Coming this way, everyone in the car was silent as if overcome at the change of scenery from that which it had been in our respective cases, for seemingly endless weeks. Then, Johan said to no-one in particular, “I’ve taken so many pictures of that wind pump”. The lollypop structure in an open field whizzed […]

Kalmoesfontein might be best known as the home of AA Badenhorst Family Wines’ diverse range of liquor, but we just launched a new website focussing on the farm as a venue, location and accommodation getaway so today we’re talking werf.  When Adi and his cousin Hein bought the property in 2008 the cellar was a […]

Reflections in the times of COVID by Alicia Hanekom I’m on my way back from our local town where I had to buy much needed supplies for home. It takes a while before the electronic gate opens and in that moment I breathe. Something inside me just lets go. Maybe it’s all the stress of […]

There’s been plenty of talk about the “return of nature” during lockdown. The camera-trap photograph of the leopard at Paardeberg’s Kalmoesfontein (Badenhorst Family Wines) might have come across your newsfeed recently. The Swartland is of course no stranger to nature-lovers. The region with its open skies, uncluttered hills and mountains have always been the ideal […]

They reckon that wearing a facemask in your home is a great way to stop you from going through your own food supplies. This article won’t help, though. While you might not be able to visit the Swartland right now, we’ve assembled a quartet of recipes by local specialists that’ll tide you over until you […]

Fourth-generation farmer and vintner Stephan Basson from Babylon’s Peak in the Swartland is a rare breed – an inspired dreamer with huge ideals that somehow still manages to keep his nose to the grindstone and both his feet firmly on the ground. It’s not very often that you find these qualities wrapped up in one […]

Thinus Krüger is a man of interesting dualities – a strait-laced maverick that boldly goes beyond the edges of the map, but also understands the necessity of colouring between the lines. As a member of the Swartland Independent Producers he has become known for creating beautifully balanced wines that seek to reflect terroir and speak […]

Adi Badenhorst. Man, oh man, where to begin. A lot has been written about this truly singular winemaker and his sought-after wines over the years, and it’s all extremely entertaining. Could there be anything more to say, you might wonder? The answer, lads and lasses, is a resounding yes.  See, Adi is like a kaleidoscope […]