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Stephanie and her family recently visited the amazing Laurel Cottage in McGregor.
After a long week at work we were excited to travel to the Robertson Wine Valley to do a bit of exploring. Already packed and ready to head off we started the scenic journey to this beautiful area in the Western Cape on a sunny Friday morning.
On arrival we were warmly greeted and welcomed to our home for the weekend – Laurel Cottage located in the interesting town of McGregor.
Laurel Cottage sleeps up to six guests in three bedrooms which have two double beds and one twin.
The main bedroom is en-suite with an outside shower and French doors on to the front veranda. The twin and double rooms have large sash windows and shared use of a spacious ‘Victorian’ shower room.
The living space is open plan with a large modern kitchen island incorporating the oven and hob. Double doors open from the living space on to both the spacious front veranda and the sheltered rear veranda where you can braai in comfort.
The lounge area is quite large and comfy complete with leather couches, a flat screen TV and nifty fireplace.
The pool is a great place to swim and cool off in the summer months. However, it is very deep and for experienced swimmers only. It is not child friendly and children need to be accompanied by an adult at all times.
After settling in and unpacking our belongings we relaxed for a short while in the lounge area and enjoyed a little snack before heading back to Robertson – our first activity was a tasting and tour at the well-known Klipdrift Distillery. We had an amazing time and absolutely loved learning all the interesting facts on Klipdrift's history and the process of distillery.
Later that day we headed back to our cottage to prepare some supper and get a good night’s rest for the busy schedule we had planned the next day.
For supper we enjoyed a delicious braai out on the back veranda. This area is really very peaceful and is the perfect spot for a tranquil country getaway.
After filling our appetites, we freshened up and headed off to bed – the rooms are super comfy and elegantly decorated too.
The next morning we awoke bright and early. We popped in at the local Saturday morning market where we found so many friendly faces and lots of goodies such as books, sweet treats and freshly baked ciabatta.
Back at the cottage we whipped up a quick breakfast. We then made our way to Excelsior Wine Estate - During our visit we indulged in a delicious tasting and enjoyed a lovely variety of red and white wines, served by the helpful and friendly staff. The views from the tasting area are breath-taking and really adds a special element to the Excelsior Experience.
We were then given a very informative and interesting talk by our host Bruce, on how to make our very own Excelsior Creation. Here guests have the opportunity to blend and bottle their own Excelsior wines. I opted to go for with a magnificent blend of 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Shiraz and 40% Merlot.
We bottled our wine, inserted the corks with a nifty press, sealed it and labelled it ourselves - a great experience enjoyed with good company.
Thereafter we headed to Viljoensdrift Fine Wines - After a delicious tasting we headed to the well-stocked deli to create our own unique picnic basket to enjoy while on one of the exciting river cruises here. The cruise surpassed all our expectations - we had a blast of a time and really enjoyed this unique experience at Viljoensdrift.
After an eventful day we were happy to be back at the cottage to wind down for a while. We enjoyed some TV time in the lounge area with some delicious wines and light snacks before calling it a night.
The next morning we woke up feeling absolutely refreshed. I prepared a full-house breakfast which we thoroughly enjoyed along with the Ciabatta we had purchased at the market the day before.
We lazed around for a while not wanting to leave but eventually packed up our goodies and were on our way after having had such an amazing time in this beautiful home away from home.
Before heading back to Cape Town we stopped off at Tanagra Wine and Guestfarm for another tasting. Tanagra offers a great range of stylish Marc (also known as Grappa) and Eau de Vie (fruit spirits).
The Lemon Eau de Vie was definitely a favourite for us, it was incredibly flavourful and vibrant. We also tried the Orange Liquer which was absolutely heavenly.
Located just a stone’s throw away is the beautiful Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary – a really great spot that the kids will absolutely love! We popped over for a quick visit and a delicious milkshake!
We had a wonderful time in the Valley and are already planning our next visit here. There is so much to see and do, sure to keep the entire family happy!
To book your stay at Laurel Cottage, click here.
