Cape Town - Make hay while the sun shines, they say. I say that sounds like far too much hard work; rather have picnics.
One of the most beautiful places to do this is in the 315-year-old camphor forest at Vergelegen wine estate in Somerset West.
It’s civilised al fresco eating at tables with white cloths set beneath the serene shade of ancient trees which were seeded from the original giant camphors planted three centuries ago by estate owner governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel.
The picnic baskets are available till April and this year’s menu starts with two patés – traditional snoek, and creamy feta and white bean – served with artisanal bread and farm butter. The fish is beet-cured Norwegian salmon, served with a fresh citrus and fennel salad. Roast sirloin and Asian duck wraps are accompanied by a Mediterranean chickpea salad and a cauliflower and lentil salad.
To finish there is a selection of cheeses with homemade biscuits and preserve and the chef’s dessert of the day accompanied by aromatic filter coffee. There are estate wines from which to choose and it’s not too soon to start thinking about Valentine’s Day and a romantic date with a nice bottle of Vergelegen’s limited release Brut MMV 2013, which is available only at the estate. February 14 falls on a Sunday, just so you know.
Vegetarian picnic options and a children’s basket are also available – be sure to request these when making your booking, which is essential.
Picnics may be collected between 12.15pm and 1.30pm and finish at 4.30pm. The cost is R215 a person and R95 for a child’s picnic. This excludes gratuity, entrance and beverages/wine). A 10 percent gratuity will be added for tables of eight people or more.
The entrance fee mentioned above is a general one – R10 for adults and R5 for pensioners and scholars, with pensioners enjoying free entry on Mondays.
This means you can roam around the farm at will, enjoying the extensive gardens – including 15 000 agapanthus plants, which are in full bloom during summer – as well as historic buildings such as the homestead and library, which are filled with antiques and works of art, and the wine tasting centre. There is a play area for children too, so all in all a great day out in the country.
* Vergelegen is in Lourensford Road, Somerset West. Call 021 847 2131 or see www.vergelegen.co.za.
Weekend Argus