#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Lovane Boutique Wine Estate

You know what we love? The boutique wineries! So, I was super excited to visit Lovane Boutique Wine Estate in Stellenbosch for this round of #WineRoutingWithLloyd. So literally right next to Neethlingshof, you'll find the entrance to this little gem along the Stellenbosch Wine Route. 

One thing about these boutique style spots, is that it's usually the attention to detail that really impresses me. And the team at Lovane did not disappoint! The moment we arrived to a warm welcome & greeted by the friendly faces in reception & shown our room for the eve. (Yes, we got to stay the night & enjoy the property in all it's glory. 

So a bit about more about the guesthouse that is situated on the estate. A 4-star rating with 16 very well-equipped rooms. I mean, what more do you really need in your room besides a comfortable place to sleep, good coffee & a relaxing spot to freshen up? Well they have a whole lot more to offer in the spacious rooms that look out over the vineyards & property. 

Breakfast is served FRESH every morning, as it is prepared in the kitchen of the main building. Offering a cold continental breakfast to start things off & then you can indulge in a hot breakfast to finish your start to the morning off. A bonus here is that you can sit out on the deck enjoying your meal whilst taking in the morning sunrise over the vineyard.

I initially was not sure about the wine that I was going to taste at Lovane. Honestly, I had never heard of the estate before arriving there. So head on downstairs to the underground tasting room & cellar. 

A great intimate spot for delving into some wine & great conversation. I was lucky enough to have owner & winemaker - Hennie Visser. Interesting fact is that he hasn't been making wine for that long. He actually gave up his day job as a CA for a passion of wine. (I love stories like this.)

With quite the impressive range of varietals to taste. From the usual Sauvignon Blanc to the rarer 'blending' Petit Verdot. 

The Sauvignon Blanc is beautifully crisp & full of those tropical flavours that you would expect from a real fresh Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc. 

A Chenin Blanc with amazingly fresh apricot & passion fruit characteristics. 

Then that Petit Verdot! Oh wow. A wine that is generally uses by most winemakers in a blend to soften that bottle out a bit. But here, it's in a bottle of it's own. I love that. A rich deep ruby red colour in the glass. You can definitely smell that this is a dry wine, but with a soft touch of dark red fruits on the nose. Even more so on the palate - a soft mouthfeel with a lingering aftertaste of blackcurrants. 

Then there is the Isikhati - the flagship full-bodied red blend, which highlights the elegance of the Cabernet Sauvignon & intensity of the Cabernet Franc. Ripe dark cherries & plums that are balanced with a good acidity & velvety mouthfeel. 

This is a #WineRoutingWithLloyd  spot that will be visited again for a #VisitStellenbosch experience that is like no other. Check them out here.

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Driven by the #KiaSportage

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Southern Sun: The Cullinan

Who doesn't like to have lunch by the pool? And even better if it is at the pool deck at Tsogo Sun's Southern Sun The Cullinan in Cape Town.

Chef Lindsay Venn treated #WineRoutingWithLloyd to a great lunch when we arrived in Cape Town.

Kicking off lunch with some fresh salmon sashimi & west coast oysters. And well, remember that bottle of Benguela Cove Cuvee MCC that we tried with Georgio in The Cellar? Well we finished off that bottle whilst indulging on the fresh seafood. (I won't be lying if I said that was probably the freshest salmon that I've ever had.)

Then a salad. A salad with LOTS of avocado. I was in heaven. Real good butter avo that is light, creamy & full of flavour & doesn't give you that watery taste & texutre. Served alongside a bed of fresh julienne style string beans, butter lettuce, peas & thinly sliced baby radish. Simple & delicious for a light lunch when you are not hungry, but when you are more than just peckish.

Add calamari in a spicy Italian tomato based sauce & sticky beef short rib to the table & you've got me hooked. I'd stay there all day just eating, not because I was hungry, but purely because it was that good that I wouldn't stop. 

Not only is Chef Lindsay the Executive Chef, but he was also the Food & Beverage Manager at Southern Sun The Cullinan hotel for a while. He has been working his way up in a real 'Bruce Lee' story as he puts it. Gaining experience & mastering crafts of tops chefs he wanted to learn from & being paid a minimal wage whilst absorbing their knowledge & skill. It's definitely paid off over the years.

This man has cooked for quite the list of big names, including Leonardo DiCaprio, ex USA President Bill Clinton, UB40, Roxette, Sam Smith & Ed Sheeran. Oh, & add a few big sports teams from SA, England & Austrailia to that list too. So sitting down, knowing that this is the man that is cooking my lunch, got me feeling like one of these big names too.

You can see that he really does live by his personal mantra - Always stay humble, be kind, stay positive & persevere for the stars!

Oh! And then, my Dad & I finished lunch off with a slice of lemon tart & a tequila as we watched the rugby in Stella Café & Bar. Definitely not a bad way to end off your 1st day in Cape Town right?

