blanc / Colombard 2016 • Early Bird Shiraz / Cinsaut / Carignan / Grenache 2015

• Tribute to Helen Sebidi Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon 2015 • Tribute to Henri Matisse Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon / Cabernet Franc/ Shiraz 2012

/ PA G E 3

HOTEL FRESHENING UP :

READY FOR SUMMER WITH RENOVATED HOTEL ROOMS

Just in time for summer, renovations to Spier Hotel’s rooms have been completed, providing an even greater level of farm-style comfort. “We wanted to achieve a significant enhancement to our guests’ comfort – but in a way that honoured Spier’s commitment to sustainability,” says interior decorator Barbara McGregor. “This involved reusing as many items as we could, and using local workshops rather than importing. We also used natural materials wherever possible.”

BRIGHT AND BOTANICAL The rooms received a fresh lick of paint, with each having one of three colour themes: chartreuse green, denim blue and rosy red. The hotel’s five suites, however, were each individually decorated to ensure a unique character. “Cotton throws dyed with vegetable dyes were added for colour at the end of each of the beds which all have lovely new white linen,” McGregor adds. “We also explored our floral theme with cotton scatter cushions featuring flower designs, including proteas.”

SUPPORTING LOCAL INDUSTRY Tall fabric headboards made and upholstered at Johanna’s Curtains (a small workshop in Observatory) were added for comfort. Swains Soft Furnishings in Woodstock made the new curtains using a linen

PA G E 4 /

cotton blend of fabric. New chairs were made or old ones reupholstered at the nearby Dexter Furniture, while existing furniture that could be reused was resized and refurbished by a team of mostly women at The Furniture Repair Centre in Claremont.

ART AND ANTIQUES Each room also now has a stylish new desk mirror and round table made by the renowned Allan Lutge (www.lutge.co.za) using reclaimed antique yellowwood. Artwork from the Spier Collection – one of the largest collections of contemporary South African art in the country – were hung on the walls. These include pieces by Mandla Vanyaza and Cathy Layzell. Other changes include new showers and marble vanity tops in the bathrooms, new TVs (with an even wider range of channels) and energy-efficient minibar fridges.

MEETING AND GREETING The Hotel Reception now welcomes guests with a completely fresh look! Light-filled and airier, the space’s extensive renovations include a new parquet floor and higher ceilings supported by poplar beams. To minimise waste, existing furniture received a vibrant lease of life with fresh upholstery. Our farm heritage is celebrated with elements such as the vintage shop counter now serving as the reception desk. Art is in the limelight too with the installation of striking new pieces from the Spier Art Collection. Spier’s conference venue has also recently been refurbished with the installation of new sliding doors, sound-proof double doors, water-saving taps and various other upgrades to enhance the Spier conference experience. Come and experience the difference! Book your Spier Hotel stay. Call 021 809 1100 or email reservations@spier.co.za.

SECRET THE SECRET’S OUT! On Sunday 6 November, the Spier Secret Festival moves to Johannesburg for its 2016 edition after four years of being hosted at Spier. The food and wine event – a day of workshops, talks, eating and drinking – focuses on ethical production, sustainable practices and trends. We chat to speaker Sietske Klooster, founder of de MelkSalon (The MilkSalon) on which she has been working full time since 2012. De MelkSalon is aimed at co-creating a novel dairy culture, where diversity and differentiation between farmers’ milks is the key value. What drew you to working with the dairy industry? In the Netherlands dairy lies at the basis of our culture: dairy has literally formed our cultural landscape and eating culture. Our wet lowlands produced vegetation we cannot live from. Cows could turn this into nutritious meat and milk. Being trade-oriented folk, we have expanded this production into a mass export product. Unfortunately, this expanded to such scale that it now happens at the cost of our cultural landscape. With the design project De MelkSalon I’m trying to revalue milk and dairy, shifting from quantitive growth towards qualitative cultural refinement. I’m working towards a valuable diversity in terroir of our milk and dairy so that they move into the future heritage of cultural landscape. My vision is that the Dutch should start to export knowledge and innovations on terroir dairy production, instead of exporting bulky white mainstream milk. Describe your food heritage.

