Grape stomping: always a firm favourite during harvest
I am a huge fan of this time of year...Harvest Season! And if you are in the Western Cape there is plenty to keep you busy! Here is an article I found to keep you in the loop...
Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch Wine Festival celebrates harvest
25 January – 3 February
The Stellenbosch American Express® Wine Route will be kicking off
harvest season with the Stellenbosch Wine Festival. The festival will
start with a Blessing of the Harvest and a Harvest Parade on Saturday,
26 January. Enjoy watching the farm workers parade the streets with
their tractors and farm animals. There will also be church services
across town to bless the harvest.
Over 150 wineries will be taking part! Estate restaurants will be
offering wine and food pairing menus, unique tours and tasting
programmes as a part of the festival’s “Wine & Dine” sensation.
Other offerings include the inaugural charity gala, a ten-day promotion
at many of the restaurants, special cultivar evenings and wine farm
tours. Throughout the festival the town will be hosting events, art
exhibitions and musical concerts.
The Wine Expo will take place from the 1st to 3rd February on Die
Braak, the grassy town centre of Stellenbosch, with over 130 wine and
gourmet food producers participating.
For more information on individual farm offerings, visit: www.stellenboschwinefestival.co.za or phone (021) 886-4310.
Eikendal’s Weintaufe Harvest Celebration
3 March
Families enjoy Eikendal’s Weintaufe Harvest Celebration
Laid-back weekend vibes meet family fun on the farm at Eikendal’s
Weintaufe Harvest Celebration. Eikendal is known for its fine Chardonnay
and superb flagship reds and visitors will get to taste the cellar’s
first wine of the 2013 harvest – straight from the barrel, after the
baptism of the new wine. Other attractions include live music, craft
stalls, lucky draws, vineyard tractor rides, fly fishing, barrel
stomping, pony rides and lots of activities for the little ones.
Delicious food and wine will be on sale, so bring your friends,
family and picnic blanket and claim your spot at the water’s edge for
the perfect ending to your weekend.
Tickets cost R60 per person (includes a complimentary glass and
barrel tasting of the 2013 Chardonnay for adults), children under the
age of 12 get in for free. Tickets available on the farm from now or at
the gates on the day. Event starts at 10h00.
For more info phone (021) 855-1422 or email info@eikendal.co.za.
Muratie Harvest Festival
23 February
Muratie celebrates harvest with a family event that includes good
food, fine wine, great company, live music, and lots of fun stomping the
newly harvested grapes, all starting at 11h30. From 14h30 enjoy music,
antics and comedy by The Rites (who offer something for everyone).
There is no entrance fee, plus visitors receive a complimentary glass
of wine on arrival. Wine (by the glass or bottle) and cold drinks will
be on sale as well as food from Muratie’s delicious new summer menu.
Hamburgers and cheese platters will also be available. A vertical wine
tasting for 20x people will be on offer at 12h00 at R50 per head.
For further information or to pre-book any of the above events, contact Thalia Alberts on (021) 865-2330 or info@muratie.co.za.
Durbanville
Feast of the Grape
2 – 3 March
Harvesting the bounty of the vineyards is regarded as one of the most
important moments in the making of good wine. Wineries from the
Durbanville Wine Valley celebrate the harvest season at its annual Feast
of the Grape, which takes place at the Durbanville Race Course over the
weekend of 2nd and 3rd March from 12pm to 5pm
daily. This event marks the end of the grape harvest and the arrival of
autumn with a weekend feast filled with an array of activities and an
abundance of seasonal wines to taste.
This festival offers visitors the complete package. Old school games
will keep young and old entertained throughout the day, and kids can
look forward to a jumping castle, face painting and so much more. Adults
can sip and sample superb wines from the 11 wineries on show. Try your
hand at grape stomping, milking a dairy cow, be amazed at the latest and
greatest on offer at the tractor exhibition or simply browse the stalls
for delectable local produce on offer. Local restaurants will ensure
you’re kept well fed throughout the day.
Tickets cost R100 for adults and R50 for children, which can be booked directly through www.webtickets.co.za.
Your ticket allows you access to the venue, as well as a complimentary
tasting glass and tasting coupons. Additional coupons can be purchased
throughout the day.
For more information visit www.durbanvillewine.co.za or phone 083 310 1228.
Calitzdorp
Hanepoot grape picking at De Krans
13 February – 10 March
Grape picking
De Krans Wine Cellar will once again offer visitors the opportunity
to pick deliciously sweet Hanepoot grapes. This experience can be
enjoyed every day (except Sundays) from 08h00 until 16h00 during the
above mentioned dates. Grapes cost R5.40/kg and visitors are welcome to
bring their own containers. Containers can also be purchased at De
Krans. The Vygieshof Home for the Aged will be offering delicious braaivleis
meals on Wednesdays and Saturdays, between 11h00 and 14h00 (booking is
essential). You will also have the opportunity to sample De Krans’ range
of award-winning wines (such as their Cape Tawny Port and Pink Port).
