It’s that time again. Another year has passed and you have to organise a special event to celebrate your company’s achievements or incentivise team members. Perhaps you have to organise someone’s birthday, your anniversary, a team building or actually any fun occasion for that matter.
We’ve got good news: there are more options available than a buffet dinner with organza table cloths.
The South African winelands offers incredible experiences that will ensure that you host an occasion that is unique, memorable and in a postcard-pretty setting, ensuring that perfect #selfie.
1. BLENDING YOUR OWN WINE
Get up, close and personal with your wine, by blending and bottling your own. Many wine farms offer this unique experience to small groups where you get to see what it takes to create your own style of wine, first-hand. It’s informative, fun and you get to take home your very own blend.
Three wine farms that offer blending:
- Middelvlei – the experience includes a cellar tour, tasting and blending before the winner is announced. Be sure to add their famous traditional Boerebraai to complete your experience.
- Vergenoegd – after blending your own unique wine, your bottle will get personalised before they package it and send you home to boast.
- Durbanville Hills – not only do you get to taste and blend but you get treated with a charcuterie and cheese platter, something sweet afterwards, a coffee and your own appron.
Click here for a list of 8 farms that offer wine blending.
2. PICNIC ON A WINE FARM
To keep everyone in the group happy, an informal but stylish picnic is a safe bet. You’ll get a beautiful setting with delicious gourmet eats, great wine and most importantly: no stiff atmosphere. There is space on the grass for groups to gather and because each farm has its own vibe, you can pick and choose the one that will suit your needs (and pocket) best.
Three wine farms that offer picnics:
- Rhebokskloof – they can hook you up with concert picnics, outdoor picnics and even moonlight picnics.
- Boschendal – choose between their elegant Rhone picnic with gourmet eats or the relaxed Werf picnic option, all done in farm to table style.
- Herold Wines – go off the beaten track for a country-life affair in the beautiful Outeniqua Mountains in the Garden Route.
Click here for 15 Top Wine Farm Picnics in South Africa.
3. FOOD AND WINE PAIRING
Long gone are the days where wine tastings were only enjoyed with cheese platters (although, I’ll admit, they’re fabulous). You can now go on a taste adventure by sampling a variety of wines and Méthode Cap Classique (MCC) paired with an extended menu of complimenting eats. We’re talking cupcakes, biltong, nougat, chocolate and macaroons.
Three wine farms that offer food pairings:
- Klawer Wines – head off to the West Coast for a one-of-a-kind Rooibos product and wine pairing. (Did someone say Rooibos fudge?).
- Creation Wines – they’re not playing around. Their “Story of Creation” pairing is a five course taste sensation in the picturesque Hemel-en-Aarde valley.
- Leopard’s Leap – a vibrant, interactive and informal Culinaria pairing experience to ensure a merry atmosphere and dancing taste buds.
Click here for 20 Fantastic Food and Wine Pairing Experiences.
4. UNIQUE FOOD EXPERIENCES
You can get your hands dirty by joining the chef in the kitchen, explore the rich tastes of a traditional meal or go the organic route by booking a foraged meal.
Three wine farms that offer unique food experiences:
- Môreson – roll up your sleeves to bake your own bread. After lunch and wine, head home with recipes, an apron, a cookbook and more.
- Township Winery – go on a tour to Khayelitsha’s vineyards and enjoy lunch, Township wines and local entertainment.
- Wildekrans – enjoy a fresh farm to table lunch made up solely of produce that are foraged and sourced daily from the surrounding areas
Click here to read more about Township vineyards and cuisine.
5. ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES IN THE WINELANDS
Nothing breaks the ice more than doing a fun adventure activity together…and then enjoying a cold glass of Chenin Blanc. Whether you bike, hike, raft or zipline, there are a long list of adventure activities in each of the wine regions to book as a fun event.
Three adventure activities in wine regions:
- Zipling at Altydgedacht – swing through the trees just in Durbanville with ZipZoom Adventures.
- Franschhoek Challenge – explore the offering of the town by completing fun tasks, assignments and games with your team.
- Spier Segway Tours – choose between a farm, vineyard or sunset tour and end off with a meal, picnic or wine tasting.
Click here for Mountain Biking Routes in the Winelands.
6. TRANSPORT THROUGH THE WINELANDS
Jump on board a bus, train, boat, bike, sidecar or even a safari 4×4 vehicle to enjoy a immersive and responsible group outing in the winelands.
Three great ways of traveling and tasting the winelands:
- Franschhoek Wine Tram – hop on and off one of the six colour-coded lines to taste wine the elegant (and responsible) way.
- Oudekloof Wine Estate Tractor Ride – enjoy panoramic views of the Tulbagh valley whilst tasting award-winning wines at sunset.
- Viljoensdrift river cruise – pack out your picnic baskets and enjoy an hour-long trip by boat.
Click here for 20 Epic Ways of Getting Around the Winelands.
7. SPA IN THE WINELANDS
The ultimate indulgence for most people is exactly this: gliding into a tranquil environment, putting on your white gown and slippers and lying down for a relaxing treatment. It can only get better if your view is endless vineyards and you’re sharing the experience with a fun group of people.
Three wine farms with spas:
- Lanzerac – after your treatment, relax in the heated pool or on the large deck with your favourite glass of wine in hand.
- Babylonstoren – their garden spa is seen as a “living” spa as it is immersed in the surrounding plants and orchids.
- Steenberg – go to the spa, eat at the restaurant, taste their wine and then stay over at their beautiful hotel.
8. MEET THE MAKER EXPERIENCES
Get introduced to the masterminds behind your favourite wines by booking an experience to learn from the owners or winemakers themselves. A VIP opportunity especially for wine enthusiasts with burning questions.
Three wine farms where you can meet the wine-maker/owner:
- Kanonkop – enjoy a fish braai and wine tasting with the farm’s owner Johan and his wife.
- Oude Compagnies Post – hike up the mountains in Tulbagh with the winemaker to taste their wines surrounded by fynbos.
- Camberley wines – stroll through the rose garden before enjoying a private tasting and storytelling by the winemakers, Giscard or Johnny.
9. GUIDED WINE DAY TOURS
For a jam-packed itinerary managed by professionals and chaperoned by tour guides, make your life easy and book an all-inclusive wine themed day tour.
Three guided wine tours:
- Exclusive Wine Appreciation Tour – including a cellar tour, tasting, picnic-style lunch and blending experience in Robertson.
- Uniquely Elgin Tour – explore the cool climate wine region and enjoy apple ciders from the region, a wine farm lunch and tastings.
- Constantia Outdoor Wine Safari – do it all with a hike, wine tasting, leisurely lunch and a visit to the beach to end it off.
10. SPEND THE NIGHT IN THE WINELANDS
Make a trip of it and extend your stay by booking accommodation at a hotel, villa or self-catering cottages in one of the wine regions. It might just serve as your base camp from where you can explore, or you can make yourself at home, light the fires and pour the wine.
Three winelands accommodation options for groups:
- Oude Denneboom – four farm-style cottages sleeping 20 people, just outside of Wellington.
- Stanford Valley Guest Farm – seven elegant cottages sleeping 20 people with venues for events and workshops.
- Penhill Farm – for a luxurious retreat outside Worcester sleeping 24 people complete with a private tennis court, croquet and bowls.
Click here for 25 Unique Self-catering Stays for Groups.
