En-route from Cape Town, just before you get to #VisitStellenbosch, you'll see really tall stone pines in the distance. There's an entrance to a wine farm at the foot of this iconic avenue & you need to pull in here to go explore! A pleasant discovery for #WineRoutingWithLloyd at Neethlingshof Estate.
An estate with over 300 years history that could keep you busy for an entire day. From the moment you arrive, you'll get a sense of the history & see how it is showcased throughout the estate & in the wine.
Upon entering the tasting room, you can follow the rich history & stories about the biodiversity on the estate all through to a spacious area whilst receiving warm & friendly greetings from the staff.
On offer at Neethlingshof is a "Flash Food, Slow Wine Pairing." This was rather interesting, with getting a selection of bite-sized portions of 'fast food.' This pairing really took things back to the basics, & by basics I mean, no fancy plates of food. Literally the type of things that you can make at home, or just buy at your local store. (So you can try this at home!)
For only R120 per person that gives you 5 dishes & 5 wines, that's going straight to the bargain bin! What I would even do, is opting in to have this as a Starter, before ordering a Main meal. I mean, who doesn't like a bit of variety & options when eating? Another aspect of this pairing that I really like is that if you leave some wine & a bite or 2 of each plate, then you can revisit the pairings & mix them up a bit to see what your palate likes.
The Gewürztraminer! Guys. If you're wanting to try the wines that are really unique & different, then this is the one. A beautiful bouquet on the nose with fresh sweet fruits, predominantly litchi for me. The wine may be slightly deceiving in the sense that on the nose it comes across as sweet, but on the palate, it's something completely different & unique.
Adding to the uniqueness, Neethlingshof have a signature range called the 'Short Story Collection.' These are wines that share moments, people & experiences to reveal the rich & flavourful characteristics of Neethlingshof.
My favourite - the Caracal. A Bordeaux-style red blend that is dark plum in colour & hints of dark black cherries & a nose full of oak & caramel. On the palate it is definitely a full-bodied wine that is velvety smooth & the best part for me - soft tannins. What a beautiful wine. (I think this is where I narrowed down my love for a good Bordeaux-style blend. Whilst writing this I'm slightly salivating at the idea of pairing this wine with roast lamb.)
Another cool thing to do at Neethlingshof is a guided tour of the cellar where you'll get to learn a bit more about the history of the estate & smaller property details that they incorporate in their wines.
Neethlingshof hosted #WineRoutingWithLloyd in the private family cellar, where they store their collection of wine... I had a look around!
I spotted the oldest bottle of Neethlingshof on the shelf too. Check out the video here.
#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Driven by the #KiaSportage
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