The Living Journey Collection Drinks and Wine Menu includes a wide selection of fine South African wines, Gins, Brandy and other digestives. These have been personally selected by our owner managers.
“When deciding on wines we look for interesting, exciting yet reliable wines from in and around the areas that our hotels are located.”
The Living Journey Collection is a curated selection of boutique hotels located in Cape Town, the Winelands, and along the stunning southern coast of South Africa.
The Living Journey Collection is a curated selection of boutique hotels located in Cape Town, the Winelands, and along the stunning southern coast of South Africa.
© 2024 The Living Journey Collection | All rights reserved
Wine: La Couronne
Grape: Rosé
Price: R 240.00 (Bottle) / R 60.00 (Glass)
Year: 2019
Description of Wine:
This rosé is made of 100% Merlot grapes. The unusually crisp and elegant bouquet is of watermelon and Turkish delight. This award- winning wine is a light blush pink, elegant, fresh, and fruity with rounded acidity and delightful to drink in the summer months.
About the vineyard and the area;
La Couronne Wine Estate is situated on the cool easterly slopes of the Franschhoek mountains. The estate is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular in the Cape. Its wine growing past dates back three hundred years, but it is during the past 5 years that it has been developed into a modern wine farm. It is a working farm, picturesque and well-run offering great views of the vineyards, the spectacular Franschhoek Mountains, and the Berg River. The estate offers many varieties including Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Fun Fact:
La Couronne (The Crown) was a famed French warship of the French Navy built in 1636 by Cardinal de Richelieu. La Couronne was the first man of war built by the French themselves in accordance to Richelieu’s plans to renew the French Navy, after a series of ships built by the Dutch. The construction was overseen by the famous carpenter Charles Morieur, from Dieppe and was one of the most advanced vessels of her time. She was equipped with 68 heavy guns, 8 firing to the bow and 8 to the aft, an unusual feature until Dupuy de Lôme redesigned naval artillery.
Wine: NV Benguela Cove Cuvee 58 Méthode
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc / Pinot Noir / Chardonnay Cap Classique
Price: R 350.00 (Bottle)
Year: 2018
Description of Wine:
An effortlessly smooth blend of these classic Cap Classique varieties sourced from their own vineyard near Walker Bay. This Method Cap Classique allures with vivid aromas of candied apple, pear and sweet grass that comes to life when the fine mousse explodes on the surface. The expected bright acidity is balanced with a tangy finish, concluded with a fresh floral note. Absolutely delicious and versatile.
About the vineyard and the area;
Benguela Cove is on the Bot River Lagoon, Walker Bay, just outside Hermanus. The vineyards are planted on the exposed cooler slopes of the estate where their proximity to the sea and the unique slightly windy conditions shorten the shoots of the vines and make the berries and leaves smaller, thereby increasing the quality of the grapes produced. The estate produces a range of award-winning wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Sémillon, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Malbec and Mourvèdre grape
Fun Fact:
A typical bottle of Champagne or Méthode Cap Classique (MCC) has around 49 million bubbles with 30 additional bubbles being created each second. These bubble trains, called collarets, are the strings of bubbled beads trailing up the glass once you have poured it.
Wine: La Motte
Grape: Chardonnay
Price: R 280.00 (Bottle) / R 70.00 (Glass)
Year: 2020
Description of Wine:
The wine has a solid green straw colour and is fruity lemon and nectarine on the nose. Hints of cashew and sediment give evidence of wood maturation. A juicy and polished entry, medium full of lots of citrus and juicy peach on the palate. Lively length with good freshness for a wood–matured wine.
About the vineyard and the area;
The La Motte Chardonnay is one of the original wines from the famous and historic La Motte vineyard in Franschhoek. The vineyard grows against a southern and south–western slope 200 metres above sea level. In 1970, the farm was bought by Dr. Anton Rupert and a major development and conservation programme followed, which reinvented La Motte into a leading global wine producer and sought– after tourist destination. Vineyards have been progressively replanted; the latest viticulture practices have been introduced and a modern cellar has been built.
Fun Fact:
The Chardonnay grape has gone from hero to zero but is now bouncing back again. This is because it is considered to be a “noble grape,” and belongs to a distinguished group of grapes with Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet and Merlot. Noble grapes are those that, over the course of history, formed the backbone of the wine industry. These grapes are known for producing fine wines in their country of origin, and for being capable of producing fine wines in other locations as well. Welcome back Chardonnay!
