Spit or Swallow at Vrede en Lust

Total Swallows 3,975	Rated by 498	Avg Swallows 7.98

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Tell us about your experience at Vrede en Lust

Reviewed by Janine Uys Erasmus - 31 January 2013 at 14:48

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Boet Erasmus wine great with the Lindt chocolate, good hostess (Lynne)! would recommend this wine tasting to anyone who loves a good wine!

Reviewed by Stefan Erasmus - 31 January 2013 at 14:45

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Very Knowledgeable with a great setting the boet erasmus is very excuisite

Reviewed by Cindi Page - 13 August 2012 at 14:48

Casual Winefly - 35 farms visited and 15 reviewed.

What a lovely setting and history of the Estate, but I was very disappointed with the wines. First time in ages that we went tasting and didn’t buy a few bottles.

Reviewed by Kevin Robinson - 25 April 2012 at 09:33

Novice Winefly - 3 farms visited and 3 reviewed.

Stunning service as always , the Jess is once again stunning , as well as fantastic lunches which are very reasonably priced

Reviewed by Doug Hoernle - 24 April 2012 at 08:28

Casual Winefly - 17 farms visited and 15 reviewed.

I was hugely disappointed on my last visit to the estate. Took a group of people here as it has in the past been one of my favorite wineries. The staff were inattentive and plain and were not willing to engage with us regarding their wine. Great pity as I usually have such a good experience here. Feedback from members of my group was also poor.

Reviewed by Marna Laurens - 31 March 2012 at 10:47

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Vrede en Lust slaag amptelik die ‘tong-tippie-toets’ – VREDE na ‘n Lindt-Boet Erasmus ‘combo’ en nog LUS(t) vir die res wat nog wag om geproe te word! Vriendelike diens en uitmuntende wyn….Vrede en Lust is n moet vir elkeen…!!

Reviewed by Miné Harmse - 20 December 2011 at 16:50

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Dit was ongelooflik, aromaties en heerlik. Sal verseker weer ‘n besoek kom afle. Die wyne is fantasties**

Reviewed by Theresa Adendorff - 15 December 2011 at 12:47

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Stunning! We had a lovely experience here, the view is picture perfect!!!

Reviewed by Robert Gardner - 9 December 2011 at 16:30

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Amazing view, awesome wine. Especially the brand new Mocholate 2011 – a 100% Malbec – delicous …

Reviewed by Nonye Mpho - 9 December 2011 at 13:14

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

beautiful winery, picturesque. wonderful wine. fabulous people.

Reviewed by Ernes Stander - 9 December 2011 at 11:47

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Dis die moeite werd om NET die Boet Erasmus te drink!

Reviewed by Nico Hand - 8 December 2011 at 16:05

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Lovely wine and a beautiful place

Reviewed by Hartej Singh - 7 December 2011 at 13:56

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Friendly staff, gave us a lovely overview of their wines. The Boet Erasmus was the winner for us. Try and sit outside and enjoy the view! Best so far.

Reviewed by Eva Rodriguez - 7 December 2011 at 13:49

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Experiencia muy recomendable. Lugar elegante y pintoresco.
El vino excelente, muy variado y muy buen servicio.
La mejor en comparacion con las otras.

Reviewed by Tharien Steyn - 7 December 2011 at 13:17

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Wow! Amazing experience! Thank you to Vrede en Lust for a great wine taste!

Reviewed by Shamsher Singh - 9 October 2011 at 11:47

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

it was such n amazin exp. t come down to the country of dream as people got a gud taste of life n its the spit or swallow n we al r thankful to the amazn people around now to give a awsum gesture ..thanks a ton…….bob n band

Reviewed by Jèan Matroos - 24 September 2011 at 14:13

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Knowledgable staff and excellent experience. Lynne jy is wonderlik

Reviewed by Amit Bhana - 24 September 2011 at 13:49

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

`Excellent wines , and a great tasting experience!!

Reviewed by Kobus Berg - 20 August 2011 at 15:53

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Besonderse lekker wyn en baie goeie diens, baie beter as selfs die “grand” wynplase hier rond.

Reviewed by Grete Van den Berg - 20 August 2011 at 15:49

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

dit was baie lekker ons het dit vreeslik geniet

Reviewed by Steyn Wessels - 17 May 2011 at 13:52

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

is leke!!

Reviewed by Francois Nel - 17 May 2011 at 13:49

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

ek laaik dt kwaai

Reviewed by Louis Oosthuysen - 17 May 2011 at 13:46

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

dit is lekker so ver.

Reviewed by Christine Andrews - 9 May 2011 at 13:48

Discoverer Winefly - 48 farms visited and 49 reviewed.

The service was very good at this winery. The wine was lovely. I bough three bottles of wine here, all whites. I would recommend people visit this winery. Go now though, because the drive out that way is so beautiful with all the leaves changing colour, its absolutely beautiful!!
I will write a review on my wine blog with more information. Be sure to check it out on http://westerncapewineries.blogspot.com/.

