Eben Sadie from The Sadie Family Wines is a legend in winemaking circles. If you know your South African wines, chances are you’ve either enjoyed or coveted a bottle of Columella and Palladius – the signature blends that garnered Eben global success and drew the world’s attention to the singular terroir of the Swartland at […]

Where on earth is the Swartland? If you’ve been keeping your finger on the pulse of the South African wine industry over the last few years, chances are you’ve heard about the maverick wine route that’s been making waves somewhere along the west coast, and you’ve meant to get out here to see what the […]

Kloovenburg Wine & Olive Estate in the Riebeek Valley is one of those historic South African farms that takes your breath away. It’s at once vibrant and innovative, and also inextricably woven into the very fabric of the Swartland. The estate as it stands at the foot of Kasteelberg today has been farmed in some […]

If you’ve been looking for a great weekend day trip within 90 minutes’ drive from Cape Town, we’ve got just the spot – Pulpit Rock Winery in the Riebeek Valley is waiting to welcome you, and they’ve got a whole lot of fun things to see and do while you’re there.  The winery is the […]

As the oldest estate in the Swartland, the fascinating history of Allesverloren in the Riebeek valley can be traced back all the way to the late-1600s, when this area was still the local version of the Wild West. We recently caught up Danie Malan, the fifth-generation Malan to farm on this legendary piece of land, […]

Who’s keen on some good news about sunny South Africa? If you like to look on the bright side of life, we’ve got a beautiful piece of Afro-optimism to share with you. Get this – if you want to enjoy the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil, the very best thing you can do […]

Lammershoek is a beautiful Swartland farm with a long and illustrious history that spans many centuries and generations. Today the name is synonymous with a range of exceptional wines, as well as the visionary attitudes and guidance of the trio of well-known German businessmen and Abold family who took the helm in 2013. Andreas and […]

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of spending some time in the twin hamlets of Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West in the Swartland, you’ll know that the olive culture in this verdant little valley is alive and kicking. There are very few other places in South Africa where you can enjoy such an amazing variety […]

Drizzled on dew-dappled salads, slathered in golden lashings on crusty ciabatta, whipped into a delicate aioli or doing its thing in a classic vinaigrette – there is no denying that olive oil is absolutely delicious and unbelievably versatile. Fortunately for all us oil snobs, it also happens to pack a mean nutritional punch.  Here are […]