Wine: Iona
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Price: R 360.00 (Bottle) / R 90.00 (Glass)
Year: 2020
Description of Wine:
A lovely wine. Fragrance of pure white grapefruit, intense tropical fruit, ripe gooseberry and fleshy kiwi fruit over–lay Iona’s distinctive herbal and floral undertones. This wine has the reputation of being solid, predictable, and popular. It is equally good as a relaxing wine to enjoy by itself, whilst also having the full flavours that allow it to accompany great food.
About the vineyard and the area;
This is a truly exceptional winery – surrounded on all four sides by mountains and benefiting from an unusual proximity to the freezing Atlantic elements, Iona enjoys the perfect combination of weather and geographical pitch. Their philosophy is to make wine that expresses the soils and climate as closely as possible, making use of sustainable farming methods and to maximise the use of natural products in farming and winemaking. Everything is done in–house. From the vineyard to the wine distribution, the passion, focus and great joy of the owners is apparent
Fun Fact:
About 65km southeast of Cape Town, beyond the Hottentots Holland Mountains lies the area of Elgin. The area has been traditionally famed for its apples, producing more than 60% of the country’s apple crop, and often referred to as ‘the place the apples come from’, the region is now becoming increasingly famous for its cool–climate winemaking. The area was first recognized by Sir Antonie
Viljoen, a medical officer who was placed under house arrest in Elgin during the Boer War. He planted the first commercial orchard and vines on his land during his internment.
Wine: Warwick, The First Lady
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Price: R 280.00 (Bottle) / R 70.00 (Glass)
Year: 2020
Description of Wine:
The freshness of the acidity and the tropical fruit flavours are perfectly knit within the framework of this wine to create a palate pleaser with a layer of flavours. This wine is a great mixture of light fruits, and herbs which make it ideal for sipping with olives as an aperitive or drinking with a variety of fish and summer foods.
About the vineyard and the area;
Warwick Estate is along stand in g an d well respected winery just outside Stellenbosch in the direction of Klapmuts. The estate has a rich fa rm ing history dating back to 1771 . Almost all the estate’s vineyards are planted on the foothills and mid–slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain with vineyards ranging from 240 to 360 metres above sea level. This elevated position exposes the vineyards to cooling winds during the spring and summer seasons. With an amazing tasting room, great picnics and a really relaxed ambience, this vineyard is well worth visiting.
Fun Fact:
The First Lady range of wines honour the farms owner Norma Ratcliffe who was one of the Cape’s first female winemakers – and one of the most illustrious wine personalities of her time. She and her husband Stan bought the Stellenbosch estate, then a fruit farm, in 1964 and started developing the land for wine production with an extensive focus on the classic Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wine: Southern Right, by Hamilton Russell
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Price: R 320 (Bottle) / R 80.00 (Glass)
Year: 2020
Description of Wine:
This Sauvignon Blanc comes from 16 different blocks in Walker Bay. It has a refined bouquet of lime and orange pith, Granny Smith apples and crushed stone. The well–balanced palate is fresh and saline on the entry, with delicate touches of lemon and lime toward
the finish. Lovely.
About the vineyard and the area;
Located in the Overberg, Hemel–en–Aarde (meaning Heaven on Earth) is a wine route which boasts spectacular wine farms, and uninterrupted views of this stunning valley towards the sea and close to Hermanus. In 1994 Anthony Hamilton Russell bought a neighboring farm with a view to creating Southern Right, a small Pinotage and Sauvignon Blanc specialist vineyard located on a strikingly beautiful 448– hectare property in the cool, maritime, Hemel–en–Aarde Valley appellation, just behind the old fishing village of Hermanus.
Fun Fact:
The wines are named after the rare Southern Right whales, which frequent the cool South Atlantic Walker Bay (Hermanus), 3 kilometers from the vineyards. With each bottle sold, Southern Right makes a contribution to the conservation of these amazing sea mammals and their habitat.
Wine: Terra Del Capo (Anthonij Rupert)
Grape: Pinot Grigio
Price: R 240.00 (Bottle) / R 60.00 (Glass)
Year: 2020
Description of Wine:
This wine has a great bright colour. Peach, nectarine, and stone fruit with some light dust on the nose. On tasting the palate is light, vibrant, and packed with the same stone fruit flavours. Easy to drink with a subtle zest and pleasant acidic freshness in the after taste.
