geography can tell many stories, define

character. maps can lead you into history,

and the future. It’s called ‘discovery’, and

no route is worth the journey more than the

one that adds deep pleasure. establishing a

brandy route for the intrepid connoisseur-

explorer, back in 1997, was a brilliant

promotional concept by the enterprising

South african Brandy foundation. charting

a path, linking the pit stops on the road and

punting the map, the country’s favourite

alcoholic beverage became a destination:

an adventure connecting contemporary local

brandy production with its long and colourful

history. enthusiasm propelled the project

and it grew. Today there are two maps, a

number of highways and many by-roads and

personalities to survey. a road of literal and

Geography can tell and explain many stories, define

character. Maps can lead you into history and the future.

It’s called ‘discovery’, and no route is worth the journey

more than the one that adds deep pleasure.

Road Tripof Well-trAvelleD hiStory

metaphorical connections to explore. It’s

worthwhile fortifying yourself in advance

with some background; the puzzle pieces fit

better, the routes so much more gratifying.

and you can ride with the ghosts.

In colonial times, brandy fuelled much of the

transport that ventured from the southern

coasts, literally and figuratively. up north,

through the expansive and sometimes

desolate central plains, to the booming

economies and human endeavours in the

interior of southern africa. a tot at a stop

- fire water for the loins - was as good as

gratification for man and beast.

Since that era, places of Brandy have been

landmarks on our landscape. Some were pit

stops, small-town pubs serving ox-wagoners,

commercial travellers, soldiers, hunters on

horseback and colourful passers-through.

others, small farmhouse outfits making

‘moonshine’, with or without governmental

consent.

South african brandy history has always had

its big players and its small, on and off the

stage. Some have survived into the modern

era, some colourfully reinvented, and many

enthusiastically re-established - providing

the glorious backbone to what today are

known as the two Sa Brandy Routes.

The R62 Brandy Route, lying deeper in the

hinterland, and named after the official

road that weaves through the beautiful

landscape, plots a dense history.

at de Rust, perched below the towering red

mountain is the family-driven mon Rubers

(named after those peaks). Radé meyer,

who regained a private distilling licence

in 1991, says his grandfather owned small

copper pot stills, but anti-bootlegging

officials destroyed these in the 1920s. his

father started up again in the 1940s. These

days, the same copper pot, manually wood-

fired, next to the small 1850s wine cellar,

delivers pure essence to passers-by.

To have reached this pit stop, the tasting

trip would have started in Robertson. a

good start, for this is the home of klipdrift

brandy, a South african icon. This swanky,

hi-tech facility will give you the lowdown in

the most vivid way. In the garden, they’ll

even serve you a ‘brandy burger’.

from here the R62 takes you to Barrydale,

where the local cellar celebrates the founder

of the charming town with its award-winning

curiosities like the 10-year-old Joseph Barry

cape and Barry & nephews muscat.

onto calitzdorp, where at Boplaas, carel nel

will tell you how his great-great grandfather

exported his fine brandy to england. Today

Boplaas estate brandy is regarded as one of

the country’s finest.

from here eastwards. Turn off at the family

farm, Sandkoppies, for a treat. famous for

its ‘witblits’, made outside in a traditional

brandy still, grundheim launched its pot

still brandy ten years ago.

In oudtshoorn, the local kango cellar too

boasts a fine ‘hanepoot’ brandy, but also

entices with its buchu and honey bush-

infused versions.

another day, another route: The Western

cape Brandy Route, closer to cape Town, in

© C

raig

Fra

ser,

Fire

wat

er: S

outh

Afr

ican

Bra

ndy,

Qui

vert

ree

Pub

licat

ions

. ©A

dam

Let

ch. ©

The

Sou

th A

fric

an B

rand

y Fo

und

atio

n

20 I South AfricA Deluxe I InsIdE brandy I 21

the heart of the traditional winelands. It runs

through Stellenbosch and its surrounds,

takes in paarl as well as Wellington. a

slightly different journey takes one to elgin.

The latter is home to oude molen, where

the ‘founder’ of South african brandy, René

Santhagen, is honoured and the two largest

copper pot stills, ‘Big Bertha’ and ‘long

Tom’ are housed.

Just off the R301, before Stellenbosch, is

the Van Ryn's distillery on the eerste River,

perfectly attuned to offer visitors a full and

extensive experience of the brandy process.

from here there are various options.

kaapzicht in the Bottelary hills to taste the

Steytler family’s pure pot still. at louisenhof,

the still, imported from Stuttgart, has been

in use since 1931 to make the marbonne

brandy. on the Simonsberg slopes is elegant

uitkyk with its famous 10-year-old, while on

helshoogte, Tokara offers fine food and a

magnificent view to go with its brandy.

follow the road to franschhoek and reach

haute cabrière, where the brandy is the

only one made from chardonnay grapes.

Back towards paarl, lies Backsberg, where

only chenin blanc is used. in 1995, the

Sydney Back five-year old was voted the

best brandy in the world in london.

another such winner in paarl is at kWV’s

laborie. The estate alambic won that title

in 2010. an interesting brandy is that of

visit-able nederburg, where it’s made to the

unusual solera method.

In recent years, Wellington has proved

its brandy brilliance. de compagnie’s

pot still dates from 1849 and only 1 000

premium bottles are released each year.

upland estate’s is distilled from organic

grapes by ex-veterinarian edmund oettlé.

While another colourful personality, Roger

Jorgensen, calls his brandy Savignac de

Versailles. oude Wellington estate has three

brandies under the dr Schumacher label,

ranging from three to ten-year-old.

Whatever your direction, whether it’s the

R62 or the Western cape, you’ll find a world

of history, tradition and fine taste. Welcome

to the Brandy Routes.

Melvyn Minnaar

Pho

tos:

© T

he S

outh

Afr

ican

Bra

ndy

Foun

dat

ion

22 I South AfricA Deluxe I InsIdE