Meeting Skaapie at No. 64 of 800 - HPF1855, Hermanus
You definitely cannot go to Hermanus without visiting HermanusPietersfonein. The quirky sheep that you will see at this farm have a historic story to tell and is in fact dedicated to the history of origin for the area. Overberg farmers in the early 1800’s preferred their children to be schooled in Dutch, forerunner of Afrikaans. Hermanus Pieters was their man and so they paid him in sheep to teach the children. In 1855, long after his passing, the village was founded in his honour, only for the postmaster in 1902 to shorten the name to Hermanus.
Not only are the sheep really fun, but each label has a unique Afrikaans name like "Kaalvoet Meisie" (Barefoot girl), "Kat met die Hout Been" (Cat with the wooden leg), "bloos" (blush) and skoonma (Mother-in-law). You will certainly have a little giggle reading them all.
BOOKINGS: No need to book, especially on Saturday's when there is a farmers market from 9am - 1pm. Check out their Facebook page here to find out more about the dates and times for their Saturday markets: https://www.facebook.com/HPF1855Wines/WINE TASTING: It's FREE every Saturday at the market! Otherwise, it is R30 for a selected number of wines.WHEN TO GO: Summer or Winter. Really an every season type of wine farm with plenty of options where to sit (inside or outside, plus there is even a fire place.)SERVICE: The staff are really very friendly and knowledgeable.RESTAURANT: Enjoy a vast variety of local food at the farmer's market every Saturday. Each dish is perfectly prepared, fresh, just for you! Just check out these traditional Samoosas and oyster shooters! 
ACCOMMODATION: There are some self-catering cottages. Check them out HERE. CHILD/PET FRIENDLY? Pets and kids are welcome at the family market.LARGER OR SMALL GROUPS? Best for 4 – 8 people.LOCATION: About a 1.5 hour drive from Cape Town in the Hermanus Hemel en Aarde region. Google MapOTHER RATINGS: CLICK HERE to view what others have rated on Trip Advisor.
Here is my experience:
I was so wrong :) hehe. You will walk straight into the very modern and quite large, tasting room. The locals are extremely friendly so you will feel very welcome.
The service at the wine bar is really friendly and informative.
After chatting to the bar staff, they said that the Bloos Rosé wine is one of their best sellers, especially during the Summer months. It's a quality Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet franc for R95. It literally smelt like strawberries and cream but it was not sweet. The taste was quite well rounded and complex with good acidy resulting in delightful freshness.
My favourite of the day was the Swartskaap 2013. I just had to get some to sip by the fireplace! It's a Cab Franc just bursting with good, hearty aromas of olives, fynbos and spice. It was matured in 1st and 2nd fill French Oak Barrels for 18 months and the result is a delightfully dark, punchy red wine with good minerality. R265 a bottle. It's not very often that you come across a single varietal, Cab Franc so I was in wine heaven, what a treat!
Another great wine was Die Martha. It's a Rhone blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre, Viognier with a tint of Grenache. Totally dark in the glass, this spicy varietal reminds me of Christmas time - dark chocolate, sweet spices and some savory hints of olives / salt. On the palate it had incredibly smooth tannin and was well rounded with a lingering finish. What a great food wine! R260 a bottle.
There are limited seats by the fire so if you would like to sip here, I recommend you arrive early to reserve your spot. But once you do, what a delightful treat!
I had a great time and would recommend this stop, just on the way into town.Check out their Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/hpf_skapie and tag them in your posts to get a feature. Check out their website too to learn about the full range of wines on offer: http://www.hpf1855.co.za/
So which farm will be next? :)x