No. 21 Delheim - Stellenbosch
Meet wine farm number 21! Delheim wines in Stellenbosch. #DoStelliesIf you have any wine experiences in Stellenbosch that you would like to share with me, use the hashtag #DoStellies or #WineGirlCTtrythis on Instagram.
RATING:I have rated this wine farm experience 3.5 star.
Unfortunately my personality does not like dark indoor tasting rooms on such a beautiful day. I really like to view nature so it would have been amazing to taste the wine in the garden. The wine was good and I hear that the picnic by the river and the restaurant is a great experience. So if I were you, I would rather book the restaurant or picnic areas.
| OVERALL RATING | WINE | SERVICE | FOOD | LOCATION |
| 70% | 65% | 75% | 78% | 60% |
CHILD FRIENDLY?I would not recommend this venue for children, unless they have fur :) i.e. pet friendly.I would recommend this farm to an older/more sophisticated crowd.ACTIVITIES and OTHER AMENITIES:
- Wine tasting cellar
- Cupcake and wine pairing
- Chocolate and wine pairing
- picnic by the river
- restaurant
BOOKING:I would recommend booking.Click here to view contact details.Tel: Tel: +27 (0) 21 888 4600 | mail: info@delheim.com
View other ratings on Trip Advisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attraction_Review-g312673-d567406-Reviews-Delheim-Stellenbosch_Western_Cape.htmlClick HERE to view the ranking of this farm against others I have already reviewed. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit Stellenbosch wine routes for more information on Wine farms in Stellenbosch.http://www.wineroute.co.za/For more information on Delheim, view the contact details by clicking here. Here is my experience: There is plenty of parking under the trees. This machine is one of the first things you will see at the farm.
You will pass on old house which is actually still lived in. The farm was established in 1699 and is therefore one of the oldest farms in South Africa. The farm has been owned by the Sterling family for many generations.What I really enjoyed about the farm is the hospitality, you really feel welcomed - thank you to Wilma.
As you walk to the tasting cellar you will enjoy the trees and the sound of birds. This farm is marvelous for those incredibly hot days in mid summer because the tasting room is kept cold and the majority of the farm is sheltered by the shade of the trees.This is the tasting room. It really feels like you have stepped back in time, back to when there was just candle light.
To remind you how old the farm is, just look at this! Not for the faint hearted :)Those are actual spider webs and have not been touched for years. Note the old bottles. and yes, spiders still live there. eeek.
We tucked right in to the Pinotage Rosé by candlelight. I enjoyed the depth and fresh acidity of this wine, 96% Pinotage and 4% Muscat de Frontignan. I was surprised to find out that it is Vegan friendly – as in no animal proteins were used during the fining processes. That is a thing? 😄 On the nose you will pick up notes of raspberry, strawberry and pomegranate with floral undertones. R60 a bottle.I later found out that Animal products are seldom used in white wine or rosé production. The most common fining agent is bentonite, a natural clay that stabilizes the proteins. Gelatine or egg whites are quite commonly used in red wine production to soften the tannins.
This is the wine shop, complete with t-shirts, wine, chocolate and other interesting merchandise.
How is this for a spooky picture :) Looks like they were having a lot of fun.
What makes Delheim famous is the Cupcake and Wine pairing. I think it is the only farm in Cape Town to do this.For R75 per person, you get:1. Pinotage Rosé paired with a Pomegranate and vanilla cupcake with grenadine cream cheese icing,2. Chenin Blanc with a Rooibos cupcake and cream cheese honey infused icing,3. Pinotage with a spicy pumpkin and cinnamon cupcake4. Gewürztraminer with a wild melon (Makataan) cupcake with syrup infused cream cheese icing.Yum! I really enjoyed this and the staff were very good at checking in if we wanted anything else. I hear that their cheese platters are amazing too! PLUS they have tasty chocolate!
The cupcakes look small but believe me, after you have paired them with 4 wines, you WILL be full!
Cheers!
This is the Delheim Pinotage. Delheim has won awards for their Pinotage so I was interested to try it.The wine spent 14 months in French oak barrels of which 20% were new. Typical of a good pinotage, I could pick up sweet oak spice aromas on the nose as well as fruity tones of ripe plums, black cherry and raspberries. It was a good smooth, full bodied wine. R120 a bottle.
Well done Delheim!
This is the Chenin Blanc Wild Ferment, a beautiful golden colour complemented the ambiance in the room.The grapes were hand picked and then a portion of the wine was fermented in the tank, on the lees for six months. The remaining wine was fermented in French oak barrels and then aged for seven months. R110 a bottle.
Can you pronounce this wine below? 😄 it is a German name for a type of grape. The reason why I bought this wine was not only because it went really well with the melon cupcake, but because of the smell! You will immediately pick up, and wait for this...Turkish Delight and Litchi fruit! 😱😋 yum!! Fermentation was done at low temperatures in concrete tanks. The wine spent four months on the lees, after which it was lightly fined and sterile filtered. The palate is fresh and elegant, with a delicately balanced fruit / acid structure. The litchi and turkish delight flavours follow through beautifully onto the palate, and the wine ends with lingering flavours of ginger spice and fresh pineapple. R120 a bottle.
I just had to buy a few bottles :)
These are the gardens at Delheim and Muratie. Exceptional during this time of year (Spring). Now only if there were tables here to do the wine tasting! WOW!
This is the restaurant called the Garden restaurant.It is wheelchair friendly and the restaurant allows pets.You can view more information on the restaurant by clicking here.
I did not have lunch here but I hear this is a really good restaurant.
On the way out of the farm, we stumbled upon this fun social frame and old wine machine :) Great for some photos.
I feel really privileged to be on this amazing journey with Stellenbosch Wine Route.By the end of the month, I will have a list of the top 10 MCC and Rosé wines to try this Spring or Summer.Watch this space! <3xxx