A bicycle wine tour in Tulbagh? Its wheelie good

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Only a 90-minute drive from Cape City lies Tulbagh Valley, one of many many splendid weekend escapes close to the mom metropolis.

In terms of a getaway within the Cape, wine at all times involves thoughts, be it a fast tasting en route or a vacation spot itself.

However, for a lot of others, it’s the vary of outside actions that lure travellers away from town, from climbing to mountain biking. However what should you tried to mix all of them, and do them on the similar time?

Wine by bike

The idea was easy: mud off the previous bikes in our storage and guarantee that they’re a minimum of in working order, and cycle to wine farms (Alternatively, bicycles can be found to hire at Vindioux).

Tulbagh is a perfect spot to mix each: most wineries are all inside a ten km radius of the city and there aren’t too many steep ascents, or so we thought.

My bike was an previous Nineteen Eighties Peugeot racer that faired comparatively effectively on the few slopes we encountered. My good friend Matt’s bike nevertheless was an previous Holland model, a single-speed bike that clearly wasn’t designed with hills in thoughts. No matter our alternative of wheels, we seemed the half.

The route

We sat down for dinner at our lodging in Rijks Wine Property and resort with a bottle of pinotage and went over our route on Matt’s hand-drawn map.

The potential routes have been devised over dinner and a bottle of pinotage. As rudimental because the map could seem, it proved efficient find our bearings.

We had two routes, relying on our temper: the ‘recommended’ one and a devised ‘too sloshed to cycle’ route which concerned rapid-fire tastings at as many farms as we might muster. We determined to pick out our possibility relying on how the primary tasting went.

En path to our first tasting was a slight incline. The Tulbagh valley doesn’t precisely have the steepest hills, however if you journey an previous fixie, a slope can appear deceiving.

Nicely, that’s what I heard a minimum of, my bike had previous downshifters, so I carried on to the highest of the hill and tried to not look too smug ready for him.

This might need quashed the plan to take the ‘too sloshed to cycle possibility’ however maybe the downhill and tree-lined highway to Theuniskraal would heighten our enthusiasm, or the wine would.

Onto the wine

Day 1

The tree-lined highway to Theuniskraal.

Our first tasting was a soothing induction to the valley’s wine, thankfully, as a result of it was in all probability greatest to ease into it. We have been the primary ones to reach at Theuniskraal and had an intimate tasting on the counter. They’re identified for his or her dry riesling, which they’ve been making since 1948 and its tally of awards through the years speaks for itself.

It was a soothing downhill to Tulbagh Cellars. Don’t be postpone by the dimensions of the cellars or write it off as “industrial,” Tulbagh Vineyard is the nation’s oldest farmer’s co-op the place you might be nonetheless welcomed with an intimate tasting.

Except for their well-liked “Flippenice” vary, their Klein Tulbagh vary gives actual worth for cash for a premium vary. It was a comparatively flat journey to our subsequent cease, Twee Jonge Gezellen, we simply needed to hit some gravel roads. Straightforward peasy, you probably have a mountain bike. We as an alternative went for the aesthetic of two previous bikes and right here I paid for it on my skinny racing tyres. Maybe it could be higher, we thought, to stay to the recommended route.

Themba welcomes you at Twee Jongen Gezellen for a tasting.

We arrived at Twee Jonge Gezellen a bit parched, and thankfully, this was a specialised bubbly farm with their vary of MCCs.

We did fear that our previous derelict, now dusty, bikes have been probably misplaced tied to the signal on the entrance of this elegant property, however we have been welcomed with a glass of bubbly nonetheless.

Relaxed on the flats and heading again within the path in the direction of our lodging at Rijk’s, an indication known as out to us: ‘Gin Tasting’. We pulled in and had a tasty tasting of six completely different craft gins on the Gin Yard.

This put us on a good schedule to make it again to Rijk’s Wine Property in time for a tasting, however we managed to squeeze it in. Rijk’s Wine Property are chenin blanc and pinotage specialists. The truth is, these are the one two vines they develop on the property, they usually know the way to work with them.

Kilometres cycled: 26 km

Day 2

After day one, it was abundantly clear that we must always stick with the recommended route. Hitting the highway once more, our first cease was Sarensburg the place we got a glass of bubbly upon entry and took a stroll by their gallery the place they even home two Pierneefs of their assortment.

Did somebody say award-winning wine?

We sat outdoors for the remainder of the tasting, and it’s tough to decide on our favorite, however the truth that their Shiraz is South Africa’s most constantly awarded wine over the previous 10 years says sufficient.

After this elegant tasting, we had the hardest a part of the journey: an uphill climb on a gravel highway. Ashamedly, we walked the final stretch to Oude Compagnies Publish, however the tasting lifted our spirits once more.

With tasting happening within the cellar with the winemaker himself, that is the place for a jovial environment the place you find yourself chatting with different visitors and sharing ideas on the wine.

The white pinotage (you learn that accurately, a white pinotage) was a widespread favorite all through the group. Younger winemaker, Dirk Swanepoel is the genius behind this and he took us into the cellar for a barrel tasting, in addition to to attempt their final barrel of port (the bottles had bought out, sadly).

Oude Compagnies submit winemaker, Dirk Swanepoel, giving a barrel tasting

We have been onto our closing tasting for the weekend at Digger’s House only a stone’s throw down the highway. Digger’s is likely one of the latest wine farms within the valley, however what it lacks in longevity it makes up for in character.

Their tapas restaurant and tasting room overlooking the valley is an applicable approach to finish off the day, notably as a result of the inviting environment means you keep longer, it’s greatest to not have plans later within the day.

Diggers House

Distance cycled: 10.5 km

Eat right here

Readers Restaurant

If you’re a cat individual, that is the place for you. If you’re not a cat individual, you’ll turn out to be one. If you happen to nonetheless aren’t satisfied, simply go there.

Dine within the oldest buildings on Church Road in Tulbagh the place Carol Collins has run the institution for 25 years, and her most up-to-date employees member has been working along with her for 23 years.

Carol has labored at eating places all over the world however cooks what she likes from the recent substances obtainable on the day. No matter your purpose for visiting Tulbagh, that is the place to cease for a meal.

You need to attempt Carol’s vary of home made ice cream, which ranges from distinctive flavours equivalent to Pickled ginger and wasabi to Crunchie and Amarula, however who is aware of what unimaginable flavour concoction there might be throughout your go to.

The place: 12 Church St, Tulbagh

Contact: 023 230 0087

Do that

Waterfall hike

Solely a 10-minute drive from city and only a quarter-hour hike, the waterfall at Waterval Nature Reserve makes for a refreshing dip to loosen up the muscle tissue after an exertive day, and an amazing sundown spot to catch the shades of color over the valley at nightfall.