S1 - Ep 255 - Wine Route - Estates Between Somerset West and Stellenbosch!

We live on the doorstep of one of the most renowned Wine Routes in the world, but because we're not big wine consumers, we hardly ever get to visit them. They are all incredibly beautiful though and, in this episode, we decided to visit a few Wine Estates close to home, between Somerset West and Stellenbosch. All five of them were absolutely stunning with gorgeous locations and settings. We hope you enjoy our short tour of this Wine Route. #DustBugs #adventuretravel #southafrica #southafricavlog #travelongravel #capetown #westerncape #wineroute #tablemountain #somersetwest #stellenbosch
Instagram
/ dustbugstravel
Facebook
/ dustbugstravel

[@petebeach2087]

Great shots that bring back memories. We got married in Longridge in 2019, it was lovely. We have been coming to Stellenbosch regularly since 2014, we feel at home. Greetings from Germany

[@1812nico]

Hi you two! Thank you for this beautiful and interesting outing under the blue skies. It is difficult to choose between these places, but the 'stoned ladies' at Hidden Valley did catch my eye. The indigenous plants and flowers and the surrounding mountains really makes this Route something very special. I'm jealous of you living so near there! Looking forward to the next surprise. Keep safe!

[@DustBugsTravel]

😁 The stoned ladies were rather attractive, I must agree. And their setting was fantastic too! 🌳🍇 We chose the places with some of the best views in our area and it was fun visiting them. We should do so more often. 😁🍷

[@flodillon991]

All I can say is its beautiful those views are stunning and the estates are amazing. Just loved the beautiful Flora I am a nature person so I really enjoyed this visit. Thank you.

[@DustBugsTravel]

There were enough beautiful flowers and plants around to make you very happy, I'm sure! 🌾🥀 The views from these places were indeed stunning and we were fortunate to have a clear day and could see far in the distance, which was magic! Thank you for taking the trip to wine country with us! 🚗🍇

[@charlietreston4035]

Hi guys fromthe start of the video transported to beautiful place the views stunning immaculate lawns vines as far as the eye can see top class restaurants with millionaire views great to hear afrikaans spoken in the background I know I'm in South Africa then faces in the Bush amazing loved the deck Ernie Els vineyard with the driving tee crazy amazing video thanks for taking me along back in the 70s I went to Gary players House a few times to watch movies this has brought back memories cheerio till the next one

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm glad you enjoyed this outing to the vineyards! 🚗🍇 The setting of these wine estates is absolutely incredible and we chose ones close to home with spectacular views. 🏞 It was fantastic seeing everyone enjoy themselves with delicious wine and food and just having a good time under the South African sun! At least you could join them for 30 minutes! What fantastic memories you must have of visiting Gary Player's house and the stories one of the best golf players in the world must've told! Wonderful experiences which you'll always treasure, thank you for sharing them with us! 🏌🏻‍♂️📽️

[@annawitter5161]

Roger and I liked our glass of wine and particularly loved trying out different wines and detecting the different aromas. We would save up for an outing to a winery, tasting, buying some wine, and having a really delicious lunch. Delheim, Hillcrest, Moreson, Nuy, and many more. We would sit outside as most of the places had a really beautiful view. It was so interesting to compare the various aromas we picked up in the tasting samples: fruit, grass, leather, tobacco, berries, well-rotted manure, dead mice...(last two..only joking!) That face! Looks a bit like morning after, doesnt it! You should come explore Durbanville area. Lots of beautiful wineries and other lovely places. Thank you for bringing back beautiful memories shared by me and my Beloved. Your photography is wonderful especially from an artist point of view.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you, I'm glad this video evoked so many memories from your and your husband's time together. 🍷🥰 Your memories reminded us of so many times with my in-laws at Delheim specifically. It was Sonia's dad's favourite estate and I know you were joking about manure and such, but his favourite sweet wine was Delheim's Spatzendreck! 😁 Because we're not big wine drinkers, we don't visit these estates nearly enough and we should, for their spectacular settings and natural beauty. And their divine food of course! 🍇🚗 We lived in Durbanville for four years soon after we got married and we knew the area very well back then, but it's expanded incredibly so a lot has changed. Back then, the Medi-Clinic was very close to the end of Durbanville! 😳 We didn't get to visit Durbanville this time around. We had to get back to work and there are just too many suburbs in Cape Town, so we had to stop somewhere. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@annawitter5161]

@@DustBugsTravel The medi-clinic does not have happy memories for me. between my hubby and my mum it has been a familiar scene of much stress

[@simonemason5352]

Shoo I'm in awe. Picture perfect weather with blue skies. It's great that you are going to places not always heard of. Many thanks.

