Thursday, March 10, 2016

Still and sparkling wines in a wonderful landscape at Domaine des Dieux

Domaine des Dieux (the Land of the Gods) has marvellous MCC wines and some others to sample at their tasting room in the Hemel and Aarde which we know from tasting outside the valley at festivals, award ceremonies and restaurants. We went exploring to find another as yet undiscovered venue.
The winding road from Hermanus to Caledon has finally been finished and tarred.  It is still a work in progress, as they need to finish the double carriage way and the road markings are missing, but it has made travelling in the area a pleasure instead of a pain
The view over Domaine des Dieux vineyards towards those of Creation, with its winery in the distance
And you can see right across the valley to Ataraxia's Greek style tasting room -  no, it is not a church
or the tiny cottage at the edge of the woods
You are so high you can see wonderful raptors soaring above
Their tasting room is rather like a pavilion which opens up on two sides. And you can laze on sofas and enjoy tasting the wines and the marvellous views
Views of the countryside towards Tesselaarsdal and Caledon
Last year the mountains on the other side of the valley were badly burnt and they are still recovering
Domaine de Dieux vines. They grow Chardonnay, Pinot Noir - mostly for their MCC's, Shiraz and Mourvedre. The wines are made for them by several different local winemakers: Kevin Grant at Ataraxia, Gerhard Smith from La Vierge and Niels Verburg from Luddite in Botrivier
The two MCC's. Both 4 star Platter wines. The Claudia Brut and the Rose of Sharon Brut Rose. Both excellent wines
There is some outside seating
The current range of wines available
How strange to find a Scottish thistle growing in the valley
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

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