Klein Constantia

This winery is settled in a very nice area, the drive to the cellar door is very nice, the grounds are lovely and I like how the place is kind of hidden.
 

The front entrance to the place is quite simple yet nice.

 

The water feature at the front entrance is also nice.

On entering this cellar, there is information on the walls along the corridor to the tasting room.

It was quite busy when we got there. There were two ladies serving and due to the # of people tasting all at the same time, we didn't get a lot of information on the wines. Also, with the # of people trying to do a tasting all at once, the experience was not fantastic. It probably would have been a better experience had we come when it wasn't so busy. There was not a lot of space to stand and try the wines and we were all trying to get the ladies attention for our next wine at the same time.

I started with the Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (R110) which was light, fruity, and easy to drink. The Mme Marlbrook 2008 (R146) is a blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. This was not so balanced and I didn't think much of this wine, I thought it was ok. Next I tried the Marlbrook 2008 (R186) which is smooth, balanced, yet complex. It also had a slightly dry aftertaste.  The Amovilka 2008 (R360) is a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot. It was dry. The Vinde Constance (R370) was thick/syrupy, fruity and delicious.

All of the wines were ok, but other than the last wine, nothing stood out. If one's time is limited trying wines in Constantia, I think you can safely leave this winery off your list. Perhaps when it is not so busy it will be better, but even then, the wines were ok and were overpriced in my opinion.

Eagle's Nest

This is a nice winery nestled in Constantia.

We received very good service from the moment we walked in to the wine tasting room. The tasting room is of a nice size, the tasting is done seated, and there are nice photos hanging in the room.

I tried all six wines at this winery. I started with the Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (R75) which is light, tasty, smooth, balanced and very nice. The Viognier 2010 (R135) is smooth, spicy, and has interesting flavours.
The Litte Eagle 2008 (R65) is light, easy drinking, tasty and flavoursome. The Merlot 2006 (R120) is nicely balanced, slightly dry, has a plum and blackberry taste to it. I felt this wine was more for the experienced wine drinker though. The Verreaux 2008 (R145) is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauviginon and Cabernet Franc. It is smooth, rounded, with a slight dry aftertaste. It has nice flavour to it and is an ideal food wine. Last of all I tried the Shiraz 2009 (R225). It is quite dry, has nice flavour, its slightly spicy, and has peppery notes to it.

Overall, this is a nice winery, with great service, nice grounds, and nice wines.

Guardian Peak

My boyfriend and I visited Guardian Peak on a beautiful, sunny, winter's day. We sat outside on the decking for breakfast and were able to do the wine tasting at our table also. Was nice and convenient, a very relaxing and enjoyable way to do a tasting.

The service and food is very good here and the view is beautiful. You can view the menu online http://www.guardianpeak.com/restaurant.htm.

You can do a tasting outside at a table, or sitting on these outdoor cushions. There is also plenty of space inside for a tasting.

I tried all the wines for tasting. My favourites were the 2010 Guardian Peak Merlot (R65) and the 2011 Guardian Peak Rose (R65). The Merlot was very nice, had great flavour and was slightly dry. The Rose is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, it was lovely in colour (had no skin contact, it gets its colours from the initial press with the skin), it was a nice, light, easy drinking wine.

I also enjoyed the 2011 Guardian Peak Sauvignon Blanc(R65) it was smooth, balanced, had a nice guava flavour, was buttery with a crisp aftertaste. On the tasting notes it said this wine is "light & elegant - beautiful", I totally agree.

It costs R30 for a tasting. There are nine wines you can try.

This is a nice winery to visit, I highly recommend eating here, be sure to ask for a table outside so you can enjoy the views while eating and/or doing a tasting.