Magnificent eateries to get your Wine & Whatever kicks

Sponsored Content

SPONSORED CONTENT - The fourth Wine & Whatever Experience (W&WE26), taking place from 4 to 6 June, is anticipated with great excitement by local lovers of the culinary and vinicultural arts.

A dozen eateries across the villages on Route 12 have signed up for this year’s celebration of wine, food, music and more.

The participating restaurants include Glentana’s Meat@Sea/Tumblr Tasting Room; Twin Trees, Charcoal & Charm and Peperboom in Great Brak River; the Boplaas Tasting Room in Hartenbos; Misty Valley in Ruiterbos; Herbertsdale’s ReedValley; Van Loveren and Salty River Beer House in Little Brak River; and Bahia Bleu, Hussar Grill, O’Hey Café & Bakery and Royal Blue Lounge Café in Mossel Bay.

Wine-experience seekers can kick off their Wine & Whatever tour wherever it suits them. The tickets at R200 include a map to the venues and a wine glass, to be collected at any participating eatery.

This year’s Wine & Whatever Experience is an opportunity to discover new restaurants and tastes, enjoy excellent music and be part of a Route 12 community event. Photo: Supplied

Read on for more on the wines and craft brews to be sampled:

• Misty Valley will bring a unique tasting experience to the W&WE26, with gin tastings comprising products from Harmony Distillery, Ginzansi, Honeybush Gin, Aloe Ferox Dry Gin, and Limited Edition Old Tom Barrel Aged Gin.

• The Hussar Grill will treat the guests to an unforgettable Pinotage tasting. These include Survivor, Rhino Run, Landskroon, Neil Ellis, Christiana, and Hussar 60th.

• Charcoal & Charm will bring bold flavours to the W&WE26. Treats featured will include Deetlefs Stonecross Malbec 2024 - an intense deep purple wine with notes of blackberry, mulberry, violets, liquorice and ripe plums.

• At Twin Trees, guests will enjoy curated tastings from an exceptional selection of South African wines such as Gabriëlskloof The Blend, Perdeberg Endura, Salt Rock Red Blend, Stellenbosch Hills Reserve Red Blend, and Jordan Chameleon Red.

• Salty River Beer House will feature tastings of Devils Peak Craft Beer and a variety of craft gins. Whether you’re a beer lover or gin fundi, Salty River guarantees a fun and refreshing encounter.

• During the W&WE26 weekend, ReedValley guests will enjoy a curated tasting of four remarkable EdenValley house wines, each emphasising the singular character and elegance of the region’s vineyards, from crisp, refreshing notes to bold and expressive flavours.

• The Boplaas Hartenbos Tasting Room will offer award-winning varietals, including Alvarinho 2025, Tinta Barocca 2023, Merlot 2024, and Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2020.

• Swing past Meat@Sea’s Tumblr Tasting Room to savour Alvi’s Drift Cap Classique Brut Nature, Alvi’s Drift Brut Rosé, Groot Phesantekraal Cap Classique, Groot Phesantekraal Sparkling Chenin Blanc, Zonin DOC Prosecco, and Zonin Limoneto Spritz.

• At Bahia Bleu, wine experience seekers will be treated to a range of magnificent Merlots, including HPF Posmeester, Budsberg, Wildcard, and the locally-produced Jakkalsvlei Merlot.

Guests enjoy a wine tasting at one of the previous Wine & Whatever Experiences. Photo: Supplied

• Van Loveren will make available a select range of its wines - Colombar, Java Pinotage, Cab/Merlot and Muscadel - at its Klipheuwel tasting room. This newly revamped space boasts beautiful views.

• O’Hey Café & Bakery is famous for artisan sourdough baked fresh every morning. With its crisp golden crust, soft airy centre and slow-fermented goodness, it’s perfect with butter, soup, cheese, and most definitely the range of Chenin Blancs that will be on offer during the W&WE26.

• Royal Blue Lounge Café will showcase Org de Rac, which pioneered 100% certified organic wine-farming in South Africa. Org de Rac’s overriding focus is superlative quality, from vine to bottle and beyond.

• Peperboom needs no introduction to the residents of Great Brak River and surrounds. Guests may look forward to enjoying a selection of fine wines to complement the items on its well-loved menu.

Book your Wine & Whatever tickets online on Quicket or at any participating restaurant.

U2’s golden era

W&WE26 kicks off with a concert entitled ‘With or Without You: The Songs of U2’ at the Mossel Bay Town Hall on Thursday 4 June.

Christoff Beukes, spokesperson for the band, says: “This year, we celebrate 50 years of U2, so join us for a powerful live retrospective as we strip back the layers and unleash the soul of U2’s golden era.”

Joining Beukes on guitar and vocals is Doug Bean, Renaldo Hendriks on bass and vocals and Ezra Isaacs on the drums. “This isn’t just a concert. It’s a celebration of the music that made us want to start a band and change the world. Come and experience the passion and nostalgia.”

Book your tickets online on Quicket. Be sure to diarise 4 to 6 June and bring along your family and friends.

This year’s Wine & Whatever Experience is an opportunity to discover new restaurants and tastes, enjoy excellent music and be part of a Route 12 community event.

Enquiries: Mimi Finestone on 084 583 3144 or [email protected].

‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’