Vredendal
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, so goes the adage, as such it was only befitting that on my visit to the town of Vrendendal, in the Western Wine Territories, I had to mesh-in with the socio-cultural fabric of the town.
Although it stands in the shadows of 'Big Brother' Stellenbosch in terms of wine history and wine prominence, Vredendal is fast stepping out from the shadows. Kudos, no doubt go to Namaqua Wines for really putting this town on the map, as they have become the number one wine to have at your table no matter the occasion.
‘Just where is this place called Vredendal anyway?’ Vredendal is located in, and is the heart of the Matzikama District – administratively, that is. It is located on the banks of the Oliphants River – though the elephants themselves last drank from the river centuries ago. It’s a four-hours drive from Cape Town on the N7 on your way to Namibia.
As you drive along, you can definitely see the Dutch-connection in its history thanks to the criss-cross siphon network of concrete canals that riddle the district. My Vredendal hosts told me these siphons stretch for more than 300 km and were actually built by Italian prisoners-of-war (nothing like cheap labour, hey?) but that was years ago when the practice was still permissible.
It is these artificial rivers that farmers use to quench the insatiable thirst of flowing rows of grape vines that decorate the country-side of Vredendal, and thanks to influence from the Atlantic Seaboard you get the best – Mediterranean – climate for viticulture.
‘So which wine houses are there in Vredendal?’ Vredendal is a calabash when it comes to wine houses. It is a town where petit boutique cellars serving niche local and international clients rub shoulders with the big daddy’s of the industry, like Distell; Klawer Wine Cellars; Namaqua Wines and Lutzville Vineyards, who on the other end supply the mass market.
The exciting part about all the wine houses, big and small, are the activities available to visitors, like accommodation; conference facilities and guided tours, surely what better way to enjoy a visit there than to actually learn to become a master brewer, albeit only for a few days.
Vredendal’s history and some folk stories
My hosts, on the farm that I was going to be staying on were very warm and welcoming which gave a feeling of home, away from home.
I arrived late in the afternoon which meant my viticulture lessons would only begin the next day, but that did not stop the inquisitive me from asking a whole barrage of questions such as:
Q. ‘Why Vredendal, what does he name mean?’
A. ‘Peaceful glen, I was told, which is Afrikaans’
Q. ‘How did the settlement start-off?’
A. ‘Part of the town is located on a farm which used to be called Vreedensdal Farm, which goes back to about 1948.
First settlers in the area where Dutch, around mid-to-late 1600s, then some French Huguenots followed, hence the wine influence.
Though the indigenous Khoi and Bushmen had always been around as evidenced by their rock paintings scattered at various sites in the area.’
Q. ‘Any memorable events in history?’
A. ‘It is the site of a battle between an army serving under General Jan Smuts and the British troops.’
‘Winding down’
Having been answered satisfactorily, I know sought to explore and enjoy the trappings of the
Accommodation and its adjoining facilities.
Nothing like a cool-down in a pool while enjoying a picture-perfect sunset over acres-and-acres of
grape vines stretching as far as the eye can see, and my taste buds kept busy thanks to the spoils of
a raid on the cellar – the famous red-stuff made right on the premises.
With a braai sizzling itself out for my evening appetite.
What a way to end the day, and yet start my visit.
by Victor Bunjira