2022 Bot River winelands checklist: where to go, what to go for
MORE OR LESS equidistant between Elgin and Caledon, the winelands of Bot River extend east of the Houw Hoek Pass and north of the villages Fisherhaven and Hawston on the outskirts of Hermanus – just over an hour and a half (about 90km) from Cape Town. The recommended restaurants on the wine route include those at Gabriëlskloof, Arcangelli and Wildekrans, but there are also the tables at Beaumont. See below for the top cellars in the area and what they’re best at, and for the names of exactly which wines from the area have the best track records, see the Classification. The producers with best track records overall: Beaumont, Crystallum, Thorne & Daughters and Wildekrans. For all of the Top 100 in the SA Cellar Classification, click here.
BOT RIVER‘S TOP CELLARS
Beaumont
Strongest Suit: Chenin Blanc
Benguela Cove
Strongest Suit: Chardonnay
Crystallum
Vinification at Gabriëlskloof
Strongest Suit: Pinot Noir
Luddite
Strongest Suit: Shiraz
Mount Abora
Vinification at Arcangelli
Strongest Suit: Chenin Blanc
Thorne & Daughters
Vinification at Gabriëlskloof
Strongest Suit: White Blend
Wildekrans
Strongest Suits: Chenin Blanc, Pinotage, Pinotage-led Blend, Shiraz
The short summary of the Botrivier Wine Route leaves much to be desired. On the restaurant side there are three major omissions in Benguela Cove, Ecology Lifestyle Farm (and PaardenKloof) as well as Rivendell.