I grew up in Limburg in the south of the Netherlands. It is almost literally in an appendix of our country “hanging” in between Germany and Belgium. It has a rich food cultural heritage, fusing German, Belgian and French taste for food, with the more Calvinistic Dutch food culture. Bread with cheese, for example, is sweetened with a bit of apple syrup. This is perceived as exotic by those living in the north of Holland, who keep to just bread and cheese. A food philosophy we should take to heart? Our cultural landscape reflects our eating culture. Cultural landscape and eating culture are interdependent values. Let’s savour the food that travels trough your body and the landscape around your body: the space where your food is harvested from.

Stay updated Follow #spiersecret on Twitter and Instagram for updates on Spier Secret speakers, or visit www.spiersecret.co.za. Tickets are available from www.webtickets.co.za.

1. In 2014, Marcelo Conceição and SulSolSal served up a preserved food dining experience, Carne do Sol. 2. In 2015 Hoghouse Bakery & BBQ’s chef PJ Vadas cooked up a nose-to-tail lunch. 3. In 2013 eating-designer Marije Vogelzang shared her food philosophy. Inspired by the origin of food, the preparation, etiquette, history and the culture of food, Marije baked root vegetables in clay for our main dinner.

/ PA G E 5

KIDS’ ACTIVITIES

FUN ON THE FARM NINE WAYS TO BEAT BOREDOM THIS SUMMER From exploring the farm by bike and Segway to sampling grape juice and chilling with bunnies, there are loads of things to keep the kids entertained and out of mischief at Spier.

1. HANG OUT IN OUR KIDS’

5. TUCK INTO A PICNIC. We’ve got specially made picnics for kids (R140 per child), which includes favourites such as cheese and tomato on homemade rolls, yoghurt and root crisps. Order them at picnics.spier.co.za.

CLUBHOUSE.

While parents get up to more grown up activities (lunch or wine tasting, anyone?), our little hotel guests can spend time at the Kids’ Clubhouse which has a programme packed full of fun activities – including arts and crafts, stories, baking and farm walks. Visit spier.co.za/hotel/kids-activities for more details.

6. GO FOR A RIDE. Hop on a hardy yellow Qhubeka bike (available for free from outside the Spier Hotel reception) and head out to explore the farm. See if you can spot the Egg Mobiles (where our free-roaming chickens live), our cattle, or a quill left behind from our resident family of porcupines.

2. GLIDE AROUND THE FARM. Kids over 10 can explore the farm on one of our Segway PT tours, which take you past vineyards and pastures, our River Walk and more. Call 021 809 1157 or visit www.segwaytours.co.za to book.

7. MEET BIRDS AND BUNNIES. Kids can get up close and personal with majestic raptors at Eagle Encounters, our bird of prey rehabilitation centre, where they can also become acquainted with goats and rabbits. Call 021 858 1826 or visit www.eagle-encounters.co.za for more info.

3. HAVE A HEALTHY AND

DELICIOUS LUNCH.

Our farm-to-table restaurant Eight serves up a special children’s menu made with natural ingredients from our farm and nearby suppliers. The pastured-reared meat is hormone- and antibiotic-free and our veggies have been grown without pesticides or chemical fertilisers. Afterwards, the kids can play on the rolling lawns, giant swing, jungle gym – and best of all – our secret bamboo “forest”. Call 021 809 1188 or email eight@spier.co.za to book a table.

4. HAVE A LUCKY TASTING. When Mom and Dad are sampling Spier’s acclaimed vintages at the Tasting Room, the kids get to have their very own grape juice tasting (R40) along with a lucky packet that contains wine gums, a 16-page puzzle book, stickers, a bag and a crayon.

PA G E 6 /

8. EXPLORE THE WERF. Clamber over boulders and up the trees on our historic farmyard. Then head to its Food Garden, where herbs, fruit and veggies are grown for our restaurants.

9. LISTEN AND LEARN. Download the VoiceMap app and listen to our two audio tours on your smart phone. Walk the farm, which starts at the Hotel entrance, is an hour-long tour that will introduce you to the farm’s many facets: from art and wines to hospitality and heritage. The historic Gables tour, which begins at the Tasting Room, takes you on a fictional journey inspired by 19th century Cape farm life.

F E ST I V E C A L E N DA R

FESTIVE WERF MARKET

DIY BURGERS & GAMES

WEST COAST MUSSEL & SNOEK FEAST WITH LIVE JAZZ

FARMER ANGUS BRAAI WITH LIVE MUSIC

MALAY DINNER WITH LIVE MUSIC

FESTIVE WERF MARKET

AFRICAN DRUMMING & POTJIE NIGHT

SPIT BRAAI WITH LIVE JAZZ

SUNDAY NIGHT ROAST

MOVIE NIGHT ON THE WERF:

FESTIVE WERF MARKET

NOT TING HILL

FESTIVE WERF MARKET

TANGLED

SHALL WE DANCE?