Reviewed by Kirsty McFadden - 30 April 2011 at 15:43

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

absolutely awesome

Reviewed by Nicholas Long - 29 April 2011 at 16:08

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

awesome estate, with very friendly service and great wines! always a pleasure!

Reviewed by Candice May - 29 April 2011 at 13:23

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Impossible to leave without taking home one (or several) bottles of Syrah and Mocholate………. Thank you

Reviewed by Wynette Theart - 28 April 2011 at 15:10

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

lekkerness of lust! i don’t want to go home!! lovely, beautiful, enchanting!! c u guys next time. semi-soet ps. big up to lynne…best wine tasting ever! yummmmm

Reviewed by Simone Harrie van Huyssteen - 27 April 2011 at 15:37

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Van die beste wyne in die land en definitief my gunsteling wynplaas in die Kaap!!

Reviewed by Riaan Human - 27 April 2011 at 15:25

Casual Winefly - 18 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

A very warm reception on a chilly autumn day. I think the Vaalies really enjoyed it! Vrede & Lust is always a tasting cellar worth visiting. Just loved the Viognier 2010.

Reviewed by Tennyl Beukes - 27 April 2011 at 15:20

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

dit was n asemrowende ervaring en elke oomblik is terdee geniet.. sal enige tyd wil terug keer. baie baie baie lekker

Reviewed by Hubert Human - 27 April 2011 at 15:16

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

The wine here was very nice, with very nice landscapes in the background……. The service is very friendly and its nice that you dont have to pay for the tasting….` very nice wines especially Boet ERASMUS And Mopanie white… I ike tennyl very much

Reviewed by Brendan Peo - 25 April 2011 at 17:26

Novice Winefly - 2 farms visited and 2 reviewed.

As always, friendly and professional, the Viognier stands out!

Reviewed by Dewald Gerber - 9 April 2011 at 14:15

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 2 reviewed.

briljant!!!!!!! sien julle weer. mis net die soeter wyn

Reviewed by Dewald Gerber - 9 April 2011 at 14:13

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 2 reviewed.

Baie goeie en vriendelike diens. Wyn is uitstekend, semi sweet wyn sal nog lekkerder wees

Reviewed by Md Greyling - 2 April 2011 at 15:56

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

lekker vriendelike diens, en lekker wyn!

Reviewed by Kim Senekal - 2 April 2011 at 15:50

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

baie mooi uitsig en ‘n baie lekker ervaring! Vionier en Boet Erasmus is fantasties.

Reviewed by Heinrich Schmidt - 2 April 2011 at 15:45

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Een van die beter plekke om te wees…

Reviewed by Nareen Viljoen - 30 March 2011 at 14:05

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Very delicious, light dry wine. lovely experience and scenery. Showed us a different side of white wine. Swallow!

Reviewed by Daniël Maree - 18 March 2011 at 14:13

Casual Winefly - 31 farms visited and 30 reviewed.

Great tasting room / french chateau kinda style. Nice ladies in fairly stylish dresses / uniforms filling your glass and none of the wine was bad enough to mention in a negative light.
- Bordeaux blend, Boet Erasmus, is very nice
- Viognier is divine

Reviewed by Christine Slabbert - 13 March 2011 at 12:47

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

thank you for a lovely experience! good memories!

Reviewed by Shereen Robertson - 13 March 2011 at 12:39

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Excellent wines! A truly great experience, enjoyed both white and red. Love the style of the wines! Very informative and knowledgeable person conducting the tasting. Like the personal touch that you receive and exquisite views overlooking the vineyards. Would definitely recommend to everyone. Well worth a visit! Thank you for an awesome experience.

Reviewed by Annarine Bekker - 12 March 2011 at 17:42

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

hallo! dit was n baie lekker ervaring!!! die rooirok dames en veral Martinique was baie goed!!! baie dankie vir jou gasvryheid! die “homey” gevoel is baie lekker!!! dankie!

Reviewed by Johan Odendaal - 5 March 2011 at 11:20

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Dit was regtig ‘n epically awesome experience! Ek het nie woorde nie. Wyn, vibes ens was ongelooflik! Kan nie vir meer vra nie!

Reviewed by Cheryce Hall - 18 February 2011 at 11:56

Casual Winefly - 16 farms visited and 17 reviewed.

This wine farm was lovely! First thing in the morning we popped in for a quick tasting to start off the day – one of our best spur-of-the-moment decisions ever! Alice welcomed us outside on the deck with a view to DIE for. It was so peaceful (compared to the rat race we come from) that I thought I’d never leave! The wine was absolutely amazing as well. I will definitely recommend this farm to anyone for the service, the ambiance, the view and the wine!

Reviewed by Ann-Marie Breen - 18 February 2011 at 10:54

Super Winefly - 260 farms visited and 90 reviewed.

If you’re not in a hurry, do the cheese platter with the wine tasting pairing. A bargain for R85 for two people. And if you’re really lucky you’ll get Alice who was a fabulous host to talk you through the pairing. Delightful, knowledgeable an humourous.

