Welcome to the Western Cape Wineries - a kiwi's opinion blog

I originally set up this blog to help foreigners have an enjoyable experience when visiting the western cape wineries in South Africa.

I realised that it is very difficult for a tourist to choose where to go and which wineries to visit, when you have 600+ wine producers to choose from.

When I first moved to SA December 2010, my palate struggled to adjust to SA wine, b
ut after living here for a while and after visiting over 100+ wine estates, I have found many wines which I really like and can highly recommend.

Admittingly, when you come from another country it is hard not to compare the wine in SA to what you are used to back home. However, once you realise they are not the same (they have their own characteristics due to the different soil, climate etc) and appreciate their wines for being SA wines, it will improve your opinion and experience of the wines immediately.

If you are staying in SA for a while, don't dispair, your palate will change, and you will soon find yourself liking SA wine over your home countries wine!!

I hope my blog will help wine lovers have an enjoyable wine experience while in SA.

Please note: I am not a wine connoisseur. The comments I write about the wine is mostly for my own benefit of having them on record.



Tuesday, 19 June 2012

Cederberg

Today we went to Cederberg Winery. We were staying just down the road at the Sanddriff Holiday Resort, so it was very convenient to get here!! Only 1.5km away. Below is a photo of the reception; you pay here and then you will be taken through to the cellar for the tasting. A tasting here costs R25 per person and you can try all the wines they have available for tasting.


This is a very nice winery. It is very authentic, rustic and yet charming. The wine tasting is done in the cellar, it is very cold in there (in winter), but with a jacket it's fine. You go through a very tall corrugated iron door in to the cellar, which I felt adds character to the place and the wine tasting experience.


There is a nice wine tasting room set up in there. You can see the wines which have won awards displayed next to the wine bar.



Pieter took us through the wine tasting. He had great knowledge of the winemaker, winery and the wine. We had a really good wine tasting experience. There was another group that arrived at the same time as us, so we went through the wines all together which was nice. Then towards the end of the tasting another group arrived, so it was quite busy.


We got to try 11 out of the 12 wines. The Bukettraube was unfortunately unable to be tasted as it was sold out. This is their flagship and I have been informed by a colleague it is very nice, so I look forward to buying some when it comes out in August. My favourite out of all the wines was the Ghost Corner Semillon 2010 at R165 a bottle.


We all really enjoyed the wine tasting here. I would highly recommend one does a wine tasting here if out this way.



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