Some friends and I headed out of town recently to explore the Elgin Wine Valley. In a way, we forget about these other regions just an hour out of town – always opting for the Franschoek and Stellenbosch areas because we know them well. It's nice to do something different for a change.
So we headed out to Grabouw, which is the 'landmark' town in the Elgin Valley. It's a good idea to phone in advance and check out some of the wineries online before just heading out, as many of them are boutique and not open every weekend for tasting.
Our first stop on the list was a small, boutique winery called Elgin Ridge. I phoned Brian, the owner, to let him know we'll be coming through. When we eventually found it, it was just the four of us and him. He talked us through the history of the wine estate, the organic methods of farming – the fact that the land has never had a single pesticide sprayed on it – and other quirky tales of wild animals still living in the neighboring hills.
The tasting room is a small area above the cellar, overlooking the tanks in one direction and views of the land in the other. It was such a lovely experience because of the personal, one-on-one conversation and the private, intimate tasting experience. We tried the 282 Sauvignon Blanc and a couple different vintages of the Chardonnay. Brian is in the process of making bubbly, so we'll keep our eyes out for that.
Don't hesitate to pop in for a visit:
Take the Viljoenshoop turn off, off the N2, then take Appeltiser road and follow the directions from the signs... Visit the website for more info: http://www.elginridgewine.co.za/index.php?dirname=docs_001home
Brian Smith
072 705 8469
brian@elginridge.com
Elgin Ridge's wines can be found at the following establishments in Cape Town:
Aubergine, Cape Town www.aubergine.co.za
Fork Restaurant, Long Street, Cape Town www.Fork-restaurants.co.za
Knife Restaurant, Crystal Towers Hotel at Canal Walk www.Knife-restaurants.co.za
La Boheme, Main Road, Seapoint, Cape Town www.labohemebistro.co.za
The Test Kitchen, Cape Town www.thetestkitchen.co.za
Savoy Cabbage, Cape Town www.savoycabbage.co.za
Taj Hotel, Wale Street, Cape Town www.tajcapetown.co.za
Sotano, Cape Town, Mouille Point
Fork Restaurant, Long Street, Cape Town www.Fork-restaurants.co.za
Knife Restaurant, Crystal Towers Hotel at Canal Walk www.Knife-restaurants.co.za
La Boheme, Main Road, Seapoint, Cape Town www.labohemebistro.co.za
The Test Kitchen, Cape Town www.thetestkitchen.co.za
Savoy Cabbage, Cape Town www.savoycabbage.co.za
Taj Hotel, Wale Street, Cape Town www.tajcapetown.co.za
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