For bookings and further enquiries contact Helet or Bessie at the farm on (044) 213-3314 or e-mail dekrans@mweb.co.za
Robertson
Hands-On-Harvest in the Robertson Wine Valley
22-24 February
Harvest market at Robertson’s Hands-On-Harvest
The fourth Hands-On-Harvest Festival offers visitors a chance to
partake in: grape picking, bunch sorting, stomping your own grapes,
grape vs. wine tasting, a harvest market, vineyard tractor trips, a wine
blending experience, wine tasting by horse cart‚. and much more. The
group sizes for activities are kept small to ensure that you have the
very best hands-on experience. All activities need to be pre-booked by
20 February. We suggest that you visit Robertson for the weekend and
book as many activities as you can – there are so many exciting things
to do, you don’t want to miss out. Check out the extensive program here.
For bookings and more information you can phone (023) 626 3167 or visit www.handsonharvest.com
Franschhoek
Grande Provence Harvest Festival
23 February
The day, which promises a great deal of fun and laughter, starts at
09h00 with coffee and fresh muffins followed by a tractor ride to the
vineyard for grape picking. At 10h30 arrive back to the cellar for a
short tour, wine tasting and a talk by the winegrower. This is followed
by the fun part – stomping the grapes in the barrels, with a hose down
of your feet afterwards! From 11h15 gather in the garden under the old
oak tree for a scrumptious braai, accompanied by live musical
entertainment.
Cost for the day is R295 per adult & R130 for children under 12.
Included in the price, is one bottle of Angels Tears wine per adult, to
be collected from the event organiser on your departure. The Harvest
Festival is highly recommended as a excellent team building activity,
special rates will be given to groups of 10 guests or more.
For more info or to book contact Nicole on (021) 876- 8600 or reservations@grandeprovence.co.za
ATKV Franschhoek Oesfees
23 March
Celebration time at Franschhoek’s Oesfees
The ATKV Franschhoek Oesfees at Solms-Delta Wine Estate, now in its
sixth year, is one of the highlight events of the winelands. The
festival gives thanks for the end of the wine harvest and celebrates the
real music and culture of the Boland, with rural music, lekker
Kaapsekos and good cheer.
Artists who will be performing include Mango Groove’s Claire
Johnston, Emo Adams, Die Heuwels Fantasties, Radio Kalahari Orkes, Hot
Water, Tribal Echo, Tidal Waves, Hannes Coetzee and Valiant Swart and
Solms-Delta’s very own musicians, the talented performers from the Music
van de Caab project.
Kaapsekos favourites like chicken breyani, venison pie, beef afval curry
and Cape-style braaivleis will be on sale with Solms-Delta wines.A
kiddies area will host carnival games, a circus craft table, face
painting, balloon animals and many more.
Tickets cost R95 for early birds during January, R120 per person if pre-booked at the farm or online from www.ticketbreak.co.za or on Facebook.com/solmsdelta.
Pre-booking is strongly advised to avoid disappointment. A limited
number of tickets will be available at the gate for R140. R20 for
Children under 12 years, which includes access to the kiddie’s area.
Tickets exclude food and beverage coupons, which are available for
purchase at the event.
For more info visit www.solms-delta.co.za, phone (021) 874-3937 or email info@solms-delta.co.za.
Darling
Darling Cellars Crush Day
2 March
Typical of harvest, the best time to be busy is before the heat sets
in. Arrive at 7am for a breakfast of local breads, cheeses and jams.
Take a tractor-ride into the vineyards where you can hand-pick your own
grapes and then onto the fun part: grape stomping. The fun doesn’t stop
here! Get the creative juices flowing in the label design competition.
After all that hard work enjoy a Traditional West Coast Seafood Potjie
or Chicken Sosaties. And don’t forget to taste the existing wines on the
farm.
Tickets: Adults R220 p/p, Teenagers (13 -17) R150 p/p, Children (12 & under) R80 p/p.
Download the booking form from their website , which can then be emailed to tasting@darlingcellars.co.za.
Paarl
Paarl OmmiBerg ‘Round the Rock’ Festival
9 March
Kick off your sandals and hike up your shorts for the unfiltered wine
fest around the Paarl rock in celebration of harvest. Grab a partner
and stomp your way through a half-barrel filled with grapes, taste sweet
juice in various stages of pre-wine fermentation, and chomp your way
through a crisp ciabata filled with soft cheeses and deli-style meats.
Lie in the shade while tapping your foot to the tunes of a live band.
Try your hand at a master class, or sample some gourmet pairings at
Nederburg, the official home of MasterChef SA.
Kids’ attractions will include jumping castles and slip n slides,
face painting and pony rides, with tasty child-friendly treats to eat
from hotdogs to freshly picked grapes.
Pre-paid tickets cost R80 from www.computicket.com,
or R100 at the gate. Included in the price is access to live bands, a
wine tasting glass, part-fermented wine, and Zweibelküchen or onion tart
where available from participating estates. Accompanied minors enter
for free, while special events such as master class tastings should be
booked in advance, and are payable separately.
For more info and a list of participating farms visit www.ommiberg.co.za, email info@paarlwine.co.za
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need
JavaScript enabled to view it or phone Annelize Stroebel on 082 787
4118.
Wellington
Wellington Wine Harvest Festival
16 -17 March (tbc)
Wellington celebrates the bounty of their harvest with the 7th Wine
Harvest Festival. Spend the day or better yet make a wine-filled weekend
of it with family and friends. You can book your accommodation for the
weekend here.
The full programme and list of participating farms has not yet been
confirmed but keep a close eye on the festival’s website for the latest
developments.
Visit www.harvestfestival.co.za, email info@wellington.co.za or phone (021) 864-2479.
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