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm so happy to hear that you also thought these estates were beautiful, we love the lesser-known places. The settings and views were to die for, we had a fantastic time! And the fact that the weather played along nicely, was a huge bonus! 🚗🍇

[@michalf6460]

Loved it a lot! Pleas Take us to more Wine farms

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm glad you enjoyed visiting these wine estates! 🚗🍇 Our travelling week was nearing its end and we had to get back to work, so we didn't visit more wine estates this time around.

[@frederikbrits9559]

Excellent weather for a road trip

[@DustBugsTravel]

Exactly! And even more so when it's close to home! 🚗☀️

[@cathiabbott233]

You guys! This was absolutely beautiful. I loved the Hidden Valley stop and of course the golf shop at the other one. So much fun!!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you, I'm glad you had a fun time visiting these wine estates with us! There's no denying that spectacular beauty was to be found everywhere we looked. We had a great time and now even greater because you joined us! 🍇🚗

[@abedafelton9992]

We travelled with you around Somerset West and Stellenbosch wineries and absolutely loved it. We are not wine people, but loved the scenery, food and markets. Since travelling with you we actually booked and paid for a trip to Cape Town in December 2023 God willing. We will be in there from 15/12/23 to 22/1/2024, we have made notes of most of the places a hope to follow in your footsteps. We thoroughly enjoyed your travels, thank you. ❤️🙏

[@61sunset]

That sounds amazing. Hope you thoroughly enjoy it. The Cape area is stunning.

[@DustBugsTravel]

@Abeda Felton Wow, how amazing! 🇿🇦😍 It's fantastic to hear that our videos inspired you to visit Cape Town! You will have the most unbelievable time, I guarantee you! You're coming at a time when the weather is great, people are in a festive mood and ready to celebrate and you'll see and experience so many wonderful things. I'm super excited for you! We're not big wine drinkers ourselves, but the wine estates offer so much than wine. 🏞️ Spectacular settings and scenery, delicious food and some even have markets and art galleries which you might also enjoy. We so appreciate you watching our videos and wish you the experience of a lifetime in sunny South Africa. ✈️😁

[@munesumangava9751]

Wonderful! Your videos are generating tourism guys🥰🥰

[@terrimeyer3815]

First I must say THANK YOU so much for not doing the usual. The views are incredible at these places. I must say I was mesmerized .... though I do find it all very pretentious and all......lol ♥️♥️♥️♥️😋

[@DustBugsTravel]

We chose most of these estates specifically for the views, so I'm happy that you also enjoyed the spectacular surroundings! 🌳🍇 You know we love the lesser-known places the most, just like you! 😁🚗 The two of us lead rather simple lives, but every so often it's good to enjoy some sophistication. 😉

[@susannaemmerich1166]

What a beautiful day that was.!!!🙃🙏👌

[@ndaitavelahamupembe4108]

Thank you for sharing . I am from Namibia and will visit soon.🎉

[@zameergaffar7187]

Thank you for wonderful wonderful clips of paradise

[@DustBugsTravel]

You're very welcome, I'm so glad we can transport you to the area close to where you live and which you must also know well! 🚗🍇

[@susannaemmerich1166]

Mega, mega bucks!!!!🙃

[@dorothyparker8328]

My daughter treated me to a wonderful celebration breakfast at Avontuur, in 2016, for my 80th birthday. It was very special.

