The idyllic 80-hectare estate is very much a working farm with 27 hectares of planted vines, but unlike other vineyards in the Cape Winelands region, it is entirely private, so that when you stay at the house, you have the place to yourself. There are no public wine tastings or tours. Nor is it a hotel. It would make the perfect bolthole for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who are known fans of the Western Cape area. There’s even a helicopter pad in the garden for those wishing to arrive in ultra-discreet style. Permanent staff include a butler, housekeeper and private chef, with menus devised around seasonal produce from the organic kitchen gardens.
As a guest, you’re encouraged to take part in the various farm activities, whether joining in the dawn harvest, stomping the grapes or simply enjoying a wine tasting hosted by the estate’s vivacious winemaker Kiara Scott, 27, a graduate of the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé programme and one of South Africa’s most exciting young talents. “We want it to be an authentic experience,” says British-born owner Tim Rudd, who has transformed what was previously a run-down property into a thriving enterprise in just four years.