CHRISTMAS LUNCH IN THE COURTYARD DIY BURGERS & GAMES

FESTIVE WERF MARKET

WEST COAST MUSSEL & SNOEK FEAST WITH LIVE JAZZ

FESTIVE WERF MARKET

MALAY DINNER WITH LIVE MUSIC

FARMER ANGUS BRAAI WITH LIVE MUSIC

FESTIVE WERF MARKET

AFRICAN DRUMMING & POTJIE NIGHT

SPIT BRAAI WITH LIVE JAZZ

CHRISTMAS LUNCH AT EIGHT

FESTIVE WERF MARKET

DIY BURGERS & GAMES

WEST COAST MUSSEL & SNOEK FEAST WITH LIVE JAZZ

FARMER ANGUS BRAAI WITH LIVE MUSIC

MALAY DINNER WITH LIVE MUSIC

AFRICAN DRUMMING & POTJIE NIGHT

DIY BURGERS & GAMES

WEST COAST MUSSEL & SNOEK FEAST WITH LIVE JAZZ

FARMER ANGUS BRAAI WITH LIVE MUSIC

MALAY DINNER WITH LIVE MUSIC

AFRICAN DRUMMING & POTJIE NIGHT

NEW YEAR’S EVE ON THE WERF

SPIT BRAAI WITH LIVE JAZZ MOVIE NIGHT ON THE WERF:

SUNDAY NIGHT ROAST

OUT OF AFRICA

the Hotel Kids Clubhouse Calendar

your Segway tour, spa treatment, picnic basket

your outdoor movie night tickets

S S SP SU PR U M R //M II M M N E N E G R G 2 0 1R6 2 0 1 6 your cellar for the festive season

Click on the calendar date to be directed to the event link on our website

B IN

STELLENBOSCH

BEAT A S & BBQ AT 7 pm F R IDAY 3 0 th S EP TEMB ER 20 1 6 7 pm F R IDAY 2 8 th OCTOB ER 2 0 1 6 7 pm F R IDAY 2 5 th N OV EMB ER 2 0 16

LIVE MUSIC k 3 COURSE BBQ FEAST

R350 PER PERSON

B O O K AT W W W. Q U I C K E T. C O M | 0 2 1 8 8 1 3 1 7 4 JONKERSHUIS, SPIER WINE FARM, R310 STELLENBOSCH COMPLIMENTARY WELCOME DRINKS & LUCKY DRAW

Pomegranate & lime sorbet cupped in a fresh strawberry.

Franschoek smoked trout canneloni and creamy trout paté, with hints of fresh lemon & fine herbs.

Rhone-style blend infused chicken liver paté inside a thyme dusted almond macaron.

Lightly smoked cherry filled bitter chocolate with a pistachio nut crust.

/ PA G E 7

1 Eagle Encounters

2 Craft Market

1. EAGLE ENCOUNTERS

8 Eight Restaurant

Manor House

Eight to Go

3 6

12 Hoghouse Bakery & Café

Segway Tours

4 Chef Tiaan Studio

he W Werf Market

erf

On the last Saturday of every month, this market showcases

9. SPIER WERF MARKET - SUMMER ONLY

Eight is a farm-to-table eating experience in a beautiful setting next to the Eerste River. Like its name, the restaurant is an expression of balance, cycles, harmony, infinity and abundance. The produce used at Eight is either grown on the farm or sourced from nearby farmers. Natural and organic ingredients are preferred and combined to create nourishing, healthy, and delicious food.

8. EIGHT RESTAURANT

Next door to Spier’s acclaimed farm-to-table restaurant, Eight to Go offers ready-to-eat food, lovingly prepared according to the same principles as Eight. Local, natural and organic produce is used wherever possible, and food grown on the Spier farm is preferred. Wholesome picnics and sandwiches are available to be enjoyed with a bottle of award-winning Spier wine on the lawns of the farm.

7. EIGHT TO GO AND PICNICS

Join Chef Tiaan for cooking demonstrations and classes.

6. CHEF TIAAN STUDIO

Wine Collection Point

Wine Tasting

At Eagle Encounters raptor rehabilitation centre, get up close and personal with birds of prey, and find out how these magnificent animals keep the Spier farm healthy and balanced.

