Beau Constantia, perfect for romanticising your own life

I’ve always thought if I found myself in Cape Town, I’d need to be a millionaire to enjoy some of the more extravagant parts of the city and its surrounding areas. But the longer I am here, the more I discover some gems that are not too outrageous for my wallet and still allow me to see and do nice things.

One of those things is wine tasting at the gorgeous Beau Constantia Boutique Wine Farm, at the top of Constantia Nek overlooking False Bay, where you can picnic, take in the sights, have a few glasses of their finest and bask in the sun.

This place has been located here since 2002 and has grown in popularity as a day spot with various venues for drinking, eating and being merry.

When you first drive towards the estate through the hills of Cape Town, you will already notice the scenery change around you, as if you are being transported to another world. You are then greeted by lush greenery as you make your way through the entrance, before vast slopes of grapes enter your field of vision and you are enveloped in a world of green.

To participate in the tasting of their productions, you make your way down a lovely winding path that opens up to a terrace overlooking even more of the vineyard, adorned with fancy outdoor furniture I’ve only ever seen in old European romance films.

At just R150 per person, you get four rounds of tasting, though if we are being honest, the quantity they are pouring is enough to really get a good party going. We had a sparkling white wine, a normal white wine and two red wines.

I went there with three friends on a lovely and sunny Sunday. The terrace was empty at first, but slowly started to fill with guests of all ages and creeds.

Alongside the wine, you can order from their menu which includes burgers and other finger foods. We settled on their cheese and meat platter, which also goes for R150, but can feed two hungry people.

This platter features an assortment of cheeses, including cheddar, goat’s cheese and Camembert, alongside a selection of cold meats like prosciutto and salami, grapes, fig jam, olives, pickled onions and slices of bread.

This was the ultimate experience. It was delicious, the sun was shining, the wine was going down nicely and the scenery was so unbelievably beautiful, it felt a bit like a hallucination.

After each glass of wine, you can get up and the lovely lady behind the counter will pour you the next one, before briefly explaining all its properties and characteristics and inviting you to swirl your glasses, sniff the aromas and take note of the flavour profiles.

By the third glass, we might not have even been listening but it was still great to feel like we were learning something while having fun. This is a great way to get into the wine of Cape Town and just a drop in the bucket of what is available.

• Anne Hambuda is a poet, writer and social commentator. Follow her online or email her annehambuda@gmail.com for more.