Under our own olive tree: When in Plettenberg Bay ..... Bramon

On recommendation from my sister-in-law, we drove the 20km on the N2 east from Plettenberg Bay to Bramon Wine Estate, a fairly new boutique vineyard in an area called The Crags. The area gets its name from the mini-gorges that have been carved by the rivers in the coastal strip below the mountains just before Nature’s Valley. In 2000 the first vines were planted and that pioneered the wine growth in the area. Plettenberg Bay has subsequently been classified a wine of origin region. The farm, named after the owners’ children, Bram and Manon, produces an award winning Methode Cap Classique sparkling wine and a Sauvignon Blanc. Having paved the way for 15 other wine farms in the region, a ‘Sparkling Wine Route’ is being planned.

The restaurant on the farm serves a wonderful array of tapas, perfect to go with that glass (or in our case, bottle!) of bubbly. Guests create their own platters to share, along with freshly baked crusty bread and salads (let me just interrupt myself for a second by saying it was one of the best tapas meals I’ve ever had. All the ingredients were fresh, tasty and beautiful presented).

The coup de grace however, or to put it in plain English, what makes this place a must on the itinerary of every visitor to the region, is the setting of this restaurant. The lovely inside area overlooks a covered verandah and the tables in between the vines. Yes, it is actually in the start of each row of the vines, so you are surrounded by vineyards, the Tsitsikamma Mountains and laughter from the other tables. It is one of those places where you just set aside a full afternoon, take friends along and lose the time for a while…