CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Framed by craggy mountains and lush scenery. Cape Town – the sparkly jewel in South Africa’s crown – is on every cool-hunter’s radar this summer thanks to its hip hangouts, stunning beaches and burgeoning art scene. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Just minutes from the city’s urban buzz sits an outstanding wine region.
Founded in 1971, the spectacular Stellenbosch wine route – hire a car, it’s the best way to explore – is one of those dreamlike vistas you don’t think actually exist. Vineyards carve up the verdant hills, often shrouded in mists, and quaint farmhouses do the landscape, many of which are open for B&B or for a slice of cake and tea. The best bit? The route is clearly signposted and easily navigated, so not even the poorest map reader can get lost.
Fans of red wine, for which the area’s renowned, will especially get a kick out of this region. Spend a day at Vergenoeged Estate (vergenoeged.co.uk), and book ahead for a tasting in the Cape Dutch manor house – known for its award-winning reds.
The avant-garde Stellenbosch Hills is also worth swinging by – especially for its ‘Nuts About Wine Experience’ – an hour’s worth of nibbling ‘haute’ nuts all matched with wines in the contemporary cellar. Get your lips around the Stellenbosch Hills flagship 1707 Reserve, a blend of Shiraz, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot, that’s bursting with berry flavours. And don’t dare leave without stopping off at Stellenbosch itself, 45 minutes outside Cape Town. An old frontier town stacked with Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian houses, its main street jostles with little bistros, art shops and boutiques; it’s like stepping back in time for a delightful two hours.
To see the best of both worlds, base yourself in Cape Town. Cape Heritage, a fashionable and boutique hotel, built in the 1780s, it is still steeped in history for those in search of some soul. It’s also fittingly boasts the oldest fruit-bearing vine in the southern hemisphere. From there, head 10 minutes downtown to take in Camps bay and Cliftonon the Atlantic coast or acquaint yourself with African Penguins on Boulders Beach. Elsewhere, hike up Table Mountain (you can absail down or take the cable car).
RHINE VALLEY, GERMANY
The Rhine Valley Wine region is steep in history and combines two sort after travel experiences River Cruise and the opportunity to taste great wines. For the 120 kilometres between Bingen and Bonn, steep vineyard slopes join castles, glorious residences, the famous Loreley rock and meandering through it is the Rhine River.
The Siebengebirge hills and the Loreley divide the region into two distinct areas in terms of wine classification. The southern section, the Upper Middle Rhine Valley between Koblenz and Bingen, was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2002 for its outstanding, vineyard-sculpted countryside.
For this short break, the boat can be your hotel. A cruise on the Rhine along what is known as the wine route allows you to experience the best of both experiences, a stop in historic Mainz, boasting the largest wine market in Germany; stroll through the town of Rüdesheim, perhaps the most famous of all the Rhine wine towns with crooked houses sloping down from the wooded hillsides and terraced vineyards.
Within the Rhine and Moselle valley are the world famous Riesling (white) wines, known for their wealth of fruity flavours and the Pinot Noir for its velvety. 84 percent of the grapes grown here are Riesling, which dates back to the 14 hundreds.The Assmannshausen vineyards - also called red island are famous for Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) red wines, accounts for the other type of wines grown on about 3000 hectors.
You can enjoy home-grown wines accompanied by Handkäs mit Musik (small cheese marinated in a vinegar and onion sauce) and spundekäs (well-seasoned cream cheese) at some of their seasonal taverns. Otherwise, take it back onboard with you. Also, tours of the vineyards are sometime part of river cruise package, so check before you book.
CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
For the Jackie O of vineyard stays it has to be Epernay in northern Fance – the capital of the Champagne region. Sitting prettily in the midst of the Marne Valley’s rolling hills and acient chateaux, are 20,000 hectors of vinyards that are as prestigious as they are picturesque.
As well as the Route Touristique du Champagne – a driving route which meanders through local working vineyards – there’s a variety of champagne cellar tours in Epernay itself. My advice? Head straight to Avenue du Champagne where, in historic grand maisons, Moet et Chandon, Perrier Jouet, Charbaut, De Venoge and Pol Roger all sit side by side, waiting for you to sample their bubbles.
For the Moet tour (book ahead by emailing visites@ moet.fr), you head along 28km of incredible chalk cellars stacked and packed with ageing bottles dating back to 1743 (when Moet was founded). The Grand Vintage tour is good value, and includes a flute of Grand Vintage 2003 for about £20, dress warm it can be chilly.
