Fraai Uitzicht 1798

Karl and Sandra threw in the towel in Germany and bought this splendid vintage farm (dating back to the time of the French Revolution) back in the early noughties and have poured love into it from day one. Unlike most wine farm owners, they live in the oldest original building themselves and haven’t made it into a museum!

There are beautiful loosely maintained gardens, short and long hiking trails with maps and markers (from 30 mins to 90 mins), excellent gravel and tar cycling in four directions (for example to the village of McGregor and loads of wine farms to visit around. Do not expect a slick, overly restored experience here: the atmosphere is very much still a farm, not a retail outlet.

In terms of rooms, there are two Luxury Cottages which are freestanding buildings with ample space between your neighbours and not at all overlooked. They are open plan with twin sinks, huge freestanding bath, a lounge with leather couches and then a separate toilet and shower behind a door. They have small stoeps with views and a fireplace inside. These are best suited for couples or a couple with one child. Shiraz is the most private.

There are then four Superior Garden Rooms which are semi detached and share a stoep. Each one sleep two. These are about 20% smaller in the lounge area than the Luxury Cottages and also have freestanding baths. These are best suited for two couples travelling together or parents with older children.

There are then two Vintage Cottages which have two bedrooms, a stove in the lounge and shower rooms. They both have large private outside areas with dining tables and loungers. Cabernet has its own parking too, Sauvignon is the closest to the main lodge and restaurant area.

The staff are very well looked after here: Sandra and Karl make sure that everyone is involved in the wine making process every year, just like wine used to be made. Everyone from cleaners to gardeners to managers to administrators mucks in and this is how the 35,000 bottles a year are made, which is then obviously served in the on site restaurant. Additionally there are five cottages for staff to stay in where they are allowed to bring family: the use of the cottages is managed by the staff themselves. The owners pay 20% more than the minimum wage in addition to this free housing and also pay two bonuses a year, one just before the winter holiday and one just before Christmas with a tip pool on top. As a result, staff turnover is very low.

The on site restaurant serves three meals a day in season but only has place for 24 guests and the farm can accommodate 20 so you do need to book. There’s a professional chef who designs an a la carte menu every evening with ingredients sourced from around this very fertile valley so everything is super fresh. The wine is core to the business with 175ha laid to vines and many varietals grown and made.

The gardens are quirky: there’s a bamboo forest with a secret path, a rose garden with herbs for the kitchen, a medium sized pool with a huge lawn in front of it for games and sun bathing and then lots of other small outside nooks to curl up with a book, have a picnic or nature watch.

Children: welcome from the ages of 12 and up.

Mobility: none of the rooms have completely flat entry and none are suitable for wheelchairs but the ones with the least number of steps (2) are Shiraz and Merlot.

Ethicality: superb benefits for staff (as mentioned above)

Sustainability: all the water on the farm comes from a mountain spring, including the water used in the wine making and isn’t even pumped. Power comes from the mains and there’s recycling of glass and cardboard only (this is very remote location).