Hey guys this week we're in Stellenbosch, South Africa!
Yes, so we're in the heart of the Cape Winelands and that can only mean one thing.
We're going to be drinking lots and lots of wine.
Let's get started.
On our very first trip to South Africa we spent one day in Stellenbosch where we did
a wine tour and hit up a total of 5 wineries.
It was an action packed day but we knew we had only seen a fraction of what this place
has to offer and we were itching to return!
Fast forward two years, and we found ourselves with an invitation to come and experience
Stellenbosch, this time with a week to spare.
Naturally we said yes!
This being the winelands meant that our itinerary was wine heavy, but we also got to sample
the food, visit the markets, check out the nightlife and get close to nature.
The following is our travel guide to Stellenbosch, pour yourself a glass of wine, sit back, and
join us on this ride!
We kicked off our first evening in Stellenbosch with a dinner at Delheim.
The sun had already gone down so we didn’t get to tour the vineyard, but we did get to
sample their wines together with a delicious Cape Malay dinner.
However, the cherry on top was the cupcake and wine pairing we did for dessert.
Delheim, is the only winery to offer this pairing, and it was an unexpected treat - a
must for anyone with a sweet tooth!
Speaking of having a sweet tooth, another wine tasting we really enjoyed was at Avontuur,
where they paired wine with fudge!
Alright, this morning we're at Avontuur Estate and we're going to be doing a self-guided
walking tour of the vineyards and then we're going to go back and have some wine.
Our tour of the vineyard mostly consisted of us trying to befriend their beautiful horses,
and then it was time to drink some wine!
So right now we're going to do a wine and fudge pairing.
This is going to be delicious.
I can already tell.
And the portions of fudge are beyond generous.
Check this out.
So here we have dark chocolate fudge, mint chocolate fudge, cocoa and caramel fudge,
fig and walnut nougat and cranberry and macadamia nougat.
So many choices and so much wine.
The saddest part of the day was when the tasting ended and I accidentally left behind my whole
box of fudge.
A true tragedy for this foodie over here!
So poor Sam over here has been having such a good time that he lost his voice.
I lost my voice.
Womp womp.
Seriously, this is me speaking as loud as I can.
Alright, so using hand gestures can you tell us how was the wine and fudge combo?
Haha.
Excellent.
Double thumbs up.
Later that afternoon we went to the Blaauwklippen Family Market which takes place on Sundays
at the Blaauwklippen Vineyards.
This is a family favourite that features games, rides, antique and souvenir stands, but we
were here for the food.
Audrey decided to stop at Mr. Spitbraai and she was surprised with one of the largest
plates of lamb she’s ever had.
It is nice and tender.
It won't get better than that.
And it has got a little bit of fat on it also.
So for lunch today we're at the Blaauwlklippen Market and we just ordered ourselves some
lamb neck and the portion is massive.
Like this is enough to feed a whole family and it comes with a side of potatoes.
It looks delicious and I'm going to show you that now.
Alright, so I'm going to try this.
Let's just dig right in.
It looks like we have a lot of meat and some fat as well.
Making it nice and juicy.
Oh, look at that.
Mmmm.
That is really good.
It is like salty and crispy on the exterior and then just super juicy and tender.
Like this has been cooking for a while in its own fat.
It is so good.
Wow.
Let's grab some potato too.
Mmmm.
And this is what Sam is having.
He still does not have his voice back but look at that Schnitzel in a bun.
Massive.
Let's see.
Mmmm.
That is the look of a happy boy.
That evening we visited Middlevlei Wine Estate, which is a vineyard that we had been to before
on our first visit to Stellenbosch.
This time around we had a delicious braai (which is Afrikaans for BBQ), but not before
taking part in a team wine-blending competition to try and create the best blend.
Well good evening.
I don't know if you can hear in the background but things are getting pretty rowdy.
This evening we're at Middlevlei and we are having a wine blending session.
We are playing around with Pinotage, Shiraz and Merlot and we're going to see what we
can create together.
Hopefully my team wins.
So let's head back to the table.
So this is our blend.
We are calling it the Blind Blender because our teammate created the wine but he didn't
even taste it.
So this is just pure science.
