I was recently lucky enough to spend a peaceful and scenic night at Klein Welmoed Guesthouse, located just outside Stellenbosch in the Western Cape, and this slice of heaven is just what the doctor ordered to not only stock up on breathtaking mountain views but to revel in the peace and quiet that country living has to offer and enjoy a unique and authentic Cape Dutch heritage feel as well in the beautiful Manor House.
Klein Welmoed is also the home of Foothills Vineyards (which creates some super yummy and affordable wines and an MCC too) – but more on that a bit later) and has clearly become known as one of Stellenbosch’s top stayover destinations.
This rustic-luxe beautifully restored authentic Cape Dutch style buildings offers travellers a real home away from home feel, with the most picturesque mountain views set to soothe the soul and a ‘stillness’ that can only come with being out of the city and surrounded by the great wide open.
The Manor House offers four double rooms all with en-suite bathrooms, or for larger groups or families travelling together, there is also the option to rent one of the four modern, self-catering cottages on the property, all with fully kitted out kitchens, large living areas, sporting two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and able to accommodate up to four people.
The rooms cottages artfully blend a cosy cottage feel, with all the mod-cons needed to make your stay an unforgettable one – with comfy King-size beds, full speed internet access, air-conditioning and flat-screen TV’s – to name just a few. My bathroom was enormous and sported a large bath, fluffy towels, all the amenities and some jaw-dropping views out over the rolling fields that surround the property.
Breakfast is served daily in the indoor/outdoor dining area at the Manor House, and being only 30 kilometres away from Cape Town International Airport, Klein Welmoed offers not only the perfect spot for locals looking for a weekend escape outside of the city but a great base from which to explore the surrounding Winelands.
An after breakfast walk around the farm proved fun, I managed to take loads of scenic photo’s and spotted a host of wild birds, and even the resident oinker, the cutest potbelly pig, his name is Snoekie and he loves a good tummy rub as much as the loves his dinner – the kids will love him!
The vineyards surround the property and Klein Welmoed produce not only their own wines, but also have olive orchards too, but it is their Foothills Wine that is so well known and for good reason.
We were lucky enough to enjoy a wine tasting with the venue’s Sales Manager and find out a little bit more about the ethos and strategy behind Foothills Wine.
The collection offers something for everyone, from a fun and fresh bubbly, the Monogram Collection Méthode Cap Classique 2017 – perfect for celebrating just about any occasion – through a series of welcoming and hearty red wines – their Shiraz, Syrah and Pinot Noir all received glowing feedback (I am more of a white wine drinker, so left that up to my travel partner) and instead focussed on their whites and rose’s which were nothing short of show-stopping.
The most stand out for me out of the selection had to be the Sauvignon Blanc 2020 – a fresh and crisp wine, with an interesting collection of smells on the nose – lemongrass, greengage and papaya, and full and tangy freshness on the tongue, I will certainly be sipping on a few of these during the upcoming warm summer months.
I am also a bit of a sucker for a perfectly chilled Rose and their 2020 Dry Rose offered a beautiful fresh pink colour and sporting wonderful floral and berry notes, think of fresh strawberries, greengage, and a dash of winter melon and fynbos and you have this wine captured in one. Of course, I tasted this a few time to indeed make sure that it was delicious as I imagined it to be on the first sip 🙂
Both the Foothills The Partners White 2020 and the Foothills Chardonnay 2019 were enjoyable, both offering a unique freshness and a surprising yet enjoyable lemon zestiness from the Chardonnay which I loved – again easy drinking and unpretentious, which is the way that I love my wines.
Our visit to Klein Welmoed was certainly an informative one but for me the wide-open spaces, beautiful mountains and the home away from home feeling that exudes from not only the property itself but also the staff and the caring and kindness that was extended to us throughout our stay certainly made this a stopover that I will never forget.
A: Raithby Road, Off Winery Road, Stellenbosch, South Africa
T: +27 21 842 0045
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