It’s World Chocolate Day! This means we don’t have to feel guilty about stuffing our faces with one (or 10) bars of chocolate. While there’s nothing wrong with grabbing the casual Nestlé bar at your local supermarket if you’re really looking to enjoy this delicious treat, why not pair it with one of the Mother City’s favourite pastimes: wine tasting!
Here are five wine farms that offer chocolate and wine pairings:
Spier Wine Farm
Voted one of the world’s best vineyards in 2021, Spier Wine Farm has attracted both local and international wine lovers thanks to gorgeous vistas, its refreshing take on regenerative farming, and most importantly, its award-winning wines. Spier offers a delicious pairing with chocolates which have been carefully crafted by its resident chocolatier, ensuring that the robust flavours from the winery’s “liquid treasures” are experienced.
- Cost: R80 per person
- Location: Spier Wine Farm R310, Baden Powell Drive, Lynedoch
Waterford Estate
Nestled in the gorgeous Blaauwklippen Valley and with the Stellenbosch Mountains as its backdrop, it offers a picturesque setting for a sample of the Estate’s award-winning wines. Milk and dark chocolate have been meticulously crafted to provide a chocolate/wine tasting experience that bursts with endless flavour sensations.
- Cost: R110 per person
- Location: Upper Blaauwklippen Road, Helderberg Rural
Groot Constantia
Enjoy a taste of wine and history when visiting Groot Constantia. The estate is considered one of South Africa’s first wine farms and was established in 1685 with a few of the Cape Dutch structures still available for visitors to have a peek at. Spend the day indulging in a pairing of five wines and five chocolates before heading over to the estate’s restaurant for a delicious meal or a walk through their very own museum!
- Cost: R125 per person
- Location: Groot Constantia Road, Constantia
Rhebokskloof Wine Estate
Rhebokskloof Wine Estate is surrounded by the majestic mountains of Paarl and offers a magical setting for visitors to sample some of their flavourful wines. The Estate has partnered with Huguenot Fine Chocolates to provide a unique tasting which expertly pairs Belgian chocolate with a range of Rhebokskloof wines. They also offer a decadent dark chocolate ganache served with whipped brandy cream that needs to be on your sweet tooth bucket list.
- Cost: R100 per per
- Location: Rhebokskloof, Noord Agter – Paarl, Windmeul
Creation Wines
There’s a reason they call it “Hemel-en-Aarde” because this part of the Western Cape truly is heavenly. If you’re looking to escape the city and enjoy a drive along the coast with a unique wine tasting as your destination, head to Creation Wines. Along with a range of unusual wine and food pairings, including a six-course Story of Creation pairing, enjoy the smooth taste of chocolate and the delicious flavours of their vineyard’s award-winning wines.
- Cost: R150 per person
- Location: Hemel & Aarde Road R320, Hermanus
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Picture: Rhebokskloof Wine Estate