So, you’ve explored the wine farms of the Constantia valley by Red Bus, by Uber, by bicycle – but have you ever thought about walking for your wine?
Introduction
The newly launched Constantia Wine Walk is a private-access walking tour, giving you a backstage pass to some of the valley’s most iconic farms, vineyards and views. In proud partnership with the Constantia Wine Route, this vine-walk is the brainchild of Matt Sterne, adventurer, explorer and all-round nice guy. An accredited tour guide, he now focuses his years of worldly travel knowledge and experience into a niche al-fresco experience that will leave you hungry (and thirsty!) for more.
The route
The walk starts at Groot Constantia, and meanders through the vineyards and vales until you reach Klein Constantia and finally, Buitenverwachting in the late morning. With tasting stops at all three well-known wine farms, the walk is perfectly balanced between leisure and athleisure. Surrounded by some of the most gorgeous mountains and scenery the Cape has to offer, the short 7km’s quickly melts away into awe, as you take in the magnificence of the Constantia Valley.
The walk
What drew me in was not only the promise of wine and Matt’s contagious enthusiasm about his new venture, but more so, the promise of stories. A born storyteller, Matt is a walking encyclopedia, having researched and submerged himself into the history of the Constantia valley, adding a certain texture, richness and depth to the walk. The walk on it’s own would be an easy-drinking Pinot Noir – light, refreshing and easy on the palate. But guided by Matt and his incredible way of making stories come to life, the walk suddenly becomes a well-wooded Shiraz – soaked in oak, having had time to mature and develop layers of complexity over time.
We started bright and early at the old entrance to Groot Constantia, after a round of friendly introductions to our fellow walkers and Matt himself. A loop around the estate lead us to their tasting room for our first wine taste and water stop. By now our muscles were warm and we’ve made each others’ acquaintances, happily chattering about the historical characters and tales of heritage Matt introduced us to along the way.
With our appetites and palates suitably whet, we set off for the second, longer leg of our walk, heading to the beckoning hilltop home of Klein Constantia. Taking the paths less travelled, we got glimpses into the past as we stopped at family graveyards, historic buildings, forgotten monuments and places of interest, hardly being able to contain our excitement at Matt’s next installment of the Constantia wine valley’s magical history.
After a delightfully secret stop for snacks and refreshments in the shade of the giant oaks, we continued the last bit up to the tasting room of Klein Constantia, where we gratefully took a seat in the coolness of the cellar for our second wine tasting of the morning, taking a well deserved break to catch our breaths and indulge in the fruits of the valley.
The third and final stretch of our walk took us through private property, absolutely beautiful in its serene stillness. We idled for a minute next to a field of grazing cows, and reveled in the beauty of the natural fynbos, all in flower this time of the year and the air filled with a signature sweetness only found in the Cape.
By now the sun was out to play, and Buitenverwachting came into view at just the right moment as we started to feel a bit peckish. Luckily, Matt arranged a feast for lunch, enjoyed on the lush lawns of Buitenverwachting, coupled with a chilled bottle of wine. A suitable ending to a day of exploring, tasting and walking, I felt lighter, happier and more content than I did when I woke up that morning. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch with new friends, counting our blessings one by one.
In conclusion
Matt’s energy and love for the magic of the Constantia Wine Valley is not only a sight to behold, but truly one to experience in real time. So much more than just a walk and a wine taste, the Constantia Wine Walk offers exclusive glimpses into a world and way of living before us. A world that now forms the foundation of the South African wine industry, held up by strong, independent and often quirky characters with colourful (and sometimes troublesome!) pasts, whom we had the honour of meeting through Matt’s exceptional story-telling ability.
But without giving too much away, I can only recommend that you book your spot now – this is a great group activity, or a place to meet new friends with the same interests. A lovely way to stretch your legs and reconnect with nature and our roots for a few hours, a walk and a wine with Matt comes highly recommended!
Disclaimer: I was invited to this event in my personal capacity. There was no expectation for platform coverage in the form of a blog, or social media posts. This is my honest and truthful opinion and review thereof. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are solely those of The Little Hedonist, given in good faith and in no way influenced by the company or its affiliates. All images, unless otherwise stated/credited, are also my own.
Offerings featured are subject to change. Please get in touch with The Constantia Wine Walk to confirm exact details.
The Little Hedonist endorses responsible drinking.
Don’t drink and drive. Not for persons under 18.
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