On the way from Greyton towards Hermanus is the picturesque Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.  According to a visiting Moravian missionary in 1899, it got its name because “so high are the hills which closely embrace the valley all round, that they seem to touch the sky and you cannot see anything but heaven and earth”.

Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

I was stunned to see this beautiful valley in the Overberg.  There are several family-owned wine farms in the valley. It is regarded as one of the best wine areas in the country and it is especially known for fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  The cooling effect of the South Atlantic Ocean makes the valley one of the best wine producing areas in South Africa.

We visited La Vierge, or ‘The Virgin’ in French, one of the wine farms, for wine tasting.

La Vierge Wine Estate

The building is painted in white and bright pink and from the glass enclosed restaurant, you have a breathtakingly beautiful view of the valley.  We tasted both red and white wines, each comes with a unique story explained by a member of staff at La Vierge.

Tasting Room

We ordered a charcuterie board with smoked meats, cheese, pâté, lovely blue berry jam, bread and biscuits to accompany our wine tasting.

Platter

We enjoyed wines with names like Jezebelle Chardonnay, Original Sin Sauvignon Blanc and Apogée Pinot Noir.  La Vierge received a reward as National Winner for their Apogée Pinot Noir 2015 on 1 October 2020.  The fee for wine tasting was wavered when we bought wine from the cellar.

Jezebelle Chardonnay

We have much more to explore in and around Greyton.  We really love living in this beautiful town, which is quiet during weekdays, but with an exciting buzz on weekends.  Greyton is the perfect town if you want to escape to the country, but want to be close enough to bigger towns such as Hermanus or Cape Town.