To say I’ve been working like a dog lately is putting it mildly. Up and at it as early as 4am some mornings, still slogging away as late as 9pm some nights. Yup, working like a dog.
I’m not sure where this expression comes from. Maybe those overactive English sheepdogs. Maybe huskies pulling sleds in sub-zero temperatures and seemingly enjoying it. Crazy animals. What I do know is that there has never been any danger of someone saying ‘work like a cat’. The only thing mine have ever worked at is sleeping. That and possibly being cute when the Hill’s Science Diet sachet comes out the fridge.
So, after weeks of going at it like a dog, I did something unthinkable last Sunday. I took a day off (gasp) and hit the N1 north out of Cape Town for a picnic on a wine estate. Now picnics on wine estates are a dime a dozen in these parts. But there are some true shockers out there. Stupendous views of the Simonsberg mountains are no good when what’s in the basket is one step down from, well, dog food.
Of all the winelands picnic spreads I have tried, Hartenberg’s is up there and, more importantly, they’re consistent. In my book that’s important.
Nestled on the slopes of the Bottelary Hills outside Stellenbosch, Hartenberg has been around for a couple of centuries. Well, 322 years – if being exact turns you on. A quality wine producer, they consistently win awards for their reds and whites, including one of my favourite varietals, Riesling.
Hartenberg picnic: Play, sleep, read and eat, eat, eat. Perfect.
As a seriously laid-back experience, the Hartenberg picnic just gets it right. Tables are laid out in the garden under giant oak trees and they’re far enough apart so that folks with personal space issues (like me) feel comfortable. Better yet, each table has a coir carpet and giant pillows for lazing about. Games like croquet and boules are set up for anyone who cares to be energetic, and the lawns are expansive enough for kids to run around without bothering anybody.
A basket costs R175 per person if you book for two and includes a bottle of Hartenberg wine. That’s not the cheapest picnic around, but it’s excellent value for money given what you get. Smoked snoek paté; bocconcini, tomato and basil salad; potato and green bean salad; caramelised onion and goat’s cheese tarts; a variety of simply divine cured meats; a selection of cheese; a country terrine; breads and, to top it all, pudding. I couldn’t finish it – and I am not known for my small appetite. Delish.
It’s the perfect picnic venue for families (a kids’ picnic aimed at pleasing a younger palate is available at R65), for couples wanting to stare at the mountains and each other, and for mates who just want to hang.
Book ahead of time and (insider tip) pitch up at noon (to make sure you get first dibs on the table with the best view/shade/ privacy/whatever-tickles-your-fancy). Do make Hartenberg one of your picnic stops this summer. It gets my been-there-more-than-five-times star rating.
where
Hartenberg wine estate,
Bottelary Rd, Stellenbosch
when
7 days a week
time
picnics from noon
contact
021 865 2541
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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