Nederburg
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In Their Words
Nederburg History & Location
Located on the outskirts of the historic town of Paarl and around a 50 minute drive from the centre of Cape Town, Nederburg Wines has a long and proud winemaking legacy.
Nederburg’s story started in 1791 when German immigrant Philippus Wolvaart acquired 49 hectares of land in the Paarl Valley. He named his property Nederburgh, in honour of the VOC commissioner Sebastiaan Cornelis Nederburgh. The beautiful thatched and gabled Cape Dutch manor house that Wolvaart completed in 1800 is a national monument today.
At the heart of Nederburg’s winemaking journey are the people who are part of our rich and colourful history, from generations of award-winning and innovative winemakers to Ilse Graue, who lived in the manor house until the late 1950s and was a gracious host to Nederburg’s many visitors.
Innovation and history combine at Nederburg and we are one of South Africa’s best-known wine brands. Visit our wine farm to discover more about our fascinating history and taste our award-winning wines!
Nederburg Operating Hours
Wine Tasting: available daily 9am-4pm (except Tuedays when the Manor House is closed).
Five Senses Tasting Experience: available 11am & 3pm every day, except Tue. Pre-booking essential.
The Manor Restaurant: open daily 10am-4pm EXCEPT Tue when the estate is closed.
Picnics: available daily EXCEPT Tue when the estate is closed (24 hours pre-booking required).
Slow Gourmet Food Market: open Sat & Sun 9am-3pm.
*PLEASE NOTE*
Closed Good Friday, Christmas Day & New Year’s Day. All times, prices and facilities listed are subject to change. We recommend checking latest details directly with the farm and pre-booking experiences wherever possible, to avoid disappointment.
Nederburg Wine Tasting
Nederburg produce several wine ranges including a number of premium single-varietal wines under the Two Centuries label, a collection of handcrafted wines under the Heritage Heroes labels, plus The Winemasters range of delicious single varietal wines and blends, two refreshing sparkling wines, and the perennially popular Baronne red blend.
Enjoy a leisurely tasting in our stately Manor House, or sip and savour under the oaks with something delicious from our kitchen. Our friendly and knowledgeable team will guide you through our wide range of wines, with something to suit every preference. For designated drivers, we serve a wide range of non-alcoholic ciders, beers and cocktails, whilst kids and the young at heart will be delighted with our popular hot chocolate experience. Pre-booking recommended.
Wine Tasting Prices
The Manor Tasting costs R60pp for a rotating selection of 5 white, red and sparkling wines (plus something special, exclusive to the Manor!). The tasting fee is refunded upon R400 of wine purchases.
We also offer a Vault Tasting, a superb selection of 5 premium, well-matured wines, cellared to perfection under optimal conditions by the Vinoteque. Previous examples have included 5 exceptional vintages (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014) of Nederburg Ingenuity Italian Red, a novel blend of Sangiovese, Barbera and Nebbiolo. These are presented formally by a wine ambassador at a cost of R155pp (refunded against wine purchases of R400+). Pre-booking essential.
Finally our Five Senses Wine & Food Experience has been devised to strip away some senses and heighten others to show just how you perceive wine, food and flavours using different senses. Taste your way through a 3-course canapé-style food and wine pairing, first blind-folded, and then sighted with the addition of evocative sounds, creating a truly emotive and personal experience where your imagination is allowed free reign. Priced at R500pp, pre-booking essential.
Please note for all wine tasting, groups larger than 8 are by appointment only, pre-booking essential.
Nederburg Restaurants
The Manor is Nederburg’s beautifully revamped restaurant, where the emphasis is on authentic, nostalgic food experiences featuring simple and unassuming, yet wholesome and hearty dishes with a touch of heritage.
We also offer generous picnics for relaxed enjoyment in the sprawling gardens. Come spend the afternoon, Take in magnificent views of the surrounding landscape and our historic manor house.