[@DustBugsTravel]

I can only imagine what a treat that must've been! 🥳 It's such a beautiful setting on their patio under the vines. We've also had meals there and we always have a good time when we visit Avontuur! 🚗🍇

[@BrendonSchaferCT]

Wow dudes. I thought I knew most of the wine farms, but the first couple, I did not know. Driving uber in the area for a year, you get to see a lot, but not experience anything. Hidden Valley and Ernie Els are right next to each other and did numerous turns up that side. I get the feeling you are going to Helshoogte Farms next.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We like going to the places that may not be as well known as some others may be! 🚙🍇 These five estates were the only ones we visited, so we didn't get to the Helshoogte area this time around. You must see a lot of places in your line of work! 🚗😁

[@BrendonSchaferCT]

@@DustBugsTravel Not doing Uber anymore. No. There are so many great farms all over. Doing basically R44 and Annandale were great choices your side of Stellies. I think you did Sir Lowry Road too?

[@DustBugsTravel]

I was quite keen to visit Waterkloof on Sir Lowry Road. They weren't doing tastings on the day we were visiting the estates though, so their tasting room was closed. 😏

[@mariamukikota6182]

Wow this is so beautiful

[@mariusroos]

Well done guys. Excellent footage. I live so close to it but never go there. That is the reason i am so thankful for the work you do to bring it to us.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Don't you worry, we live just as close and don't visit these wine estates nearly enough. Our excuse is that we're not big wine drinkers, but the natural beauty and spectacular views are more than enough reason to go and visit. I'm glad you enjoyed! 🚗🍇

[@munesumangava9751]

Beautiful views all around👌👌👌

[@zameergaffar7187]

Love it love it. Been away from Strand for a year now. Working in Zim. But my god I miss Capetown

[@DustBugsTravel]

Oh, I don't blame you! Strand is our hometown too and I can only imagine how difficult it must be for you to be so far away from it! Keep watching, we may just have a surprise for you! 🚗🏖️

[@blimages2]

Whaooo so amazing 😍🤩

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you, all such beautiful places, I agree! 🍇🚗

[@61sunset]

Just when I thought the Cape couldn't get any better, you show me how wrong I am. Absolutely stunning!! I have never travelled the wine route before and love how beautiful the wineries are. I do prefer the simple things in life, but wow I do appreciate the effort and care that goes into creating those stunning places and being surrounded by the unrivalled scenery....amazing. What I also love about S.A, is the service in general is of a high standard, I never realised how much so, until I left . Thanks for taking us along, a few glasses of that amazing wine, and I would have needed the back seat for myself : )

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed visiting these five wine estates with us! We chose them because they're all close to home, but also for their magnificent views, settings and facilities. 🚗🍇 We lead rather simple lives ourselves and aren't big wine drinkers at all, but the natural beauty which surrounds these places, has to be admired, wine or no wine! 🏞️ The staff we dealt with at all five estates, were super friendly and professional and so proud to represent South Africa and the quality wine it produces. 🇿🇦🍷 It was really a fantastic day!

[@zinimountglobal]

Those koi were so beautiful.

[@DustBugsTravel]

And so big, I was so happy to see them! 😍🐠

[@Ronshydrohub]

Just luvly...thank you

[@DustBugsTravel]

Appreciate. 🚙🍇

[@angela58]

🥰Stunning

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you so much! 🚗🍇

[@mirtawegen6022]

Love this place I have been there 🙏🤙🏿

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm sure you had a fantastic time too! 🍇🚗

[@stoicman31]

Incredible scenery! Would this be considered peak season? My friends are visiting SA in July from the US.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Incredible scenery indeed! 🏞️ I'd say peak season is December - January and April also tends to get busy. Now that the world has opened up though, South Africa is getting so many tourists all the time, which is fantastic! 😍🇿🇦 July is deep winter in the Winelands, but hopefully the weather is clear. It can get very wet, but the rain is always welcome. Please tell them we're sure they'll have a fantastic time and safe and happy travels! We lived in their beautiful country for a number of years and our shores look forward to welcoming them! 😁

[@markwilliams4201]

Dustbugs.Did you visit Blaauklippen between Somerset West and Stellenbosch?I don't see it on your video.Otherwise,the videos are beautiful and very informative.Thankyou.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We did not visit Blaauwklippen, no. We actually called to make a reservation for lunch, but their entire venue was booked that day for a private function. 🍷 I'm glad you enjoy our videos, thank you.

