Stellenbosch is world-renowned for its top-class wine farms. With its picturesque setting and historic charm, the wine farms in Stellenbosch are without a doubt treasures.
Perfect weather, delicious pizza and great wine – the perfect combinations for a good time in the winelands. This is what Bellevue has to offer. Bellevue Wine Estate is located alongside the Bottelary Road – home to the world’s first commercial pinotage planted in 1953.
As you enter the estate, the road leads you to a Cape Dutch homestead that was built in 1803 and after restoration it became a National Monument in 1993.
The tasting room greets you with modern interior with touches of wooden textures and leathers to create a pleasant ambiance.
The outdoor area opens up to an oversized verandah looking onto a lush green lawn, a perfect family-friendly setting. The restaurant offers breakfast and lunch to suit all taste buds – anything from breakfasts and mains to mezze and charcuterie. They are also well known for their wood fired pizzas and they offer a pizza and wine pairing which includes four wines such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage and Shiraz.
The Standard wine tasting fee is R40 and offers the following wines to taste:
BELLEVUE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018
A glass of this Sauvignon Blanc can be equated to a glass of summer, with strong summer fruit flavuors of litchi, granadilla and pineapple, while green apple lingers on the palate. The Sauvignon Blanc is remarkable in that only exceptional vintages are bottled. It can be enjoyed chilled and complements poultry and seafood dishes beautifully.
BELLEVUE MUSCAT D’ALEXANDRIE 2018
Muscat of Alexandria is a white wine grape that is a member of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. It is considered an “ancient vine”, and wine experts believe it is one of the oldest genetically unmodified vines still in existence. It is still an important grape in the Australian and South African wine industry.
The Muscat d’Alexandrie is a dry yet fruity wine which shows hints of litchi and finishes off with floral notes of rose petal and gardenia.
BELLEVUE CINSAUT 2017
Cinsaut or Cinsault is a red wine grape, whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon and the former French colonies of Algeria and Morocco. It is often blended with grapes such as Grenache and Carignan to add softness and bouquet.
A beautifully refreshing and fruit-forward Cinsaut dominated by flavours of strawberries and raspberries with an equally approachable, supple tannin structure.
BELLEVUE PINOTAGE 2015
From historic tales of creation – merging Pinot Noir and Hermitage (Cinsaut) grapes by Prof Perold – to today’s legends crafting and creating the latest Pinotage or Pinotage blend. The story always ends where it is enjoyed with friends, food or maybe somewhere alone with a bottle of Pinotage as your company. Somewhere where you might just wonder why life isn’t always all about Pinotage.
This wine is grown, made and bottled on Bellevue Estate, where the first commercial Pinotage plantings were established in 1953. The wine shows classic Pinotage flavours of plums, raspberries and strawberries. This is complemented by smooth, lingering finish.
BELLEVUE SHIRAZ 2017
The Bellevue Shiraz is a brooding, dark version of the varietal that is doing so well for South Africa’s wine industry. Mulberry, white pepper and wood smokiness dominate the palate, but the supple tannins and layers of youthful fruit are intended for early drinking, up to 3 years from vintage.
BELLEVUE MALBEC 2015
The Bellevue Malbec is a gorgeous compilation of aromas that follow through perfectly to the palate. Rosemary, brambles, fynbos and eucalyptus make for a sweet, but herbaceous and ‘wild’ tasting wine with all the usual ripe, soft dark berries typical of Malbec.
Malbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. The French plantations of Malbec are now found primarily in Cahors in South West France.
BELLEVUE ATTICUS 2016
On the nose you will find inviting plum, blackberry snd vanilla aromas. This is followed by bold ripe berry fruit, integrated oak flavours and soft tannins on the palate.
Atticus, a beloved Arab stallion which roamed the pastures of Bellevue for many years, inspired this unique wine. This Cape blend consists of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Petit Verdot and was matured in American oak for 12 months.
BELLEVUE 1953 SINGLE VINEYARD PINOTAGE 2016
For an extra R40 you get to try this elegant, top-end wine from a vineyard established in 1953.
The nose shows red and black cherry plus vanilla and spice (maturation lasted 18 months in a combination of new and second-fill French oak barrels) with a little floral character in the background. The palate is rich and flavourful with plenty of dense fruit plus tannins.
The wine derives its name from the fact that this particular vineyard was planted in 1953. The grapes for the “1953” Pinotage 2016 were hand-picked at optimum ripeness. After fermentation and regular pump overs in stainless steel tanks, the wine was matured for 18 months in small French oak barriques.
Child friendly and with modern finishes and comfort, this proves a destination not to be missed. Walk-ins are welcome and wines are charged at cellar door prices.
Categories: Bellevue Wine Estate, Region, Stellenbosch
