GASTRONOMIC
Just a minute’s walk from Nectar Cottage, The Valley Inn is an unpretentious and reasonably priced restaurant open 364 days a year. Some of our favourites on the menu are the Ostrich surf & turf Burger and the Ostrich steak. The fish dishes reflect the excellent fishing in the area. Contact nr. 044-531 6835. If you are looking for something more unusual, try Bramons in the Crags with their excellent vineyard, or Enrico’s, Down to Earth, or the Anglers Club in Keurbooms. For an overview of restaurants in the area see https://www.tripadvisor.com/RestaurantsNear-g1203419-d7247441-Nature_s_Valley_Restaurant-Nature_s_Valley_Western_Cape.html. Bocca Dolce on the Wittedrift road offer vegan food in a stunning location.
Nature’s Valley Inn
Trumilk Dairy – Take the family for a scenic drive up the pristine Bitou Valley for cheese, wine and liquor tastings. Trumilk Dairy recently received an award for the best feta cheese in South Africa. Their production includes cheddar cheese and a handmade French style camembert. Carefully selected wines from the Cape and Klein Karoo compliment the high-quality cheese that can be tasted and bought in the shop and tasting room on the farm. https://www.sa-venues.com/things-to-do/gardenroute/visit-the-trumilk-dairy/
WINELANDS
North of Nature’s Valley lies the Klein or Little Karoo, perhaps the most diverse wine region in South-Africa with no less than 17 vineyards, among them the excellent Die Krans and Boplaas wines. The Klein Karoo is situated between majestic mountains and its vineyards grows mostly in the fertile soil next to river banks. The climate is in general drier as that of other wine regions which contribute to the healthy vineyards being mostly organically cultivated. A diversity of microclimates allows winemakers to produce a variety of quality wines, including dry wines, fortified wines and brandies. World class port and South-Africa’s champion white muskadel are produced here, as well as an extensive range of dessert wines. Members of the Klein Karoo Wine Route produces increasingly outstanding white and red wines, ranging from full-bodied cabernets to lighter drinking wines.
The wine route lies some 250 km north of Nature’s Valley and stretches along the R62 from Montagu in the west to De Rust in the east and Albertinia in the south.
Free wine tastings are generally offered daily Monday to Friday 8am – 5pm and Saturday 9am – 1 pm (3pm at Boplaas). The cellars are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Guided cellar tours are generally available if booked prior to visit.
| Vineyard / Cellar | Contact info |
|---|---|
| Die Krans vineyard route is a thirty-minute walk Die Krans excelled recently at the Klein Karoo Bottled Wine Show and has won more than 400 medals and awards since 1980. | + 27 44 213 3314/6 |
| Boplaas is situated in Calitzdorp at the foot of the Swartberg Mountains and has on various occasions been crowned as South African Champion in Ports | + 27 44 213 3326/3397 |
| Barrydale Wine Cellar Situated between the Wildehondskloof Pass and Gysmanshoek Pass for wine and brandy | + 27 28 572 1012 |
| Hoffman Winery is the first privately owned winery in the village and its Chardonnay wines, under the Bloupunt label, are placing Montagu onto the quality map. | + 27 23 614 2385 |
| Fifteen farmers founded the Calitzdorp Wine Cellar in order to export Hanepoot grapes, this cellar in the heart of the “Port capital of south-Africa” Class Winner SA Young Wine Show 2002 Blanc de Noir | + 27 44 213 3301 |
| You will find Die Poort situated at the foothills of the majestic Langeberg mountains. It is the only winery found between the Outeniqua Mountain range and the Indian Ocean. | + 27 28 735 2406 |
| Doornkraal lies at the foot of the Swartberg range in the Klein Karoo, a part of South-Africa also known by its original name, Kannaland | + 27 44 251 6715 |
| Approximately 55 km from Oudtshoorn, as you drive along the Willomore road northwards, you find Excelsior Winery on Vlakteplaas. | + 27 44 272 6065 |
| Just outside Oudtshoorn lie the vineyards of Sandkoppies, home of Grundheim wines. | + 27 44 272 6927 |
| Follow the curves of the Langeberg along Route 62 for Joubert-Tradauw Wine Cellar | + 27 28 572 1619 |
| Ladismith Winery was founded in 1939 when 73 wine grape farmers came together to establish the distillery | + 27 28 551 1042 |
| The tasting room of the Mons Ruber Wine Estate is in a restored hotel of late 19th century fame. This building has been declared a National Monument. | + 27 44 251 6550 |
| Nietverloren is a small cellar near Herbertsdale in the Southern Cape. Mr. Andrew Jonker is the owner/winemaker who specializes in dessert wines and dry red wines for which he received numerous awards at the Southern Cape Bottled Wine Show. | +27 28 735 2102 |
| Rietrivier Wine Cellar is 34 years old and have 46 members. The cellar is situated next to the Route 62, 20 km east of Montagu, in the shadow of the Langeberg Mountain. | + 27 23 614 1705 |
| Uitvlucht Wine Cellar cellar was founded in 1941 and registered as a co-operative in the same year. | + 27 23 614 1340 |
| Kango Co-op was founded in 1926 and is the oldest organization of its kind in Oudtshoorn. Well known for excellent sweet wines, they also produce dry white and red, and brandy and liqueurs. | + 27 44 272 6065 |
| Montagu Wine Cellar is situated at the beginning of the Klein Karoo region, about 200 km north of Cape Town. The cellar was established on the 17th of March 1941 and in 1942 the first wine was produced. | + 27 23 614 1125 |
BRANDY
The R62 Brandy Route was launched recently, stretching from Worcester along the R62 including Montagu, Barrydale, Calitzdorp, Oudtshoorn and De Rust.
For more information, please call the SA Brandy Foundation at: + 27 21 887 3157
TRADITIONAL MAMPOER & WITBLITS DISTILLERY (NYATI)
Visit a traditional Mampoer distillery & sample the unique Mampoer and witblits products, thrice been voted Best Mampoer in the Country. 20 minutes from Nature’s Valley and open from 9am to noon and 214,30 to 16.30. Learn about this delicately flavoured alcohol – a much-loved South African specialty – at one of the regular distillery tours.
Bookings essential: Tel: + 27 44 5359739 or + 27 83 379 6313