geography can tell many stories, define
character. maps can lead you into history,
and the future. It’s called ‘discovery’, and
no route is worth the journey more than the
one that adds deep pleasure. establishing a
brandy route for the intrepid connoisseur-
explorer, back in 1997, was a brilliant
promotional concept by the enterprising
South african Brandy foundation. charting
a path, linking the pit stops on the road and
punting the map, the country’s favourite
alcoholic beverage became a destination:
an adventure connecting contemporary local
brandy production with its long and colourful
history. enthusiasm propelled the project
and it grew. Today there are two maps, a
number of highways and many by-roads and
personalities to survey. a road of literal and
Geography can tell and explain many stories, define
character. Maps can lead you into history and the future.
It’s called ‘discovery’, and no route is worth the journey
more than the one that adds deep pleasure.
Road Tripof Well-trAvelleD hiStory
metaphorical connections to explore. It’s
worthwhile fortifying yourself in advance
with some background; the puzzle pieces fit
better, the routes so much more gratifying.
and you can ride with the ghosts.
In colonial times, brandy fuelled much of the
transport that ventured from the southern
coasts, literally and figuratively. up north,
through the expansive and sometimes
desolate central plains, to the booming
economies and human endeavours in the
interior of southern africa. a tot at a stop
- fire water for the loins - was as good as
gratification for man and beast.
Since that era, places of Brandy have been
landmarks on our landscape. Some were pit
stops, small-town pubs serving ox-wagoners,
commercial travellers, soldiers, hunters on
horseback and colourful passers-through.
others, small farmhouse outfits making
‘moonshine’, with or without governmental
consent.
South african brandy history has always had
its big players and its small, on and off the
stage. Some have survived into the modern
era, some colourfully reinvented, and many
enthusiastically re-established - providing
the glorious backbone to what today are
known as the two Sa Brandy Routes.
The R62 Brandy Route, lying deeper in the
hinterland, and named after the official
road that weaves through the beautiful
landscape, plots a dense history.
at de Rust, perched below the towering red
mountain is the family-driven mon Rubers
(named after those peaks). Radé meyer,
who regained a private distilling licence
in 1991, says his grandfather owned small
copper pot stills, but anti-bootlegging
officials destroyed these in the 1920s. his
father started up again in the 1940s. These
days, the same copper pot, manually wood-
fired, next to the small 1850s wine cellar,
delivers pure essence to passers-by.
To have reached this pit stop, the tasting
trip would have started in Robertson. a
good start, for this is the home of klipdrift
brandy, a South african icon. This swanky,
hi-tech facility will give you the lowdown in
the most vivid way. In the garden, they’ll
even serve you a ‘brandy burger’.
from here the R62 takes you to Barrydale,
where the local cellar celebrates the founder
of the charming town with its award-winning
curiosities like the 10-year-old Joseph Barry
cape and Barry & nephews muscat.
onto calitzdorp, where at Boplaas, carel nel
will tell you how his great-great grandfather
exported his fine brandy to england. Today
Boplaas estate brandy is regarded as one of
the country’s finest.
from here eastwards. Turn off at the family
farm, Sandkoppies, for a treat. famous for
its ‘witblits’, made outside in a traditional
brandy still, grundheim launched its pot
still brandy ten years ago.
In oudtshoorn, the local kango cellar too
boasts a fine ‘hanepoot’ brandy, but also
entices with its buchu and honey bush-
infused versions.
another day, another route: The Western
cape Brandy Route, closer to cape Town, in
© C
raig
Fra
ser,
Fire
wat
er: S
outh
Afr
ican
Bra
ndy,
Qui
vert
ree
Pub
licat
ions
. ©A
dam
Let
ch. ©
The
Sou
th A
fric
an B
rand
y Fo
und
atio
n
20 I South AfricA Deluxe I InsIdE brandy I 21
the heart of the traditional winelands. It runs
through Stellenbosch and its surrounds,
takes in paarl as well as Wellington. a
slightly different journey takes one to elgin.
The latter is home to oude molen, where
the ‘founder’ of South african brandy, René
Santhagen, is honoured and the two largest
copper pot stills, ‘Big Bertha’ and ‘long
Tom’ are housed.
Just off the R301, before Stellenbosch, is
the Van Ryn's distillery on the eerste River,
perfectly attuned to offer visitors a full and
extensive experience of the brandy process.
from here there are various options.
kaapzicht in the Bottelary hills to taste the
Steytler family’s pure pot still. at louisenhof,
the still, imported from Stuttgart, has been
in use since 1931 to make the marbonne
brandy. on the Simonsberg slopes is elegant
uitkyk with its famous 10-year-old, while on
helshoogte, Tokara offers fine food and a
magnificent view to go with its brandy.
follow the road to franschhoek and reach
haute cabrière, where the brandy is the
only one made from chardonnay grapes.
Back towards paarl, lies Backsberg, where
only chenin blanc is used. in 1995, the
Sydney Back five-year old was voted the
best brandy in the world in london.
another such winner in paarl is at kWV’s
laborie. The estate alambic won that title
in 2010. an interesting brandy is that of
visit-able nederburg, where it’s made to the
unusual solera method.
In recent years, Wellington has proved
its brandy brilliance. de compagnie’s
pot still dates from 1849 and only 1 000
premium bottles are released each year.
upland estate’s is distilled from organic
grapes by ex-veterinarian edmund oettlé.
While another colourful personality, Roger
Jorgensen, calls his brandy Savignac de
Versailles. oude Wellington estate has three
brandies under the dr Schumacher label,
ranging from three to ten-year-old.
Whatever your direction, whether it’s the
R62 or the Western cape, you’ll find a world
of history, tradition and fine taste. Welcome
to the Brandy Routes.
Melvyn Minnaar
Pho
tos:
© T
he S
outh
Afr
ican
Bra
ndy
Foun
dat
ion
22 I South AfricA Deluxe I InsIdE