Cape Town - With the summer holidays here, South Africans are streaming to the coast and our friends from the Northern Hemisphere are fleeing their extreme winters to bask in the sun of the Western Cape.
While sun and surf is a definite attraction, visiting the Winelands of the Cape is very popular among tourists and this sector greatly contributes to the overall Tourism turnover of the Western Cape.
The Winelands are about much more than wine though – to quote Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, “The wine industry is actually about tourism” – and most wine estates now offer some kind of added attraction, from award-winning restaurants to hiking-trails, art galleries, shopping, an array of accommodation options and special events.
As the Great Wine Capitals of the World’s South African winner for Best of Wine Tourism two years in a row (2012 and 2013), La Motte Wine Estate’s tourism offering not only offers visitors a choice of activities of an internationally acknowledged standard, but it does so with elegance, style and warm hospitality.
La Motte Wine Tasting Room
With a host of Estate offerings, La Motte’s focus is firmly on wine and guests are welcomed to an elegant wine tasting room with a choice of options – from a formal seated tasting to a more informal option on couches while enjoying an unimpeded view of the working cellar as well as the maturation cellar.A selection of Wine Tasting options is available:
Wine Tasting
Taste 8 award-winning La Motte wines presented by a well-informed wine ambassador. Cost: R30 for the 8 wines which is waivered on any wine purchased.
Vinoteque Wine Tasting
Join us for a guided tasting of a selection of older vintages. Reservations are essential. R200 per person.
Shiraz Comparative Tasting
Join us for a comparative tasting of different Shiraz wines and Shiraz blends. Reservations are essential. Cost: R200 per person.
Food & Wine Tasting
Presented from a private Tasting Room, a well-informed and enthusiastic Wine Ambassador guides guests on a pairing of five La Motte wines with five tastings of Pierneef à La Motte’s cuisine created by Chef Chris Erasmus. And, although the little tasters in the Food and Wine Tastings are beautifully presented as examples of haute cuisine, they represent flavours and tastes we experience every day and will guide guests towards more reliable future food and wine selections. Food and Wine Tastings can be enjoyed from Wednesdays to Fridays at 11:00. Reservations are essential. Cost: R120
Tasting Room Details
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 17:00. Closed on Sundays and Christian Religious holidays.
For reservations and enquiries: T +27 (0)21 876 8820 E [email protected]
Reservations are essential for groups for the Vintage Wine Tasting, Comparative Shiraz Tasting and Food and Wine Tastings.
Pierneef à La Motte restaurant
The elegant Pierneef à La Motte Restaurant offers a food-and-wine experience of note – from informal al fresco lunches to fine dining dinners, a Chef’s Table, an open kitchen to see the chefs at work and wine suggestion from an extensive wine list. Menus change seasonally, with different menus for lunch and dinner, a menu with specialties of the day and options for children. Altogether, a delightful, interactive food and wine experience in a beautiful Cape Winelands garden setting.
Cape Winelands Cuisine
The cuisine offering is traditional Cape Winelands Cuisine with a modern interpretation. The unique food styles and diverse flavours have been inspired by centuries in cooking, spiced by influences from all over the world, forming the precious ingredients of the restaurant’s delectable culinary experience.
Chef’s Table
In an exclusive, intimate area, the Pierneef à La Motte Chef’s Table has been arranged. It offers a fine-dine menu in line with guests’ personal preferences and a harmoniously complementing wine selection.
Winelands Tea
The Winelands Tea is served in the restaurant and on the stoep or in the garden and guests are able to choose from a selection of the finest teas of the world. Following the custom of the old Cape, where the man of the house often served some sweet wine (called a soet sopie), guests will have the option to order a glass of sweet wine or La Motte sparkling wine with their tea, while avid coffee drinkers will be allowed a steaming cup of La Motte’s house blend or even homemade fruit cordial on a hot summer’s day.
The confectionery is inspired by Cape Winelands traditions and guests can expect an enticing offering of delicate trout-filled pancakes, chocolate truffles in traditional flavours such as milk tart, charming macaroons and an assortment of delectable cakes.
The Winelands Tea is served from Tuesdays to Sundays, 9am – 5pm
Cost: R125 per person (Sweet wine and Sparkling wine can be ordered at an additional R20 per glass)
Pierneef à La Motte restaurant details:
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 – 17:00 for Lunch and Winelands Tea, Thursday to Saturday for Dinner, Saturdays and Sundays for Breakfast, Closed on Mondays and Christian religious holidays.
For reservations and enquiries: T +27 (0)21 876 8800 E [email protected]