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I would say that our Private Winelands tour is a good introductory tour for most of our clients combining as it does sight-seeing in Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Boschendal with visits to small select wine estates for a cellar tour and wine-tasting. We strongly recommend that you ask for a deluxe lunch with this tour as there are a number of excellent restaurants in the Winelands and enjoying a leisurely gourmet lunch is a very enjoyable part of the day. We usually visit Haute Cabriere, le Petite Ferme or Monneaux restaurants. However some clients prefer to have a greater emphasis on wine-tasting and buying, perhaps meeting the winemaker at an estate and enjoying a vineyard tour. In these cases we book our Private Wine Tour… Private Wine Tour You are collected by your private guide (who holds a Cape Masters Wine Certificate) for your private wine tour. A combination of the favourable effects of the two major ocean currents meeting off the Cape makes the climate in the Cape Winelands perfect for wine-making. The stunning backdrop of the Hottentots Holland mountains, the white gabled Cape Dutch Homesteads and the oak-lined streets and lanes all blend together to give the Winelands a charm that will not be quickly forgotten. Your first stop is historic Vergelegen wine estate where we debate award-winning André van Rensburg’s claim that he has “the best red wine area in South Africa”. A tour of the state-of-the-art wine cellars and Vergelegen homestead is followed by wine tasting. You continue to Stellenbosch, a historic university city with charming Cape Dutch architecture amidst oak-lined streets, for a walking tour. You meander along the unspoilt Dorp Street and visit the Village museum - preserved houses which yield a fascinating insight into the lives of the early settlers. After lunch at Delaire wine estate with its magnificent views over the valley, you have a private tasting of the fine white wines of Thelema at the top of the Helshoogte Pass or a tasting of wine and chocolates at the Waterford Estate, home to the wines of Kevin Arnold. You end the afternoon at Clos Cabriere for a tasting of their fine Cap Classique (champagne) wine and an optional cellar tour before returning to Cape Town or Franschhoek (see below). Private full day tour available Monday to Friday: Price varies depending on number of people Includes: Private guide and vehicle, entrances, tastings, lunch Note 1: This outline can be adapted if you have an interest in specific type of wines. Note 2: As there is a greater emphasis on wine-tasting and less on sightseeing, you may want to stay in Franschhoek for the night before or after (or both). The tour will not visit Franschhoek but this pretty village is brimming with joie de vivre and is easily explored on foot. Spend a little time for browsing in the art galleries, bistros and shops and sampling some of its excellent restaurants. The origins of this beautifully situated village date back to 1688 when some of the French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution settled in the valley.
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