Reviewed by Christie Hepke - 15 February 2011 at 15:48

Casual Winefly - 33 farms visited and 26 reviewed.

What a view!!! This was one of the most informative tasings I’ve ever had! Alice was great at describing the wines and the methods used!

Loved the Jess Rose! just a pity it’s sold out!!
I come back for it!

Reviewed by Philippe-Ramzi Hamida-Pisal - 3 February 2011 at 12:58

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

I visited Cape Town few times now with few visits of Stellenbosch and Franschoek and today the visit at the Vrede en Lust was the most enjoyable. Our host Lynne was very hospitable and fantastic. Well worth the experience of the visit.
I would recommend it.

Reviewed by Kevin Snyman - 30 January 2011 at 15:06

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

ama zing

Reviewed by Jörg Wunderlich - 30 January 2011 at 13:13

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Beautiful wines, beautiful views and amazing staff. I can’t wait to come back.

Reviewed by Karin van Rhyn - 30 January 2011 at 12:12

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Yummy

Reviewed by Ingrid Biesheuvel - 17 January 2011 at 10:04

Casual Winefly - 7 farms visited and 7 reviewed.

Very impressive winery. And I can’t help admiring the red-dresses concept! As a ‘wine ambassador’ myself, I’d love to swish around all dolled up too!
My motto of ‘I don’t see the point of an unwooded Chardonnay’ is finally put to rest. I see the point now. The Sarah showed me. Stunning.
Friendly and professional staff, but I’m not a huge fan of presentations where the flavours of the wine are rushed off in an obviously much-repeated patter. I don’t think my boyfriend noticed though – he was loving it! Good on ya, girls.
Looking forward to my first Wine Club package!

Reviewed by Isaac Nilsson - 9 January 2011 at 11:42

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Great wines and even better service!

Reviewed by Sherwin Pillay - 8 January 2011 at 13:08

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

great tour and wine tasting

Reviewed by Lourens Jongh - 7 January 2011 at 15:36

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Great wines, beautiful scenery. The ladies are very professional.

Reviewed by Gerhard Jacobs - 7 January 2011 at 15:30

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Beautiful winery, excellent people and amazing Viognier!

Reviewed by Nicholas Knights - 7 January 2011 at 14:17

Novice Winefly - 3 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

The service was fantastic,enjoyed the wine and the ladies were great.thanks for a good afternoon.

Reviewed by Justin Adshade - 7 January 2011 at 14:13

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

awesome place, great wine!

Reviewed by Marissa Drotskie - 6 January 2011 at 13:09

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

n fantastiese wyn uitstappie! Uitstekende, professionele diens en verwelkoming. Die dames wat ons gehelp het is ‘stunning’ en is baie goeie bemarking vir Vrede en Lust! Well Done, defnitief 10 uit 10 en ‘n perfekte omgewing om af te skakel en mooi wyne te geniet!

Reviewed by Anne Kemps - 5 January 2011 at 15:07

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Loved the jess, great view and nice athmosphere. Thanks a lot!

Reviewed by Maryanne Twissell - 5 January 2011 at 14:47

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Always an enjoyable experience!

Reviewed by Adéle Basson - 5 January 2011 at 13:17

Casual Winefly - 8 farms visited and 5 reviewed.

All the wines were great! Wonderful tasting experience.

Reviewed by Gerhard Morkel - 2 January 2011 at 17:41

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Great wyn, great view en great diens! die wyn was kwaai lekker en die geselskap nie te sleg nie! drankie!

Reviewed by Derek Sounes - 2 January 2011 at 17:26

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

love die wine en die vriendelike bediening. love die plek sal vreseker weer kom

Reviewed by Richardt Ferreira - 2 January 2011 at 15:12

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Vrede en Lust se cheese platter was DJAS! en die wyn ook, nie gepraat van die meisies nie…:)

Reviewed by Amanda Swart Coetzee - 2 January 2011 at 15:08

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Die van julle wat nog nie in Franschhoek by Vrede en Lust was nie weet nie wat julle mis nie!! Andries, ek loooove jou werkplek!! Baie classy, stunning atmosfees en die wyne is besonders lekker (moenie vergeet van die mooi girls nie!).

Reviewed by Bjorn Karason - 2 January 2011 at 14:56

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

amazing service! smiles all round! the wine! fantastic!!! absolutely fantastic!! perfection!

Reviewed by Nelson De Sousa - 2 January 2011 at 13:37

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

great experience. Was nice to go to a wine farm so much history. Definitely rate it a must do!

Reviewed by Elsabe Du Toit - 30 December 2010 at 13:44

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

dit was die lekkerste wine plaas so ver.
Dit was iets anders

Reviewed by Eugene Odette Jensen - 30 December 2010 at 13:02

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Was’n heerlike ervaring! baie dankie vir jul gasvryheid en warm ontvangs! wyne is uniek en lieflik!