25% Shiraz, 75% Merlot and a little bit of sugar.
Haha!
I said I was going to laugh.
This is team C. Haha!
The Blind Blender.
That is us.
And all this commotion because the Blind Blender won.
Of course he hasn't actually tasted the wine.
And this dog found the best spot for a nap.
Hello pup.
Waking up the following morning may have been a bit of a struggle for our group, but we
had a fun activity waiting for us: a segway tour through the vineyard!
We've been staying at Spier for the past few days and that is a really large vineyard and
there is a lot of ground to cover so today we are going to be riding Segways around the
property.
Yeah, and it is our first time ever to try this.
Mmmhmm.
So it should be adventurous.
We all looked a bit shaky and apprehensive when we were first getting on the segways,
but 5 minutes into we were all acting like cowboys on wheels!
Our first stop.
Our first impressions.
I survived.
I was a little bit wobbly starting out but you know you get the hang of it after a while.
We're only going 10 kilometers an hour so it is not so bad.
And yeah, we're at our first stop and I've had a fly land on the glasses.
Spier is one of South Africa’s oldest wine farms and it’s still family run, so it was
cool hearing a bit of the history, while cruising on these futuristic contraptions.
I can say with certainty that we all got hooked on segway riding that day.
Well, well we are back where it all began.
How was it?
Well, let's start off.
We survived it.
Yes.
It is all about balance.
Lean forward to go forward, stand up straight to stop, lean backwards to go backwards.
So once you get your balance then you're set.
And then you kind of keep a loose grip on the handle and you know what?
None of us wiped out.
So voila!
Voila.
Lunch that day was at the Hoghouse BBQ and Bakery which is located on the Spier Wine
Farm.
We started out with craft ales followed by meat platters with beef brisket, spare ribs,
lamb shoulder, pork belly and an assortment of other cuts.
This was paired with a mix of sides and salads that left us feeling stuffed beyond belief,
but then dessert came around and we somehow found a way to tuck into the pastries.
In between all the feasting and vineyard hopping, we also found a bit of time to explore Stellenbosch
itself.
Stellenbosch is a charming town located in the Western Cape, and it’s the second oldest
European settlement in the province after Cape Town.
The streets are lined with oak trees, the buildings are all painted white, and you have
a cool mix of Early Cape, Cape Dutch, and Victorian architecture.
Another fun activity we took part in was a wine safari, where we toured Jordan Wines
in an open safari-style Land Rover.
The views were pretty spectacular!
So this morning we are going on a wine safari and when I first heard the words wine safari
I was like oh wow.
They are letting us go animal watching and we're going to be drinking wine at the same
time.
This could be a dangerous combination.
But no, a wine safari is just basically a drive through the vineyards.
So we're going to be making stops along the way and looking at the vines and drinking
some wine so no animals on the itinerary but plenty of wine and it should be lots
of fun.
Our wine safari was followed by an al fresco lunch at the same vineyard.
Here we enjoyed a spread of breads, dips, cheeses, olives and deli meats.
With you guessed it more wine.
That afternoon we travelled to Kayamandi, which translates to “sweet or pleasant home”
in Xhosa.
Kayamandi is a township in the suburbs of Stellenbosch and we visited with local guide
Thembi as part of the Stellenbosch 360 initiative, which aims to show visitors a 360 degree view
of Stellenbosch beyond wine tourism.
Thembi was the perfect person to show us around.
For starters she had us laughing at her jokes the whole afternoon.
Because she’s a Kayamandi local, she was able to share an insider’s perspective of
township life.
So we just finished touring Kayamandi, which is one of the townships here in Stellenbosch,
and we went around with a local guide whose family has been here for 3 generations.
And now we are doing a dine with a local experience so we've been invited into someone's home
and we're going to go have dinner.
It is already set up on the table and it looks so good.
For dinner we had chakalaka, a spicy vegetable relish dish; pab, which is made from ground
maize and reminded us of polenta; and a few other tasty pumpkin and spinach dishes.
(Traditional Music)
After that action packed day we returned back to town for some music and drinks at Rebellion
Courtyard Cafe.
(Singing along to live music)
Dadada duh dah.
