Meerendal Wine Farm

Description

Meerendal Wine Farm is a beautiful wine estate on the slopes of the Tygerberg Hills in Durbanville, just 20 minutes’ drive outside of Cape Town. Dating all the way back to 1702, the estate boasts a beautiful Cape Dutch homestead that has been converted into a luxury boutique hotel and restaurant, surrounded by exquisite vineyards. Visitors seek the serenity of the grounds to enjoy laidback lunches, picnics, fine dining, and wine tasting.

The Meerendal wine farm was given to Jan Meerland by Governor, Willem Adriaan van der Stel in 1702. It took only 12 years for Meerland’s widow to successfully cultivate 60,000 vines on the farm which were the humble beginnings of what this award winning wine farm is today.

The estate was bought by the Starke family in 1929 who planted the first block of Shiraz, which served as the mother block for nursery cuttings for many years after. Shiraz wines were made in the cellar for years, but the first Meerendal Shiraz was only bottled in 1969. Other claims to fame include being one of the first farms to plant Pinotage vines and one of the first 14 farms to be awarded Wine Estate status.

Meerendal’s unique location and terroir, with cools sea breezes wafting in from the Atlantic, is ideal for a variety of noble cultivars, including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage, Shiraz, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. Meerendal prides itself on its environmentally friendly grape growing practises known as the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) which covers harvesting, the transportation of grapes, winemaking process, and waste management.

The estate is perfect for weddings, product launches, private functions, corporate events, and more. The restaurant’s chefs serve up mouth-watering cuisine to line the stomach. Activities include mountain biking and wine tasting.