About the vineyard and the area;
Now made up of three farms across the Western Cape, Anthonij Rupert was founded on the farm L’Ormarins in the Franschhoek Valley, Rupert Wines today encapsulates six distinctive wine brands, made from some of the finest sites in the Western Cape, South Africa. Anthonij Rupert Wyne was founded on the farm L’Ormarins in Franschhoek. Originally owned by the late Anthonij Rupert, who passed away in 2001, the farm was taken over by his brother Johann Rupert in 2003. It was Johann Rupert who constructed a state–of–the–art winemaking facility on the estate, and the beginnings of what was to become a sprawling enterprise with a focus on terroir specific wines
Fun Fact:
Pinot Grigio is a very unusual grape in South Africa. Terra del Capo is a brand born of the late Anthonij Rupert’s passion for Italian wines. The brand was introduced for the first time in 1998 and featured a single–varietal Pinot Grigio, amongst other favourites. His legacy lives on and this ‘foreign’ wine has gained popular traction over the years
Wine: Gabriëlskloof Estate Range
Grape: Chenin Blanc
Price: R 240.00 (Bottle) / R 60.00 (Glass)
Year: 2020
Description of Wine:
The 2020 Chenin Blanc was naturally fermented in 85% old barrels with minimal intervention, with the remainder undergoing fermentation in steel tanks. On the nose – green apples, lime zest, honey, and wet stone. An elegant palate with balance, freshness, and a delightful texture.
About the vineyard and the area;
Gabriëlskloof is a relatively new winery in Bot Rivier not far from Hermanus. The estate produces three ranges of wine, each very good. The vision at Gabriëlskloof is to produce fine wines that reflect the complexity, richness and diversity of their unique terroir. They strive to do this in the most environmentally friendly way possible, showing respect for our region’s biodiversity at all times. This Chenin Blanc is the newest addition to the Gabriëlskloof Estate Range, a range that offers a selection of boutique–style wines that always over–deliver on quality and value.
Fun Fact:
Chenin Blanc (known originally as ‘Pineau de la Loire’) is a White wine grape variety from the Loire Valley in France. It is thought that it was brought to South Africa by the Huguenots fleeing France after the revocation of the ‘Edict of Nantes’ in 1685.Today, although Chenin Blanc has a low profile when compared with Sauvignon Blanc, it is the biggest producing grape in South Africa, in fact more than 20% of the harvest each year is Chenin. The grapes versatility allows it to be used for almost everything; from light sparkling wines to deep sweet dessert wines.
Wine: Kleinboet (Hermanuspietersfontein)
Grape: Bordeaux–blend
Price: R 420 (Bottle)
Year: 2018
Description of Wine:
This typical blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot) has a colour range from brick red to deep purple with an aroma of blackcurrant, lavender, black olive and fynbos. It has an intense palate and bold structure which does not disappoint and will linger a little longer.
About the vineyard and the area;
The wine cellar is hidden at the end of a cul–de–sac in the village of Hermanus. They specialise in Bordeaux varietals (even their Rose is a Bordeaux blend) and they grow their grapes a little outside town on the cool slopes of Sondagskloof where they benefit from quite a lot of winter rain, coupled with cool Atlantic winds. Although the wine farm is not open to the public, their tasting room in the village is well worth a visit.
Fun Fact:
The name ‘Hermanuspietersfontein’ originates from the founder of Hermanus, Hermanus Pieters, who, in 1855, helped take a little fisherman’s village and turn it into the town it is today. This name on the label has given them the title of having the longest Afrikaans name for a cellar in the world.
Wine: Mitre’s Edge
Grape: Malbec
Price: R 450.00 (Bottle) / R 60.00 (Glass)
Year: 2018
Description of Wine:
This wine has to be tasted to be believed. True to its grape, this Malbec is dry, full–bodied, and exhibits rich, dark fruits on the nose, and flavours like blackberry and red plum on the palate. It boasts juicy and jammy notes of vanilla, tobacco, dark chocolate, spice, and liquorice. A very smooth wine, and easily enjoyed.
About the vineyard and the area;
Mitres Edge is a family–owned and managed boutique winery. It is located near Klapmuts between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek and is nestled at the foothills of the Simonsberg Mountain. It is in this beautiful setting that winemaker Lola Nicholls, assisted by husband Bernard, focuses on producing relatively smaller quantities of high–quality, award–winning wines.
