Groot Constantia Guides
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Please support our advertisers who make this free guide possible. FREE Cape Town GATEWAY EDITION 10 GUIDES 'Only the lips of a lover surpassed it in heavenly sweetness' Groot Constantia Nineteenth century poet, Charles Pierre Baudelaire, on visiting Constantia and tasting its wine. Muizenberg False Bay Cape Town • South Africa A good excuse for making wine had obtained the results, he put forward the request for his chosen area, The legacy of Groot Constantia has its roots in one man who needed later to be called Constantia. Cape Point to have a very good excuse to make wine. His mandate was to start a Here Van der Stel created his pride and joy, which became the showcase permanent replenishment station at the Cape, supplying fruit, vegetables of wine farms. Most of the layout of the farm we see today is Van der 2 and meat to passing ships en route to the Far East – all this under the Stel’s but the buildings have changed in appearance, from ones of red orders of the Dutch East India Company (DEIC or VOC). This man was face bricks and clinker bricks to beautiful neoclassical buildings under Jan van Riebeeck, who landed at Hendrik Cloete’s watch. 1 the Cape in 1652. The making of The story of Groot Constantia wine was never on the company's During Van der Stel’s time at Constantia (without his wife, who had including historical agenda, but any man of high remained in Holland) it is recorded that he held lavish parties, with standing knew that producing many well-known guests. On the business front he had a thriving wine information and other wine from one's own vineyard export business. interesting facts was the epitome of status. Within The last few years of his life were a a month, Van Riebeeck had sent A breathtaking view of Groot Constantia from one of its higher vineyards. The homestead can be seen just left of the centre; beyond is the Historical bath different story. His sons, Willem a letter to Holland explaining Constantia valley with the Cape Fold Mountains in the distance and False Bay and Muizenberg mountain on the right. Adriaan and Frans, were the need for vines. The reason Grass terrace 6 recalled from the that he came up with was that Cape for their wine was the best way to combat Simon’s Restaurant and events room extravagant The View @ The Terrace scurvy. Having a medical Untitled-2 1 2018/07/25 4:54 PM Simon’s Restaurant misuse CHART FARM of their Cellar tour, wine tasting and sales positions The homestead we see today is in the thanks to the restoration efforts Sundial garden Company. of Hendrik Cloete in 1792 and Willem Adriaan The only place where you can pick your own roses and then enjoy teas, the unplanned re-restoration in had succeeded his father as governor and cakes, breakfasts and lunches, with magnificent views of Constantia. 1925 by E K Kendall after P Chart Farm, Klaassens Road, Wynberg Park, Wynberg • 34° 0’10.64”S 18°26’58.34”E 1 had taken self-enrichment to a devastating fire. The Terrace: +27 (0) 21 762-0067 • www.chartfarm.co.za a new level. He gave himself a f a r m , background, he had noted that Vergelegen, in Somerset West with the use of European powers whose sailors Anreith’s stucco relief 600 Company slaves at no charge and engaged were given wine as part of SA FOREST ADVENTURES Cloete Cellar in unfair direct trade with the Company, their rations had a much lower Cape Town 5 undermining the other farmers in the Cape. His mortality rate. His request was The Jonkershuis with its beautiful bell-shaped gables (klokgewel) 4 undoing was coming up against far more Cape Town Ziplines Vespa granted and grape vines was built for the jonkheer, or oldest son of the farm owner, to live Rentals sophisticated free burghers, the result in. In the case of Groot Constantia, these buildings probably housed were duly sent. With the of the arrival of the Huguenots, 200 help of the Company's 11 slaves. The buildings were built in Van der Stel’s time but have Take the ride of your life! religious refugees from France, been altered over the years. gardener, Hendrik Boom, Hanepoot vineyard who were learned 4x4 drive into the mountain and his assistant, Jacob and skilled. Adam Tas, complained about Willem Adriaan’s behaviour, he had some 12 platforms Cloete van Kempen of them locked up in the Castle. Five of the ringleaders were deported to www.gatewayguides.co.za 7 155 Meters high (whose descendants 9 Jonkershuis (young man’s house) Restaurant Holland. There this new breed of farmers put their case before the Dutch 10 Longest ride: 500 meters became the cornerstone 1 East India Company: Willem Adriaan’s plans backfired and he found of the history of Groot Collection of old wagons and carts himself recalled instead. Constantia), the first vines were BIG 5 SAFARI & SPA planted in the Company's Garden. 