I was invited to stay there on my last night in town. We enjoyed a wine tasting on the patio as the sun set on the patio, Sommelier Charlie expertly guided us through the estate's wine offerings.
Our evening continued with a beautifully prepared dinner at Clara’s Barn, a beautifully appointed restaurant housed in the oldest barn in the Western Cape. The ambiance is a modern take on a South African farm kitchen. We enjoyed the five-course menu crafted by Head Chef Drikus Brink. As we were the only ones in the restaurant, we were disappointed that Chef Drikus did not come out to say hello so that we could complement him on the excellent meal. Even the ceramic plates were beautiful and we wanted to know where they came from.
The modern rooms with wooden floors and a sitting room, were situated in a restored farm manager's house and were spacious and clean, each with their own hot tub and bathtub with salts. There were complimentary bottles of wine in the room and a fully stocked limited complimentary minibar fridge. The bedding was wonderfully soft, with 300 thread count percale linens, allergy-free down pillows, fine fiber pillows towels with the beautiful lion crest, and velour bathrobes.
In the chilly morning, we headed to Geuwels (Gables) Restaurant for another incredible meal. With a wooden stove wonderfully warming up the beautiful room, we ate the authentic South African cuisine, prepared with fresh, seasonal, and indigenous ingredients.
I would feel irresponsible if I didn't mention that we only found out after the tasting that, due to it being winter, the staff would be leaving and we would be the only ones staying the night on the property. With the vineyard not being in the town of Stellenbosch, and with no car, we felt isolated, and while there was security, we were not informed that they would be checking our doors hourly to ensure they were locked. Being alone on the estate with our door rattling every hour was quite unsettling. If you plan to stay there, we recommend inquiring whether staff will be present on the property during your stay, and make sure that you have a direct line to security. The line in the pamphlet did not go through, and the emergency contact number was not answered.