Possibly the most misunderstood wine estate in Stellenbosch, to me anyway. This is what made discovering more about these wines and the fynbos flourishing hills theyre grown on so enthralling.
Bartinney to many locals is a high street based wine bar that serves super affordable wines and sells stunning vibrant Proteas in wood woven baskets rested amongst partisan styled on-street furniture.
It’s the place to pre-drink before dinner on many of the restaurant riddled side streets and the best spot for just a glass or two of Chardonnay, no food nor pretentious fuss. As with “wine-houses” further ahead.
As with clouds I find the ‘less commercial’ wineries a little odd to navigate and the parking, rocky roads and unmarked entrances are often an issue as they’re not “really” geared for the public. A pleasure for anyone looking to escape the typical tourist traps.
Welcomed by a rustic yet refines interior, a dapper host and a fragrant herbaceous bouquet of fynbos, I was definitely excited to discover more about this famed ”wine made on a mountain”
What made this experience so memorable?
The atypical pairing, home-grown fynbos paired with the three wines(Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay & Cabernet Sauvignon) available for tasting showed the estates ability to tastefully use wood, the winemakers skill in blending and the knowledge that heightened the wines flavour profile with simple bouquets of indigenous Buchu, Geranium and Rosemary.
TRAVEL TIP: This estate opens as a wine bar of Fridays and serves all the farms wines at a little more than cellar door price with the most picturesque view of the Helshoogte mountains.