In 1999 Bernard and Lola took over the farm from Lola’s father, Martin Hunting, who had farmed there since 1969. Bernard threw caution to the wind and changed his career from mechanical engineer to wine farmer.
Fun Fact:
Malbec was apparently so common in France during the Middle Ages, that over a thousand synonyms developed for it. The most common are Auxerrois, Côt, Malbec, Noir de Pressac, Peid– Roughe and Pressac. While Malbec has been cultivated in Stellenbosch and Paarl since the 1920s, it was first bottled as a single varietal wine in the early 1990s, just outside Franschhoek.
Wine: The Widow Maker, Môreson
Grape: Pinotage
Price: R 450 (Bottle)
Year: 2018
Description of Wine:
This Pinotage is rich and delicious, characterised by plum, black cherry and mocha flavours, it is tasty enough to be a meal on its own. It is considered one of the Top 10 Pinotage’s in South Africa and boasts a taste profile that is enough to convert even the most ardent Pinotage–sceptic to a Pinotage–fanatic.
About the vineyard and the area;
Môreson is located in the beautiful Franschhoek valley and the farm itself is a little piece of magic. A place where every minute of every day is spent either making, working on or dreaming about wine. There is a focused passion that underlies this small boutique family run farm. It is this energy that ensures that the award winning Môreson wine is characterized by a soulfulness that transcends the senses
Fun Fact:
The Pinotage grape variety was created in South Africa in 1925 by Abraham Izak Perold, the first Professor of Viticulture at Stellenbosch University.
Wine: Kanonkop Kadette
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: R 360.00 (Bottle)
Year: 2018
Description of Wine:
A well–rounded wine showing great accessibility with a juicy fruit core and fresh acidity. The tannins add a grainy texture, and the wine lingers on the finish with beautiful flavours of blue berries and subtle oak spice. This youngest addition to the Kadette range is simply delicious.
About the vineyard and the area;
This is an established Stellenbosch farm. It is a fourth–generation family estate, which was originally purchased by JW Sauer, a cabinet member in the parliament of the Union of South Africa. This estate has since then been handed down from father to son for over 40 years and is now in the talented, capable hands of its current owners Paul & Johann Krige
Fun Fact:
The name Kanonkop was derived from a kopje (hillock) near Stellenbosch where a cannon was fired in the 17th century to warn local farmers that a sailing ship in transit from Europe to the Far East had entered Table Bay for a stopover in Cape Town.
Wine: Topiary
Grape: Shiraz
Price: R 360 (Bottle) / R 90 (Glass)
Year: 2013
Description of Wine:
Great intensity of flavour with white pepper, cedar and wild scrub spicing with polished fruit and a fine structure. A great full–bodied wine suitable to enjoy by itself, or to drink with your favourite warm dinner. This wine has been soaked for three days prior to skin top dry fermentation. The wine is bottled unoaked for maximum freshness and perfume.
About the vineyard and the area;
This is the only French managed estate in Franschhoek. It is owned and run by the world–acclaimed Burgundy producer Philippe Colin (from Chassagne–Montrachet). He bought the estate in 2015 and has been busy since then working hard to craft fruity and elegant wines from the 50 acres planted in wines (out of a total property of 160 acres). The wines from this farm are truly world–class and have been lauded with endless awards and recognition.
Fun Fact:
This winery can process approximately 64 tons of grapes utilizing a sophisticated sorting line to ensure the best quality grapes are selected. Once the grapes have been sorted, they are put into satellite tanks and transferred to fermentation tanks via a gravity pulley system, before undergoing further aging.
To both remain true to the farm’s original fruit farm status and create a biodiverse environment for flora and fauna to thrive, the remainder of the farm, not under vine, is planted to plum trees.
Wine: De Grendel
Grape: Merlot
Price: R 36.00 (Bottle) / R 90.00 (Glass)
Year: 2018
Description of Wine:
The wine has a beautiful gem–like ruby colour and first reveals a delicate all–sorts of berries – red, black, and blue – followed by an aroma of aniseed, cedar and liquorice which are all carried through on the palette. French oak barrels add support, while the structure comes from the tannins, as do the light mocha flavours. The texture is smooth and well–rounded, lingering a while to remind you of its balance and elegance.
