Drive for an hour outside of Cape Town and watch the bustling city disappear into the horizon of your rear view mirror as the skies open up before you and the highway snakes through the patterned farmlands.
Turn up Suid-Agter-Paarl Road and make your way to the fabled farm of Fairview – a place where friendly goats, fresh cheese, farm foods, and warm hospitality take centre stage and steal your heart. Once you visit, you’ll quickly discover why they’re one of South Africa’s most beloved weekend jaunts!
Fairview is ideal all year round – as even in winter and spring, when there’s a chill in the air and bare branches are the norm, vibrant hues and signs of life are visible – from the red roses and crowned cranes, to the colourful salads served at the Goatshed restaurant. The tantalising scent of baked bread hangs in the air and throughout the day there’s a throng of people flowing in and out around the gardens, goat tower, tasting facilities, deli, and courtyard.
TravelGround was invited to explore behind the scenes and facilities to give you a sneak peek of life at Fairview – where you can meet the maestros behind the delicious offerings available, along with the farmyard friends who make everything possible.
Wine Tasting and a Cellar Tour
After you arrive at Fairview, and before the tantalising scents make you head straight to the restaurant, check out the cheese pairings available and indulge in a wine tasting – as they have the distinction of having vines date back to 1699!
The Beryl Back Master Tasting room is not only beautifully decorated, but you’ll be served up a striking platter which comes with some incredible wine pairing options. Depending on which pairing you choose, your cheeses can be served alone, with wines, or even come accompanied by olive oil and freshly baked bread (did you know that Ignus, the head baker, come in at 3am to stoke the fires and set the bread making process in motion? It could just be us, but you can definitely taste the love!). The Master Tasting is the one we recommend as you get the best of all options. Presented by Deidre, it was our introduction to the delights of Fairview.
Having done a full tasting, we can say that our favourite wine pairings were the Nurok – paired with the Roydon cheese, the vat-fermented Lands End Syrah which was paired with the creamy red pepper and tomato cream cheese, and the 2009 Mouvedre which comes from clay soil and pairs divinely with black pepper and paprika. The dessert wine called La Beryl Blanc – named after Charles Backs mother – was rightly compared to liquid sunshine with it’s smooth taste and light bursts of sweetness. It’s so good that it won gold in the 2014 Decanter World Wine Awards! The majority of Fairview’s wines have international and national recognition which testify not only to their quality, but are also proof that the sustainable practices and eco-friendly measures behind their creation are the way forward.
Wine and cheese pairings were followed by a cellar tour and interview with Anthony de Jager, the winemaker at Fairview, who has a distinctly enviable job – which you’ll agree with if you get to walk past the aged casks and are surrounded by the scent of the ‘angels share” reaching the heavens (for those not in the know, it’s the tiny bit of wine which evaporates as the wine ages in the oak barrels).
Cheeses
It’s not surprising that when you mention the name Fairview to South Africans, you watch smiles start to spread at the memory of creamy chevin cheese on crackers, or picnicking with a Fairview favourite Brie or Camembert in summer.
The cheese selection available to purchase from the deli is outstanding – and Fairview has the distinction of being the first Carbon Neutral Cheesery on the African continent.
The baaa-eutiful Fairview goats are the pride and joy of farm manager Donald Mouton who hand-rears them and ensures they have a happy life under his watchful eye. They’re incredibly alert and friendly, and half of us wished we could take one home.
Donald has definitely got animal magnetism down as not only do the goats adore him, but so does Kuku, the friendly ostrich who believes she’s a goat! He looks after all the farm animals, including a brood of 200 hens who happily patrol, scratch and play in the wide field, sunning themselves contentedly. Their free-range eggs are available for purchase from the deli.
We were quite lucky to get an exclusive peek behind the scenes at the work done by Cheesemaker Louis Lourens and we were talked (and walked) through the varied cheese making processes. It was a fascinating tour, and we finally know how blue cheese gets its veins!
Goatshed Restaurant
Take a seat in the converted wine cellar that is Goatshed restaurant and be won over by the cheery kitchen-styled charm that it exudes – from the giant fork and spoon on the wall, to the goat’s banner and heavenly smells that waft forth from the kitchen. The coffees are top notch, and even the place mats deserve a long second look, as they’re filled with the history of Fairview in easily digestible chunks of information.
Shop and Deli
Stocked to the hilt with farm fresh goodies, visitors can browse a range of items from the cheesery and wine cellar, as well as purchase free range eggs from the resident hens and freshly baked breads from the bakery, along with cordials, juices, preserves, olive oils, and more. Fairviews’ General Manager, Neil du Plessis, gave us a run down of the initiatives Fairview is involved with, the approach they have to farming and working with local suppliers, as well as personally accompanied us around, answering any questions we had with a quick and friendly smile.
For the non-drinkers out there seeking an alternative to wine, Fairview provides a South African created range of non-alcoholic EGA rooibos – which is incredibly refreshing and has the added bonus of being packed full of anti-ageing benefits. Its very name is a clever reference to the fact its AGE spelled backwards, and the green grape, pomegranate and rooibos blend is just as lovely on its own, over ice, as it is as a mixer.
Check out some of their recommended recipes – and follow them on Instagram if you’re in need of some country inspiration.
What is your favourite memory at Fairview Wine and Cheese?
