Harvest 2023 at Groot Constantia Wine Estate

CONSTANTIA, SOUTH AFRICA The rhythmic snapping of secateurs filtered through the greenery as I walked down a long alley of the outermost vineyard on the estate. Leaf litter was soft underfoot after all the recent rains and on the nose was an earthy freshness - interspersed by a sugary sweetness of the occasionally discarded, undesirable …

Trekking through the Groot Winterhoek wilderness

And whilst savouring good coffee, peace was made with the fact that we soon had to say goodbye, until another time, to this grand wilderness - the Groot Winterhoek.

Fynbos Gems: Satyrium coriifolium

Satyrium coriifolium is a real late-winter treat in the southwestern Cape of South Africa. 

Chasing Snow on foot in South Africa

Hiking to snow-capped mountain peaks in the Western Cape of South Africa!

Table Mountain Snow

Does it really snow on Table Mountain in Cape Town? Yes! Yes it does!

A Klipspringer encounter at Cape Point

A young female Klipspringer pauses on the rocky ridge, listening and watching cautiously before bouncing off down the mountainside.

Forest scene on Table Mountain

Table Mountain forest scene on a wet and moody day.

A (very) brief visit to Lambert’s Bay and Bird Island

A Cape gannet, its piercing blue eyes unmistakable, swoops in, causing a raucous, in some degree of organised chaos.

Experiencing the Annual Harvest at Groot Constantia Wine Estate

I followed individuals of the harvesting team around the Muscat vineyard block, adjacent to the historic old Groot Constantia gates, observing just how delicately they handled each bunch...looking for the perfect grapes.

Looking at the Fynbos recovery of the 12 Apostles Fire on Table Mountain

How has the Twelve Apostles range of Table Mountain changed over the past year and a bit since the big fire of October 2017?