157 of 800: Canto Wines in Durbanville, South Africa
Canto Wines is my 157th Winery visit in South Africa. it is a relatively new winery set up in the heart of the Durbanville Wine Valley. It's the building that looks like a little chapel, right next door to Meerendal. Canto Wines is a boutique winery with old vineyards yielding small harvests that result in great quality wines.
The inside area is in fact the wine cellar which doubles up as the tasting room and restaurant. They also have a wine bar and miniature deli. With it being so small, I would recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment. I guess that is why they have expanded their outside area with not only tables but picnic areas too where one can sit on a blanket on the grass.
This winery is best suited for groups of people between 2 to unlimited - believe me if you book, they make a plan! Also, the kids are welcome. The large grass lawns make it perfect for the kids to play, so bring your bat and ball, there is even a cricket pitch!
What's on the menu?
The menu is focused on pizza, cheese platters, macarons and wine. Wine tasting is R60 for a tasting of 5 wines. Sauvignon Blanc, Unwooded Chardonnay, Wooded Chardonnay, Pinotage and Merlot.
I must say, it was the Wooded Chardonnay that blew me away. Not only does it taste good, but it is also perfectly presented with a beautiful label and wax seal at only R200 a bottle!
Macaron and Cap Classique Pairing
If you haven't yet tried the Canto Wines Cap Classique and Macaron pairing, are you even living at all? The macaron and Cap Classique pairing is R115 per person which includes a pairing of 4 macaroons and 4 glasses of Cap Classique.
- Chardonnay Cap Classique Brut with Hazelnut macaron: The butteriness and earthy flavours of the Chardonnay MCC is highlighted by the rich nutty flavours in this macaron.
- Shiraz Rose Cap Classique Brut with Red Velvet Macaron: This macaron is unusually rich in flavour and it complements the fullness of raspberry and spicy flavours in the Shiraz MCC. This pairing was my favourite!
- Pinot Noir Cap Classique Brut with Turkish Delight macaron: This macaron has a slight rosewater/muscat flavour to it which compliments the delicate strawberry flavours of the Pinot noir MCC.
- Pinot Noir/Chardonnay Cap Classique Brut with Salted Caramel Macaron: This sweet and salty combination is inspired by the combination of freshness from the Chardonnay and the cherry flavours of the Pinot noir.
Pizzas at Canto Wines
If you are not partial to having a 'sweet tooth' then Canto has a savoury offering for you! A whole list of pizzas to enjoy with your wine. Look, the pizzas are not amazing but they do offer a good variety of toppings and come to you fresh and hot. I loved that you can do a wine tasting whilst you munch away on a pizza of your choice. On a busy day, the service is compromised, so do come prepared to take a slow afternoon.
In Conclusion
I had a long slow day at Canto, starting with wine tasting at 11, pizza for lunch and then retired to the gardens to sip on some wine and munch on macarons which ended at 16h30! I do blame the company I kept but overall it was a wonderful day out in the sunny Durbanville Wine Valley. Just remember to book in advance!
Contact Canto Wines
Address : Canto Wines, Vissershok Road, Durbanville
Telephone: (021) 492 2821
E-mail : info@cantowines.co.za