Celebrating a culture of hospitality and a heritage of passionate Cape cooks who were well-known for their pastries and confectionery, Pierneef à La Motte invites you to a beautifully presented Winelands Tea. The Winelands Tea is served in the restaurant and on the stoep or in the garden and guests are able to choose from...

Every seventeenth-century cook at the Cape had a favourite recipe for boerewors (farmer’s sausage). During the twentieth century, many cooks began following recipes that predominantly used coriander and cloves seasoning. A possible reason for this preference might have been the Afrikaans cookbooks by Dijkman and D.J.H., which contain recipes with these spices as ingredients. It...

Passionate about heritage cuisine, food historian and La Motte Culinary Consultant, Hetta van Deventer-Terblanche shares her Ouma Malgas‘ recipe for a traditional raisin bread. Raisin Bread Recipe Preheat the oven to 180 ˚C and butter a bread tin. 1 ¼ k milk 30 ml butter (traditionally pork fat was used, and it stays my preference)...

Viticulturists agree that Chardonnay is quite an easy variety to produce. It can be planted in most wine countries where it can result in a wine of satisfactory quality. Even non-traditional wine countries such as Zimbabwe, has in the past produced acceptable Chardonnay. With the release of the 2015 La Motte Chardonnay and 2013 La...

Artichokes are part of the Cape Winelands culinary heritage, and as they are in season, we share this delightful recipe with fennel and spice. Although artichokes are notoriously difficult when it comes to finding a suitable wine match, the way they are cooked and served make all the difference. Acclaimed food and wine writer, Fiona Beckett:...

At La Motte we have a passion for conservation – whether it’s in respect of our heritage, nature, art or culture. And what a privilege it is to have so much to celebrate during Heritage month: Our French Huguenot wine-making culture, the beautiful inheritance of indigenous flora against the mountain slopes on the estate, the...

La Motte enjoys sharing its passion for art, wine and food and this year for the annual Franschhoek Art in Clay Festival, the estate stays true to this ethos with an inspirational exhibition entitled, A Sense of … This group exhibition in the La Motte Maturation Cellar features 20 local ceramicists, showcasing bespoke ceramic pieces...

The La Motte Sustainable Hike has reopened, and after the winter’s rain, the mountain offers a splendour of indigenous flora and breathtaking vistas of the Franschhoek Valley. A further expression of La Motte’s commitment to the highest conservation and biodiversity standards and the protection of precious indigenous flora and fauna in the mountain area surrounding...

Sometimes there are vintages that, because of an ideal set of conditions, deliver exceptional wines and sometimes one has the luxury of only producing or at least releasing wines from these special years. Most of the time, however, the romantic image of wine production is also guided by commercial means and an established brand has...

Waterblommetjies (Aponogeton distachyos), also known as Cape pondweed, are bulbous plants that thrive in slow- moving water dams, particularly in the Western Cape. The flowers or stems of these plants are used in traditional soups and stews (bredies). Sorrel is a natural accompaniment to waterblommetjies. Cultivated or wild sorrel can be used. If using cultivated...