Breathtaking views from the front stoep at Paul René MCC’s private residence.
Last weekend my family and I had the privilege of visiting the Robertson Wine Valley in a delightfully curated itinerary made possible by Hot Oven Marketing and Robertson Wine Valley.
I’ve never really properly visited this valley before, although I’ve been to Wacky Wine a few years before and I’m familiar with some of the wine brands of the region. Our schedule consisted of a wine tasting visit to Springfield Estate, wine blending at Excelsior Wine Estate, wine tasting and platter lunch at Zandvliet’s Kalkveld Lounge, olive and olive oil tasting at Marbrin Farm, and sleepover at Mimosa Lodge and a tasting (and unplanned lunch) at Paul René MCC.
The visit completely exceeded my expectations with the most breathtaking views, quality wines, unpretentious hospitality and delicious food offerings. It is a quieter wine route, with many roads to choose from and so many venues and wineries to visit. The scenery is spectacular and the trip is suitable for families with young children (my daughter is 6 and she loved every second).
I’m going to tell my story through my pictures below, rather than with a lengthy written post. Bottom line: go visit this valley and experience their charming country hospitality for yourself! It is a mere 90 minutes drive from Cape Town and such a worth while trip with so many gems to discover – highly recommended. (Also check out my social posts from the visit with tags #celebraterobertson #countrycharm #countryliving #tastethelifestyle.)
The tasting room & outside seating area at Springfield Winery.Some whites to look forward to at Springfield’s wine tasting.Complimentary olives while you are tasting wine at Springfield Estate.A fabulous white blend by Springfield suitable for seafood: Miss Lucy.Tasting the Thunderchild red blend at Springfield Estate – this is a community driven project (read more about it).The incredibly beautiful pond view at Springfield Winery.Valki (right) and her “instant” friend, Samantha, at Springfield Estate against their beautifully overgrown tasting room wall.The tasting and blending room at Excelsior, set over their beautiful dam.Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon to blend our own bottle of wine at Excelsior Winery.Gondolier – my favourite Merlot at Excelsior Winery. Full of dark cherry flavours. Thank you Andries for presenting the tasting.Schalk measuring one of the elements of our red blend at Excelsior Winery.Putting in the cork with a manual corker. I had great fun!Valki helped with the labeling of our unique blend.Our very own Excelsior red blend, named by Valki: “Calypso”.Another incredible view, this time over Excelsior’s dam. Valki was having a great time on the children’s playground too.The wine tasting and blending venue at Excelsior Winery.The newly renovated Kalkveld Lounge at Zandvliet Winery.Inside the Kalkveld Lounge at Zandvliet.Wine tasting at Zandvliet at their new Kalkveld Lounge.Charcuterie and cheese platter for two at Kalkveld Lounge, Zandvliet – just what we needed after tasting a lot of wine!The beautiful old manor house at Zandvliet.Olive, tapenade and oil tasting at Marbrin Farm.Home baked bread to taste their freshly pressed oils at Marbrin Farm.More of the magnificent surrounds – this view from Marbrin Farm.Mimosa Lodge & Restaurant, set amongst the incredible mountains in the heart of Montagu’s Church Street.Beautiful old wooden floors at the entrance to Mimosa Lodge.Spacious room, king size bed with extra single bed for Valki, full bathroom with bath and shower at Mimosa Lodge.Our spacious room with wooden floors and garden views at Mimosa Lodge.The lush gardens at Mimosa Lodge, Montagu.The welcoming pool at Mimosa Lodge – come summer time this is where guests will spend their time!A quiet corner in the garden of Mimosa Lodge, Montagu.Dinner begins: Garlic & coriander prawns, aioli, red cabbage salad, sweet chilli drizzle – starter at Mimosa Restaurant.Lavender & ricotta ravioli, tomato concasse, crispy parsley, pecorino chip, white truffle cream – entrée at Mimosa Restaurant.Beef sirloin, pommes puree, seasonal veg, green peppercorn sauce – mains at Mimosa Restaurant.Taking a stroll in Montagu on a crisp winters morning.A quick visit to The Rambling Rose in Montagu.We bought freshly baked pasteis de nata at The Rambling Rose in Montagu and they were exquisite!View of the mountains from the R62 leading through Montagu.Tasting Paul René Brut and Brut Rosé MCC.The owners of Paul René even have their own herb & veg garden. I want!After planning an earlier drive back to Stellenbosch to take care of some business, we were convinced to stay longer for an impromtu lunch prepared by Henk. How can you say no to spending more time with this view and another glass of Paul René MCC?Henk’s venison, soon to become steak au poivre. The meat comes from his last hunting session.Venison medallions on their way to becoming steak au poivre in a pan over the fire at the private residence of Paul René MCC. Henk van Niekerk, winemaker and owner, is a very gifted cook! Thank you Henk & Monica for welcoming us into your home like old friends.
