Stellenbosch

Chris making a good chip shot
Ernie Els Winery, Stellenbosch, ZA
February 13, 2025

Happy Valentine's Day 

Yesterday was devoted to visiting three world class wineries in the Stellenbosch region of South Africa. The area was a short one-hour drive from our lodging and we hired an experienced driver and vehicle to get us efficiently and safely to and from the region. 

It was another beautiful day and the ride to Stellenbosch was enjoyable. We were able to see multiple sides of South Africa including an extremely large shanty town and their version of Hollywood. The wineries we visited were at the foot of a large mountain and all three confessed that the hot weather means that they grow and bottle mostly red wines. Collectively, the three wineries only sported five white wines, with the remainder being very exciting reds. 

The first winery visited was Ernie Els. We were able to try our hand at a chip shot and visit a magnificent trophy room in addition to enjoying 9 wines. 

Vehicle for the Vineyard Safari
Waterford Estates, Stellenbosch, ZA
February 14, 2025

The next winery was Waterford Estates where they offer a vineyard safari ride. We did not take the safari, but chose to enjoy another setting of 9 wines. Included in our tasting were three vertical tastings where we compared current releases to either 2014 or 2015 wines.

Tokara Wine Estate
Stellenbosch, ZA
February 13, 2025

We enjoyed lunch at Tokara Wine Estate and sat in an amazing glass enclosed porch overlooking the vineyards. The winery facility sits at the base of a hill and has stunning views of the valley and adjacent vineyards. We did not do a tasting, but enjoyed a nicely plated lunch.

I, of course, enjoyed a nice glass of wine at lunch. 

Our final vineyard was a short drive away from our lunch stop. 

We arrived at Oldenburg Vineyards to enjoy another excellent tasting. Even though it was late in the day, we were able to discern the layers, flavors, and aromatics of the wines. 

We had an exciting day returning to our lodging about 6:30 PM. 

-- Bob Doan, Cape Town, South Africa