Cape Town - Brandy is not my tipple, but as the Western Cape’s R62 Brandy Route, launched in 1997 by the South African Brandy Foundation, traverses through some of our country’s most beautiful areas, I set to, with a will.
Armed with the foundation’s pamphlet, I learnt that the history of brandy is almost as old as the first Dutch settlement in the Cape, and its name is derived from the Dutch word brandewijn (literally burnt or distilled wine).
Many of the estates offer tours, some are by appointment only; some have audio visual presentations; some offer delectables to eat; all promise some joie de vivre.
My first stop was in Grabouw, where the Oude Molen Distillery (021 859 2517; e-mail [email protected]) is a tribute to René Santhagen, the man commonly referred to as the Father of South African Brandy.
At Louiesenhof, Stellenbosch (021 865 2632; e-mail [email protected]) visitors learn that their Marbonne Potstill brandy is a blend of Limousin barrel-aged brandies, distilled in an antique kettle built in 1930 in Stuttgart, Germany.
The beautiful Helshoogte Pass, outside of Stellenbosch, is home to Tokara (021 808 5900; e-mail [email protected]). Apparently their 5-year-old Potstill Brandy is produced according to a traditional method in a Prulho alembic still and matured in French oak vats.
Uitkyk (021 884 4416; e-mail [email protected]) on the R44 between Stellenbosch and Paarl, on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain, has one of the most stunning settings in the Cape. A picnic on their lawns sets the tone, with or without the brandy. (Picnic bookings are essential).
Fancy a gourmet lunch in a restaurant? Haute Cabriere (021 876 8500; e-mail [email protected]) at Franschhoek beckons. Or perhaps you might be looking for an estate which offers an opportunity to watch on-site co-operage. Head for Van Ryn’s Brandy Distillery (021 881 3875; web: www.vanryn.co.za) where skilled craftsmen ply their trade on the beautifully preserved chateau-like complex on the banks of the Eerste River.
At Laborie Estate (021 807 3390; e-mail [email protected]), beneath the majestic Paarl Rock, the history of winemaking stretches back to 1691, when the farm was granted to Jean Taillefert, a French Huguenot.
Nederburg (021 862 3104; e-mail [email protected]) is one of the most decorated names in wine, but gourmet brandy is also part of their stable. Founder Philippus Wolvaart first began distilling brandy in the early 1800s. They also offer tastings pairing wines (or brandy) with cheeses, gourmet sandwiches and the like.
In Ladismith, the Towerkop mountain overlooks Ladismith Cellar (028 551 1456; e-mail [email protected]), while Boplaas in Calitzdorp (044 213 3326; e-mail [email protected]) was apparently the first estate to release an estate brandy after the change in legislation in 1994 allowed this style of brandy.
Mons Ruber (044 251 6550; e-mail [email protected]) near De Rust has a plumed background. When world prices in ostrich feathers plummeted in 1913, farmers in this area survived by distilling and selling witblits; which sparked the Little Karoo’s unique distillation culture.
Back in 1926 the Kanga Co-operative Tobacco Company was founded in Oudtshoorn. Then in 1975, they established a wine cellar. The Oudtshoorn Cellar (044 272 8660; e-mail [email protected]) is one of the few producers of buchu and ginger brandy.
Grundheim (044 272 6927; e-mail [email protected]), outside Oudtshoorn, is located among the Sandkoppies. Six generations of the Grundling family have farmed the land… and produced wines and brandies.
l The South African Brandy Foundation in Stellenbosch can be contacted on 021 882 8954; e-mail: [email protected]; web: www.brandyroutes.co.za.
Sunday Tribune