I recently did an educational trip through Stellenbosch and the little village of Pniel that is changing how I run my winelands tours. It ran the full day, from about 9am to 5pm, and it added a traditional, human dimension to a route I already drive often.
Stellenbosch and the neighbouring village of Pniel are full of small, historic touches, from white-gabled church steeples to quiet riverside paths, and this day was about getting off the main tasting route and into them.
Breakfast at Toevlug and the World’s First No-Sulphur Wines
We started with breakfast at Toevlug, one of Bertus Basson’s restaurants in the area, which serves a typically South African spread: roosterkoek with homemade jams and cheeses, eland boerewors, and proper moerkoffie with condensed milk, something I had not had in years. Toevlug takes groups by advance booking.
Next door at Audacia Wines they have done something genuinely unusual. They are the world’s first winery to make no-sulphur-added wines, using indigenous Rooibos and Honeybush wood as a natural preservative in place of added sulphur.
A Walk Along the Art Mile
From there we did a walking art tour along the Art Mile by the Eerste Rivier: sculptures and unusual sights I can now show guests off the main route.
It is the kind of quiet, unhurried stretch that most visitors never see. The river runs clear over the stones, the trees lean in over the water, and every few steps there is something new to look at.
Lunch at Alenor’s House in Pniel
The highlight was lunch at Alenor’s house in Pniel. She is about 60, opens her home each day, and serves beef potjiekos and rice with beetroot salad, homemade ginger beer and fruit juices.
When she told her story about being raised by her grandmother, and how she has taught her own children to be kind and respectful, you could see the emotion on the guests’ faces. I let the moment happen without translating or adding context. Her simplicity and sincerity made it the highlight of the day.
Ending at Lanzerac
We ended with wine tasting at Lanzerac, one of the oldest estates in the country, dating back to 1692 and best known for their Pinotage, a uniquely South African varietal.
I do these Stellenbosch and Franschhoek winelands tours often and always pass these spots. Now I will add this traditional dimension for my guests. If you would like a private winelands day built around your own tastes, with this cultural side woven in, explore my winelands tour or get in touch and I will put together a custom itinerary just for you.