The newly-opened Elgin Vintners Tasting Room is an ideal destination on a visit to the scenic valley of vines and orchards, to taste their distinctive cool-climate wines and enjoy a cheese platter or picnic with spectacular views of the valley, farmlands and surrounding mountains.

Located in the heart of the fertile Elgin valley, with its abundant apple and pear orchards and vineyard rows, Elgin Vintners offers a relaxed, family-friendly setting where children can explore the sprawling English country garden with its old-school swings in the trees and secret fairy garden, while the adults explore the range of award-winning wines.

The unique cool climate of the Elgin valley in the natural amphitheatre formed by the Kogelberg and Hottentots Holland mountains is attracting increasing local and international attention from wine critics and judges, and the wines of Elgin Vintners are renowned for their fruit purity, balance and complexity.

“Our new tasting room offers a warm welcome and expert guidance from our wine ambassadors, adding another layer to the tasting experience by enjoying the wines in the natural surroundings where they are produced, with the people who make them, and experiencing the laid-back hospitality of our region,” Elgin Vintners winemaker and business manager Marinda Kruger-Claassen said.

Elegant, complex wines with finesse, the wines of Elgin Vintners have a loyal following of devoted fans, and attract accolades from wine critics and in local and international competitions.

Recent awards include a Double Gold for the Ridgelands Pinot Noir and Gold for Elgin Vintners Chardonnay at the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards.

The Elgin Vintners Tasting Room offers a menu of tasting options across the Elgin Vintners range of white and red wines and the stylish new Belle Amie merlot rosé as well as the Ridgelands range of small batch site-specific wines.

Wine-and-cheese pairing is presented with artisan cheeses by Kasselshoop of Stilbaai, and the tasting room offers a menu of cheese and snack platters, light meals of quiches and salads and, from Friday to Sunday, a selection of pizzas baked in the wood-fired oven. Picnic boxes filled with locally produced treats and seasonal fruit can be booked in advance to enjoy on the deck or the lawns.

Elgin Vintners wines can be bought by the glass or bottle to enjoy with a meal and are available for sale from the tasting room (sales for off-site consumption are currently only Wednesday to Friday, as per current lockdown regulations).

The launch of the new Elgin Vintners Tasting Room also introduced the Fynbos Lite canned wines from Elgin Vintners – lower in alcohol and kilojoules, a premium vintage red and white wine packaged in a can for convenience and eco-friendliness.

The new tasting room has been built to blend in with its natural surroundings in the gardens of the gracious four-star Elgin Vintners Country House, with the deck built around the ancient trees and leading onto the rolling lawns, big glass windows to maximise the views, sliding doors to let summer in and a fireplace to keep the winter cold at bay.

The Elgin Vintners farm is already a sought-after location for romantic country weddings with the backdrop of colourful terraced gardens, vintage 1920s manor house and surrounding panoramic views, and the new tasting room with its deck and indoor-outdoor setting adds another dimension and event option for pre-wedding gatherings, a wedding ceremony or reception.

The tasting room can also be booked for private events such as birthday celebrations, bridal or baby showers, corporate entertainment or year-end functions, with a tailored wine tasting and catering as the occasion requires.

Lovers of fine wine are invited to sign up for the Elgin Vintners loyalty programme, Club Privé, which offers 10% discount on wines bought at the tasting room and online, with free delivery anywhere in South Africa, as well as privileged access to Elgin Vintners vintage library stock and first option on new vintage releases.

Elgin Vintners Country House, a four-star boutique guest house, completes the picture, offering a luxurious and family-friendly getaway combining old-world country charm with modern comfort. Guests have the run of the property, including tennis court, swimming pool and hiking and biking trails, and the guesthouse is ideal for group bookings for family getaways, wedding parties and corporate teams.

The Elgin valley outside Grabouw is about an hour’s drive from Cape Town on the N2 – turn off the N2 onto Viljoenshoop Rd and then Appletiser Road to arrive at Elgin Vintners.

The Elgin Vintners Tasting Room is open from 10:00 to 16:00, Wednesday to Sunday. Advance bookings are advisable for groups of four or more. Call 021 848 9587 or email info@elginvintners.co.za