Have you ever entered a place and thought you stumbled into a fairytale? That is how I felt when I first laid eyes on the outdoor tasting area at Lomond Wine Estate. Filled with beautiful trees that twist and turn into each other, sweeping landscapes filled with native fauna and an incredible lake that services the farm, the whole place feels magical.
Lomond is one of the first farms you encounter when doing the Elim wine route in Cape Agulhas and is a must stop spot on your tour. Founder, viticulturist and GM of Lomond Wines, Wayne Gabb, built the farm by putting sustainability first and foremost. When the farm was established in 2004, on an untouched ground, Wayne worked towards creating quality wines with minimal impact on the environment.
This is especially important since Lomond is one of the many estates in Elim who are part Walker Bay Fynbos Conservatory. The majority of the estate is preserved for native fynbos with only 350 of 800 hectares used for vine cultivation. Wayne’s philosophy is diversity of soil, elevations on the farm and protecting the indigenous habitat. No wonder their motto is ‘the alchemy of nature’.
It’s a long drive to Lomond from Cape Town, albeit a beautiful one. When you walk into the shaded area where tastings are held, you immediately know the trip was worth it. A long picnic table was laid out for us, under a roof of branches. Platters of cheese, crackers, charcuterie and trout from caught from the stream graced the table while Wayne took us through the range of Lomond wines.
Elim is known for creating cool climate wines, thanks to the summer sea breeze. This combined with rich soil diversity, organic and natural farming methods and attention to detail has allowed Wayne and his team to create award-winning wines. The wines include a single vineyard and classic range. The classic range includes a Sauvignon Blanc, SSV Syrah, SMV and Merlot. Being a fan of red, I particularly enjoyed the Syrah and the Merlot, but the wine wines were also quite lovely.
The single vineyard range was the star of the show for me (other than the delicious trout). Each wine was named after a type of fynbos, emphasising Lomonds love and respect of nature. The range consists two Sauvignon Blanc and two Syrahs. For me the Pincushion Sauvignon Blanc and Cat’s Tail Syrah stood out, but the Sugarbush and Conebush wines have their merits. As with everything in life, it’s just a matter of your preference. Book a tasting and find out what your favourite is.
Lomond Wines is just one of the many Overberg wine brands that is participating in the Elim Wine Festival on 5 November 2016. It is a great place to try of the many gems, like Lomond, that call the Cape Agulhas region home.
OF NOTE
When Wine tastings by booking
Where Elim Road, Gansbaai (directions)
Contact +27 82 552 4124, [email protected], www.lomond.co.za
Photography courtesy Annzra Denita
A magical place that makes magical wine!