Reviewed by Alisha House - 29 December 2010 at 13:30

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

AMAZING!!!!!!!

Reviewed by Arlien Kock - 29 December 2010 at 12:57

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Awesome experience. Beautiful view!!!

Reviewed by Tanya Fagg - 29 December 2010 at 12:41

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

The wine estate was extremely beautiful and the wine tasting was educational and informative.The staff of the estate were friendly and helpful and the wines were new and refreshing..will definelty be back

Reviewed by Lene Meadon - 29 December 2010 at 11:35

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Very impressive.

Reviewed by Berndt Burger - 29 December 2010 at 11:31

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Dit was ‘n ongeloofike ervaring

Reviewed by Chris-Jan Venter - 29 December 2010 at 11:06

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

It was a great experience, staff unbelievably friendly, idyllic surroundings and fabulous wine.

Will definitely be back.

Regards,

Lisa & Chris-jan

Reviewed by Craig Fox - 29 December 2010 at 09:44

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Awesome

Reviewed by Storm Singleton - 27 December 2010 at 16:44

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Pure class wines. Amazing experience

Reviewed by Waldo Lategan - 27 December 2010 at 16:38

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Ongelooflike ervaring! Die dames hier is vriendelik, behulpsaam en het kennis van die wyne wat skrik vir niks! Sal defnitief al my vriende aanraai om hierheen te kom…Die lewe sal nie volmaak wees sonder ‘n Vrede & Lust ‘trip’ nie!

Reviewed by Enrico Grond - 26 December 2010 at 17:17

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Baie baie interessante wyn! Baie baie lekker…

Reviewed by Nish G - 26 December 2010 at 15:18

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

the wines are excellent and definately worth buying!

Reviewed by Carol Zyl - 26 December 2010 at 14:07

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Beautifull scenery, a very pleasurable visit!

Reviewed by Elika Galanos-Scholtz - 26 December 2010 at 14:04

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Heerlike ervaring. Lekker wyne!! Goeie vermaak op Sondae!

Reviewed by Elni Stofberg - 26 December 2010 at 13:48

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Great wine tasting experience!!! Experienced and friendly staff helped to make it a very special afternoon! Thanks

Reviewed by Rich De Oliveira - 24 December 2010 at 13:41

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Epic winelands in the Cape! love the Sauvignon Blanc and Mocholate is nothing you have ever tasted before.

Reviewed by Rachel Versolenko - 24 December 2010 at 13:00

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Great service and the malbec was wonderful!!!!

Reviewed by Sulet Meintjes - 24 December 2010 at 12:10

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Very nice experience, staff friendly, professional and informative. the wine is also extremely tasteful

Reviewed by Christine Haskins - 23 December 2010 at 14:38

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Every different wine I loved, the atmosphere is welcoming and friendly. I will definately be coming back from Durbs over and over again.

Reviewed by Carol Fourie - 23 December 2010 at 13:09

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Heerlik! Pragtige plek, fantastiese wyn! Sien julle beslis weer!

Reviewed by Carin Bothma - 23 December 2010 at 11:09

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Wonderlike ervaring saam met die uitlanders

Reviewed by Jangke Mostert - 22 December 2010 at 17:08

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Reviewed by Colette Weys - 20 December 2010 at 17:37

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Wow! dit was regtig amazing gewees! die personeel was ongelooglik vriendelik,hulpvaardig en baie kundig op hul gebied! ek en my gesin het dadelik tuis gevoel en heerlik ontspan! die wyne is FANTASTIES! veral interessant om te weet dat die wynmaker ‘n vrou is! baie dankie, dit was regtig BAIE lekker!!!!!!!

Reviewed by Cisca Pieters - 20 December 2010 at 16:20

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

These guys go above and beyond the normal bar. They were the only ones to market their offering in a location where there many of the same product available. Well done!!

Reviewed by Laura Roden - 20 December 2010 at 13:44

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

very enjoyable and relaxing. thanks!

Reviewed by Claudette Moss - 20 December 2010 at 12:56

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Was baie lekker gewees. Dames baie mooi aangetrek en baie oulik!

Reviewed by Elani Schultz - 20 December 2010 at 12:42

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Die view is stunning en als was baie lekker. dankie

Reviewed by Elizabeth Crockett - 20 December 2010 at 12:37

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

i’ll be back for the rose!!

Reviewed by Derri Crockett - 20 December 2010 at 12:34

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Thank you – wonderful! loved the reds…….

Reviewed by Christelene Loots - 20 December 2010 at 12:27

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

fyn-wyn!!!!

Reviewed by Denise Bezuidenhout - 20 December 2010 at 12:25

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Moerse lekker gewees!!!

Reviewed by Elliot Deetlefs - 20 December 2010 at 12:22

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

MOERSE

Reviewed by Linzie Muller - 19 December 2010 at 12:45

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Die berge, wingerde, die wyn en die gasvryheid is ONGELOOFLIK!!!!

Reviewed by Niel Alsemgeest - 18 December 2010 at 17:15

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

BAIE LEKKER…JACQUES SE OOK SO!!