Where to stay at the end of a hard day’s tasting? Nine-room boutique hotel Chez Odette in the hamlet of Williers is the perfect antidote to the glitzy high life of Epernay (from about £70pp per night). Its chocolate-coloured walls, fine crisp linens and monochrome bar and restaurant is about as far away from a gite as you can get. However, it still retains that sense of rural France; converted from two old farmhouse joined together, the rooms have kept their character with working fireplaces, exposed beams – and fur bedspreads to boot. Dinner in the lantern-lit bistro – food is made from seasonal produce and changes daily – is also the perfect end to any day.
BAROSSA VALLEY, SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA
The Barossa Valley of Southern Australia is a world famous wine producing region; located just 58km north of Adelaide and covers approximately 13,256 hectores. Marjority of platings are its world renown Shiraz, along with other varieties such as Grenache, Mataro, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling are the produce of about 150 wineries. Barossa is the birthplace of Australia’s best-selling wine, Jacob’s Creek.
Visit Penfolds’ Barossa Valley winery, established in 1911 it is the largest premium red wine barrel hall in the Southern Hemisphere. A visit to the winemaker’s laboratory offers the ‘Make Your Own Blend’ experience and the ‘A Taste of Grange’ tour, which includes a private tutored tasting of Penfolds’ most famous wines. You can also visit the 163-year-old Seppeltsfield and taste its renowned fortifieds. At Rowland Flat at the Jacob’s Creek Visitor Centre, you can sample the world famous wine itself. Here there are daily vineyard tours, enjoy structured tastings, dine in the restaurant or stroll along one of their walking trails.
At Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, you can sample fine wine in the old Brandy Bond store. Grab a spot by the open fire or wander through the beautiful gardens if the weather is warm. Yalumba is the only winery in Australia to have its own cooperage – you can see the coopers at work on weekdays, or view displays on the art of barrel-making on weekends.
What is wine tasting without the food, here Barossa you can get both. For those who want to the DIY approach head over to the Barossa Farmers’ Market held every Saturday in Angaston. Here you find local produce at its best from organic flour, in-season fruits and vegetables, free-range pork to locally-farmed lamb. Get your local cheese from the Barossa Valley Cheese Co. Same place in Angaston.
Or save yourself the hassle and head over to The Louise for luxury accommodation and delicious food, their restaurant Applellation is recommended. They bake their bread, butcher their meat and cure their own small goods and make all stocks and sauces – even carbonate their own rainwater.
SONOMA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
When you think of California, it’s often the dry, dusty highways of countless road movies that spring to mind. But less than an hour’s drive from San Francisco is the luscious Sonoma Valley, where the fertile , red volcanic soils, and explosion of greenery is closer in character to Tuscany. And with more than 250 wineries in a 17-mile radius, Sonoma is the perfect laid-back antidote to its more attention-seeking neighbour, Napa.
At the south end of the valley is the pretty Sonoma Plaza – a slice of sleepy Americana with parade of wineries, cafes and restaurants – The Girl And The Fig, serves Californian staples including flat-iron steak and Alaskan Salmon. Drive west out of town along Route 12 and you’re slap bang in the hear of Sonoma wine country. Well signposted along the main road are some of the valley’s biggest names: the Benziger Family Winery, Kenwood Vineyards and Ledson – housed in a mansion straight out of The Addams Family and featuring 800 vintages, this is the place for an introduction to the region’s wines.
But it when you get off the main track and on the bumpy back roads that it feels like you’ve been transported tot he dappled greenery of the Italian countryside. Here you find the Petroni vineyard – a plush tiled villa complete with pool and cherub statues. It’s surrounded by vine-covered slopes which produce its quaffable 2009 Sangiovese and more weighty and complex 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. Further up the valley is the gritty but perfectly formed Loxton Cellars, which created the berry-filled 2006 Cabernet Shiraz.
After a day of tasting, take refuge at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn with its pink stone haciendas, linen-covered four-poster beds and balconies basking in the setting sun. There is a spa on site should you need some extra pampering.
LOMBARDY, ITALY
Nothing complements good wine like good food, and at L’Albereta – nestled in its own vineyards in the wine-growing region of Franciacorta in the hills of Lombardy – you get both. Home to the famous Ristorante Gualtiero Marchesi (the first chef in Italy to be awarded three Michelin stars), we recommend the Andy Warhol-inspired ‘serial’ pasta then take a free tour of the Bellavista winery, the largest producer of franciacorta sparkling wine. Nicknamed the champagne of Italy, franciacorta is more complex than prosecco.
After an afternoon’s sipping, retreat to your airy room in this stylish – originally 19th century hotel, where balconies look out over the vines and the air is filled with the scent of magnolias, pines and limes. The hotel is also close to Lake Iseo, one of the most charming of the Italian lakes, which is dotted with houses and medieval monasteries.
For some mind-blowing reds, Valtellina is worth a trip. Grapes are grown on steep hillsides and while Nino Negri is one of the major cellars, artisan growers – many based in converted monasteries, are there to be stumbled across.