Stellenbosch offers scenic landscapes, great architecture, fine dining and a wine culture steeped in history. Demola Ojo was at the heart of the Cape Winelands, South Africa’s premium wine region…
South Africa’s position as one of the leading tourist destinations in Africa is a result of the myriad of experiences on offer for the intending traveler. In 2013, the country at the southernmost tip of the African continent recorded 9.6 million tourists, second only to Morocco according to the UNWTO. Apart from being blessed with natural beauty, diverse plant and animal life, and a rich culture, South Africa has gone to great lengths to host events that have helped project the country to the world. A series of sporting events (the 2010 FIFA World Cup comes to mind) as well as entertainment festivals like the annual Cape Town jazz festival have attracted tourists who in the process discover new ways of experiencing the “Rainbow Nation”.
One way of experiencing South Africa is through enotourism or wine tourism. This refers to tourism whose purpose is or includes the tasting, consumption or purchase of wine, often at or near the source. This consists of visits to wineries, tasting wines, vineyard walks, or even taking an active part in the harvest. Visitors typically learn the history of the winery, see how the wine is made, and then taste the wines. At some wineries, staying in a small guest house at the winery is also offered. Along with other renowned wine producing countries like France, Spain and Italy, South Africa is one of the top 10 wine producing countries in the world, with the highest production figures for Africa.
By most accounts, winemaking in South Africa is traced to Simon van der Stel, Commander of the Dutch Colony at the Cape of Good Hope. In the late 1600s van der Stel planted his first vines and named the site Constantia after his benefactor’s daughter. More than 300 years later, there are 21 wine routes running through provinces of the Western Cape, Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. There are more than 550 wine farms open for tasting; over 150 of them have restaurants, and more than 300 host regular concerts or events. Besides this, it is possible to stay on just over 150 wine farms in anything from self-catering cottages to 5-Star hotels.
Stellenbosch Stellenbosch is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa, situated about 50 kilometres east of Cape Town. It is the second oldest European settlement in the province, after Cape Town. The town was founded in 1679 by van der Stel, who named it after himself – Stellenbosch means (van der) Stel’s Bush.
Stellenbosch is at the heart of the Cape Winelands, the larger of the two main wine growing regions in South Africa. In 1971 Stellenbosch became the first wine region in South Africa to establish a wine route as an organised network of wineries at which the tourist could experience the product of the vine and tune into the soul of the region’s winelands. Known as Stellenbosch American Express Wine Routes since 2002, the routes provide a coordinated network of more than 148 wineries, each offering a unique cellar-door experience that is world-renowned. The less than an hour drive from the harbour in Cape Town to the vineyards in Stellenbosch goes some way in explaining why wine tourism is thriving in South Africa. The calming effect of the scenic landscape – well-manicured green vineyards against a backdrop of mountains caressed by rolling clouds – is an experience to be cherished.
Rustenberg Wines Of course, the main purpose of the trip is to visit one of the vineyards in Stellenbosch and sample their offerings. Founded in 1682, Rustenberg is one of the oldest vineyards in South Africa. A century after (by 1781), some 3000 cases of wine were produced on the farm. Production doubled by the end of the century and a new cellar was built. Wine has been bottled at this cellar for an unbroken period since 1892. Winetasting sessions take place by appointment and is a popular activity. Once through the doors of Rustenberg, a spiral staircase descends to a room which opens out to a lush garden.
Our group of five (from Nigeria) had to hold on for a few minutes because a similarly-sized group from India were seated at the bar still savouring the different types of wine made on the estate. Standing in for the winemaker was Sam, a cheery lady who – starting from the lightest to the strongest – took us on a journey of three whites, three reds and a dessert wine; Sauvignon Blanc, Roussanne, Chardonnay… the reds and the sweet Rustenberg Straw wine for dessert.
Part of the winetasting experience is taking a walk in the garden which offers a great view of the surrounding vineyards, green pastures, grazing cattle and the majestic Simonsberg mountain.
Tokara Wining and dining go together and very few places embody this like Tokara. At Tokara, winetasting and fine-dining mesh at an architectural masterpiece constructed using glass, steel and stone with dramatic views over Stellenbosch and False Bay. While the structure itself is a piece of art (Tokara also has a fine art gallery), the view from it is breathtaking. Tokara offers visitors a unique combination of award-winning wines, brandy and olive oils, a gallery of fine art and a restaurant featuring one of South Africa’s leading chefs.
Toast to Nigeria Nigeria is the largest African market for South Africa’s tourist arrivals with close to 90,000 annual visitors for 2013. This figure is growing. Coupled with this is an emerging middle-class that has among other things, helped fuel a growing taste for wine and high-end spirits. This growing thirst for wine and its attendant lifestyle should see more Nigerians visiting Stellenbosch. If you do, you might not be as far from home as you think. The waiter at Tokara sized us up, wanted to know where we were from and his first attempt at conversation got off to a flying start when he asked; “What is the relationship between Don Jazzy and Tiwa Savage?”
A quarter of an hour later, it was obvious what the question was; a conversation starter. Judging by his mastery of the Nigerian music scene, he probably knew what the answer was as he declared that “Jaiye Jaiye” (a collaboration between Wizkid and Femi Kuti) is his best Nigerian song… in between filling up our glasses.