ESCAPE: Africa, grand South and grand cru

May is the month when workers are busy harvesting grape in the vineyards of Breede or Western Cape, where the best wines are produced in Africa. Lulled by a Mediterranean climate and taking advantage of a varied and rich soil, South Africa can boast of the quality of its crus and its grape varieties. Wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah for the whites and Chenin, Sauvignon and Chardonnay for the reds stand out and are a real feast for the taste buds.

Prestigious wines, originating in ancient Europe, are the prerogative of historical wine estates, such as Ruppert & Rothschild in Franschhoek and Groot Constantia, property established in 1685. With approximately 100,000 hectares of vineyards, plantations are mainly concentrated within a radius of about 124 miles around Cape Town. The wine trail that takes shape in the surroundings of the capital of design 2014, lends itself easily to the tasting of the productions of Wellington, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek or Constantia.

South Africa has become a prime destination for wine tourism, a country that focuses on the quality of its products. After covering the Chapman's Peak Drive and spending hours on the beaches of Hermanus, a tasting of local wine and cold cuts is the icing on the cake for an already picturesque African journey.

Translated by Dafne Inzaina – Meretdemeures.com (October 2014).