Tasting Wine On Stellenbosch Wine Estates

Thirteen Years #44: The story of a friend, and his fight with AIDS

Photo by Matthijs van Schuppen on Unsplash

They were all interested in the antiques.

In the side building, which long ago must have been the slaves’ quarters, the number of antiques in there amazed them. Prams and highchairs for small children dated as far back as the eighteenth century. Kitchen utensils such as tableware and pots and pans were just as old as the prams. The eye catcher was the enormous ornate antique organ.

Their next stop was the Dombeya Wool Farm. On this farm, natural fibers such as wool, cotton and mohair were processed naturally. In the workshop, the four visitors could see the arts of dying, hand spinning, weaving and knitting. In the shop, woven blankets, floor mats, hand knitted jerseys, and other clothing articles were on display to be sold. Everything, as usual, with articles requiring a great deal of effort, was very expensive.

Outside the shop, the four friends saw a sign showing them to a viewpoint. Isaac joined them in the short climb to the lookout. Annie loved the aloes that were in full bloom, showing their lovely orange tubular flowers.

Leaving the Dombeya Wool Farm behind them, their next stop was the working wine farm of Muratie, at the foot of the Simonsberg. An impressive big sign at the entrance showed all the owners of this wine farm for the past 300 years.

Jeanne and Jacques didn’t want to taste anymore wine. Jeanne because she still had to drive and Jacques because he didn’t want to be the only one drinking. Annie’s nausea had disappeared, but she didn’t want to risk it coming back by tasting the wine again.