It’s time to leave Cape Town (we will return here at the end of our trip) and head to the Waterford Estate. It was time to begin our road trip across the western cape of South Africa. I was in search of the perfect opportunity to propose. We picked up the hire car and set off on our planned itinerary. Hannah was blissfully unaware of my search.
I drove us to the university town of Stellenbosch which is famous for being the wine making capital of South Africa and the second oldest town in the country. Having a tightly packed schedule time was limited so I researched where to go for tasting and stumbled across the Waterford Estate. I took up their offer of a unique way to taste their wine.
The Waterford Estate was established by the Ord family in 1998 in Blaauwklippen Valley in the Stellenbosch region. What a great job they have done. The 120-acre estate has an old-world charm yet a modern feel about it that wouldn’t look out of place in Italy. The terracotta hues surrounding the beautiful courtyard were reminiscent of times in Bologna.
Arriving at Waterford Estate
Our taxi picked us up from beautiful Stellenbosch where we were staying at Batavia Boutique Hotel. He made the small drive out of town and along Upper Blaauwklippen Rd. On arrival at the Waterford Estate we were taken off the main road up a drive flanked by a dry stone wall on either side. Proudly displayed in the middle of each wall was the name Waterford.
As the taxi slowly crawled along the drive we were enveloped by the trees lining the drive. Ever so often the sun pierced through like a flash light. The tunnel of trees suddenly opened up to a vast open space. A mirror like pond lay glistening peacefully and serenely to one side. There was a calming display of a perfect reflection of the mountains behind. Our taxi driver slowed down to allow us to savour the view.
Turning away from the looking glass was the final stretch – a perfectly manicured driveway leading to the establishment. The start was marked by two pillars of stone – on top of each was a roman vase. We sat back taking in the environment. Lush green and perfectly manicured vegetation guarded the road on either side.
In the distance beautiful brickwork which formed some steps lead up to a stone archway perfectly aligned with the hedgerow either side of drive. Framed in the archway you could make out a water fountain. Behind this perfect construction were tall thin trees acting like a wind breaker behind the property. Then it was the outline of the mountains standing behind.
A warm welcome
We left the taxi and walked up the steps to the entrance. A polite and warm welcome was received. We were taken to a sheltered table in the courtyard to wait. We sat a while savouring the atmosphere. Trees and plants surround the courtyard. This courtyard was the hive of the Waterford Estate activity. Sounds of laughter and socializing broke through the still air. The acoustic sound of glasses chinking as everyone was drinking the Waterford estate wine. Staff worked busily bringing plates of food, chocolate and wine to the tables. There was ample evidence of the other tasting options available.
Our ambassador came over to explain the customary itinerary, do’s and don’ts, and necessary paperwork. Whilst we waited we sipped on one of Waterford’s wines. He explained that we were a group of 10 and were waiting for others to arrive. It’s not often that I read the T&C’s but on this occasion I did. I was surprised to see that I was signing my life away – what a way to go!! The other guests arrived at different times. Introductions were made while the formalities were completed. We were joined by a family from England, then from America a mother and daughter, and a honeymoon couple.
With everyone present, our unique way to taste the delights of the Waterford Estate and its offerings had begun. We had to wait for the adventure of the estate drive as we were given a tour of the tasting room. We passed the oak barrels in the cellar and a couple of pristinely finished rooms before arriving at our jeep.
Wine Drive Safari
Then we were fully immersed in the wine experience that is Waterford estate. The vehicle used was akin to those used on safari excursions. We were taken around the edges of the perfectly aligned vines, passed the hedgerow all the time, all whilst climbing the banks for the mountain. Ever so often brushes with the local trees and fauna showed why we had signed our life away. We stopped to view the historic 1988 Chardonnay Block of vines. Our ambassador explained the soil, climate and location adds to the Waterford quality.
We then toured around the red vines before arriving at a predetermined spot. Our ambassador explained the types of grapes that are grown on the Waterford Estate. I won’t bore you with the finer details – I can’t as I fail to remember them. I believe I picked up one piece of information.
Our destination stop is known as Red Wine Deck. It was a secluded area surrounded by trees on one side, the vineyard to the other, and the mountains behind. A picturesque setting indeed, it truly shows off the majestic and natural estate. The trees offered valuable shade from the beating sun. Whilst the crowd inevitably took their customary photos our Waterford Estate ambassadors set up the table with food. We were welcomed over and indulged in a snack platter which was curated by the SALT restaurant staff. The food provided was delicious.
'The Jem'
Our ambassador shared stories of the Waterford Estate whilst we sampled a range of wines. Waterford Estate is renowned for its red wine offerings. This display was finished with the pinnacle of Waterford’s legacy – a tasting of ‘The Jem’. Waterford’s flagship wine stands proudly among South Africa’s finest and the world’s top 1%. I won’t lie; I’m no wine connoisseur! So, with much disappointment, I can’t wax lyrical about the tastes. But I can say with confidence, it was superb!! The bottle label though is of particular interest. Hopefully you will agree that it is a superb portrayal of what has been described of our arrival.
I guess they saved the best till last! ‘The Jem’ was the last of our tastings. As we savoured the taste, preparations were made to tidy up our visit and prepare us for our return. We all clambered into the truck, merrier than when left the tasting room. We enjoyed a bumpy return to the main complex as we came down from the mountain. We came back onto the driveway along which we had entered. Another chance to take in the view before driving up that iconic stretch to the entrance.
The end of our Wine Drive Safari
We left the truck and made our way to another table in the courtyard. Our 3 hour excursion in the afternoon brought us near to closing time. The courtyard now slowly emptied of customers as the end of the day was nigh. There was enough time for us to grab another glass of wine and enjoy company with the friends made. Our ambassadors then set about wishing us farewell and trying to sell us some wine. We were tempted in, as this was to be a special trip and purchased a couple of bottles of wine that we had enjoyed.
One thing that I hadn’t accounted for was securing a ride back to Stellenbosch. A sense of panic set in as I realised we couldn’t just hail a taxi. The staff in the tasting room were fantastic at trying to find us a local taxi driver whilst I searched through Uber to secure a ride ‘home’. The family from England said we could cram in their car but that didn’t seem like the safest idea. Thankfully our luck was in and we managed to get an Uber to come and pick us up. We were the last punters to leave the Waterford Estate on our visit.
Waterford Estate Summary
We enjoyed the perfect afternoon as we were able to sip on some world class wines in the most picturesque environment. Waterford Estate offered the perfect picture of Stellenbosch’s famous wine region. I’m sure there are other equally impressive vineyards to visit in the area and in the rest of South Africa but on a packed itinerary this turned out to be an excellent choice. The staff were superb! Friendly, engaging, knowledgeable and great ambassadors of the Waterford Estate.
The Waterford Estate certainly offered a unique way to taste their wine! One I would highly recommend if you’re in South Africa.
One Reply to “Waterford Estate offers a unique way to taste their wine”
Looks good. Like the official photos.