Divine wine and country living in the Stellenbosch wine region
The Zevenwacht Wine Estate also includes a Country Inn as part of its offering. When I visited the Estate the emphasis was more geared towards the hospitality side. However, such is the high standard of wines grown here and the huge effort put in by the owners and their wine team that the emphasis now leans more towards its wine products. This glorious bolthole is located in the heart of the wine route of the Stellenbosch region of South Africa. Having travelled to South Africa several times my stay at the Zevenwacht still ranks as one of the best trips for many reasons.
Historic Building: The main heritage building, which dates back to 1800, is a fine example of Cape Dutch architecture built by early settlers, particularly in the Cape region in South Africa. The Reception and Restaurant are located in this neat Manor House, which proudly displays the date of its origin on its gable. Most of the food served in the Restaurant and Inn comes from local producers and the owners pride themselves on serving dishes that taste quite simply farm fresh and delightful.
The Inn: There are 13 suites in the Inn. The Inn itself is a long single story building with wonderful panoramic views over the vineyard, and separate to the main historic building. Being a long single story it allows for all the bedrooms to have their own patios. The bedrooms are all individually furnished in a simple country style making them welcoming and comfortable rather than luxurious.
When you have exhausted yourself with a tour of the vineyard there is no better relaxation than the outdoor swimming pool, or a turn in the sauna, both of which are adjacent to the Inn. If you still have energy to spare you can always have a game of tennis on the well maintained tennis court. In addition to the bedrooms in the Inn there are seven self catering cottages plus a chalet so a good selection of various types of accommodation to choose from.
The Wine: The Zevenwacht Wine Estate produces award winning wines under the guidance of their Cellarmaster, Hagen Viljoen. The exquisite Z Collection Syrah comes from the vineyards located on the south-westerly facing slopes comprising of decomposed granite soils.
Their Tin Mine white wine has performed consistently well in the Cape White Blends Report. It has a high percentage of the Chenin grape and the soil in which it grows represents the soul and spirit of the Cape. In olden days this was a tin mining area as well as for growing vines. The Tin Mine wine was a big hit with yours truly who couldn’t resist buying some to be sent to Ireland for a special upcoming family event. The only problem was that the entire 12 bottles didn’t last until the event, as its drinkability was such that it was polished off as soon as it arrived in the front door. It was and still is my best buy wine bargain and the prestigious Decanter magazine agrees with my choice! During my stay at the Zevenwacht I also discovered the joys and benefits of drinking Rooibos tea. One could surmise that the tea counteracts the affects of alcohol and so it really is a healthy option.
There is so much to do and see in South Africa and the people are so welcoming. I have had the pleasure of visiting several other memorable places such as the Shamwari Game Reserve near Port Elizabeth as well as Johananesburg. A visit to the Stellenbosch wine region is a must, even if you are not a wine aficionado. However, I do recommend it for the last leg of a holiday so you are not lugging around bottles of wine if you are touring. I did stock up on some packets of Rooibos tea which was much easier to carry around!