Reviewed by Merrick James - 18 December 2010 at 15:08

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

well presented, great venue, great people , great wine …. what more could you ask for

Reviewed by Jean-Lynn Heerden - 18 December 2010 at 14:34

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

ongelooflike atmosfeer, wyne uitstekend

Reviewed by Liesl Schwella - 18 December 2010 at 14:20

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Dit was ‘n heerlike ondervinding en die diens was FANTASTIES en die wyn heerlik

Reviewed by Gisela Schwella - 18 December 2010 at 14:16

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

GOEIE TYE!

Reviewed by Andrew Case - 18 December 2010 at 14:04

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

The wine was beautiful, and steph was a great watron!

Reviewed by Jessica Cash - 18 December 2010 at 13:41

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Jattegott vin!!

Reviewed by Francois Prins - 18 December 2010 at 13:20

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

great wine jess was a real winner

Reviewed by Charles Manning - 18 December 2010 at 13:17

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Very nice, good wine

Reviewed by Hanjo De Fries - 18 December 2010 at 13:07

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

fantasmagoriese ondervinding!!! Thanks!!!

Reviewed by Kelebogile Modutwane - 18 December 2010 at 11:34

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

total awesomeness!!!

Reviewed by Adin Walls - 18 December 2010 at 11:30

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Some of the best wines I have tasted. Sauvignon Blanc and Mocholate were exceptional.

Reviewed by Meg Hanks-Blazey - 16 December 2010 at 16:59

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Beautiful surrounding, and brilliant staff! Really great wine too!

Reviewed by Judith Cohnen - 16 December 2010 at 16:50

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Thank you very much for the nice and friendly wine tasting. It was amazing! Lekker!!!

Reviewed by Tim Walker - 16 December 2010 at 16:07

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

wonderful wines, stunning views, great food!

Reviewed by Sc Van Biljon - 16 December 2010 at 16:00

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

die plek is baie mooi en baie vriendelik en sal graag weer kom

Reviewed by Marlize van Biljon - 16 December 2010 at 15:56

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

baie baie mooi baie vriendelik

Reviewed by Katy Jones - 16 December 2010 at 15:19

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Awesome view, and great atmosphere … very nice rose wine
x

Reviewed by Chun Lim - 16 December 2010 at 15:16

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Awesome! Love the Rose. Nice dresses

Reviewed by Katy Johnson - 16 December 2010 at 15:14

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Really wonderful, the wine staff and location was fantastic! Have your weddings here!

Reviewed by Marco Bornman - 16 December 2010 at 11:02

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Baie lekker wyne plaas asemrowend!!!!

Reviewed by Patrick Hendriks - 15 December 2010 at 10:58

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Friendly reception, excellent wines, gorgeous,helpful and intelligent ladies. It’s a must see!

Reviewed by Kosie Merwe - 15 December 2010 at 10:44

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Baie leke wyn, amazing diens. No 1!!!

Reviewed by Wendy Merwe - 15 December 2010 at 10:41

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Uitstekende diens!!!! Baie vriendelike mense, mens voel sommer tuis!

Reviewed by Mercia Van Heerden - 15 December 2010 at 10:38

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

awesome experience! love the viognier and friendly staff:)

Reviewed by Chris LeVesque - 14 December 2010 at 15:33

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

I have toured wine farms around the world and really enjoyed my visit. The staff were very friendly and welcomed me with my fullest expectations. I would say they are many wine farms, but I feel this experience set them apart from the other wine farms. I invite them all to Argentina in the near future.

Reviewed by Jeandre Shani Kromm - 14 December 2010 at 13:28

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

An absolute treat with the best hospitality in the Cape!

Reviewed by Brendon Holding - 14 December 2010 at 11:58

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

My wife fell in love with the place, good wine and excellent view!!

Reviewed by Lizel Slabbert Pollard - 13 December 2010 at 12:19

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Baie lekker… Goeie wyn, goeie vriende… Wat meer?

Reviewed by Carl Henriksen - 13 December 2010 at 11:46

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Great experience, wines, lasses in red dresses, and views!

Reviewed by Steph-Mari Harmse - 13 December 2010 at 10:45

Casual Winefly - 8 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Uitstaande, ongelooflike romantiese plaas en ervaring…’n belewenis! Om nie eers van die wyne te praat nie, baie unieke soorte- Viognier en malbec uitstekend! ‘n must try!

Reviewed by Lizelle Jooste - 3 December 2010 at 14:36

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Dit was die mees wonderlike ervaring om op so ‘n mooi, professionele en vriendelike wynplaas te kom kuier. Die diens was uitstekend en die wyn net nog beter. Die dames is so vriendelik en vol entoesiasme en laat ‘n mens so tuis voel. Dankie vir ‘n wonderike dag

Reviewed by Eduan Fourie - 3 December 2010 at 14:32

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Vrede en Lust was amazing, die diens was uitstekend en die wyn puik. Al die dames by vrede en lust is baie proffesioneel en weet waarvan hulle praat. Ek sal dit vir enigeiemand aanbeveel om hierdie wynplaas te besoek. 10 uit 10!!!!