Check out Southern Sun The Cullinan here. 

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Driven by the #KiaSportage

#SSCullinan

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Southern Sun: The Cullinan

#WineRoutingWithLloyd was spoilt quite the bit this year by Tsogo Sun with a stay at the Southern Sun The Cullinan. A premier destination with grand accommodation right in the heart of Cape Town.

With a choice of 394 en-suite rooms that are tastefully furnished & believe me designed for the maximum comfort. Imagine indulgent & classically styles whilst incorporating amenities & services with a contemporary emphasis. The building itself boasts classical architecture that is reflected throughout the hotel with its high ceilings & the soaring columns around the pool area.

From the moment you arrive, you feel like you are in the lap of luxury & the attention to detail is just on point. You can see that this is where you want to spend as much time as possible & at the end of your visit you won't want to leave either. A friendly warm welcome from every person that came across my path stood out immediately & already you feel like you are at home. So bonus points to the staff for that.

Spacious is an understatement when I describe the rooms. Being lucky enough to be experience one of the suites for my stay, gave me enough opportunity to enjoy the classical contemporary furnished room to the max.

Check out my video tour of the room here. (You really want to see this!)

It really is comfort to the next level & nothing was too much to ask. So I had surprised my Dad with tickets to Monster Jam at the stadium & the hotel offers a chauffeur driven service that dropped us off & picked us up at the stadium. Not even 5 minutes later we were back at the hotel after the event. (So yes, it's that close & centrally located.)

In the morning you can choose to enjoy breakfast down at The Peach Tree Restaurant or opt for the in room dining for those mornings that you just don't want to leave the room & enjoy a fresh hot breakfast in your robe looking out at the lights as the city wakes up in the mornings. 

The view from my suite was enough to have me mesmerised sitting there just absorbing the beauty that is Cape Town.

Other comfort amenities include the large outdoor heated pool & spacious deck for those relaxing afternoon lunches. A fully equipped fitness centre, which was occupied by the Blue Bulls team most of the days we were there. Technologically advanced conference facilities. And amazing dining choices, whether you're in for dinner or lunch at The Peach Tree Restaurant or just light meals & cocktails next to the pool.

So in other words, Southern Sun The Cullinan has you covered for everything you could want or need when staying in Cape Town!

Check out Southern Sun The Cullinan here. 

#WineRoutingWithLloyd driven by the #KiaSportage.

#SSCullinan

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Southern Sun: Waterfront

So off to dinner one eve at the Southern Sun - Waterfront. Bonus with this hotel, is that it is located in the heart of the city & is very easily accessible from all major landmarks.

Just a bit about the recently refurbished hotel. It boasts 537 rooms with all the amenities & services you could think of. So I decided to give the restaurant a try. Dinner at Yizani it would be. And Executive Chef Juan Neethling at the helm, it wouldn't be a bad choice at all. 

Onto what I was really there for. The food & wine! First thing that I noticed about the menu, is that it really is diverse & there is something for everyone & for every palate & every wallet! Let's be honest. Now days we all are a little more frugal when it comes to having to go for dinner. But I feel that Yizani offers quality food at a price that is very well suited to your pocket. 

Whilst chatting away with Chef Juan, we picked at a plate of fresh sushi.

I left the choice for dinner up to Chef too & told him to surprise me with what he would think is the best option. And so, plates of Salmon & Fillet steaks arrived beautifully plated. Portion sizes are real good! You shouldn't be leaving hungry once you've cleaned your plate. 

The Salmon was cooked just right & was still succulent & full of flavour, accompanied by a butternut puree. The Beef Fillet too, was perfectly cooked to medium & so soft, that my knife slid through it with ease. 

Always finish off dinner with a dessert that is not too sweet, & just fills that last spot perfectly. Again. Beautifully plated creations were placed in front of us. Fresh & bursting with an array of flavours that work together to play a melody of contrasting tastes on your palate. 

Yizani is open every evening for dinner from 18:30 to 22:30 & on Sunday's at 12:30 they have a buffet lunch special that I heard is quite the spread. 

A bit about Chef Juan Neethling started off his culinary journey as a trainee chef in 1997 & 10  years later he joined the Tsogo Sun family as the Executive Chef of Southern Sun Waterfront. Sitting down with him was a treat & you immediately get the feel that he absolutely loves what he does & that it is his passion.

What I enjoy most when I get to meet guys like this, is when they are able to sit down at your table with you, enjoy a glass of bubbly & talk about not only the food & give you the usual run down of what I could have read up about the hotel & restaurant online. We had a great chat about his life & where he is heading now with the title of the winner of the Unilever Food Solutions Senior Chef of the Year 2018 award under his belt. 

Check out Southern Sun Waterfront here. 

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Driven by the #KiaSportage

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - The Cellar

Upon arrival in Cape Town, #WineRoutingWithLloyd always tend to jump straight into a wine tasting. This year was definitely not different. 

