Let’s be honest, if you are a wine lover like me then any time of the year is a good time to visit a vineyard! But winter can be a super challenging season to visit as the vineyards are not as lush and vibrant (not great for your guys Instagram posts lol), as in the summer.  You are most likely to get overcast and bleak skies on most days but that shouldn’t stop you from visiting some of the best wine farms the Western Cape has to offer for lunch, dinner and wine tastings.

This past weekend I headed out to Paarl to experience a Shiraz & Shank Dinner at the Goatshed Restaurant at Fairview Wine Farm. Even though the skies were grey the weather was some what relaxing and perfect for the experience. Before the dinner started I decided to go and try the wine tasting which just costs a small R40 and you get to taste 6 Fairview wines paired with 6 different cheeses. The tasting was truly delightful, the ladies that took us through the different blends were super friendly and knew their wines. My favourite picks of the tasting were the Extrano and the Goats Do Roam White Blend. This is the perfect winter wine escape if you are looking for something fun to do with family and friends.

When it was time for the dinner we were treated to a 5 course tasting that included everything from, Duck “shank” and bean cassoulet to Shiraz braised lamb shank pie served with mash potato and baby marrow. For dessert we were treated to a smooth Goatshed’s milk tart & Shiraz poached pear, I am not a huge fan of milk tart but this one brought back some amazing childhood memories.  The Goatshed will be hosting more amazing themed dinners such as this one and you should definitely get your booking in before tickets sell out.

The next dinner is a Drie Papen Fontein Curry Evening on the 13th July and I am pretty sure it is going to be spectacular. Here is a breakdown of the menu you can expect to enjoy on the evening:

First starter
Onion bhajis, spiced aubergine dip
Butternut samoosa, sweet chilli yogurt
Bobotie springroll, turmeric aioli
Mango atchar chicken Roti
Curried and pickled fish pots
Second starter
Cauliflower and potato Tarkari, lentil cake & fried paneer
Main course
Mutton curry with tomatoes, garlic and garam masala with Basmati rice, sambals & poppadum
Dessert
Saffron sabayon with roasted fruit, cardamom cake and toasted almonds
All for just R325 per person with wine pairings included.

If you are booking a holiday to Cape Town soon then include a stop at Fairview in your plans, trust me you won’t regret it, go on and spoil yourself:

Enjoy the views and Goat Tower: From the second you drive in you are met by gentle rolling vineyards and a tranquil mountain backdrop. The goat tower is also a fun activity for the whole family, I mean who wouldn’t want to play around with those cute furry mascots.  

Goatshed Restaurant: Enjoy delicious homemade meals made with the freshest ingredients and paired with delicious wines. Book the dinners, they are a fun night out for meeting new people and experiencing new flavours.

Bakery & Wine Tasting: Spoil yourself with some delicious pastries, breads, cakes and croissants all  while enjoying top quality affordable wines. 

A great experience well worth a try, trust me I will be back here soon – I am already looking forward to the Caldera Greek Evening on 24 August!! There are lots of different activities/ experiences at Fairview so give yourself some time to enjoy it all.