Mini Break: Our Four-Day Wine Tour in the Klein Karoo

We have two and a half days' leave plus a weekend... Calitzdorp, usually too far for just a weekend trip, is now worth the drive. With Oudtshoorn close by, this is the perfect opportunity to take on the WINEding Road along Route 62 to stock up on some Portuguese-style and fortified wines.

For many dessert-style wines, grapes are harvested at higher sugar levels, and the harsh, dry climate of the Klein Karoo is ideal to achieve this. However, with multitudes of microclimate pockets, quality dry wines are still possible and well-represented in the Klein Karoo. This wine route is great for all palates - sweet and dry - with beer, spirit, and olive oil tastings possible for those who desire more than wine.

Beyond the wines, the small-town hospitality along Route 62 is delightful. Many estblishments are owner-run, with passionate second-career winemakers, accommodation- and restaurant owners not hard to find. Have those conversations and let them tell you all about their journeys! 

If you're looking for inspiration and recommendations, have a look at our tasting itinerary and destination highlights, followed by a sneak peek of our stay in the NOVA StarDome at Starry Starry Night:

#StealThisItinerary

*Note that we took this mini break end of June.

CALITZDORP HIGHLIGHTS

Although Port was named after Oporto in Portugal where production took place, its grapes were grown in the Douro Valley which has similar cilmates and soils to Calitzdorp. This is why when Tinta Barocca was accidentally planted here in the 1970s instead of Shiraz, it thrived. Other Portuguese varietals, thus, followed. Now, Calitzdorp is the go-to destination for Port-style tasting experiences in South Africa. 

Our first Calitzdorp stop is about four hours drive from Cape Town. The wine tasting at Du'Swaroo is accompanied by a selection of their preserves, atchars, and olives to sample. The apple atchar stood out and we were amused by many quirky wine labels. www.duswaroo.co.za

At TTT (Things Take Time) Cellars, Graham passionately told us about his experimental aspirations and journey as a talented second-career winemaker/winery owner. Keep an eye out for the barrel-style clock art on the wall. Oh, and come hungry to order from their table of fresh, gourmet-quality, deli-size bakes. www.tttcellars.co.za

The drive to Peter Bayly Wines was beautiful and a warm welcome awaited us. Peter and Yvonne hosted us on the patio of their home overlooking the vineyards with surrounding rockfaces. Stories, insights, and four beautiful tastings followed, including a port-style Cape White. We took home multiples of each wine. www.peterbayly.co.za

Dinner was at Zamani Grill and we both ordered sumptuous ostrich burgers with a De Krans winter warmer. Whilst there, we took a peek at R62's smallest bar.

Every small town has a bar, and Calitzdorp has "Die Stasie" where many locals opted to watch the Rugby and where we popped in for a nightcap.

Boplaas has so many wine and spirit options, so choosing what to taste proved difficult. We were happy to stock up on some whiskey here, including a limited release 10-year-old aged in rum casks. They have a good cheese and charcuterie platter too. www.boplaas.co.za

De Krans has one of my favourite fortified wines and I always buy the Cape Tawny when I'm there. Under the vine-covered pergola and looking out onto the vineyard, we enjoyed the prego ostrich fillet on roosterkoek for lunch with their P&T (port & tonic). For my ladies back home with sweeter palates, I bought pink perle muscato from both Boplaas and De Krans to compare. www.dekrans.co.za

Next time: Axe Hill Wines came recommended by many. However, on the weekend of our visit, the family was in the process of moving permanently to the winery from upcountry. We'll definitely join them for a tasting when we visit Calitzdorp again. www.axehill.co.za

