Coveting is wrong, and as a general principle it’s something I try to avoid. But two Saturdays ago my resolve to be a better person was tested in new ways. See an invite to visit the Anthonij Rupert Wyne estate on the outskirts of the charming Boland town of Franschhoek came my way.
Now contrary to popular belief, folks who live in the Cape do not spend every waking moment traipsing about the countryside sipping fine wine. Though that would be nice.
Nope, just like the rest of the country, our days are taken up with bothersome things. Like work. And cleaning house. So I was rather looking forward to swapping my usual titillating Saturday routine of laundry and dusting for something a touch more glamorous.
Now my normal strategy when I visit Cape wine estates is to hit two in a row and pause for lunch at the third. After which I’m pretty much wined out and ready for my couch. That’s a tactic you need to abandon at Anthonij Rupert Wyne because this is a Cape wine estate with a difference.
Encompassing the wine farm L’Ormarins and (since 2011) the former Graham Beck farm to the east of L’Ormarins as well, the Anthonij Rupert estate stretches for what seems like a gazillion hectares from the valley floor to the slopes of the majestic Groot Drakenstein mountains towering in the background. Many adjectives came to mind when I visited – pioneering, innovative, vibrant, elegant. But as I stared over the vineyards; the paddocks; the expansive lawns; the thought that stuck was, well, ‘manicured’. In a good way. Like a gorgeous woman buffed, plucked, coifed and nip-tucked to perfection.
And there’s a whole lotta perfection on show at this Cape wine estate. First up we headed for the Anthonij Rupert tasting room. Up the obligatory ancient treed lane we went in search of the historic manor house. Yellowwood floors, exquisite period art, huge fireplaces, fabulous armoires… it’s about as gorgeous as a tasting setting can be. (Covet.) On offer to taste here, is their flagship Anthonij Rupert range as well as their Cape of Good Hope range, an initiative launched by Johann Rupert to list and preserve the oldest Cape vines. Tastings are done in flights with wines with similar properties grouped together and flight prices vary. Olive oil tastings are also available and, if the desire to nibble strikes, you can order a cheese platter. They serve high tea here too, full-on calorific heaven in the simply deeevine sitting room. But we had other plans, so we behaved.
Anthonij Rupert estate: Make a day of it. You won’t be sorry.
Next up we caught a ride on the estate bus charmingly disguised as a San Francisco tram. Up a hill, round a bend, past a dam and handsome horses (covet) and up another treed lane we went. This place is HUGE. Our destination? The Franschhoek Motor Museum, which is on the L’Ormarins part of the estate. Here four enormous barnlike structures house what is undoubtedly the finest vehicle collection on this continent, possibly one of the best in the world. Now I’m no petrol head, but I was utterly fascinated. Maybe even a little bit turned on, especially by the row of red Ferraris. (Covet.) Everybody else seemed pretty fascinated too – except a glum looking twenty-something lass. To be fair, I guess I would have been grumpy too had I been staggering about in 7-inch heels.
Back on the bus we decided it’s time for a nibble, so we headed for the Terra del Capo tasting room and antipasto restaurant at the other end of the estate. Elegant and modern, the focus at this tasting room is on Italian varietals and the Terra del Capo range includes the likes of Pinot Grigio and Sangiovese. You can also taste their pocket-friendly Protea white and red ranges here. We sipped and nibbled. White anchovies (utterly delish); super crispy calamari (more delish); perfect little lamb chops with salsa… They say it’s antipasto, but the portions are very generous and the prices really good in comparison to similar antipasto/tapas offerings at other wine estates. Wine is available by the glass or bottle and you pay cellar prices. Best of all you get lunch and a show, because the restaurant overlooks the bottling plant.
Replete, I hit the adjacent shop and stocked up on honey and olive oil from the estate and a couple of Xmas pressies for my peeps in Pretoria. I briefly contemplated heading back to the Anthonij Rupert tasting room and doing some damage to a cream scone and a cuppa. But my couch beckoned.
With many thanks to the kind team from Anthonij Rupert for inviting and spoiling me.
where
R45 outside Franschhoek
GPS: 33˚52’48.47″S, 19˚01’26.60″E
when
Mon/Tue to Sat/Sun
time
10.00-17.00
contact
021 874 9041
About this article: I only write about places and things I actually really like. Should I receive complimentary meals/tickets/diamonds, this will always be revealed. I’m not in the rubbishing business, so if something is not my cup of tea, I’ll simply not write about it (but I’ll keep the diamonds). Therefore this is not so much a review, as a personal recommendation of places and things I like. Living in Cape Town, I focus mainly on the Western Cape, and I can only cover so many places (there is that troublesome thing of trying to make a living, after all). This is where I need your help. Please share your favourite markets, festivals, restaurants and wine tasting experiences from all over the country with others by using the ‘COMMENTS’ section below.
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