16 Dec 2014 | By Sun International
Wanderlust and Wine: Explore the Worcester Wine Route
Only an hour's drive from Cape Town, this Boland gem is positioned in the Breede River Valley and makes for a jaunty weekend getaway. While there are loads of things to do in Worcester, exploring the region’s 250 year old wine tradition needs to be top of your list.
The Worcester Wine Route, which forms part of Cape Route 62 (the longest wine route in the world), has earned some kudos of late for its award-winning wines. Besides the bottles with the flashy gold stars, the Worcester winelands offer some of the best value for money wines too.
Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or prefer an easy-drinking fruity red, there’s a bottle with your name on it along the Worcester Wine Route.
Here are the highlights:
Wine tastings
In the heart of the Breede River Valley and guarded by the beautiful Matroosberg and Hex River Mountains, the Worcester Wine Route is South Africa’s largest wine-making area, producing close on 25% of our total volume of wine. Worcester is known for its everyday affordable reds, whites and fortified wines, and nationally acclaimed for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc. Visit 1 of the 11 wine estates dotted along the valleys for intimate cellar door experiences and tastings.
Just 8km from your Worcester accommodation at the Golden Valley Casino, Aan de Doorns is one of the larger cellars in the region. Forward-thinking and consistent, this is one of South Africa’s most highly respected estates.
Visit the modern cellar at Alvi’s Drift and be sure to taste the estate’s award-winning Chenin Blanc. Du Toitskloof makes the crowd-pleasing wines (you can tour the cellar here if you make an appointment beforehand), while the boutique cellar at Conradie Vineyards is renowned for its exclusive vintages.
De Wet Cellar, founded in 1946, is the oldest cellar in the Worcester area. It’s also one of the few cellars marketing a wine with the stamp of approval from the South African Heart Foundation. While the De Wet Cellar mainly supplies the wholesale trade, you can buy a small selection of its wines when you're there.
Worcester is also the Cape’s most prolific brandy producing region and it’s home to the KWV Brandy Cellar, the largest of its kind in the world. Book a tour or tasting and purchase their award-winning brandies.
Fun fact: Worcester made history by becoming the first wine producer to bottle wines with Braille labels. A percentage of the sale of the wines goes directly to the Institute for the Blind.
Olive tastings
Thanks to its climate, Worcester also supports a large olive industry. Pop in at Willow Creek Estate, one of the largest olive oil producers this side of the globe, to taste their internationally-applauded olive products.
For some Italian flair, visit Olivae. It not only produces top quality olive products, but also offers visitors a glimpse into life on a farm where the fruits of this ancient and revered tree are perfected for enjoyment at your table. You can enjoy a free tasting in the stylish tasting room, or book a picnic on the farm (Olivae will supply you with a full picnic basket). Olive tours are also available, but must be pre-arranged.
Linger longer in Worcester. The Golden Valley Casino is the perfect place from which to explore the wine routes in Worcester. Book your room here.
Tell us: What type of wine-lover are you?