Menus & Pricing
At The Manor, enjoy breakfasts such as Eggs Benedict or Crispy Bacon French Toast, or later on tuck into options such as the famous Baronne burger, pork belly, steak, fish and chips, gnocchi, cheese platters and delectable desserts. Main courses from R110pp, plus a kids’ menu and a wide range of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are available.
The Manor’s generous pre-booked picnic baskets offer a selection of local cheeses and charcuterie, olives, pickles, nuts and pâtes, freshly-baked bread, beef slider burgers, vegetable spring rolls, crispy chicken wings with salad plus a sweet treat. The basket serves two adults and includes a bottle of Première Cuvée Brut sparkling wine, all for R485. Kids’ picnic baskets are also available for R120 per child. 24 hours’ notice required.
Nederburg Tours & Activities
The popular Slow Market has moved to Nederburg! This gourmet food market originated in Stellenbosch and has been drawing tourists for over 13 years. Expect an inspiring array of street food cooks, artisans, florists, grocers, jewellers, slow food and locally-made products. Open weekends 9am-3pm (excluding Christmas & New Year weekends) with a kids’ jungle gym.
Currently Nederburg do not offer cellar or farm tours but do offer a unique Wine Blending Experience. Here you can learn the characteristics of the various varietals and discover why some harmonise better than others. Blend and bottle your own signature wine to take home and impress your friends and family! Available for groups of 6 – 24. Please contact the estate for more information on prices, which may vary according to group size.
Set against the backdrop of the majestic Drakenstein Mountains, our beautiful farm in Paarl is an ideal venue for a dream wedding or a professional conference. We offer a variety of packages that can be tailored according to your unique requirements. Please contact the estate for more information.
When Lucy Visited
Nederburg is a household name in South Africa and when visiting this elegant estate you can understand why. Founded in 1791, you’ll be hard pushed to find a more quintessential Cape Winelands experience in the very heart of South Africa’s beautiful wine country. A heady mix of historic and contemporary culture, it’s an absolute must visit!
So What Makes Nederburg Stand Out?
A very knowledgeable wine friend said to me that Nederburg’s influence and impact on the South African wine industry really cannot be overstated. This wonderfully preserved heritage estate has been successfully making wine since the late 1700s, however in addition to their wide selection of (highly awarded) wines, what’s so refreshing is that they’ve also moved with the times in terms of their hospitality offering.
Visitors can expect picture perfect Cape Dutch architecture, ornate interiors and sprawling lawns, however also on hand are modern dining menus, a wide selection of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, delectable contemporary picnics and frequent family-friendly outdoor events. Nederburg is a complete winelands destination suitable for young and old!
So What About The Farm Itself?
The third oldest European settlement in South Africa and the second oldest wine route in the country, historic Paarl is an integral cornerstone of the South Africa’s wine industry and it is here that Nederburg is situated, just over 45 minutes’ drive from Cape Town.
You will need a car to reach Nederburg, however it’s easy to find. Once through the gates, a leisurely drive past row upon row of gorgeous vines brings you to main section of the estate, reminiscent of a country garden with manicured flowerbeds, swaying ancient trees and abundant birdlife. You’ll spot many attractive heritage buildings, set mostly around a large shady courtyard area, boasting the iconic Manor House with its archetypal gables and wooden shutters (built in 1800), plus other more recent additions designed in the same distinctive Cape Dutch architectural style.
Weaving throughout the courtyard and benefitting from abundant tree cover are clusters of shady tables, ideal for groups (we saw couples having breakfast too). Alternatively, you can sit inside in the adjacent traditional Tasting Room with its exposed wooden beams, old paintings and chandeliers, modernised with scandi-style contemporary furniture and gentle background music. It’s not a huge space and there are no real external views but it can comfortably sit around 20, plus there’s ample seating outside for at least 50.
The showstopping Manor House and restaurant is right next door (although worth noting you can dine in any location on the estate). I visited on a day when there was a popular outdoor lawn event, so most of the seating inside had been temporarily removed as it was such a glorious day. However I did spot several heritage rooms inside with large fireplaces, chandeliers, old period furniture and dusty old Nederburg wines in cabinets. Like the beautiful piano at the entrance, everything in the Manor House is a nod to the past and makes for a wonderfully atmospheric visit, no matter the season.