At the Southern Sun The Cullinan hotel I met up with Tsogo Sun group sommelier for Cape Town - Georgio Meletiou, for a relaxed afternoon with some of his favourite wines from the property. To make things a bit more interesting, he kicked it off with a blind tasting. So I had no idea exactly what I was tasting & was only relying on my self taught knowledge of wine to get me through this tasting, without making me look like a complete amateur. 

So a bit about Georgio. He has been part of the Tsogo Sun family since 2013 & his journey with wine has given him the platform to do tastings for a few big names, including Oprah, Tina Turner, Morgan Freeman & even Neil Armstrong. His life motto is something that I think everyone can apply to their own lives. "Enjoy life today. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come." And well so, lets drink some good wine. 

We kicked things off with a glass of bubbles, as one should, that have a beautifully soft & gentle mousse. That's always a bonus in my opinion. It adds to the elegance of the MCC when it feels like the bubbles just melt in your mouth. The Benguela Cove Cuvee58 MCC highlights the Walker Bay region out in Hermanus quite well. Have it any time of day & for any occasion, as it is a steal at only R150.00 a bottle. 

Up next the Ashbourne Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay. An unusual blend of varietals in a bottle that proves to be refreshing & light. Something that is very easy drinking, as that touch of Chardonnay just balances it out nicely & just softens that crisp Sauvignon Blanc. A highly versatile wine if I can say as much. It will definitely pair up with everything from a light salad to your heavier white meat dishes. 

The Morgenster Caruso has been made with Sangiovese grapes giving it that slight dark cherry & light touches of spice on the nose followed by rooibos & pomegranate. The Caruso has character & substance, making it a perfect wine for food leaving you with a velvety smooth mouth feel. 

A very well aged Guardian Peak SMG is up next. A red blend of Syrah, Mourvedre & Grenache that has a nose full of ripe red & black fruits which move over to the palate & then for me that Syrah just comes through & rounds it all off so beautifully. 

Now, these are all very different wines, each with a very unique story. But the common thread that brings them all together, is that they are all on the wine list at the Southern Sun - The Cullinan. A quick showcase of just the standards & quality of wine that are available. And even more so, that a higher price point on a bottle of wine doesn't guarantee you a good wine. All of these wines I would consider great value for money!

Check out Southern Sun The Cullinan here. 

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Driven by the #KiaSportage

#ExploreEmerald - A Visit to the Vaal

On a Friday afternoon, I found myself in my car with friends heading out towards the Vaal. And just a short 1 hour drive, we arrived at Emerald Casino and Resort to a very warm & friendly welcome in the hotel reception as they were eagerly awaiting our arrival. 

Lets just say that Emerald Casino & Resort is definitely a great spot to visit, whether it's on your own or with your partner, friends or family. There is more than enough that will keep you entertained for the weekend. 

Hotel rooms are spacious & comfortable. Whilst being equipped with pretty much everything that you'd need, you'll find a Nespresso machine, extra pillows, USB charging points & a bath that deserves a bubble bath every night! And out at the pool, well that's where I spent one afternoon finishing off a bottle of wine. 

But there are more accommodation options available at Emerald Casino & Resort just by the way. There is the Bush Lodge which host log cabins & is tucked away in the woods. And there is even more accommodation for the whole family when the budget is tight & you prefer the self-catering route when you're out & about at the River Resort Chalets. So they really do seem to cater for everyone & at every moment of the month. 

Remember I said that Emerald Casino is a spot for the whole family? Well, there is so much to do. The entertainment centre sports the AquaDome with indoor pools & play areas. A proper indoor waterpark. You'll also find a games arcade & a ten-pin bowling alley, or you may even try your luck at a round of Putt-Putt. And when you get hungry, there are a few spots to kick it back & enjoy a bite to eat on the property. Ooh! Before I forget, if you're one for wildlife, then you should pop in at the Animal Park to see some animals from South Africa & abroad. 

I opted for dinner at High Stakes, which is situated in the casino itself. This means that it's an adult only restaurant. (This is something I know a few people do prefer.) It's a bit more of a 'finer' dining spot with a very impressive wine list at even more impressive prices! Definitely a big selling point for me. 

With menu options ranging from meat & fish to vegetarian options. You'll have difficulty making up your mind when having to make a decision. (I know I did both nights I ate there.) 

 Beef Fillet on a bed of Mash with Garlic Sauce. Deep Fried Calamari. Baked Camembert with Fresh Bread. Gorgonzola Escargot. Just a few of the dishes that were sampled. 

And naturally ending off dinner with a something sweet - Malva Pudding or even a Cold Chocolate Fondant.  

What better way than to end off your weekend on a river boat cruise, maybe even listen to a bit of Tina? The liquid lounge boat cruise that takes you down the Vaal is really a relaxing way to spend the afternoon enjoying a buffet style lunch whilst taking in the live music & scenic views. 

Follow #ExploreEmerald online to see more.

Visit Emerald Casino & Resort here.