[@sicko_the_ew]

I declare Hidden Valley the winner. (Nice indigenous gardens, and some fynbos left to live where I think some of the others would've scraped it flat and put in just grapes and lawns). The mountains in the area are beautiful, though. (The views if you take a distant enough view of it all.) I don't see what the wildlife you're supposedly not meant to threaten by speeding, at the first place, when you leave nice and drunk (not you, but the more enthusiastic wine drinkers might) is meant to live on. Lawn? Grapes? (I think if they ate grapes you'd have roast hedgehog on the menu.) It must be quite a hard life being wild among the vines. (Nothing wrong with agriculture, or even obsessive tidiness - especially since we've all seen what obsessive filthiness can do to a place by contrast - but as a place to visit, I'd always also choose a stretch of "unimproved" veld over a mielie field, too. It's just relative. Tidy rows of things have a kind of beauty, but untidy lumps of big rocks just have a better beauty, that's all. And I do wonder what the _springhaasies_ are going to live on there, too.)

[@DustBugsTravel]

These estates all have such magnificent settings that we suffered from beauty overload on this day! The views were all spectacular and the weather even allowed for us to see Table Mountain, which was fantastic! 🏞️ In the areas we travelled, there were still wild spaces in-between the vineyards for the little critters to happily live. Animals are so resilient and unfortuantely have had to adapt their lives around human intervention. 🤷🏼‍♂️ Make no mistake, we love lumps of big rocks too, in fact we can't enough of them. Nature is harsh from beginning to end, but oh so very beautiful. We appreciate you visiting these wine farms with us! 🚗🍇

[@sicko_the_ew]

@@DustBugsTravel Thanks for your exceptionally high quality videos on all these places. (And I feel a bit bad about my inner conflict about well-groomed farms. I see something lovely about them - especially when you compare it to chaos and decay, but they also give me a kind of _grillings_ for some reason. Something like a love-hate relationship, then. Partly this is due to have lived in the Lowveld for a while, on farms where we took care to leave as much behind for nature as was humanly possible, amid neighbours who wanted to put in lawns everywhere, and make it all "beautiful", who would ask you why you haven't put in fruit trees on that patch of bush on the top of the hill that you're "wasting". You'd see beautifully balanced farms - between tame and wild, with some land "wasted" on the birds and snakes and things - get sold, and then almost paved over. Lawn is "green paving" in some situations. And the feeling was that the "lawn farm" that resulted was something the new owner imagined to be more beautiful than all that scruffy bush the machines cleaned up. Like the guy was blind and deaf (deaf, because there are some good ecological reasons for leaving bits of nature the animals can hop to on their way to less hostile environments, but such farmers just refuse to hear them). Plenty of surface; nothing below that. Hollow men, to borrow from TS Elliot. (If you're guessing the ghosts of old fights are leaking in here, you'd be right.) Anyway, that's much to much "TL;DR". Thanks for the positivity, as much as anything else, and I'll try to keep my opinions about lawns and tidiness (at least the negative aspects of that) to myself.

[@rayh7264]

Thanks for the vid. Is it possible to list the five venues you visited?

[@rayh7264]

Oh I can pick it up in the video. All good.

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'll list them in case anyone else didn't catch the names during the video: 🚗🍇 Avontuur Estate. Longridge Wine Estate & Restaurant. Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards. Hidden Valley Wines. Ernie Els Wines.

[@daisai16]

Can we see the menu sometimes?

[@DustBugsTravel]

Certainly! 😁 We're normally starving when we get to order and filming the menu is the last thing on my mind, but I'll definitely try to remember in the future! We didn't have a meal at any of the wine estates though, we wanted to showcase the spectacular settings of these places. 🚗🍇

[@vaza57]

all good , but where are the menus , cuisine and wine go together ....

[@DustBugsTravel]

Our video was about showcasing the spectacular settings, views and facilities these wine estates have on offer. 🚗🍇 We didn't eat or drink at any of them on this particular day. I have no doubt that menus are readily available on each of these estates' websites. 🙂