OUDTSHOORN HIGHLIGHTS

Moving on to Oudtshoorn and surrounds, we started at the Doornkraal Padstal to line our stomachs with delicious roosterkoek - rustic, traditional bread roasted on open coals, with fillings that feature local food like boerewors, biltong, curried mince, or lamb. Here, I bought a 2024/2025 calander, KOKTYLS, featuring cocktail recipes and whimsical nude photos of the local men and their crafts, including Oom Swepie from Doornkraal. We tasted their wines and there were other labels from the area available to taste too. The Doornkraal Jerepigo was not too sweet and yummy - With Monis sherry no longer available in South Africa, this is a good alternative at only R100 per bottle. I'll be ordering a case come next winter. www.doornkraal.co.za

I have a weakness for olive oil and upon hearing they do in-depth tastings and tours, we decided to visit De Rustica Olive Estate nearby. Unfortunately, this was an unplanned stop on our itinerary and, upon arrival, another tasting was already underway. Not having enough time to hang around and wait for the desired in-depth, educational tasting experience, I opted to scan The Guide to Extra Virgin Olive Oil in South Africa booklet on their "coffee table", and help myself to DIY tastings in their shop, before being able to join for the production tour. www.derustica.co.za

Karusa Premium Wines and Craft Brewery is just across from our accommodation at Le Petit Karoo Ranch and was, thus, our last tasting stop for the day. We had the ostrich pizza for lunch and did a wine tasting. Some "loot" we took home included an Olorosso sherry and a petit syrah. One can also do a gin tasting, but beer is only available per bottle/on tap, so we bought some to try at our accommodation later by the fire and braai. These craft beers are outstanding - The Zwartberger amber ale and Veldbrand smoked beer stood out. www.karusa.co.za

Grundheim is known for their witblits, but also have"port", muscadel, potstill brandy, liquers, and vermouth. We did a quick tasting with Ena and my partner bought a bottle of their Boegoe Blits. I opted for the well-known Brandslang that adds a spicy kick to my cocktails, plus the 12 year-old potstill brandy (that has some 20 year-old in) to add to my drinks trolley collection. www.grundheim.co.za

Next time: The most recommended winery was Herold Wines for great wines, amazing owners, and beautiful views. My partner prefers red wines and a quick look at their website showed most of their reds were sold out (and now whites too), so we opted to leave the 45-minute drive there from Oudtshoorn for next time when they have released new vintages. www.heroldwines.co.za

BARRYDALE HIGHLIGHTS

We had toasties and milkshakes for brunch at Diesel & Crème which is filled with 50s memorabilia. Orders are placed at the trailer before you take your seat in the restaurant.

Wanting to spend quality time at our last night's accommodation, we only stopped for one more wine tasting between Barrydale and Montagu at Joubert-Tradauw Wine Farm & Deli Al Fresco. We had a lovely wine tasting by their inside fire whilst listening to world music. We'll definitely be back in summer to enjoy one of their renowned platters, Al Fresco style, under the Pergola outside.

www.joubert-tradauw.com

Next time we will plan a trip around Barrydale that does not fall on a Monday and Tuesday. This colourful town has more than enough destinations that I would still like to try such as Karoo Daisy, The Country Pumpkin, and The Blue Cow restaurants. We would have stopped for a beer tasting at The Maker's Brew but they were closed since we passed back through Barrydale on a Tuesday. One can not miss the Karoo Saloon (now temporarily closed) along the R62 where I would love to go for some live music at the Rock Roadhouse. Other tasting destinations still to visit here include Joseph Barry Distillery, Metanoia Distillery, and Thalia Farm Distillery. Being two and a half hours from Cape Town makes Barrydale worth a weekend trip. Barrydale, we'll be back!

ACCOMMODATION HIGHLIGHT

With only a half day's leave after our last night, we wanted to stay closer to Cape Town as not to rush the last check-out morning. The NOVA StarDome at Starry Starry Night, close to Montagu, looked amazing. Usually they have a two-night minimum stay requirement but they let us stay the one night, with an added cleaning fee, since there were no other bookings. We booked a sundowner picnic platter and the Kol Kol hot tub extra for the evening. We were provided with everything we needed and loved the little personal touches. Here, surrounded by quiet mountains, you feel truly off-grid and able to recharge. www.starrystarrynight.co.za