2 Farm shed Before Simon van der Stel's death in 1712, he set These vines flourished even though many of his slaves free. He was extremely generous Real Africa. Real Close To Cape Town. Orientation Centre with one particular free slave. She was Francina Over 10 000-hectares of Big 5 conservancy. no one had a clue about viticulture. A larger site was needed to expand this Grutting, who had been born on the farm and important new project. Green Point Common lived there her whole life; he gave her 3000 was the next site chosen but this turned out to 12 guldens, half the governor’s linen and a bed with be too windy and the all its accessories. It is recorded that he died on 6 his beloved farm a lonely water in the vlei was too Replicas of the original cannon balls 021 795 0225• Silvermist Estate, Hout Bay Rd, Cape Town from the Battle of Blaauwberg (1806) sad man with no family brackish. Van Riebeeck then Homestead are found on the top of this post. P turned his attention to the other around him. He is buried in BOOK ONLINE ONLY www.saforestadventures.co.za side of Table Mountain – to the banks of the Groote Kerk in Cape Town. A few years Hop-on, Hop-off City Sightseeing the Liesbeek River in the area of today’s later, free burghers www.citysightseeing.co.za/wine-tour The years before the golden age Mowbray, Rondebosch and Newlands. had crossed the Cape Flats and In 1714 Constantia was divided up and sold. This area, when it came to growing vines, set up farms under the shadows of The property was split into Bergvliet and surpassed his expectations. By 1658 the 8 the Cape Fold Mountains. Van Riebeeck Klein Constantia, both of which went to company farm, Boscheuvel, had its first left the Cape in 1662. Wine continued to the auctioneer, Pieter de Meijer, and the substantial vines growing. be made and consumed at the Cape but the P remainder, later called Groot Constantia, quality was dreadful because the grapes were went to Captain Oloff Bergh. Bergh had The oval bath has its At this time, released employees of the picked far too soon in order to prevent the birds worked for the Company and had been own scrolled gable with Company, called free burghers, were given eating them. In addition the long sea voyage adversely sentenced for theft and neglect of duties. a niche containing a small plots to farm in order to supply affected the wine; therefore the European wine drinkers found Werf (the grassy area around the farmhouse) With this background, it is understandable figure of Triton, flanked the Company. Most of these burgers had Farm manager's house it generally unpalatable. Before the founder of Groot Constantia that he did nothing to improve his newly by pilasters and two their own vines. The life of a free burgher B arrived at the Cape 17 years after Van Riebeeck, there was a slow acquired farm. He is better known built-in benches. was not easy and many went back to the service of the Company. The arrival of 200 decline on all levels; the small colony was in disarray and the wine for his marriage to Anna de 4-STAR ACCOMMODATION | SPA slaves in 1658 not only altered the demographics of the Cape but also industry was in a sad state. 3 Koningh, an extremely GAME DRIVE | HORSEBACK & QUAD BIKE SAFARI helped take the farmers and the Company to a new level. All the grapes beautiful woman who No excuse for making bad wine At the award-winning Aquila Private Game Reserve and Spa, guests will get the at the Cape were used as table grapes until Van Riebeeck, in 1659, was the daughter of opportunity to experience a Big 5 safari, together with outstanding service; it just made the first wine at the Cape. It was not the best-tasting wine but it The minute Commander Simon van der Stel stepped off the ship in Table Batavian slaves. does not get any better than this. With game drives, quad bike and horseback Bay (1679), the fortunes of the Cape changed. He was a highly competent, After Bergh's safaris situated just 2 hours’ drive from Cape Town, it’s the closest you will get to was wine made by his own hands, which pleased him immensely. learned and busy man. He was the son of a mixed marriage and hailed death, Anna real Africa, in the lap of luxury.