South African Wine Country

Say "South Africa" and what comes to mind? Kruger National Park and cheetahs? Johannesburg and Soweto slums? Apartheid? Probably not fine wine, eh? The Stellenbosch-Franschoek valley area of South Africa's Western Cape produces some wonderfully drinkable wines! 

(A classic Cape Dutch style house)

Calitzdorp - a tiny town just outside the Swarzberg pass, is known for internationally award winning port. Now, I've never been a port fan before - but apparently i never had a good one - delicious!! This lovely town produces some heady, fruity (think raisins plus hazelnuts plus the smell of incoming rain and a hint of chocolate all layered on top of a little alcohol) liquor that is hard to put down. Indeed, after tasting about 6 ports, concluding with the 2006 vintage reserve, i decided NOT to! Asked the tasting manager if i could buy the glass so i could take the "dregs" with me, and she not only gave me the glass, but filled it up first! Port is very nice to sip while looking out truck windows along winding roads!! The Winery at Calitzdorp afforded me an opportunity to photograph a classic Cape Malay face. Cape Malay is a blend of native Africans with the various explorers and exploiters that reached here over the years - Dutch, Portuguese and Malasian. It is considered the height of sexiness for the women to knock out all of their front teeth!! Some people keep a set of dentures for work, some don't. She didn't! Sexy, eh?

Along the way we stopped at Ronnie's Sex Shop - a famous by-way on the way into Barrydale! Ronnie opened his little shop and some joker thoughtfully added the word "sex".

After Calitzdorp we headed over to Barrydale to meet up with the really great folks we met in Mozambique on the beach. Barrydale is an up-and-coming artsy little town on the edge of wine country - home to turn-of-the-century Cape Dutch architecture, fruit trees, grape arbors, and a brand new restaurant called Mez that not only has terrific food but is beautifully decorated by the artist-turned-chef owner Michelle.

Stop in for dinner if you're ever there - she only serves 2-3 mains per evening but they're different every week, along a Mediterranean theme. Last night was Provence night - cassoulette to die for!

 Tonight we're in Franschoek - home of the best restaurants in South Africa! Pics tomorrow when my camera is recharged!!


Eating our way around the cape! Julie, Jeff and Steve