You guys at the back.
Well after days of feasting on braai and drinking copious amounts of wine I have to say I'm
really glad we're going for a hike this morning.
This morning we're visiting Jonkershoek Park and yeah we're just going to be going for
a walk out in the forest.
So this is a very welcome trip.
Jonkershoek Nature Reserve is located just under 10 kilometres from Stellenbosch, so
it’s a very easy outing if you’re looking for a taste of nature.
The Jonkershoek mountains are home to Leopards, Caracals, Honey Badgers and Baboons, but it’s
probably a good thing we didn’t encounter them up close.
So the hike so far has been going great.
I mean nice weather, really awesome scenery.
Like I'm enjoying all of these mountain views and then kind of popping in and out of the
forest.
There is some barren landscapes as well.
And now apparently I think we're going to go visit a lake so let's go check that out.
And while Sam was off hiking, I did a biking tour of Stellenbosch with the Adventure Shop,
where I learned a bit more about the town’s history.
The tour ended at Lanzerac Wine Estate where we met the group once again.
Here we had a light lunch featuring a spread of cheeses, deli meats, fresh fruits, and
wine!
We were all pretty famished after a morning of exercise so we devoured everything on the
table.
That afternoon we went on a vinegar tasting, because it turns out there’s more to Stellenbosch
than wine!
We visited Rozendal Farm which has a unique history.
They used to be a winery but then one year the owner Kurt Amman discovered that his 1988
vintage was flawed - it contained way too much acidity!
Rather than throwing out the wine, he decided to experiment with vinegar making and a new
business was born.
So this afternoon we are at Rozendal and we're going to be doing a vinegar tasting.
I've only done this once before so we're going to get a quick tour of the place and then
let the tasting begin.
It is time for the vinegar tasting to begin.
This is exciting because that last time we tried this I think we were in Italy.
Yeah, in Moldina.
Yeah, that is right.
And I can't say I'm a huge vinegar fan by itself but with a good vinegar like a balsamic
vinegar or something like that it tastes really nice.
And this is fancy vinegar.
This isn't what you'd find in the supermarket.
What do you think?
Wow.
That is really nice.
It is sour but it also is balanced out by a richness and a sweetness.
Yeah.
And so it is very palateable.
It goes down smoothly and I absolutely love it.
I could drink this straight from the bottle to be honest.
Forget the salad.
Yeah.
Have you made a new friend Audrey?
We have made a new friend.
I believe this is Jasper.
Jasper.
Based on the name tag.
You are a beautiful boy Jasper.
Hi!
You are a beautiful boy.
Second friend.
Second friend of the day.
Hi pup.
Aww.
Hallo.
I'm napping in the sun.
And then there was more wine, this time at the Delaire Graff Estate.
This is one of the most luxurious wineries we visited during our week in Stellenbosch
and it is quite unique in the sense that it combined wine with art.
They have beautiful works by some of South Africa’s leading artists, and our meals
were culinary works of art themselves.
It may only be eleven in the morning but I'm at Van Ryn's right now and it is time for
a brandy tasting and tour.
Liver I hope you've woken up.
Van Ryn’s is the only brandy distillery in Stellenbosch and it is considered to be
a world class brandy.
They’ve won the title of Worldwide Best Brandy five times, and the International Spirits
Competition trophy for Best Brandy three times.
So we've done the tour so now it is time for the tasting and the coolest thing I learned
today is that you absolutely should not be swirling the brandy.
You warm it up with the bottom of your hand.
I guess it was like what 20 to 30 seconds?
Is that right?
Yeah, about 10 to 15 seconds.
So I've actually been holding mine for a long time.
So time to taste it.
Oh, that is really good.
It goes down really smooth so that is how I know it is a really good quality brandy.
We have just arrived at Tokara and this is another vineyard.
They obviously produce wine because this is Stellenbosch but they also have a beautiful
olive grove so we're going to be doing an olive oil tasting while we are here.
Here we sampled 5 different types of extra virgin olive oil and then we walked over to
their deli where we had a really nice brunch overlooking the vineyard.
Cake for breakfast totally happened!
So we've experienced the wines here in Stellenbosch.
Now it is time to experience the scenery in style.
