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Stepping off the Bus Glenwood Vineyards, Franschhoek, ZA February 18, 2025 |
Yesterday was highlighted by visits to two wine estates in the Franschhoek region. We spent one night at a hotel in Francschhoek, which was nice because after spending almost 3 hours on the bus to start the day, we only had a short ride to the Protea Hotel near the center of the thriving village of Franschhoek. Along the way we encountered stunning scenery and, of course good wines.
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Entering the Barrel Room Glenwood Vinyards, Franschhoek, ZA February 18, 2025 |
Glenwood Vineyards was our first stop. The bus ride up the narrow valley and across a very narrow bridge was something to remember. The vineyards sits off the beaten path, but is worth the time to find. We enjoyed a tour of the barrel room complete with a barrel tasting of Chardonnay which had been in the barrel 12 months and had about another 12 months to go. Glenwood calls themselves the Home of Chardonnay--and that seemed true. Following that, we sampled five wines including two Chardonnays. Both were solid Chardonnays. In addition, we tasted a Cabernet Sauvignon, a merlot, and a Shiraz.
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View from the Veranda Holden Manz Wine Estate Franschhoek, ZA February 18, 2025 |
Our next stop was at Holden Manz Wine Estate in Franschhoek. Here we enjoyed a three course wine lunch. We sat on a veranda with a magnificent view and a cooling breeze. It was a near perfect environment to enjoy fine wine and gourmet dining. During our time we were guided through the lunch and wine tasting by one of the owners, Big G, and enjoyed six wines including the 2023 Chenin Blanc, 2024 Rosè, 2021 Semillon, 2022 Chardonnay, 2018 Visionaire, and the 2020 Big G. The Rosé is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault.
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Pavlova Holden |
The food was also something very special and I would be remiss for not mentioning something about the food. Well, the dessert, Pavlova. I had not had this dessert before and it was totally enjoyable.
Aside from the wineries, Chris and I have been enjoying the stunning mountains and valleys of the countryside. As we are bussed across the southwestern portion of South Africa, it seems that there is so much stunning landscape to enjoy that we just would like the opportunity to stop and spend time just looking at the scenery and enjoying a nice glass of wine.
Today, we leave Franschhoek and head off for two wineries today and transitioning to a hotel in Reebeck Kasteel. Another fun day ahead!
-- Bob Doan, Franschhoek, South Africa