2. CRAFT MARKET From fridge magnets to masterpieces, the Spier Craft Market, right next to our Tasting Room, offers a wide range of art and crafts, made with a diverse range of materials, including mosaic, beads, textiles and ceramics.

3. SEGWAY TOURS The Segway PT (Personal Transporter) is a two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicle. The tour is a beautiful glide through the farm to the vineyards with some interesting facts about Spier’s farming practices and wastewater treatment plant on the way.

4. WINE TASTING Our Tasting Room on the banks of the Spier dam pairs our award-winning wine with delicious snacks. Relax in the airy lounge area, or take your glass outside onto the patio which has stunning views of the Helderberg mountains.

5. WINE COLLECTION POINT

Old Wine Cellar

13 14 Conference Centre

15 Amphitheatre

sustainable practices. There are locally grown fresh fruit and heirloom vegetables for sale. The market’s 50 traders also offer plenty of ways to incorporate sustainability at home – think beehives, worm tea and seeds.

10. THE WERF Spier’s historic farmyard – the Werf – has been meticulously restored. Visitors can wander through the food garden or relax on the lawn under ancient oak trees. The Werf is surrounded by beautiful Cape Dutch buildings which now host pop-up exhibitions and events.

11. MANOR HOUSE The 1822 historic Manor House has recently gone through an extensive restoration and three different meeting rooms are available. The building features artworks from the Spier Collection - one of the largest collections of contemporary South African art in the country.

12. THE HOGHOUSE BBQ & BAKERY Acclaimed chef PJ Vadas over tasty light meals and baked goodies fresh from the wood- red oven.

13. OLD WINE CELLAR

Wastewater Treatment Plant

17 Spier Spa

Spier Hot

Spier Hotel Restaurant & Wine Bar

Spier Shop

Spier’s Old Wine Cellar is South Africa’s oldest dated cellar building (1767).

14. CONSCIOUS CONFERENCING

Conferencing includes an auditorium that seats 430 people and three breakaway rooms, which can be used separately, or combined, to seat 250 people. Conference rooms are adjacent to the Eerste River and have views of the Helderberg mountains.

15. AMPHITHEATRE

Spier has an open air venue hosting artistic and corporate events with a capacity of 1100 people.

16. WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

In 2007, Spier installed a pioneering centralised wastewater treatment plant which is the embodiment of our approach to waste management. It recycles 100% of our wastewater, treats it using only environmentally friendly methodology and the clean water is then used to irrigate the garden and grounds.

17. SPIER SPA

Our newly revamped spa offers an indulgent array of massages and facials that will ensure you leave rejuvenated and relieved of stress.

NOW YOU CAN BUY SPIER WINE ONLINE & WE DELIVER TO YOUR DOOR

Become a member of the Spier Wine Club and

enjoy a fantastic range of benefits – including

discounts on our wine, hotel and farm to table

exclusive access to special events.

restaurant, Eight. Membership also gives you

or at Wine Tasting.

18. SPIER HOTEL RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR

Enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail on the terrace with bar snacks, or breakfast, lunch or dinner at the Spier Hotel restaurant. Both the restaurant and wine bar strive to source the freshest available produce for the menus from a range of local suppliers and our farm.

19. SPIER SHOP

A carefully curated selection of products both for the home and for the body is available in the shop adjoining Spier Hotel’s reception and at the Tasting Venue, allowing you to take home a piece of the Spier farm life.

20. SPIER HOTEL

The 4-star Spier Hotel is next to the calming waters of the Eerste River. The rooms are situated in village-style buildings grouped around six private courtyards, each with its own swimming pool in a design reminiscent of the Bo-Kaap or Mediterranean villages where pedestrians have right of way.

ART - The spaces of the Spier Hotel and conferencing rooms are adorned with art from the Spier Collection - one of the most extensive collections of contemporary South African art in the country. Spier believes that the visual arts can provide both guests and staff with new insights, and challenge us to take a fresh look at our world and environment.

WALKS AND TRAILS - Stroll around our peaceful water -wise gardens or visit the River Walk on the Eerste River’s south bank, which showcases our national flower. Download the VoiceMap app and listen to our two audio tours on your phone: Walk the Farm (which starts at the Hotel entrance) and the historic Gables tour (which begins at the Tasting Room). 5km and 10km running route maps are available from the Spier Hotel reception.