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The Spier Tasting Room: A taste of the Cape Winelands in Joburg
The Spier Tasting Room brings a piece of the Cape Winelands to Joburg with an array of acclaimed Spier wines and a light menu.
Cheese and wine, the main role players at this year’s SA Cheese Festival. Image: iStock
Thanks to its proximity to the Cape Winelands, the wine-tasting experience is something that residents and frequent visitors of the Western Cape province get to enjoy on a regular basis and now, thanks to the Spier Tasting Room, it is something that people in Gauteng can enjoy as well.
Opened in October 2021, the Spier Wine Experience (or Spier Tasting Room) at the Indaba Hotel seeks to provide “a piece of the Cape Winelands right in the heart of Fourways. The space offers a comprehensive array of acclaimed Spier wines as well as delicious snack boards and a light menu.”
The Citizen recently got to indulge in this experience and it’s definitely worth checking out.
The experience offers diners and wine-lovers a place to sample, sip and savour the historic Stellenbosch farm’s wines.
“Friendly and knowledgeable staff are on hand to walk you through Spier’s various ranges, each of which are available for you to savour on-site or to purchase for enjoyment at home,” explained the brand.
We were served by West, a mild-mannered gentleman who was incredibly well-versed in every little detail about all that Spier has to offer.
The Spier Tasting Room offers a range of experiences, priced at the same range as they are on the Stellenbosch farm – between R40 and R100 per person – allowing you to fully experience what the brand has to offer. Bottles are also on hand to purchase should you happen to taste a vintage that you fall in love with.
Your options at the Spier Tasting Room are as follows:
The Spier Tasting – R70 per person
Choose three wines from Spier’s Signature range and one from each of the three premium wine ranges; 21 Gables, Creative Block and Seaward.
Chocolate and wine tasting – R80 per person
“Inspired by our Spier Cap Classique and our Spier Creative Block blends, the chocolatier has carefully crafted chocolates that complement and unlock nuanced flavours in each of our liquid treasures.”
Winemaker Selection – R100 per person
“Taste from our 21 Gables and Creative Block ranges plus the organic red blend, Spier First Stone.”
Children’s Grape Juice Tasting – R40 per person
According to Spier, this tasting is the ideal way to keep the youngsters busy with a tasting of two different grape juices and an educational activity sheet highlighting the role insects play in the farm’s vineyards.
We took part in the signature Spier tasting and tasted six varieties from the farm’s offering.
As a life-long wine-lover, I have always leaned towards a full-bodied red but by the end of our tasting, I had been swayed to give white wines a chance more often.
Our tasting was paired with lovely cheese and meat platter shared between two people and the selection on the platter made for a lovely flavour experience when paired with the wines.
Besides the wine and cheese, a major part of a wine tasting experience is the lovely, outdoor views.
Sadly, we experienced our tasting in the late afternoon going into the evening but those who experience the Spier Tasting Room during the day can unwind with a glass of wine on the shade-dappled stoep outside the tasting room, surrounded by the Indaba Hotel’s lush and tranquil garden.
The Spier Tasting Room is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday between 10am and 7pm.
Groups of eight or more are required to a reservation that needs to be confirmed at least 48 hours in advance.
The brand also plans to host launches, Spier Wine Club events, special celebrations and blending evenings in the Spier Tasting Room space in future and these events will be communicated via the official Tasting Room social media accounts.
