Invitations with a dress code attached make me nervous because my love for sky high heels and tight clothing always falls short. Old world charm was the dress code for our weekend away in Paarl. Wardrobe worries aside, I was hoping for good weather so that we could enjoy a picnic in the vineyard under Paarl’s signature granite mountains.
Just my luck it was going to be one of the most tempestuous weekends of the year (see the photos for proof). But nothing could dampen my spirits as we set off for the Grande Roche. Our itinerary included wine tasting and dinner at Bosman’s Restaurant.
Just 45 minutes from Cape Town centre we were welcomed with a glass of bubbly by our generous host who promptly showed us around the property. It is indeed grand.
The Grande Roche has a wonderful sense of history – whitewashed stone and thatch cottages, a miniature chapel and an amphitheatre that wouldn’t look out of place at the Grahamstown art festival, are scattered among the picture perfect vines. For the active there’s a small gym and for the not so active (me), there’s an award winning wine cellar with several bottles that are more than 100 years old.
Once our wine was selected with the help of the expert sommelier, Devon, we got stuck into a 7 course feast. We started with a yummy potato and leek soup followed by a trio of yellow tail with wasabi mayonnaise and baby corn, oven roasted warthog served bread dumpling and brussel sprouts but the highlight for me was the Chalmar beef fillet.
Getting to breakfast the next morning was no easy task – the under floor heating and percale cotton sheets had me in a state of blissful delirium. But I’m glad I got there. The breakfast spread was every bit as impressive as dinner – the freshly baked mini-muffins stole the show. As we read the morning papers beside the crackling fireplace I began to wonder why I ever visited the Winelands in the summer…
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