About the vineyard and the area;
De Grendel is one of Cape Town’s oldest farms, stretching out over almost 330 hectares on the fynbos covered sloped of Tygerberg Hill near Durbanville. The vineyard benefits from sitting 350 meters above sea level and offers the most magnificent views of Table Mountain and Cape Town. In 1999 Sir David Graff first planted vines on De Grendel, almost 200 years after the last vines had been destroyed. Over the years, the Merlot, first recognised for its excellence in 2010, has won countless prizes and is considered one of the best–in–class Merlots in the country.
Fun Fact:
Sir David Graaff, the first owner of De Grendal, left his home at 11 years of age to train as a butcher. He was introduced to farming and became a very successful landowner, businessman and politician. He was key to bringing electricity to Cape Town, and the first power plant, Graaff Electrical Lighting, was named after him in 1989 when the first streetlights in Cape Town were switched on. This is now an historic monument; the Molteno Resevoir in Oranjezicht.
(All gin cocktails cost R90.00)
This is a wonderful collection of hand–picked local gins.
Each one is unique and special and all need
to be tasted!
From a small distillery in the Klein Karoo. We recommend this botanicals–infused gin over ice, with
tonic, and garnished with cucumber and rosemary.
This gin captures the essence of juniper berries, cardamom, coriander and other botanicals. This gin suits all mixtures, our favourite is with tonic, a twist of orange and come fresh cinnamon.
From an award–winning distillery in Still Bay, this gin is infused with fynbos indigenous to the
Southernmost point of Africa. The aromas of elderflower and chamomile combine beautifully with
spice and lemon. This limited–edition gin is best enjoyed either straight with ice, or as a cocktail with
tonic and a twist of lime.
This gem of the Karoo is as unique as it is attractive. The royal colour comes from blueberry infusion mixed with botanicals, and a hint of citrus. Best enjoyed over crushed ice, with lemonade and
blueberry garnish.
The flavour of the world blended with the soul of Arica.
This small batch distillery has become well known for excellent gins and this is our favourite. This zesty gin is best enjoyed with traditional tonic and lemon.
This blood orange infused gin is distilled in the style of London Dry gin. We recommend is a grapefruit and mint cocktail, very refreshing and totally delicious.
The following bottle beers and ciders are available:
Windhoek Draft R40.00
Heineken R40.00
Castle R35.00
Black Label R35.00
Savannah Dry Cider R30.00
A beautifully crafted vodka made from South African maize, expertly distilled in a unique steady state still in the heart of the Cape Town City Bowl. This award-winning Vodka is smooth and vibrant, and represents clarity, simplicity and integrity. (R40 single / R80 double)
Absolut Vodka is the leading brand of Premium vodka offering the true taste of vodka in original or your favorite flavors made from natural ingredients. (R25 single / R50 double)
This is a double matured whisky produced from 100% South African Yellow Maize. It is first matured in Bourbon Casks for three years, before being transferred to first fill bourbon casks for a further 28 to 30 months to extract a full rich flavour. On the nose it has a combination of toffee and vanilla flavours which transfers to spice and oak on the palate. The finish is exceptionally smooth and warm with an extended flavour on the mouth. (R30 single / R60 double)
One of the most well-known Irish blends, Bushmills Black Bush features a lot of sherried malt in its recipe, alongside classically caramel-y grain whiskey. (R40 single / R80 double)
This Stellenbosch distillery was started in 1845 with Cape the brandy pioneer Jan Van Ryn. They earned their first international award for exceptional quality as far back as 1884 and since then have established their reputation for producing some of the world’s best brandies. (R40 single / R80 double)
Hennessy VS is one of the most famous Cognacs in the world, the bottle shape is iconic and has been adopted by other distilleries over the years. The VS stands for “Very Special” and means that the youngest ‘Eaux-de-Vie’ in this blend are at least two and half years old.
(R40 single / R80 double)
Amarula Amarula is a cream liqueur from South Africa. It is made with sugar, cream and the fruit of the African Marula tree which is also locally called the Elephant tree. Just once a year, the Marula trees bear fruit. The elephants are drawn by the exotic scent and travel for miles to get a taste. That’s when they know it’s time to hand-harvest the ripe, yellow fruit and begin the two-year process that creates the unique taste of Amarula. (R30 single / R60 double)
Water, still or sparkling
500 ml R 20.00
1L R 35.00
Soft Drinks: R 20.00
Choose from our selection of soft drinks (200 ml)
Coke / Coke Lite /Lemonade / Tonic Water / Ginger Ale / Dry Lemon