Janice Tastes The Wine... Day #11... About Time (Page Eleven)
Finally... Wine time! We took the bus from Cape Town into wine country stopping at several wineries and also having lunch along the way! Please enjoy!
First winery was Fairview
Departure point
Islam represent less that 1.5% of the population
Passing through Cape Town streets are like an American small
town except that they drive on the wrong side of the road!
They do like their colors
Familiar hotel chains are everywhere
Did You Know? - The Port of Cape Town is the port of the city of Cape Town, South Africa. It is situated in Table Bay.
Because of its position along one of the world's busiest trade routes it is one of the busiest ports in South Africa, handling the largest amount of fresh fruit and second only to Durban as a container port. The port also has significant repair and maintenance facilities that are used by several large fishing fleets and parts of the West African oil industry. Because of the many tourist attractions offered by Cape Town and its surrounding region, many cruise ships also berth in the port.
Busy 24/7
We got a great view of the port as we whizzed by on the bus
The countryside was loaded with a mix of old and new wine plants
Babies will soon be bearing wine
A busy intersection? No, Construction!
Did You Know? - First and foremost, Fairview is a working farm, housing a collection of micro-businesses all sharing in a common goal – to create artisanal and sustainable produce, with a focus on fine wine and cheese. We’ve been caring custodians of our land since 1693, and invite you to come and visit us and see for yourself how our farm operates, supports the environment and contributes to a more holistic lifestyle. Everything we do is driven by our philosophy of being honest, honouring our heritage and ensuring that ingenuity perpetually flows from our soils and cellars and straight into the heart of your relationship with us. After all, at Fairview, we do things differently.
Magnificent grounds
Just beautiful
Into each life a little artwork must fall!
Excellent reminder!
Beautiful building
Bellies up to the bar
Lots of iron in this little guy
After all, it is a winery and cheese factory!
The staff keeps the grounds spotless!
Nary a weed in sight!
One must have a rose garden!
The building was next to a tree for that needed shade
Yes...It is a real goat
Did You Know? - The tale of the Goat Tower is a special one. In the early 80s, Charles (the owner) set off on a trip to Portugal. Upon one of his producer visits, he spotted the original tower and was completely inspired. A few months later, the now iconic Goat Tower was built. Soon after, Charles’s young son Jason accidentally left the gate open to the paddock, and so the little group happily roamed among the vineyards, showing rare discernment by selecting some of the ripest berries from the vines – their adventures being the inspiration behind our Goats Do Roam range. The rest is history, and it comes as little surprise that we’ve selected cheese makers, smile givers and beloved furry friends as our very own mascot.
To Franschhoek to the art center of wineland
Did You Know? - Franschhoek ([fransˈɦuk]; Afrikaans for "French Corner", Dutch spelling before 1947 Fransche Hoek) is a small town in the Western Cape Province and one of the oldest towns of the Republic of South Africa. It is about 75 kilometres from Cape Town and has a population of slightly over 15,000 people. Since 2000 it has been incorporated into Stellenbosch Municipality.
A little construction but no delay!
Zipping right along!
Hay and other crops also growning the area
The high school was even pretty
City Hall was just so scenic
To the art gallery
Several art galleries around the town and within walking distance
but we just drove by today
Checkout the "animals" in the front yard
The Huguenot Monument in Franschhoek, South Africa, commemorating the cultural contribution of French Huguenots
Did You Know? - This heritage is shown today by the Huguenot Monument which stands at the end of the town. The museum nearby chronicles the history of the first settlers, with each of the original Huguenot farms having its own fascinating story to tell. The Cape Dutch architecture in much of the village is unspoilt, as restrictions have been placed on the extent of renovations and new construction in order to preserve the spirit of the original settlers to the area.
A quick stop for more tasting
Always something to do!
A rainbow of colors
Wine makes everyone happy!
(It's Elaine's birthday)
OMG! A wild animal has dropped by for a bite!
Did You Know? - Clos, from the French for Closure or enclosed, is a walled vineyard used to protect the grapes from theft as well as improving the mesoclimate. Often founded by Cistercian monks. The word is often used in the name of famous wines even when the wall no longer exists.
The vineyards are right up close
Place to rest under the trees
We do wine and food pairings
M-m-m-m-m-m-m good!
What an amazing plate... simply elegant
And for dessert...
Someone is having a birthday!
A walk back to the bus through the local jungles
On the bus and away we go!
Worth the ride to see the countryside
Thank goodness... Only 10 minutes without another wine!
Did You Know? - Neetlingshof Estate is a wine estate in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa. Established in 1692, it is one of the oldest wine estates in the country, founded only six or seven years after the first estate, Constantia. Its current bottling dates back to 1880.
Neethlingshof Wine Estate was founded in 1692 by the German settler Willem Barend Lubbe, on the Bottlery Hills. Lubbe named the estate “De Wolwedans” (‘The Dance of Wolves’), after the many jackals that lived in the hills at that time. Coming from Germany he thought these small creatures were wolves.
The name of the estate, Neetlingshof, comes from a former owner of the estate, and it still survives in the name of the restaurant of the estate, which is called Lord Neethling.
Roses everywhere
Welcome to the gardens
Like a botanical garden
Established 1814
Welcome...
Time for a wine!
Of course... The drinking age is 16 in South Africa, right?
We get the tour!
Old buildings... Very modern equipment
Bring in the taps... We will take care of the rest!
Ah... Time to rest! Oh, and drink!
I am loaded with gifts!
Leaving the Neethlingshof Estate
Goodbye wine land
We are heading to Cape Town but seeing more of the estate
Just a fantastic location
One more turn and we are onto the highway to Cape Town
Zooming right along!
Thirty minutes seeing the sights
The countryside is magnificent
Livestock living well
An interesting place for a nest!
The outskirts of town are bleak at best
Slums have power at least
We are in town in a few more minutes
The fog rolls in off the sea pretty fast!
Blue skies and heavy fog... An interesting mix
On the left hand side is Table Mountain
Polo anyone?
The fog hangs over the part of the city closest to the water
What? More wine?
