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Chatting to La Motte cellarmaster Edmund Terblanche, who has been making wine at the estate for 24 years, about the terroir on the farm.

“We don’t have an Afrikaans or English word for it,” says Cellarmaster Edmund Terblanche, in reference to the French ‘terroir’ concept. It is the coming together of a few elements: vineyard soil, climate and environment, and giving a finished wine its distinctive character. The role played by the vineyard team is a factor too."

Let’s explore what makes La Motte’s terroir distinctive.

The FACET Foundation, For Africa’s Children Every Time, was established over fifteen years ago by the Owner of Delaire Graff Estate and renowned diamantaire Laurence Graff OBE. Having made countless visits to the region and with long-held ties to Sub-Saharan Africa, Graff was struck by the poverty he encountered but also by the spirit and potential of its children and young people.

This year marks 10 years since FACET started working with the Pebbles Project, its partner charity in South Africa.

When it comes to laidback days out with the family, Leopard’s Leap has fine-tuned the magic recipe. The Franschhoek winery and restaurant appeals to all ages – a wide lawn, where you can spread out blankets or play ball, tables under the trees where in summer a meandering channel of mountain water and fountains invite refreshing play beside the jungle gym, and above that a generously sized pump track. Its lekker food, wine and hospitality saw the winery scooping a win for best Authentic South African Experience in the 2024 Best of Wine Tourism Ambassador Awards.

Our annual Blessing of the Harvest ceremony at La Motte stays such a special opportunity to express our gratitude for another harvest and to celebrate with the team. This year, for me, the blessing also extends to the fact that we are still able to farm and make a contribution. Agriculture is such an important industry in South Africa, but like many of the other businesses and industries with the potential to build our economy, it is often threatened, challenged and prevented from operating at its peak.

The beauty of the winelands delights all who visit the Cape; it’s a beauty distinctive to each area, making it unnecessarily difficult to pick a favourite.

One region remarkable for its isolated beauty is the dramatic and spectacular Cederberg. Covering 66811 ha of mountainous terrain on the West coast, the fynbos-rich Cederberg was proclaimed a Wilderness in 1973. It is a haven for campers, mountain climbers, hikers, rock art and wildlife enthusiasts and anyone who likes to get away from it all.

Discover the finest restaurants within sprawling wine farms in Cape Town and surrounds. 

In this exploration of foodie delights, we will unveil the top restaurants where exquisite cuisine harmonizes with the beauty of vineyard landscapes. 

Embrace the fusion of culinary mastery and viticultural splendour as we navigate through the flavours, and hospitality that define the experience of dining at the best restaurants on wine farms.

The Cape Wine Academy introduces the 14 students who have successfully completed the challenging third-level Diploma Wine Course.

“This is a significant achievement that requires asserted theory study hours as well as diverse wine tasting practice to gain an in-depth appreciation of global wines in the context of South Africa,” says Cape Wine Academy principal, Heidi Duminy. “We are very proud of this diverse group of graduates who are poised to use this valuable education to contribute to many spheres inside and outside the wine industry as well as the people within their circle of influence.”

Harvest 2024 kicked off some 10 days earlier than the average for Diemersdal, the result of a dry summer and a warm, sunny start for the new year’s vineyard conditions.

Despite the more than 900mm of rain Diemersdal saw last year, and along with a harsh, cold winter, the lack of surface moisture led to grapes reaching ripening levels earlier than which is normally the case. Currently Diemersdal is harvesting its primary cultivar, Sauvignon Blanc, at a rate of knots with some 100t of grapes hitting the winery each day and the harvesters running from 02.00 to capture the fruit’s cool pre-dawn zest.

You don’t have to leave the Mother City to experience world-class wine farms…

South Africa’s first wine was created in Cape Town over three-and-a-half centuries ago, and the Mother City is still proudly producing wine. From heritage estates in Constantia (where the country’s first wine farm was established in 1685) to modern wineries in Durbanville, the Wine of Origin Cape Town district includes 30 wine farms, scattered north and south of Table Mountain. 

Bound together by great similarities in terroir, and cool coastal winds, the furthest is a mere 36km from the centre of Cape Town.