Rosendal

Rosendal Winery and Wellness Centre

We drove the three hour journey across mountains, through gorges and along tightly circuitous passes in our Avis hire car to the gorgeous Rosendal Winery, a tiny eight room ‘boutique’ hotel in the middle of nowhere between Roberston and Ashton.

Blue skies

Although it’s Autumn, we’ve had the most wonderful weather since we arrived. It’s been in the mid-thirties centigrade with cloudless blue skies and gentle breezes to keep us cool.

Chef David

Dinner that evening was completely unexpected. Not that we were given dinner, but that its quality was simply outstanding.

I began asking questions to our waitress who told us the chef was her husband, and that he’d worked in many top restaurants in the UK and Europe.

‘Where in the UK?’ I asked. ‘The Vineyard at Stockcross,’ came the reply. ‘But that was our local restaurant,’ I replied. ‘When was he there?’

It transpired that Chef David was there from the very start of the Vinyard having come from the Savoy Grill and other one and two Michelin Star kitchens before that. No wonder the food was delectable.

Two nights

With two nights at Rosendal, we tasted (and drank) their wines, ate sumptuously, and subjected ourselves to various Spa treatments. Various ‘pink’ treatments for Lin and ‘muscle bashing’ massages for Piers. He ached the next day.

The evenings were spent watching vivid, shot silk sunsets whilst toads croaked, crickets chirruped, and birds sang their lullabies.

The Last Supper

Chef David came to see us to discuss our last supper at Rosendal. We chose the tasting menu, menu Dégustation, but he insisted on making some changes given various courses we’d had previously.

It was divine. Eating on the veranda of a small boutique hotel in the middle of nowhere mountains, watching another sunset.

Bliss.

Piers and Lin
Rosendal Winery and Wellness Centre
…on temporary leave of absence from
Play d’eau
Fleming 55
Beaucette Marina

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The drive across the mountains was simply breathtaking click to enlarge

Gorges and passes never ending click to enalrge

So majestic, mile after mile click to enlarge

One hundred miles of stunning scenery click to enlarge

One of Rosendal white wines click to enlarge

You can eat in Rosendal’s cellars click to enlarge

A weaver bird builds his nest (taken from 150m away) click to enlarge

Sunset at Rosendal click to enlarge