Pairing fine wines with luxury living

We sometimes forget that we live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Take the Western Cape for instance. Not only are we spoiled for choice when it comes to beaches hemmed with massive mountains, we also have a wine country that offers such diversity in soil and climate, that our winemakers have the opportunity to create wines that will please not only our palates, but also those of the world.

After an fascinating and educational trip to the Slanghoek valley, we decided to extend our journey and made our way to Tulbagh. The two regions might be neighbours but they are by no means birds of the same feather. What they do have in common however, is their award-winning wines, but even these offer unique characteristics, true to the terroir.

Seeing that we enjoy the finer things in life, it only made sense to stay at the country house of one of Tulbagh’s finest wine producers. Rijk’s is one of South Africa’s most acclaimed wine producers and rightfully so. Over the year’s winemaker  Pierre Wahl has mastered the art of making some of our country’s finest Chenin Blanc, Pinotage  and Shiraz wines. For him it’s all about uniqueness and an expression of place. The wines are a true reflection of the people involved in the winemaking process and the fruitful soil of the Tulbagh region.

Rijk’s tasting room – here you can taste some serious fine wines!

Rijk’s Country House, situated a few meters away from the tasting centre, is surrounded by the majestic Witzenburg, Winterhoek and Obiqua mountains, which was capped with snow during our stay. The friendly staff made our check-in a breeze and we were escorted to our stylishly decorated room in a flash. The room was spacious with underfloor heating and air-conditioning throughout. The well stocked mini-bar was not overly priced, as they tend to be, and there was complimentary coffee, hot chocolate and rusks on hand.

We popped a bottle of the valley’s finest Methode Cap Classique on our private terrace while we watched the kind of sunset that surpasses what any word could possibly describe. It made us realise once again how blessed we are to stay in such a lovely country.

After an enjoyable dinner at Readers, paired with Methode Cap Classique wines from the Tulbagh region, it was time to hit the sack. After a good night’s rest we went for breakfast at the main dinning room of the Guest House, Que Sera. We also ordered room service from the same restaurant during the evening and thoroughly enjoyed it.

With breakfast done and dusted we decided to pop around to Rijk’s tasting, and we were lucky enough to catch the winemaker himself behind the counter. The wine tasting was a definite highlight. Pierre informed us that the winemaking team decided to pull out all the Sauvignon Blanc vineyards on the farm and replace them with what they are really good at – Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz, and Pinotage. Judging by what we tasted they made a brilliant decision.

Pierre Wahl – The master winemaker behind Rijk’s prestigious wines.

The 2008 Rijk’s Private Cellar Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc showed superbly and the 2007 vintage displayed great freshness. Our favourite on the white wine side however was the 2006 Rijk’s Private Cellar Chardonnay. The aging ability of this wine is unreal and we happily swiped our card and purchases a whole case. At R90 a bottle this Chardonnay offers exceptional value for money.

The 2010 ”Touch of Oak” Pinotage is the perfect reflection of what a Pinotage should taste like. There’s absolutely no need to turn it into a coffee! The price – spot on at R100. The 2008 Reserve Pinotage is a real treat and it is therefore no surprise that Rijk’s made history earlier this month by winning the Pinotage Top 10 Trophy for the seventh time.

With a car stocked to the roof and a whole bunch of happy memories, we made our way back to reality. Our stay at Rijk’s was truly memorable and the wines we tasted unforgettable.

Click here for more photos of Rijk’s Winery and Rijk’s Country House in Tulbagh.