Reviewed by Carina Wessels - 1 November 2010 at 20:30

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Visited winex in Sandton last week and could not help but be attracted to the Vrede& Lust stand – it was clearly a highlight as everyone was there and it was undoubtedly the most popular of all the stands. Absolutely a cut above the rest – exceptionally professional, beautiful tasting staff with indebt knowledge of the interesting history of the farm and their wines’, the accompanying snacks complimenting the tasting experience and ultimately the incredible wines. Thanks for bringing a truly unforgettable experience of one of the top farms in the amazing Franschhoek/Paarl region to our back yard. Well done Vrede & Lust – cannot wait to visit your farm again!!!

Responds by Dana Buys - 1 November 2010 at 20:17

Vrede en Lust representative.

@Louis Koch. Louis, not sure when you were there ? As per the message below, it is easy to stand up for my staff, as I do believe we have a truly great team on board and I am thankful for that. There is not one of them, whom I can imagine as rude or unprofessional, except for maybe myself!
I note you work for Villiera Wines – it may be a good protocal for SoS to disclose any potential conflict of interest when people working for one winery writes comments about another? Same is in financial press etc.

Reviewed by Hennie Coetzee - 1 November 2010 at 11:38

Super Winefly - 249 farms visited and 185 reviewed.

Hi Dana

Thank you for the feedback. It is admirable that you come up for your staff like you did below. I would like to reiterate that our experience wasn’t terrible, it was just very average and we were disappointed and expected more. With regards to the poppie comment – a certain type of behaviour elicits that type of reaction from me, and that is unfortunately my opinion and my reality of the experience at the door. It might only have been a second or 2, but it defined our whole experience at Vrede and Lust.

We did find the venue incredibly beautiful and perhaps it is worth while for us to return again when you have a full compliment of staff and the attention to detail can be given.

Thanks again for the feedback given.

Hennie

Responds by Dana Buys - 1 November 2010 at 11:06

Vrede en Lust representative.

Hi Maggie & Hennie
I am sorry to hear that you did not have a good visit to Vrede en Lust. On Wednesday morning Anneke en 5 of her team flew up to WineX in Jhb. It is the biggest wine tasting event in the country. By taking the bulk of our team up, we can take the experience most people have when visiting Vrede en Lust, to the Gauteng public. I think that was worthwhile as our stand was pretty much the busiest there.
On the day you visited, it was this only Lynne on tasting duty. I have great confidence in Lynne’s skills and she normally gets very good reviews. No one is perfect and it is possible that a person sometimes delivers a less than stellar performance.
Following our correspondence, we reviewed the video of your visit. The only blond person that could have been referred to was Lynette, my PA and also the person who runs the WineClub admin very ably. Lynette is actually a qualified lawyer and no one who knows her would call her a ‘poppie’. She has a soft spirit, a kind heart and is a wonderful person. Not sure what she could have been saying or shouting, as we do not have sound on the video surveillance. It looked liked you passed one another for a few seconds as she was leaving the office.
We should be back to full strength in the tasting room from this week. I am sorry if any visitors did not have a good experience and can assure you that this is not what we strive for.
Regards
Dana Buys (Owner)

Reviewed by Louis Koch - 1 November 2010 at 07:06

Casual Winefly - 5 farms visited and 2 reviewed.

@Maggie and Hennie
I am glad to see I am not the only one who had a bad tasting experience at vrede en lust. beautiful scenery but the unprofessional and rude staff in the tasting room would be the LASTing impression for me unfortunately. i just tasted one wine.

Reviewed by Maggie Mostert - 27 October 2010 at 22:50

Firefly - 222 farms visited and 197 reviewed.

Beautiful views & building. Tasting experience started badly with unprofessional staff behavior and kept going throughout with loud personal discussions being held the whole time. Loved the Viognier. Hope someone will have a wedding there soon as I won’t be back for a tasting.

Reviewed by Hennie Coetzee - 27 October 2010 at 17:11

Super Winefly - 249 farms visited and 185 reviewed.

Wasn’t too amused at our arrival with blonde poppie standing in the door to the tasting room having a full volume discussion (read shouting) with her co workers about something and blocking our entry. Acknowledge your guests please. Wines are fine and we even bought some in spite of the irritating start. The tasting itself was a bit impersonal with the tasting lady having a little rhyme she recites for each wine. Not the type of place I’ll hurry back to support.

Reviewed by Gert Duvenhage - 14 October 2010 at 23:35

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Asembenewend!

Reviewed by Edmée van Zwieten - 9 October 2010 at 16:37

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

it was I good experience. Good explanation, personal.

Reviewed by Charlene Zitter - 9 October 2010 at 16:32

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Amazing experience! Love the personal approach!

