wine estate - Firefly the Travel Guy

Clinking glasses and eating cheese at Packwood

Having a food and wine lover on a road trip means the trip is likely to be interrupted at some stage or another to indulge, or at least enjoy in moderation, either or both of these. This is what happened on a recent road trip to Cape Town with fellow tourism peeps and Geocachers Shefetswe and Erenei. We just left Storms River Village when Shefetswe got a phone call and announced that we were invited for a wine tasting at Packwood Wine Estate between…

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12/10/2015

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A classy day at the Jazzy Boozy Cheezy Affaire

Anybody blindfolded and flown around the country before being dropped off at the Jazzy Boozy Cheezy Affaire would have been excused if they guessed their destination to be somewhere in the Cape Winelands after seeing what was around them. They would have been very wrong though. The JBC wasn't taking place in the Cape Wineland. Far from it. It took place just outside Addo at Africanos Country Estate in the Sundays River Valley of the Eastern Cape.The JBC Affaire wasn't…

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26/09/2015

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The Lourensford River at Morgenster

The search for a Geocache while visiting Somerset West took me to a beautiful spot I probably wouldn't have seen otherwise. Travelling down a narrow road I came up to a closed gate and parked the car. Walking through a side gate this was the scene waiting for me. Turned out to be the old entrance into Morgenster Wine and Olive Estate. Although the property on the other side of the river was private property, this side of the river had trails running…

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03/04/2014

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Moyo at Spier – The ultimate buffet lunch

I remember the first time I went to Spier Wine Estate after Moyo opened thinking that it so doesn't fit in with Spier and it surroundings at all. But just walking past the outside and going inside to experience it are two totally different things and after having lunch at Moyo's the other day I have so changed my opinion. Its the difference between Spier's Cape Dutch and colonial look and the free spirit African feel under the ancient oak trees that make the two ideal…

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29/07/2013

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On two wheels amongst the vinyards – Segway tour at Spier

Visits to wine farms are normally associated with wine tasting, good food and historic buildings so wizzing around Spier Wine Estate on two wheels is something of a change. I'm not referring to riding a mountain bike though as the two wheels in this case are next to each other and not in front of each other. I've done the Segway tours in Storms River Village on two previous occasions with Tsitsikamma Segway Tours and absolutely loved it so grabbed the opportunity…

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10/06/2013

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Oak leaf dam

I don't do a lot of HDR, but I couldn't help but to play around with it on this photo a bit. The photo was taken at Spier Wine Estate outside Stellenbosch overlooking the dam by the wine tasting venue.

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14/05/2013

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Spier Wine Estate – various view part 2

Today's post is the second part of the random Spier Wine Estate pictures I posted on WednesdaySpier is a biodynamic farm and in addition to their healthy vineyards, they also have extensive tracts of land that is used to farm with cattle, sheep and chickens. All contributing to the fertility of the soil and providing to the operations on the estate.I didn't get to do a wine tasting on my visit but one of the things that interested me was…

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03/05/2013

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Spier Wine Estate – various views part 1

Spier must be one of the most popular wine estates in the Cape Winelands by far due to their diverse offer to visitors. This ranges from the traditional wine tastings to outstanding restaurants and things like Segway Tours, combining traditional wine estate activities with historic and modern aspects and throwing in a bit of adventure. This is part one of two posts showing off some of the sights to be seen when visiting Spier. Like every wine estate the focus is on... the wine of…

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01/05/2013

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Orchards and Kannas

Driving along the wine farms between Robertson and Bonnievale recently there were a lot of orchards with Kanna flowers growing between it and the road. I know in some areas they plant roses next to the orchards to warn the farmer of deceases but I'm not sure if the Kannas are for the same purpose or just to look beautiful. Because they did look beautiful if nothing else.

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26/02/2013

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Bonnievale landscape

Most international visitors to South Africa know and get to visit the wine routes around Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, yet there are others as well. One such wine route, which the locals indeed know of, is situated around the towns of Robertson and Bonnievale with some super wine estates along the Breede River. The picture was taken on the R317 between the two towns.

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06/02/2013