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The popular winemaking towns of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch lie within easy reach of one another, and many scheduled Wineland day tours include a taste of both.

Last year, Fortune wrote a superb feature on the Cape Winelands. They couldn’t get enough of the scenery, the atmosphere at some of our top vineyards, and of course, the wine.

The pandemic has put a bit of a damper on wine tours, but in eight of the 10 wine regions in the country, harvest continued thanks to a last-minute concession from the National Command Council, and winemakers promised us an exceptional 2020 vintage.

When the alcohol ban was lifted, we celebrated the chance to stock up again, and that first glass of post-ban wine was one of the best I’ve ever tasted.

While we still can’t visit the Winelands, all hope is not lost, thanks to an ingenious partnership between Anthonij Rupert Wyne and a few of their neighbours from Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.

Now we can take a taste journey through some of South Africa’s most acclaimed wine farms, from the comfort of our living rooms.

Anthonij Rupert Wines has collaborated with Rust en Vrede Wine Estate, Waterford Estate, Tokara Wine & Olive Farm, Thelema Mountain Vineyards, and Leeu Passant to bring you a collector’s case of 12 bottles of exceptional wine.

That’s two bottles apiece from each of the participating estates, selected from their respective private libraries:

• 2 x Waterford Estate Chardonnay 2012
• 2 x Leeu Passant Chardonnay 2016
• 2 x Anthonij Rupert Cabernet Franc 2010
• 2 x Thelema Merlot 2010
• 2 x Rust en Vrede Estate 2013
• 2 x Tokara Directors Reserve Red 2017

I haven’t tried wines from all of the estates mentioned above, but I’ve heard fantastic things about the Tokara Directors Reserve Red, and they have one of the top young winemakers in the country now pulling the strings.

I’m not at all ashamed to say I’ve sampled most of the wines from the Rupert Wines range, and can tell you that the Anthonij Rupert Cabernet Franc is superb, and a particular favourite of a friend of mine who works as a sommelier.

The tasting notes speak for themselves:

The deep, dark colour gives a hint of what’s to come: blueberry and blackberry fruit with notes of freshly turned earth, pencil shavings and a brush of dried oreganum. The palate is equally complex and inviting with those rich, ripe, dark berry notes – but bright and inviting, not muscular and heavy.

Do yourself a favour and head on over to the Anthonij Rupert Wyne website to see what else they have on offer. They deliver, so you won’t have to leave the house to stock up.

If you’d like to secure a case of fine wines from Rupert Wines, Rust en Vrede Wine Estate, Waterford Estate, Tokara Wine & Olive Farm, Thelema Mountain Vineyards, and Leeu Passant, a limited number of cases are still available at R5 780 each.

Direct all orders and enquiries to Waterford Estate on orders@waterfordestate.co.za. 

Then make an evening of it. Drink one of the two bottles, brag about it on social media, and add the second to your collection to age with grace.

Because if we’re honest, while the views at the wine farms are great, we’re really there for the wine.