Franschoek - A Day of wine tasting

Our first official day out in Cape Town. We began with a stop in a the quant village of Franschoek. We strolled the village and did a little shopping at the market. Our second stop was a wine and chocolate pairing at the La Bri Winery est. 1694. It was an amazing stop Lisa and Tristan paired with a Grapeizer which is essentially sparking grape juice. We then headed to a lovely lunch at The Tamara Estate overlooking the Hellshoogte Mountain this stop was absolutely stunning! Our final stop was one last wine tasting at Remhoogte which only Dad, Sue, Tex, and I took part in but Lisa and Tristan enjoyed the Springbok, Cape Bangalore and Zebra’s that roam in the forefront of the local vineyard. After returning to our hotel we took a brief rest then strolled through the water front indulged in a lovely Italia meal and caped off the day with a ride on the Cape Wheel. Can’t wait for day 2!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TUE 12 JUNE                            JEREMY WILL BE IN THE FOYER OF THE HOTEL THIS MORNING AT 0900 TO WHISK YOU OFF TO EXPLORE THE WINELANDS.          I HAVE DECIDED TO PLAN THIS DAY AROUND TRISTAN SO I HOPE YOU DO NOT MIND.           MY SUGGESTION (BUT JEREMY MIGHT ALTER IT AND OF COURSE WITH THE GREATEST OF PLEASURE) IS TO STOP AT THE LANGUAGE MONUMENT IN PAARL TO ENJOY THE VIEW  BEFORE CONTINUING INTO THE FRANSCHOEK VALLEY.          THERE ARE TWO ESTATES THAT I THINK YOU WILL ENJOY AND OF COURSE WILL BE ENJOYED BY TRISTON AND THOSE ARE “GRAND PROVANCE” WHERE YOU GET TO TASTE THEIR WINES AND TRISTAN GETS TO TASTE GRAPETIZER WHICH YOU DO NOT HAVE IN THE STATES.   A NEW TASTE FOR HIM.       THE SECOND IS THE OLDEST ESTATE (I BELIEVE) IN THE FRANSCHOEK VALLEY CALLED “LA BRI” AND HERE, WHILE YOU ADULTS TASTE THE WINE TRISTAN CAN ENJOY THE CHOCOLATE???         I HAVE A FEELING THE ADULTS WILL BE ENJOYING THE CHOCOLATE TOO??   BOTH THESE ESTATES CAN BE ENJOYED BY MOUNTAIN BIKE WHICH I WOULD NEED YOU TO LET ME KNOW BEFOREHAND SO I CAN BOOK.        THE DRIVE FROM FRANSCHOEK UP THE HELLSHOOGTE PASS TO TOKARA ESTATE IS BEAUTIFUL AND THE VIEW FROM HERE, OVERLOOKING STELLENBOSCH AND TABLE MOUNTAIN,  SPECTACULAR.      I HAVE CONFIRMED A TABLE AT THE WINDOW FOR 7 AT 1.00.        BON APPETITE.

THIS YOU MAY WELL DECIDE TO ADJUST.         I  ENJOY THE “DUCK PARADE” AT VERGENOEG WINE ESTATE WHICH I AM DRAGGED TO BY OUR NEPHEW EACH TIME WE VISIT THE CAPE.     HE IS JUST 5 SO IT MIGHT BE TOO JUVENILE FOR TRISTON.               IT IS NOT THE PRETTIEST OF ESTATES BUT TO WATCH THE DUCKS SET OFF TO DO THEIR JOB IN THE VINEYARDS IS ALWAYS A TREAT.            IN JUNE THE PARADE, UNFORTUNATELY,  STARTS AT 3.30P.M. SO IT MIGHT JUST CUT INTO YOUR TIME TOO MUCH.              IT WILL MEAN A DUCK PARADE AND THEN BACK TO STELLENBOSCH TO EXPLORE THIS LITTLE UNIVERSITY TOWN AND THE CENTRE OF OUR AFRIKAANS HISTORY.        YOU MIGHT DECIDE TO FORFEIT THE PARADE AND RATHER JUST ENJOY THE MANY GALLERIES AND THE CAPE DUTCH  ARCHITECTURE OF THE TOWN THAT HAS  MADE IT SO FAMOUS OR VICE VERSA.       

BACK TO THE WATEFRONT.   I HAVE NOT MADE A DINNER RESERVATION FOR THIS EVENING AS I FEEL YOU WILL HAVE HAD AN EXCELLENT LUNCH AT TOKARA AND MIGHT JUST WANT TO RELAX AND ENJOY A LIGHT MEAL AT ONE OF THE MANY RESTAURANTS IN THE SHOPPING COMPLEX