The present grape harvest is not only the earliest but also the most intense in decades as the fierce heat of the past month had hastened the ripening of all the cultivars. Truckloads of grapes are arriving at the cellars almost simultaneously and winemaking teams are working round the clock to cope with the avalanche. If you want to watch this frenetic activity from a safe distance in an atmosphere heavy with the sweet smell of fermenting juice you can visit Durbanville Hills Winery barely 20 minutes from the centre of the city.
You can join any one of four weekly visits to the cellar which take place in the early evening and always on a Thursday. The first is on 18 February while the fourth and last takes place on 17 March. The visit is much more than a guided tour to where the action is, for it is followed by a tutored tasting of the six wines in the cellar’s premier Rhinofields range as well as a two course supper paired with more of its top wines.
The tours start at 18:00 and cost R295 per person. You have to book on the Monday preceding the Wednesday on which you would like to join the tour. To do so, you should contact Simone Brown on 021 558 1300 or send an email to sibrown@durbanvillehills.co.za. She can also provide you with any additional information you require
Directions to Durbanville Hills Restaurant
Durbanville Hills Wine Estate
Tygerberg Valley Road
Cape Town
7550
info@durbanvillehills.co.za
+27 (0)21 558 1300
