WHERE TO EAT on the Paarl Wine Route, on a farm, among the vines? And which wines to seek out, what the panels of experts have recommended recently? For lunch, your choices include Faber at Avondale, several options at Babylonstoren, the Goatshed at Fairview, Glen Carlou, The Kraal at Joostenberg, The Red Table at Nederburg, Rhebokskloof, the Deck at Ridgeback, Rupert & Rothschild, various destinations at Spice Route, the bistro at Vrede en Lust – and the new restaurant (pictured above), Eat @ Perdeberg alongside Vryguns Road in the Windmeul area, where the main courses include venison and dried fruit pie, oxtail, Chicken Campagnola, lamb curry, prego steak roll and crumbed pork chops. As for the wines, the panels’ favourites are given below – excluding wines available only on auction, own-labels not readily available, export-only wines and those long sold out:

 

TOP RATED WHITES IN 2019/18

Babylonstoren Chardonnay 2017
Babylonstoren Chenin Blanc 2017
Babylonstoren Viognier 2017

Backsberg Family Reserve White 2018

Bayede! King Shaka-Zulu Chenin Blanc 2017

Fairview Beryl Back 2017 (Blend)
Fairview Nurok 2016 (Blend)

Glen Carlou Barrel Select Chardonnay 2015
Glen Carlou Chardonnay 2017
Glen Carlou Collection Chenin Blanc 2018
Glen Carlou Quartz Stone Chardonnay 2017
Glen Carlou Sauvignon Blanc 2018

KWV Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay 2016
KWV Mentors Chenin Blanc 2017
KWV Mentors Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Laborie Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (KWV)

Nederburg Anchorman Chenin Blanc 2017
Nederburg Two Centuries Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Nederburg Young Airhawk Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Niel Joubert Chenin Blanc 2017

Painted Wolf Pictus 2017 (Blend)
Painted Wolf Roussanne 2018

Perdeberg Dry Land Collection Barrel Fermented Chenin 2017
Perdeberg Endura Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2017
Perdeberg Vineyard Collection Chenin Blanc 2018

Ridgeback Viognier 2017

Under Oaks Three Twenty 2015 (Blend)

Vondeling Babiana 2017 (Blend)

Vrede en Lust Barrique Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Vrede en Lust Early Mist Riesling 2017
Vrede en Lust White Mischief 2018 (Blend)

 

TOP RATED BUBBLIES IN 2019/18

Anura Brut 2013 (MCC)

Babylonstoren Sprankel 2013 (MCC)

Laborie Blanc de Blancs 2011 (MCC, KWV)
Laborie Brut Rosé NV(MCC, KWV)

Perdeberg Chenin Blanc Brut Reserve 2012 (MCC)

 

TOP RATED PINKS IN 2019/18

Babylonstoren Mourvèdre Rosé 2018

Backsberg Pinotage Rosé 2018
Backsberg‘s Tread Lightly Rosé 2018

Fairview Rosé Quartz 2017

Landskroon Blanc de Noir Pinotage Off Dry 2019

Vondeling Rosé 2018

Windmeul Pinotage Rosé 2019

 

TOP RATED REDS IN 2019/18

Anura Malbec 2017
Anura Petit Verdot Reserve 2013
Anura Pinotage Reserve 2016
Anura Pinotage Syrah 2017
Anura Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Arra Shiraz 2015

Babylonstoren Babel 2017 (Blend)
Babylonstoren Nebukadnesar 2017 (Blend)
Babylonstoren Shiraz 2017

Backsberg Family Reserve Red 2016
Backsberg Pumphouse Shiraz 2016

Druk My Niet Invictus 2013 (Blend)

Fairview Extraño 2016 (Blend)
Fairview Primo Pinotage 2017

Glen Carlou Collection Red Blend 2017
Glen Carlou Grand Classique 2015 (Blend)
Glen Carlou Merlot 2017
Glen Carlou Syrah 2017

Joostenberg Bakermat 2016 (Blend)

KWV Abraham Perold Tributum 2014 (Blend)
KWV Cathedral Cellar Shiraz 2016
KWV Mentors Cabernet Franc 2017
KWV Mentors Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
KWV Mentors Canvas 2016 (Blend)
KWV Mentors Orchestra 2014 (Blend)
KWV Mentors Petit Verdot 2016
KWV Mentors Pinotage 2016

Landskroon Cabernet Franc Merlot 2017

Mitre’s Edge Cabernet Franc 2015
Mitre’s Edge Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Mitre’s Edge Malbec 2016
Mitre’s Edge Petit Verdot 2015

Nederburg Brew Master 2016 (Blend)
Nederburg Manor House Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Nederburg Two Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Nelson’s Lisha Nelson Cabernet Franc 2017

Painted Wolf Mourvèdre 2017

Plaisir de Merle Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Plaisir de Merle Charles Marais 2014 (Blend)
Plaisir de Merle Grand Plaisir 2014 (Blend)
Plaisir de Merle Signature 2012 (Blend)

Rhebokskloof Black Marble Hill Syrah 2016
Rhebokskloof Vineyard Selection Pinotage 2016
Rhebokskloof‘s Rhebok Cape Blend 2013

Ridgeback His Master’s Choice Signature C 2016 (Blend)
Ridgeback Merlot 2015

Roodeberg Dr Charles Niehaus 2016 (Blend, KWV)

Simonsvlei 1945 Granite Red 2014 (Blend)

Terracura’s Silwervis Cinsaut 2016

Under Oaks Pinotage Reserve 2016

Vondeling‘s Bowwood Pinotage 2016
Vondeling Monsonia 2016 (Blend)
Vondeling Philosophie 2015 (Blend)

Vrede en Lust Boet Erasmus 2014 (Blend)

 

TOP RATED DESSERTS IN 2019/18

Fairview La Beryl Blanc 2017 (Straw Wine)

KWV Mentors Noble Late Harvest 2015

Nederburg Winemasters Noble Late Harvest 2018

Perdeberg Dry Land Collection Natural Sweet Chenin 2017

 

TOP RATED FORTIFIEDS IN 2019/18

KWV Cape Full Cream NV (Sherry)
KWV Cape Tawny NV (Port)

Landskroon Cape Vintage 2015 (Port)

 

• For info about contact details, addresses, wine tastings and pairings and the costs thereof at the top cellars in Paarl, click here. Prices of highly rated vintages during the past two years given here.