Cape Town Take II: The Wine Tour

Namibia is home to a handful of lagers and just one brand of wine, so Rachel and I were eager to tour some of South Africa’s vineyards and sample the finest vintage the country had to offer.

Our first stop, Fairview, was definitely the nicest. The vineyard sits on a grassy spread of land about 25 minutes outside of Cape Town, where rolling hills, wildflowers and grazing sheep line the country roads.

It was still early—only about 10 a.m.—when we arrived. But being on holiday, we were ready to taste regardless of time. So we lined up along the old wooden bar with the rest of our tour for six generous sips of whichever wines we liked. (My favorites: Viognier and the Spice Route Sauvignon Blanc.) This was followed by a “tasting” of eight different cheeses from the vineyard’s very own dairy.



Now in America, I probably would have been content with just a bite of each. But cheese in Namibia is expensive (definitely out of budget for this PCV) and also nearly impossible to come by—especially in Khorixas. So Rachel and I loitered near the chilled marble blocks and each time the cheese monger turned her back, we eagerly stabbed two or three cubes onto a single toothpick and secretly shoveled them into our mouths.

Absolutely delicious.

I realize this type of behavior should be well beyond someone who’s 27 (and definitely beyond someone who's nearly 28). But being a PCV is a lot like being a broke college kid (or a poor journalist for that matter). You take what little you can get whenever you can get it. And hey, at least I didn’t pocket more for the road!



The weather was—against all predictions—once again beautiful. So we gathered around a table at our second vineyard, Simonsig, for an outdoor tasting. Home to both the number one Shiraz in South Africa and the Woman Winemaker of the Year, Simonsig was just as nice as Fairview—but sadly, without the cheese.

The sunny outdoor seating provided perfect views of Simonsberg Mountain, and it was one of the few places we were able to enjoy South African sparkling wine (which, for the record, was delicious).



These two top-tier wineries were followed by lunch at a third vineyard and tastings at three slightly lesser ones. Rachel and I had opted out of purchasing a bottle of wine at Fairview, hoping to come across a cheaper or more delicious blend at one of our later stops.

Note to self: this is never a good plan.

It should have been obvious, but having never been on such a tour before, we had no idea what to expect. Tours, it seems, begin with the best places and the best wines.

Then they end with the last-resort vineyards where, if you’re like us, you purchase a 1.5 liter bag of Pinotage Rose for R30 (convinced you've gotten a great deal) and only later, while sitting on a bench on the cliffs of Hermanus, realize it’s utterly undrinkable...Even for a PCV.