Reviewed by Alecia van Tonder - 28 September 2010 at 12:31

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

fantastiese wyn ooit! pragtige uitsig en uitstekende vriendelike diens! *

Reviewed by Neeraj Prasad - 26 September 2010 at 17:23

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

lekker wine bru!

Reviewed by Dushi Devasabai - 26 September 2010 at 17:16

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

amazing wine with free chocolate

Reviewed by Victor Larsson - 25 September 2010 at 17:35

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

It loved the experience and both the wine and the professionalism of Janina and Charlotta was amazing

Reviewed by Mariska Grimbeek - 20 September 2010 at 14:17

Novice Winefly - 3 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Amazing experience! Wines completely exceeded my expectations and were completely original in taste and aroma. Personal favourites were the Syrah (very smooth), Sauv Blanc and Viognier. Wonderful setting and service! Will definitely visit again!

Reviewed by Roché Bezuidenhout - 20 September 2010 at 14:10

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Amazing tasting, exceeding expectations. Viognier and Syrah -TO DIE FOR-!

Reviewed by Monique Castelyn - 17 September 2010 at 11:45

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Baie goeie diens en leer vol, baie goeie kennis oor die produkte. Sal dit aanbeveel baie dankie.

Reviewed by Winery of the week: Vrede en Lust | winetimes - 17 September 2010 at 10:26

Casual Winefly - 0 farms visited and 287 reviewed.

[...] Wine Awards for their wines last week, they’ve also managed to get the most votes on Spit or Swallow this [...]

Reviewed by Venzentia Donson - 16 September 2010 at 16:49

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Visited Vrede en Lust a few days ago, what a great experience, very professional staff. The wines are fantastic. Great award winning wines. With the most AMAZING view!! Will sure see me again!

Reviewed by Samantha Klaasen - 16 September 2010 at 16:43

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Had my first tasting at Vrede en Lust and what an awesome day! The wine is fantastic and the staff is very friendly. Will definitely come back for another tasting. Thank you Vrede en Lust for a wonderful day. ..:)

Reviewed by Colin Brown - 16 September 2010 at 16:18

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Wonderful, tried a 1997 bottle at Emily’s restaurant at the Waterfront and thought it was lovely. Very impressed by the professional setup at the winery, with a beautiful setting and prompt and friendly service. Will be sure to try some more after variety of the tasting menu…

Reviewed by Franlie van Niekerk - 16 September 2010 at 15:23

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

AWESOME! Loved it and really worth the visit!

Reviewed by Rika Coetzee - 16 September 2010 at 15:05

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Fantasiese wyn plaas vriendelike mense en wonderlike wyn

Reviewed by Hannes Otto - 16 September 2010 at 11:02

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Becoming a local at the farm. Wine is of highest standard and service impeccable. This is only the beginning of a long wine- drinking relationship.

Reviewed by Lean Boezaart - 15 September 2010 at 17:38

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

I visited Vrede en Lust with a few friends on Saturday the 4th of September. We were extremely impressed by the hospitality of the beautiful and friendly girls. Excellent wines and breathtaking views makes Vrede en Lust a must on any trip to the Franschhoek Valley. I really rate the white wines, the Boet Erasmus is exceptional and I am really looking forward to the 2010 Mocholate Malbec. Be sure to see me soon.

Reviewed by Jens C. Kolbjrnsen - 15 September 2010 at 16:35

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

best wine-tasting experience in s.a. as of yet. the boet erasmus (van otto) was amazing. looking forward to coming back to v&l

Reviewed by Yolandi Otto - 15 September 2010 at 15:21

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

wow wow wow!!!!beautiful farm, beautiful ladies and awsome wine!!!!

Reviewed by Henry Bantjez - 12 September 2010 at 13:38

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

I have brought people from Tokyo, Auckland, Paris and `cape Town. LOVED it. Thanks to LYNNE. Great PR person.

Reviewed by Liesl Jonker - 12 September 2010 at 11:27

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

very helpful and friendly. beautiful setting

Reviewed by Jacques Weidemann - 5 September 2010 at 16:25

Firefly - 196 farms visited and 146 reviewed.

very nice restaurant, wines are so-so but I do recommend the place

Reviewed by Hein Badenhorst - 31 July 2010 at 16:29

Novice Winefly - 0 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

wow! Highly recommended and one of the best!!!

Reviewed by Zander de Beer - 30 July 2010 at 13:23

Casual Winefly - 29 farms visited and 3 reviewed.

Baie dankie dat jul my gister gekontak het, het dit opreg waardeer. Ek sal weer ‘n draai by Vrede en Lust gaan maak.

Responds by Dana Buys - 30 July 2010 at 10:11

Vrede en Lust representative.

Hi Zander
Thanks for getting back to us. As you know, we are one of the small number of local wineries that do not charge for tastings. One of the reasons for doing this, is because we know that students are tomorrow’s market and wine buyers!
We are sold out of a few wines, in specific the Mocholate Malbec, Viognier and Barrique. The new vintages will be out in due course. On the day of your visit we were also waiting for stock of the chocolates offered with some of our red wines. I apologize for that.
I believe Alice called you and hopefully your issues have been addressed to your satisfaction?
Regards

Reviewed by Zander de Beer - 29 July 2010 at 11:28

Casual Winefly - 29 farms visited and 3 reviewed.

