The Beautiful South II – a holiday in the Western Cape

We returned via the ultra-scenic mountain route; staying in Stellenbosch, the pristine university town where most of the country’s wine makers receive their education. We relaxed at a delightful guest house we’d found via the net. The Beautiful South is run by two hospitable young Germans, Lars and Emily. A thatched roof with a star-gazing window, an ‘honesty bar’ and a small swimming pool added to the charm, as did Emily’s inventive breakfasts – I can taste her lovely oeufs florentine as I write. The area around Stellenbosch and its neighbour Paarl is crammed with vineyards, some compact and homely, – like Ernst and Gwenda Gouws’ Hoopenberg to which we were kindly invited for a traditional braai – the legendary emperor-sized barbecued game and sausage fest. Others are more overtly commercial, like Vergelegen, with its gracious restaurant and beautiful gardens or Charles Back’s Fairview, home of the punning gems ‘Goats do Roam’ and ‘Goat Rôtie’ that have so got up French noses. Fairview also makes excellent cheeses that counterpoint nicely the trademark Rhône varietals on offer.
Currently they are planting Syrah like mad in the Cape. One of the great exponents is Kevin Arnold who hosted an alfresco lunch for us at the elegant Tuscan-themed villa at the heart of the hypermodern Waterford winery.
We enjoyed yet another fine repast at 96 Winery Road, a restaurant at Somerset West owned by winemakers Ken Forrester and Martin Meinert. Ken is chief custodian of the reputation of Chenin Blanc, South Africa’s ‘traditional’ white grape.Inspired by such French gems as Savennières, he continues to swim admirably against the tide as ‘Steen’, to bestow its local name, is ousted by massive plantings of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
Our next destination was Franschhoek, the town founded by Huguenots who fled France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Fittingly, it’s South Africa’s high temple of gastronomy, where fusion-tinged classical cooking is augmented by fresh local ingredients and local wines. We dined at Le Quartier Français, a perpetual listing in the country’s top 10, where an exceptional chef, Margot Janse cooks with imagination and deceptive simplicity. By and large Franschhoek’s restaurants can be exempted from the two cardinal sins of South African eating-out, namely disrespect for vegetables and adoption of coarse glassware and cutlery. We were also delighted to unearth an excellent Franschhoek wine, for a change a Semillon, from the boutique winery Landau du Val.
Pushing on to the coast, we basked at Hermanus for a few days. This teeming (at this time of year) seaside resort is reputed to be the ultimate venue for whale-watching but as the season was over we couldn’t test the proposition. Venue for our stay was Whale Rock Lodge, a welcoming and well-appointed thatched-roofed guest house with capacious, immaculate grounds and a large pool that compensated for the crashing waves that rendered a swim in the sea nigh impossible. The substantial breakfast rendered lunch unnecessary – nevertheless we couldn’t resist making a pilgrimage another hour eastward, to the beguiling village of Stanford in order to sample gourmet home cooking at Marianne’s (a tip-off we received from Margot Jansse). When in Hermanus, a visit to Hamilton Russell to check on the state of South Africa’s benchmark Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is a pleasure as well as a duty. We found both in good health. Meandering back to Cape Town at a dawdle, we were impressed with both Onrust and Betty’s Bay, both quieter than Hermanus.
Our last four days in the Cape were spent at Whale Cottage, a friendly guest house blessed with picturesque views over Camps Bay, once a ‘Whites Only’ resort, now abuzz with reggae as well as rugby. It was gratifying to watch a mix of ‘races’ playing volley ball. Somehow, it symbolised what we had found in the Cape of great hope: a will to make things work, perhaps more pragmatic than altruistic but people seem determined to let neither the shadow of apartheid nor the mistakes being made in other parts of Africa spoil the party. The wine farmers, in particular, are appreciative of the new access to world markets; no one wants to go back to isolationist times. Of course there are huge problems, medical and social, but there seems at least the will to tackle them. Optimism was further reinforced by our visit to Robben Island. We were shown round by a former inmate, whose lack of rancour, determination to say “what’s past is past” and impressive inner calm would stand as role model for the people of this island too.
So, having laid my own ghosts to rest, would I return? Yes, and soon, hopefully. The combination of friendly people, fine food and wine, stunning scenery, a sense of history and a mix of cultures is abundantly compelling. Old Africa hands say the continent seeps into your soul. Who am I to disagree?