The most incredible view of Elgin Wine Valley from the stoep at Almenkerk Wine Estate, Elgin.
Last week I spent two days in the Elgin wine valley with my husband and daughter, visiting a few wine estates and restaurants for a taste of their characteristic cool climate region.
This post is a photographic journey of our experience. The valley is so breathtakingly beautiful that you cannot even try to communicate it via pictures. It sometimes felt like we were in another country, perhaps Italy or France, enrobed by the rolling green hills, pristine vineyards and gardens, luscious fruit orchards and fading blue mountains in the distance. It was a feeling of discovering a gem that’s been right under our noses, still unpolluted by the commercialized machine of mass tourism. This valley is generous in all of its glory – unprecedented cool climate wines, honest and personal countryside hospitality, robust flavours and an earthy tranquility that transcends time and space.
We started our trip with a wine tasting at the picturesque Almenkerk Wine Estate followed by lunch at the newly launched Rojaal Eatery (already proving to be a favourite among the Elgin locals). After a laid back night in (watching cricket next to the fire place with a few glasses of wine) and stayover at the plush manor house at Elgin Vintners, we enjoyed breakfast and took a stroll around the vast gardens and surrounding grounds. A generous wine tasting of Elgin Vintners followed, after which we took a drive to Oak Valley for an indulgent lunch at The Pool Room, balming in the most perfect Autumn weather. My 7 year-old daughter found her own magic along the way by making friends with the winemaker’s kids at Almenkerk, playing in their cellar, riding a horse with the very friendly local farm girls and taking a swim in the rain at Elgin Vintners, watching tv in her huge bed, eating freshly picked pears from the surrounding orchards and playing in the puddles at The Pool Room.
Elgin is situated off the N2 just 45 minutes outside Stellenbosch and there are so much more to explore. We’ll certainly be back soon to sip, savour and see more. This is a weekend getaway that almost feels like a trip to the most beautiful countryside of Europe, only much better, because it is right here on our doorstep and costs a fraction of traveling abroad.
Tasting the Lace range by Almenkerk, starting with a cool climate sauvignon blanc. Elgin is also well known for producing excellent apples and pears.The Almenkerk Estate range, featuring their premium sauvignon blanc.The cake table at Rojaal Eatery. This place is situated in a warehouse-type building with a fun, eclectic, colourful style of decor.Old and new meets at Rojaal Eatery. Housed in a former flower-packing shed overlooking one of the fruit region’s many valleys, Rojaal (the Afrikaans word for abundance) was established in 2016 by enterprising apple farmer Arno Reuvers.Pork belly with slaw and baked pears at Rojaal Eatery. Portions are generous and the style of cooking is “abundant”, just like the name suggests.Fish cake with guacamole on a squid ink bun, onion rings and potato wedges. This was really delicious! Rojaal Eatery is now also open for dinner on Fridays and they are very popular with the local Elgin community – a great testament to their establishment.Happiness is… crispy house-made chicken strips! At Rojaal.The recently renovated manor house at Elgin Vintners. The house has four rooms, three with on-suite bathrooms. The house is also suitable for larger functions like weddings and can be rented out as a whole. We stayed in the Denniston and Browne rooms, both with king size beds and on-suite bathrooms.The majestic garden view from the stoep at Elgin Vintners.The wine tasting room with wine display, also doubling up as a tv room with fire place and wine tasting bar. At Elgin Vintners.Exploring the garden at Elgin Vintners. Spot the squirrel…Ready to go for a stroll to find the horses! At Elgin Vintners.Some pretty magical pathways in the garden at Elgin Vintners.On our way to the horses at Elgin Vintners.One of the local farm girls showing us how cool life can be around horses. They were all so friendly! At Elgin Vintners.One of my favourite farm views of our stay at Elgin Vintners, on our way back to the manor house.Morning dew in the rose garden at Elgin Vintners manor house.The swimming pool next to the manor house at Elgin Vintners. Although it was slightly rainy, my daughter took a dip and it was surprisingly warm!Freshly picked pears on the wine tasting counter at Elgin Vintners.Tasting The Century, a blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon at Elgin Vintners.An incredible wooded chardonnay by Elgin Vintners.So this is why it’s called “The Pool Room”! Surely an iconic view, surrounded by beautiful, painted sculptures.Our table could not have been more in the center of this restaurant – almost like a dream, so picturesque. At The Pool Room.The interior of The Pool Room at Oak Valley. The restaurant is independently run to the rest of the estate.The service area at The Pool Room, with host Emma Gordon in the middle. Her husband, Gordon Manuel, is the chef. Together, they run the restaurant as partners.Amouse bouche: mole with chargrilled veg and crispy poppadoms. So robust in flavour!Starter: citrus cured hake with garden salad and flowers. So fresh!Trout, avocado mousse, citrus dressing, garden greens.Our choice of wine with our lunch: a shiraz from Oak Valley, the larger estate where The Pool Room is situated on.Grass-fed beef rump steak with thrice fried chips. This was Schalk’s main course. The flavour of the meat was intense and earthy – such a privilege to eat beautifully prepared produce from the estate itself!Acorn-fed pork cutlet with caulflower puree, baked apples, and crackling. This was my main course and it was superb.Pannacotta with candied orange and raspberry sorbet. Such a great combination of textures and flavours.Peach frangipane with honey and ice cream. This was my dessert and the PERFECT end to an incredible meal. We were there for 2 and a half hours and we could have stayed for much longer – so tranquil!A perfect Autumn day in the Elgin wine valley, having a dreamy lunch at The Pool Room while my daughter played around the pool. We had a few drops of rain, but no wind. Cool and slightly overcast. I could have stayed there forever.
