“When our Shiraz loving MD Richard Holt wants to stock up on some of his favourite tipple, one of the first places he heads for is the historic Hartenberg Wine Estate, which is situated on the outskirts of Stellenbosch.”

When our Shiraz loving MD Richard Holt wants to stock up on some of his favourite tipple, one of the first places he heads for is the historic Hartenberg Wine Estate, which is situated on the outskirts of Stellenbosch.

Not only is it South Africa’s oldest producer of Shiraz, but according to Richard one of the best.  However be warned, don’t expect the new world, trendy, refined Shiraz varietals here, these are serious, “meat and two veg” traditional wines with lots of strength and depth.  Richard particularly recommends the “Gravel Hill” and “Stork” Shiraz, plus the exclusive “Mackenzie”, an award winning blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

But these days there’s much more to the Hartenberg experience than just wine.

For those who like the good things in life you can now reach Hartenberg by an exclusive helicopter trip. The forty minute flight takes off from the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, flies over the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek winelands and then sets down on the estate for a VIP tasting and cellar tour. This includes a home-style picnic or cellar lunch on this historic 300 year old farm before returning to base.   Of course it’s totally over the top, but very cool!

Picnics on the lawns have also just been introduced during the summer and the menu includes Hartenberg wine with a selection of country cheeses, Eleanor Finlayson’s famous snoek pate, a selection of cold meats and chicken, homemade country terrine, roasted vegetables, crudités and country pickles, a selection of seasonal fruits, dessert and coffee.  Having tried the picnics ourselves we highly recommend them, it’s really good home cooked country fare and a great way to spend a leisurely afternoon lying on the grass.   Rather than one of the big meaty reds though, we recommend accompanying your picnic with a bottle or two of the estates Sauvignon Blanc or the excellent “Eleanor” Chardonnay.

If you’re feeling a bit more energetic you could try one of the escorted eco-walks through the estate, which focuses on the natural biodiversity of the area and allows for your lunch to settle while looking out for that elusive African Fish eagle.

Hartenberg have also just recently introduced their “Tapas and Jazz” events, so on his next visit Richard intends to combine his wine buying with a little food and foot tapping!