No. 15 Luddite - Bot River
We are going quickly now! Meet wine farm number 15, Luddite in Bot River.How awesome is this floor made from wine barrels!?I was welcomed to Luddite with some Genevieve MCC and fresh oysters.100% Chardonnay and has spent 4 years on the lees. Light, fine bubbles and fruity. R200 a bottle.
The outside area didn't have any chairs but I could see that they were building a balcony which overlooks the valley.
Luddite prides themselves on their Shiraz. 90% French Oak, 5% American Oak and 5% Hungarian Oak.25% of these barrels were new and the rest 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill. The wine remained in the barrel for 1 year before being bottled. On the nose you can pick up herbs and cinnamon spice.On the palate you will enjoy plum and dark chocolate.
The 2012 is R500 a bottle.
For the younger generation like myself who can't spend as much as R500 on a bottle of wine, Luddite has introduced a rather funky looking red and white blend called Saboteur.Have you ever seen a wine bottle with a crown cap? It's a very good wine too and within the R150 - R230 per bottle mark.The white blend is 68% Chenin Blanc, 15% Viognier, 15% Blanc Fumé and 2% Chardonnay.
Can you spot the lion in the painting? :)
Over converstation with others, I heard that Luddite is only open upon request and on certain Saturdays.Booking is a must.As you can imagine, it is a small tasting room and the price of the wine is high.
Through the window, you can get a glimpse of the wine cellar.
We absolutely loved this activity, painting the walls.
It was incredibly windy the day I visited but I just loved to get out and about among the decor of the festival.
Just a short drive up the road, we stumbled upon some horses.They were so friendly!
This one was a total poser! Cheese!
We had a bond.
I am not a huge fan of Shiraz and this may have affected the rating but if you are in the area, you should stop by to give it a try for yourself.I am not a wine expert and just rate according to my experience on the day I visited.There could have been more seating overlooking the views however I see that they were building a balcony at the time I visited.Best for smaller groups of people (2-4 people).Not recommended for children.Booking is essential.
http://www.luddite.co.za/Luddite Wines is open for tastings on week days from 10h00 until 16h00 and by appointment on weekends. Contact Niels on +27 (0) 83 444 3537 to make an appointment.tel: +27 (0) 28 284 9308fax: +27 (0) 28 284 9045mail – luddite@telkomsa.netDirections to the farm:From Cape Town, take the N2 towards Hermanus but miss the Hermanus turn-off.Take the next turn-off which is Exit 92.Turn left into Botrivier and follow the only road through the village.Drive over the railway line and turn right onto a dust road that is the Van der Stel Pass.Drive for 1.5km and the Luddite sign is on the left.GPS coordinates: S 34ᵒ 12’ 50.5” E 019ᵒ 12’ 24.1” Here is my experience:https://www.instagram.com/p/BKNdrGogZar/?taken-by=thewinegirlcapetown