Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Hartenberg takes you back to nature
Not only do the tasting room and restaurant provide excellent value, but the surroundings are a scenic delight
SURELY I can’t be the only one who gets excited when driving down a road never before travelled, to get to a wine farm never before visited. This is what happened last weekend when we went to Hartenberg in Stellenbosch. Well, for me anyway; my friend Elzette is in the wine industry (she can actually make her own) so she’s been to many more places than I and it’s unlikely I’ll ever catch up with her.
Hartenberg is off the Bottelary Road, and the wine tasting room and restaurant are quite a distance from the turnoff.
Along the way you pass vineyards and fields of fynbos (full of yellow flowers on this sunny afternoon), and at regular intervals there are signs gently suggesting you look out for tortoises and other nature crossing.
Shortly after one of these, a baby guinea fowl trotted in front of my car, so they are not kidding. There really is nature, and quite a bit of it, something of which the farm is justifiably proud.
It lies in its own self-contained valley, having a long rectangular shape, and a pure water source flows the entire length of the property into a wetland system, which makes up 65 of the farm’s 170ha and will never be cultivated.
I was told there are about 70 species of birdlife on the farm, including African fish eagles, which I spotted wheeling high overhead.
There are owl houses for the breeding pairs of spotted eagle owls and barn owls, and some of the animals which live there include mongooses, porcupines, civet cats, three kinds of antelope, and caracal, as well as those pretty little frogs that live in arum lilies – which is why we should discourage the plucking of these flowers in the wild.
Hartenberg is particularly tranquil and peaceful. When you reach the tasting room and restaurant you can sit inside by a huge fireplace if it’s that kind of day, or at a table outside beneath the oak trees if it’s the other.
Cellar tours can be arranged by appointment during the week, and along with an education about the many wines produced here, you’ll see 12 artworks by German coppersmith Karl Heinz Wilhelm. They took two years to complete, and describe each of the phases of cultivating and producing wine. I’ve visited many cellars in which art is a feature, and think it’s a lovely combination.
You can partake of a leisurely wine tasting, have a meal or, very soon as summer approaches, have a picnic on the lawn followed by games like giant Jenga or boules, both of which are perfect wine-drinking games as they don’t require a great deal of physical exertion.
Hartenberg is famous for its shiraz (having won several international awards over the years) so we tried a few of those, as well as some chardonnays, sauvignon blanc, and Riesling. Not many farms in South Africa still plant Riesling and it’s good to have some in your collection because it pairs so well with spicy food, a notoriously difficult match.
Many of the wines are well below R100 a bottle, while the premium ones cost a lot more. The Gravel Hill flagship shiraz doesn’t even have a price and we were too afraid to ask. Nevertheless, I was able to put a mixed case of what I fancied together for a little over R400. Also worth noting is that Hartenberg’s wines age well and vintages available now range from 2004 to 2012.
There is a small menu from which we both ordered the wagyu burger which is topped with melted cheese, onion jam, and garlic mayo, served on a brioche bun with fat chips on the side for R95.
I’m getting hungry just remembering it. Another good option is the sirloin for R145, which comes with a glass of shiraz included in the price. The farm bread and snoek paté served beforehand are delicious.
Banting devotees are accommodated with a carb-friendly options, including the prawn and fish pie with a cauliflower crust. The tasting menu offers a variety of options which are paired with wines for R195 a person for three courses and R245 for four.
● Lunch is served Mondays to Saturdays, 12pm to 3pm. For reservations call 021 865 2541, e-mail info@hartenbergestate.com, or see www.hartenbergestate.com.