Exploring The Winelands...

Long overdue once again, but finally, here is the tale of my last adventure in Cape Town before returning home to the good old land of blighty...

I managed to persuade The Boy to take me to Franschhoek - one of the few places I had yet to discover. The sun was finally shining again, and there was a spring in our step as we ventured out of Cape Town to head deep into the winelands. Nestled amongst the mountains, Franshhoek translated, quite literally means "French Quarter". Famous for its fabulous wines, gourmet feasts, stunning views and it's pretty town centre, I was most excited about the day ahead.  It was also a good distraction from being sad about leaving.

By sheer chance we drove past a wine farm that I had been desperately trying to remember the name of, one which caught my eye when I first arrived to Cape Town, but I typically misplaced the piece of paper on which I had jotted the address down!!!  Deciding it was too early for lunch, we popped into the centre of Franschhoek itself... It lived up to it's reputation of being a pretty, bustling town, full of weekend markets, cafes and all things lovely. After a quick stroll, I couldn't contain my excitement and wanted to get back to what I was sure was going to be a pretty special wine farm... and it didn't disappoint.

Maison is a boutique vineyard, with it's first crops being produced in 2008. Mainly producing Chenin Blanc and Shiraz, they also have small quantities of Chardonnay (which was surprisingly good, as a non-chardonnay drinker!),  Viognier, Port, Straw Wine (Dessert wine) and Cap Classique. Their Shiraz is possibly one of the nicest wines I have ever drank, and I could happily have bought a case or two if I were not returning home!!!  The farm exudes style, minimalistic chic and comfort - and so it should with Chris Weylandt at the helm, famous in SA for his furniture store Weylandts.

Inside Maison...

We decided to explore a couple of other wine farms Backsberg, which sadly was closed for a wedding, and Vrede en Lust, where we managed to have lunch outside after admiring the wonderful views.  As you can see, they were pretty spectacular, and it was a great second last day in Cape Town.  Whilst it distracted me temporarily from my impending departure, it gave me a heavy heart knowing I soon would no longer have al this on my doorstep...

Backsberg & Vrede en Lust.. Pretty Pretty!!!