Brandy is not my tipple, but as the Western Cape’s R62 Brandy Route, launched in 1997 by the South African Brandy Foundation, traverses through some of our country’s most beautiful areas, I set to, with a will.
Armed with the foundation’s pamphlet, I learnt that the history of brandy is almost as old as the first Dutch settlement in the Cape, and its name is derived from the Dutch word brandewijn (literally burnt or distilled wine).
Many of the estates offer tours, some are by appointment only; some have audio visual presentations; some offer delectables to eat; all promise some joie de vivre.
In Ladismith, the Towerkop mountain overlooks Ladismith Cellar (028 551 1456; e-mailbrandy@scv.co.za), while Boplaas in Calitzdorp (044 213 3326; e-mail boplaas@mweb.co.za) was apparently the first estate to release an estate brandy after the change in legislation in 1994 allowed this style of brandy.
Mons Ruber (044 251 6550; e-mailmonsruber@gmail.com) near De Rust has a plumed background. When world prices in ostrich feathers plummeted in 1913, farmers in this area survived by distilling and selling witblits; which sparked the Little Karoo’s unique distillation culture.
Back in 1926 the Kanga Co-operative Tobacco Company was founded in Oudtshoorn. Then in 1975, they established a wine cellar. The Oudtshoorn Cellar (044 272 8660; e-mail wijnhuis@scv.co.za) is one of the few producers of buchu and ginger brandy.
Grundheim (044 272 6927; e-mailgrundheim@absamail.co.za), outside Oudtshoorn, is located among the Sandkoppies. Six generations of the Grundling family have farmed the land… and produced wines and brandies.
l The South African Brandy Foundation in Stellenbosch can be contacted on 021 882 8954; e-mail:info@brandyroutes.co.za; web: www.brandyroutes.co.za.
Sunday Tribune
