In August, we took an INCREDIBLE trip to Cape Town – and our first night in the Cape was spent at Kunjani Wines in Stellenbosch.

I’ve had my eye on Kunjani for some time now – seeing their villas, wines and gorgeous restaurant light up my newsfeed often!  So when the opportunity came about for us to spend a night, sample some delicious wines and dine at their restaurant, I will thrilled to bits.

Situated on a farm in beautiful Stellenbosch, Kunjani has a gorgeous selection of self catering villas.  We were blessed enough to spend a night in the Cabernet Villa, but to be honest, a single night is just not enough to soak up the space.  A long weekend or longer would be absolutely blissful, as you just have everything you need right at your fingertips – a kitchen kitted out with all modern appliances, a smart television, a private patio with braai facilities and gorgeous outdoor furniture, heating and air-conditioning, an enormous and super comfy bed, plus access to the restaurant and wine tasting right there.

We arrived at Kunjani after the second stretch of our trip.  What a day it had been – we left Colesburg at 4:30am, driving through rain, snow and freezing temperatures, but as we came into the winelands the weather could not have been better.  Bright sunshine, blue skies, a light dusting of snow on the mountain-tops.  The Cape was well and truly showing off, and what a perfect day to arrive!

First, we checked into our room, offloaded our luggage and freshened up, before heading into the restaurant to meet with Pia Watermeyer – one half of the husband and wife team that heads up Kunjani.  Pia is an absolute delight, an effervescent personality that had us relaxed and laughing immediately.  Her love of the brand she and Paul have created is obvious, and just so wonderful to see.

Pia guided us through a relaxed tasting of the delicious Kunjani wines.  This was my first time tasting any of them, and what an introduction!  Of the whites, the Kunjani Sauvignon Blanc (lime, green melon, citrus and herbs, lovely and fresh) was Nick’s favourite, while I loved the Kunjani Chenin Blanc (Golden Delicious apples, pears, yellow stone fruit and delectably tropical on the palate).

The reds were all utterly divine, and while I usually gravitate towards the Kunjani Shiraz (white pepper and paprika on the nose, but with a deliciously juicy, spiciness on the palate – a very savoury wine, with a definite salty note to it) it was the wine that Hubby actually enjoyed most.  The Kunjani Cabernet Sauvignon was amazing (beautifully deep and dark, lots of dark chocolate and blackcurrant with a little vanilla), and the Kunjani Merlot stole the reds show for me (sublime, so smooth, with a slight spice and so much juicy dark fruit).

The utter star of the portfolio was the Kunjani Stolen Chicken Rosé, and this is a wine I can see myself ordering by the case.  A juicy, refreshing blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Shiraz, it’s the most gorgeous salmon-pink.  Strawberries and cranberries with a zingy punch of acidity, this wine is so easy drinking!  What makes it even more beautiful, however, is the story behind it.  Named for Pia’s late son, who found chickens on the side of the road and brought them home (they still call Kunjani home, and pink was his favourite colour), each vintage has a unique image drawn by one of his friends in the area.

Although we had a scrumptious cheese and charcuterie platter placed in our villa (we weren’t sure what time we’d get in, so they generously arranged this for our room), we decided we couldn’t miss out on testing out the dishes that the kitchen was sending out to various tables around us for lunch.  I tucked into a pizza topped with chicken, bacon, avo, spinach and chenin-soaked onions that was just perfection, while Nick dove into their gourmet burger.

After many more laughs with Pia and Paul, and a couple of glasses of wine, we headed to our villa, to enjoy the last rays of sun on our patio, with a bottle of  Kunjani Merlot and our delicious board of nibbles.  We couldn’t stop going on about what a perfect start to our week away the day had been, and how beautiful the Kunjani farm was.

Our following morning began slowly – clearly both Nick and I had been in serious need of a good rest, as we’re not late sleepers, and we slept a solid 10 hours!  I reckon the delicious food and wine, followed by a hot shower and a comfortable bed were all we needed for the most incredible night of sleep we’d had in months.  Mist rolled through the valley and the vineyards were home to a few geese, with the sun softly pink in the morning sky.  It felt like we were in paradise as we sipped a hot cup of coffee, before packing up and heading for breakfast.

The breakfast menu at the restaurant is just perfect, with just enough variety to keep things interesting, but not big enough that you battle to decide what to eat.  Nick opted for a classic Eggs Benedict, while I chose the Eggs Royale, as I’m addicted to salmon.  Both were cooked to utter perfection, with the poached eggs soft and oozing over our sourdough.  Another hot coffee with breakfast hit the spot, and was the perfect beginning to a new day of exploring.

Have you been to Kunjani Wines yet?  Why not?! They serve up incredible breakfasts and lunches, as well as a wine tasting of the 6 wines in their portfolio at just R80pp.  Even better – organise a romantic weekend away for your partner in one of their beautiful luxury villas!

Kunjani also has a fabulous midweek special on, with a 2 course meal and a glass of wine at just R245pp, perfect for a working lunch or date.

*DISCLAIMER – while we were very generously hosted for meals, wine tasting and accomodation for the night by Kunjani Wines, all opinions are honest and our own.