Hop And Vine Festival at Groot Constantia

Simon’s Restaurant at Groot Constantia is excited to once again present the Hop and Vine festival. With the list of enthusiastic participants and great products there will be a range of quality wines and craft beers being poured as well as limited ciders and craft spirits. 

Tickets to attend will be sold to the public at R195/ person which will include entrance and ten product tastings from the 25 potential brands on show.

Date and Time

Saturday 26 August
Event- 11:30-20:30
Tasting- 12:00-17:30

Groot Constantia VSOP Cape Brandy and Grand Constance tasting at Groot Constantia.

It was a cold and wet winter’s day when we headed out to Groot Constantia for a visit with winemaker, Boela Gerber and marketing manager, Grant Newton. We sat sheltered in the newly refurbished Cloete Cellar, and as I looked out at the much needed rain, I decided it wasn’t a bad way to hide out from the weather. Although, rain or shine, any conditions would be fine for a tasting at Groot Constantia.

I have toured Groot Constantia's production cellar a number of times over the years, but on this particular day I found myself making my way into a part of the cellar that is not in the usual tour. I was there to chat to wine maker, Boela Gerber, about the award-winning Grand Constance. 

In an exciting move for wine connoisseurs and collectors, Groot Constantia are releasing highly limited quantities of the last of their award-winning vintages produced over the past decade. Read more about it in the press release here. 

Our Easter #mychocolateface competition sweetened social media for the month of April with fans sharing fun and fabulous snaps of their Chocolate and Wine Pairing experience - as well as selfies with their tasting room guru - on @GrootConstantia’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels.

Walking towards Jonkershuis Restaurant at Groot Constantia evokes images of scenes in art films where extended families and groups of friends gather around long tables laden with food and where sensory feasts are had under clumps of trees.

Upon first meeting Boela Gerber, winemaker at Groot Constantia since the 1^st of January 2001, the word grounded immediately comes to mind. The dictionary definition of grounded is to be admirably sensible, realistic and (above all) unpretentious. Such a person remains grounded despite all the praise and attention, the dictionary also says. Such is Boela.

The wheels of the bus go round and round… and everyone on the City Sightseeing Red Tour Bus swivels their heads from side to side as there is so much to leave you agape on the Blue Mini Peninsula Tour. The Hop-On Hop-Off bus leaves from the Two Oceans Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront (or 81 Long Street) where after it circles Table Mountain – look out for antelope on the southern slopes as you drive past with the wind in your hair.