We are going to be riding sidecars.
Check out the outfit.
For our last outing in Stellenbosch we joined a sidecar tour with Cape Sidecar Adventures.
They do tours all over Cape Town, the Winelands, and the Cape Peninsula.
We geared up in retro leather jackets, bandanas, helmets and goggles, and then it was time
to hit the road!
I ditched Sam on this one to ride with Brody, the coolest pup around!
He sat behind me on the sidecar, rested his chin on my shoulder, and was unbelievably
cute the whole time.
It was puppy heaven.
Well, well how was it?
That was awesome.
It was really cool because I got to experience riding on the back here but also on the sidecar
as well.
So and I got to ride with the dog.
Yeah, you did.
Which was awesome.
And the dog looked really well behaved.
It looked like it was having the best time of its life.
I know.
It was cuddling.
I want to be a sidecar riding dog in my next life.
Lastly for our final meal in Stellenbosch, we all gathered together for lunch at a rather
unique restaurant: The Bus Stop!
Located at Stellenbosch Vineyards.
So as you probably know by now I'm all about eating at restaurants with fun themes.
And today we're eating at a place called The Bus Stop!
Hence, the bus.
So the bus is actually like the bar.
They have some beers on tap here and the theme inside you're going to see it in a few minutes
it is all like bus signs and the chairs are bus seats.
So it is pretty cool.
Let's go order some food.
So the food is here.
I ordered a strawberry milkshake and as you can tell there is not much left.
Because it is almost gone and I haven't even started lunch.
It was really good.
It is like an old-fashioned style milkshake right?
Mmmm.
You've got to love that.
It is so so good.
I'm almost thinking of getting a second for dessert.
You know what?
The last time we had a milkshake I think was Shake Shack in the US.
So it has been a while.
It has been a little while.
Anyways, we've been having a lot of meat so I went for a salad.
And this one is called the Birdie Bird and it has chicken, avocado and crispy onion rings.
Oh la lah.
So yeah, this is kind of nice to have some vegetables on my plate after eating lots of
steak.
Yeah, we've been eating a lot of amazing braai and different deli cut meats and like a wonderful
spread of cheeses and wines.
But yeah, you're right it is nice to have a bit of salad but with that being said I'm
getting pizza so there you go.
So Sam's pizza has arrived.
What is it called?
It is called Meh Pizza.
Take a look down here.
And it has lamb and look at this copious amounts of goat cheese just sprinkled all over.
It looks amazing.
It looks it is wood fire oven cooked pizza.
Nice and thin.
So let's have the first slice.
Ah.
How is that?
Howzit?
How is the pizza?
Wow.
I love that.
Goat cheese.
Mmmm.
Mehhh.
Lamb is a really interesting ingredient.
I've never had that on a pizza before so it is really good.
So Sam this is a bit of a mystery to me.
How do you have enough space for dessert?
I technically don't but I'm just a pure pig so I'm going in.
A pure pig.
This is the other specialty of this place.
They make waffles.
And I'm having the one with rum and raisin ice cream.
It has sliced banana and caramel sauce put all over it.
So let's get a bite of that and see how it is.
You better find some cutlery Becki?
And we have a friend to share with Becki.
There you go.
If I can find some cutlery.
Yeah, that is worth getting.
Alright, dig in.
And Becki has joined us.
So Becki this one is rum and raisin ice cream, banana slices and caramel drizzled over top.
Oh my goodness.
Doesn't that just sound like amazing.
Just have a bite.
It is really good.
You're going to like this.
Mmmm.
Yeah, that hit the spot.
I'm full from lunch but I've got room for this.
This is good.
There is always room for this.
Oh yeah, there is always room for this.
And just like that our week in Stellenbosch was over!
I think it’s fair to say that we left a few pounds heavier, but with a newfound appreciation
for South African wine and a taste of what the winelands have to offer.
As always, we hope you enjoyed this travel guide and that it gave you a few ideas of
things to do in Stellenbosch.
If you have any other suggestions of cool things to see, eat, or experience, feel free
to share those with travellers in the comments below.
In the meantime we wish you happy travels and we’ll see you in Cape Town on our next
video!