In front of the Manor House, an enormous raised stoep (veranda) offers alfresco dining overlooking Nederburg’s huge flat lawns, complete with a kids’ jungle gym to the side, several socially distanced picnic tables and lawn games. This is a glorious space with panoramic mountain and garden views, with a stylish feel thanks to comfortable and contemporary furniture.
What About The Wine Tasting?
I was hosted for my wine tasting however 5 wines usually costs around R70, from a rotating selection of 10 options (waived for purchases over R500). They also have a wide selection of soft drinks, hot drinks (my kids LOVED the hot chocolate), plus both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails.
Paarl’s hot climate is particularly known for producing fruit-driven full bodied wines (especially reds) however Nederburg also source some grapes from other site specific areas, so there’s a wide choice (note, wines in the Premium ranges are estate-grown). I sampled the bubbly Nederburg Cuvee Brut (Chenin/Sauv Blanc-driven), the wooded Manor House Chardonnay, the Merlot/Cab Sav Nederburg Edelrood, the single varietal Nederburg Cab Sav and the Nederburg Noble Late Harvest.
As I listened to my fabulous host Mudro give an overview of the estate and its colourful history, what was obvious is that Nederburg have worked tirelessly to create a legacy of quality and consistency. Most of the wines I sampled on the day were from their affordable Nederburg range and were characteristically fruit-driven and approachable, i.e. fragrant and juicy with light tannins in the reds, no over the top oak, generally a little lighter on the alcohol and slightly sweeter. I can see why they are so popular both in SA and across the world.
If you do prefer heavier full bodied wines, I’d suggest opting for one of the premium options. The Manor House Chardonnay was superb: fragrant with passion fruit, plus asparagus and vanilla on the palate. I also sampled their premium Private Bin Shiraz 2012 – wow! I purchased one of the few remaining 2017 vintages to age back home and left thinking there was something for every palate. My favourite though? The Noble Late Harvest! Smooth apricot and honey and the most luxurious, textured full mouth feel – sensational!
What About The Restaurant at Nederburg?
It’s not really fair for me to truly review the restaurant as we visited on ‘Braai Day’ (barbeque for non South Africans) so although we enjoyed very delicious sausages, steaks and salads from the braai, it’s not entirely reflective of the variety and quality on offer if you order from the extensive a la carte menu.
That said, what did impress me hugely while I browsed the menu was the wide variety of options – crowd pleasing breakfasts (I am a sucker for a well cooked brekkie), a selection of platters, several options for kids, fish, meats, salads, veggie options and desserts. And don’t forget that huge menu of drink options. Something for everyone.
Their picnics also looked excellent. For around R485 for 2 you not only get a basket of goodies but also a bottle of sparkles and a blanket – or you could sit on one of tables dotted on the lawns. We came on a sunny day with two young kids and it’s great for parents, as the lawns are flat and safe and boast several lawn games – think giant jenga, cornhole (the bean bag throwing game) and croquet. Plus during the warmer months they often host special weekend event days with live music or DJs.
I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon at Nederburg and felt incredibly relaxed as the afternoon drew to a close. The service was on point and everyone was so friendly. I also appreciating the diversity of the visitors: couples, groups, families, young, old – all creeds and colours mixing – it was idyllic. As my 10 year old step son said as I dragged him home, ‘this was my favourite wine farm we’ve been to so far!’.
In Summary
The perfect family-friendly heritage wine farm, serving up affordable, quality wines, delicious food and impeccable service in the heart of the Winelands. Come and spend a relaxed sunny afternoon here and I guarantee you’ll already be planning your next visit.
Top Tip!
If you’re looking for something totally different, try the R500pp ‘Five Senses Experience’. Here you taste your way through a 3-course canape food and wine pairing – both blind-folded and then sighted! What’s more, they also add into the mix ‘evocative sounds, creating a truly emotive and personal experience’. Coupled with their award-winning wines this sounds epic!
