The Cape Route 62

The Cape route 62 is famous for being South Africa's longest wine route. But this route; and all the towns one can find to be bound to the other through splendrous vineyards, also have other elements of wonder and beauty, only to be found when one diggs just a tad deeper into the colorful history of each town.

This magnificent stretch of route combines three of South Africa's greatest sceneries: Klein Karoo, Winelands, Bree River Valley.

Now, we revise a few hints of what awaits all who are pulled magneticaly by its majestic wines and scenery..

Worcester

This town, nestled between the great, mysterious mountains, was named after the Marquis of Worcester, who was coincidentaly the eldest brother of the Governor of the Cape in 1820, Lord Charles Somerset.
Worcester became a municipality in 1842.

The first magistrate of Worcester was captain Charles Trappes, and it became quite fitting that the centre of the town was a magistary.

The oldest building to survive from that early Worcester, is Kleinplasie. Built in 1800, Kleinplasie was the homestead of the farm Roodedraai.
Kleinplasie was restored in 1977, and is now an office..

The town has an open-air museum, named after this austere-looking farmhouse.
The Kleinplasie open-air museum is home to many traditional industries, all of which are carried out in the museum.
Candlemaking,
Bread baking by flour ground by the watermill,
Witblitz making, etc.

Worcester also features the KWV brandy cellar, the largest in the world1 There are 120 copper pot stills in the giant distillery and the aroma of Brandy is rich in the air.

Robertson

A fertile piece of land, perfect in every way to produce rich, lively wines.
The Robertson banks of the Bree River are packed with rich, alluvial soil. This, and the shales further from the river provide excellent soil for Robertson's famous Muscadel grapes. These superb desert wines grown from Robertson's vines include the Red Muscadel, and the Muscad d' Alexandre (Hanepoot).

It is for this reason that we can well understand Communion wine for the Dutch Reformed Church originated from this area.
Robertson is also home to another defined favourite, as it has the largest Brandy distillery in South Africa!

Montagu

This small, beautiful mountain pass town was named after John Montagu, the colonial secretary in 1851. Greatly illuminating the warmth of this town is the hotspring nearby, with a temperature of 35,5C.
Montagu is also loved for its apricots and is a fruit and wine centre.

The Montagu Museum is agriculturaly themed and features rather outlandish antique stink-wood furniture.

Montagu also features South Africa's greatest Mesembyanthemum flowers.

Barrydale

Barrydale was established in 1882, by the Family of John Joseph Barry. This town is renowned for its apples, peaches, apricots, and Brandy.
A Famous site just outside of Barrydale is the Anna Roux Wild Flower Garden.

And so we find the list of extraordinary little wine-making towns along the Cape Route 62 to grow ever longer....

Marisa Cronje, T.V Bulphin, Discovering South Africa, Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Southern Africa.

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