Cape Town - One of the oldest farms in South Africa, Boschendal was founded in 1685. It’s probably best known for its wines, but it’s much more than that.
In addition to vineyards, there are hectares of fruit orchards and herds of Black Angus cattle. You’ll get to see them if you take a guided vineyard tour or are mountain-biking one of the trails now open to day visitors. If you’re not squeamish you can eat them later at The Werf restaurant or take a bit of them home in the form of some of the best biltong I’ve had. Obviously it won’t be the exact same beef you saw on the hoof, but it is good to know the provenance of your food.
Besides these tours and the mountain biking, you can spend the night in a cottage on the farm – there are several options and price brackets ranging from the historical Herbert Baker-designed Rhodes Cottage to beautifully restored farm labourer cottages.
If you are on the property, an early morning horse outride is a great way to begin the day before it gets too hot. There are ponies for the little ones and the less energetic can take in the scenery in a two-person cart drawn by a Percheron draft horse.
A summer special of a carriage ride and wine tasting is something the romantics out there might want to keep in mind for Valentine’s Day or any other day. The horse rides are of course available for day visitors as well; I’m just not about getting up that early.
Instead of trotting around the vineyards in the blazing sun, I took the 11.30am farm tour in an airconditioned vehicle. This takes you all the way to the top of the adjoining farm property where you can survey the valley below as well as get a good idea just how big Boschendal is.
After that there was a quick cellar tour; these will no doubt be more exciting now and in the coming months during harvest, when there is lots of activity.
After that, a little wine tasting under a giant oak tree was in order. This was casual and relaxed and I got to sample some newer wines as well as classics like the blanc de noir – the first of its kind in this country if I am not mistaken and certainly one which began my experience with wine. I remember it being quite remarkable at the time, and it’s still lovely and friendly.
On this side of the estate you can also have a picnic, but there is another area farther away where there are hammocks and big poofy cushions where you can enjoy a basket of goodies under the trees.
It’s not unheard of – and perfectly acceptable – to make this a day-long affair and to factor in naps or maybe some light reading.
Near here you will find the manor house, gardens and the farm shop and deli where light meals are served. There is a bakery and a butchery (no candlestick maker as far as I know), which is where you’ll find that fabulous moist, fatty biltong.
And then there is The Werf restaurant. There was a lot of revamping and revitalising at Boschendal last year and this is one of the results. At the helm in the kitchen is chef Christiaan Campbell, who was formerly at Delaire. There his food was quite spectacular and he has brought all his skill and creativity with him, but with a slightly more relaxed and casual presentation style. Right outside the restaurant is a herb and vegetable garden which dictates the daily menu. “It’s the garden on the plate,” Campbell told me. “The garden is the boss.”
Begin with a gin or Champagne cocktail before exploring the menu. Yes, I had the Angus beef with vegetables from the garden in front of me and triple-roasted potatoes that made me weep with joy. The melktert creme brulee with vanilla roasted nectarines and caramelised white chocolate was sublime. If this place isn’t in this year’s Eat Out top 10 nominations I’ll be surprised.
* For more information on these and more activities, go to www.boschendal.com or call 021 870 4200/4274. Boschendal’s main entrance is in Pniel Road (the R310 to Stellenbosch over the Helshoogte pass), Franschhoek, just off the R45.
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