Friday, December 16, 2011

So many wines So little time

South Africa has 100s of wineries, most of them are clustered in the Cape Winelands just an hour or so out of Cape Town. We spent a few days there, in a sleepy little town called Franschoek that was settled and cultivated by the French several 100 years ago. Unfortunately we were only able to do wine tastings at 6 different wineries due to the leisurely, though informative, pace of each tasting. Unlike the Okanagan, where you crowd around a bar for a sip of wine, the tastings here are quite a performance, with the server giving the history of the vineyard, the wine and each varietal that goes into the wine, all the while seated in comfy couches or elegant surroundings, perhaps with a platter of cheeses and crackers.
The final outcome was 13 bottles of wine purchased (not including the one consumed that night) plus a bottle of port for Ross. I thought the Mini was already quite full with the four of us and our luggage but Sam's impeccable packing made way for all the wine in the bottom of the boot.
Fortunately the rainy weather we had on our way up to Franschoek is behind us and we're planning a trip up Table Mountain today, now that the 'tablecloth' has lifted.

1 comment:

lynnfield said...

First day - 15 tastings
Second day - 28 tastings plus 2 bottles of wine
Good thing for excellent taste buds and designated drivers!

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