| We inaugurated our arrival in South Africa in Johannesburg and its famous township Soweto. This introduction to the rainbow nation, said Desmond Tutu, allowed us to see the happy revival the country was going through. In spite of the racial disparities inherited from the xenophobic regime of Apartheid, its capacity and its determination to resuscitate were striking: actions, in particular positive discrimination, were numerous and the resurrection of this people became little by little perceptible. |
| Further to this lesson of history, we dived into the great environment revealed to us by the Kruger national park. On several hundreds of kilometres, it opened us the doors of a protected savannah where animals evolved in total freedom. As self-taught people of the wild world, we felt sensations of a rare intensity when contemplating a huge baobab or when seeing the impressive and august Big Five. Made of the rhinoceros, the buffalo, the hippopotamus, the leopard and the lion, this clan legitimized, more than ever, our profound respect for the wild life. |
| When leaving this nature reserve, we understood why, in Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela qualified as lions the people he admired most. We went through the Cape of Good Hope, famous for its ostriches, its whales and its penguins’ colony to finally reach the exceptional Cape area. Magnificent combination, made of Constantia, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and Hermanus, this place brought elegance to the South of the African continent. |
| To provide the Dutch vessels of the East India Company, the city of Capetown had been founded in 1652 by Jan van Riebeeck, then developed by his fellow countryman Simon van der Stel. This European influence was always there: the architecture of the cellars was inspired by the Dutch school whereas the names of the wineries and of the regional gastronomy came from the influx of French Huguenots fleeing the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. |
| From Table Mountain, colossal relief overhanging the city, we contemplated the topography of the surroundings. Hedelberg and Simonsberg Mountains, Banhoek Valley, False Bay and Table Bay embellished unquestionably the heritage of this majestic vineyard. In the rows of Morgenster, we felt how much the winds of the high plateaus and the maritime breezes brought coolness to the vines and moderated the hot days of the South African summer. Perfectly aerated, clusters took time to mature quietly in excellent sanitary conditions. |
| These happy wines enjoyed at the same time the fruit of the new world and the delicacy of the old one. The minimalist intervention and the wise use of wood were the rule in the cellar: the barrel brought complexity and potential of ageing, without sacrificing the grape. In the Warwick and De Trafford cellar shops, delicious small cuvées were the reflection of their manicured vineyards. Once again, prejudices did not resist the journey: the quality of the cabernet sauvignon, of the chardonnay and of the chenin blanc which we tasted were much better to that of the pinotage drunk in France. |
| This region also distinguished itself by its collective approach to wine tourism. It had found a way to successfully go beyond individualism in order to bring closer the wine growers and the professionals of the tourist industry. The local synergies had been imposed by the lack of international outlets. Until 1994, the political and economical embargo punished the totalitarian regime of Apartheid. Therefore, the real success had been since then to export while intensifying the local actions to capitalize on the domestic market. |
| Wine routes also presented a very relevant range of services. Trendy wine bars, gourmet restaurants, spas and horse riding tours were well spread in the vineyard. The idyllic park and the picnic baskets of Boschendal were made for enjoying very elaborated rural lunches. The consumer reception and the tasting of Klein Constantia, Vergelegen and Jordan, were very well thought to train guest visitors. Every visit was an opportunity to know their customers better, their profile and their consumer habits while developing their turnover with a high profit. |
| Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek: Vergelegen, Buitenverwachting, Flagstone, Ingwe, Delaire, Lanzerac, Le Riche, Neil Ellis, Rudera, Jordan, Overgaauw, Saxenburg, Blaauwklippen, Spier, Beyerskloof, Kaapzicht, Kanu, Morgenster, Kanonkop, Muratie, Neethlingshof, Warwick, Delheim, Cordoba, de Trafford, Ernie Els, Stellenzicht, Villiera, L'Avenir, Simonsig, Zorgvliet, Fairview, Glen Carlou, KWV, Nelson’s Creek, Boschendal, Cabrière, Mont Rochelle, Ernst & Co, Koelenhof, De Toren - Constantia: Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Constantia Uitsig - Hermanus: Bouchard Finlayson, Hamilton Russell. |
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south africa
savannah in the Kruger national parc
Indian summer at Groot Constantia
cabernet sauvignon at De Trafford in Stellenbosch
wine tourism
dutch inspiration
Clock Tower at Waterfront in Cape Town