What‘s on your Bucket List for Stellenbosch?

So what have you never done in Stellenbosch?  It’s on your doorstep (if you live in the Cape and even if you’re a regular visitor). Some Capetonians have not even been up Table Mountain or set foot on Robben Island.

Have you ever walked down Dorp Street, been to Oom Samie se Winkel or done the museum route and discovered how Stellenbosch started out when Simon Van Der Stel arrived here to establish an outpost for Jan van Riebeek’s halfway post in Cape Town? Can you drive a tractor?  Have you ever eaten at Tokara?

Stellenbosch American Express® Wine Routes decided to ask these questions and for their visitors to add their wishes to the Stellenbosch Wine Routes Bucket List for this winter.  The target audience for a start is media, tour operators and regular visitors who are on the Wine Routes’ distribution list.  One adventurous woman acknowledged that she wants to learn how to drive a tractor, so Victor Sperling will be giving her driving lessons on Delheim soon. And no doubt they’ll have some lamb shank at the Delheim Restaurant afterwards, washed down with Delheim’s flagship red blend, Grande Reserve.

Or pizza and wine pairing at Brenaissance, a wine farm with a cattle stud.  The Boran breed is uniquely African and the owners have bought probably the best breeding stock in the country, with a specific focus on animal husbandry.  But as a guest, focus on the pizza, my personal favourite being the chicken and chorizo.  The wines are not made there – owners Tom and Hayley Breytenbach believe there is no reason to re-invent the wheel, so they commissioned winemakers famous for selected varieties to make their wines.

Newly revamped Vergelegen is an experience on the other end of the scale, with two brand new restaurants, a tasting room in line with Cape Dutch and modern elements, and the signature gardens with innovative additions to wander in and explore.

Here’s the list to select from:

• Learn how to drive a tractor
• Taste wine with Hempies du Toit at Annandale
• Eat at Rust en Vrede Restaurant
• Stay in Stellenbosch dorp
• Do a wine and pizza pairing at Brennaisance
• Do the ‘proper’ winetasting at Vergelegen
• 4×4 Landrover experience at Simonsig
• Saturday lunch with the Dalla Cias at Pane E Vino
• Dinner at Decameron
• Shop in Church Street
   

This is an innovative way to activate your wine tourism offerings, interact with your audience and turn cold winter days in Stellenbosch into active and enjoyable experiences.  This is only the start and judging by the reaction, the Bucket List will be longer next winter!

– Andre Morgenthal