My Thursday afternoon visit to Boschendal, a 300-year-old grand wine estate, close to Stellenbosch was amazing.
I was greeted on arrival with a glass of chilled sparkling wine at the gabled entrance to the Boschendal Manor House, dating back to 1812. This venue has undergone some changes and cast off its rather sombre museum feel, to now include a more modern & exclusive wine tasting lounge, think cigars and cognac or oysters & champagne in a historical setting! Comfortable, elegant furniture, antiques and beautiful décor add to the warm welcome of this new and exciting space. An outdoor area planned for summer will add to this additional wine tasting venue.
We strolled through the “werf” or garden area of the Manor House to the warm and coffee aroma filled, cosy little Farm Shop & Deli. Shelves and fridges are stacked with local produce from the farm, organic, fresh salad leaves & herbs, just baked fresh farm bread, artisanal jams, home-made preserves and local olive oils. Delicious breakfast, light casual lunches and afternoons teas are served in this buzzing space daily as well as early dinners on selected nights. I can recommend the gourmet little beef sliders and crispy potato wedges!
Our next stop was the quaint little Werf Butchery which stocks Boschendal’s own pasture-reared Angus Beef as well as a variety of ethically reared chicken, lamb and pork products, farm-made charcuterie and the most delicious dried sausage “droe wors” and biltong. Bulging paper bags filled the fridge, orders of fresh produce, waiting to be collected by locals in the area.
A brief stop for a quick browse in the shop brought us to the artisanal Bakery next door, where a dedicated team produce all the bread, pastries and dessert to service the deli, restaurant, picnics and the cottages, all from one tiny kitchen!
Our final stop, the Werf Restaurant where we were treated to two magnificent starters, beautifully presented with local herbs from the farm garden – melt in the mouth kingklip gravlax and beef tartare – paired with a sublime Sauvignon Blanc. We finished off the meal with smooth caramel ice-cream and a crunchy biscuit crust – to die for!
We retired to our lovely, cosy little Orchard Cottage for the night – there are several cottages on the farm, fresh barbeque packs can be ordered from the Deli (or select your own), ours (pictured) included a variety of meat, fresh salad, garlic loaves and dessert, all from the farm of course. A complimentary chilled bottle of wine is included in your fridge. The perfect end to a most wonderful afternoon of Boschendal hospitality.
The Estate also has several private venues, ranging from the larger Olive Press to the smaller Rhone Homestead, all of which can be used for private groups and of course summer picnics and wine tasting are a must do.
Boschendal is honestly true to the practice of farm to table & sustainability and almost every beautiful product or produce, which you enjoy on the Estate is locally produced on the farm or sourced locally within a 30 km radius. I highly recommend a visit here to explore this magnificent farm.
Written by: Charlotte Smith