Geagte Mr.Buys

Ek en 2 vriende het Vrede en Lust die middag van die 21ste Julie besoek. Ons het ongeveer half 3 daar aangekom en is half 5 daar weg. Ons het in die onthaal area gaan sit,terwyl daar 2 ander groepe van 2 persone elk buite op die deck gesit het. Daar was ‘n ander groep oorkant ons in die onthaal area van 3 persone.

Die rede vir die ongelukkigheid is dat ons gevoel het dat nie genoegsame aandag aan ons bestee is nie a.g.v die feit dat ons studente is. Hiermee wil ek net uitwys dat ons die toekomstige wyn liefhebbers is en dat ons hiervolgens behandel sal wil word. Ons optrede was volwasse en het getuig van goeie smaak.

Verder meer sou ons graag meer inligting rakende die plaas se geskiedenis wou versamel, maar weens die nie-bevredigende diens was ons ervaring egter beperk.

Die wyn is regtig baie lekker, maar die ervaring was teleurstellend.

Responds by Dana Buys - 27 July 2010 at 16:24

Vrede en Lust representative.

Hi Zander
I am sorry to hear about the experience in your review, it is not what we strive for, nor the usual feedback we get. Can you please let me know exactly when you visited, so that I can follow up with those on duty.

Reviewed by Zander de Beer - 23 July 2010 at 14:54

Casual Winefly - 29 farms visited and 3 reviewed.

I was very unhappy with my visit at Vrede en Lust because the service wasn’t good at all. My friends and I sat there for about 2 hours, at times waiting for long periods, just to taste some wine and we didn’t even taste all the wines! I really looked forward to going there, but afterwards i was disappointed.

Reviewed by Dion Martin - 12 July 2010 at 09:56

Explorer Winefly - 141 farms visited and 12 reviewed.

Of all the big name farms, commercial set ups, this is by far the best farm we have been too. Service form Lisa was great. Business is about people and at V&L they have the best people! Setting is great, wines are also not bad some serious some easy drinking.

Reviewed by Jonathan Andrews - 28 June 2010 at 11:27

Casual Winefly - 30 farms visited and 12 reviewed.

We had a wonderful tasting at Vrede en Lust on Sunday. Janina helped us and she was fantastically informative and really made the whole experience very pleasant.

I’ve been to the restaurant before, but never to the tasting room – and I was super impressed by the facility.

Didn’t really rate the reds – none particularly my taste (with the exception of the ‘Boet Erasmus’ which was delicious). On the white side though, the Marguerite Chardonnay is lovely and I felt quite classic. The Sav Blanc was tropical and crisp and the ‘Jess’ rose was also a very quaffable surprise!

Very worthwhile if you’re in the area.

Reviewed by Danielle Hancke - 4 June 2010 at 17:26

Casual Winefly - 15 farms visited and 1 reviewed.

Vrede en Lust is undoubtedly my favourite farm in the paarl valley. It is set in an absolutely gourgeous location, the farm itself is stunning, wines superb and we were recieved with open arms by the friendly and knowledgable sales staff. This was so much more then a wine experience. I have been to many wine farms and a lack of ambition from the sales staff has always been something that undermined the experience. I would proudly recommend spending the day at Vrede and Lust to any visitor of the Western Cape region. Thank for the memorable experience, be sure to see us soon.

Reviewed by Brett Garner - 2 June 2010 at 21:32

Casual Winefly - 9 farms visited and 10 reviewed.

Great. The setting is, as stated by many wineflies, stunning and the wines are a good match. The rose and whites get my vote above the reds – but I think that’s because they’re generally drink-with-food wines to me. Heading back soon to try the SWC special paired tasting.

Despite being mid-afternoon on a Wednesday, there were about 25 people there at one stage and everyone was well looked after and there was space to spare.

I was helped by Alice, who was great and made a ‘connection’ immediately. Humorous, knowledgeable and happy to give me some space, she’s quite a find. What was meant to be a quick stop turned into a pleasant linger and had me parting with some hard-earned cash and a smile.

Reviewed by Paul Kruger - 31 May 2010 at 13:50

Novice Winefly - 2 farms visited and 3 reviewed.

Stunning setting, Started with a late breakfast at Cottage Fromage on the property.
A very gourmet Eggs Benedict, with delicious authentic Hollandaise. My compaion had sweet and savoury blueberry crepes ( if I remember correctly- this was a few months ago), which where also very good.

But hey, this is a wine review. We where on our way to Moreson and a few other estates, so was gonna skip the tasting here, but was sort of lured in by a pretty girl in a red dress who hosts tastingsa there. Enough said. Can’t say too much about the wines though, we had just been feasting on Graham Beck MCC over breakfast, so the Vrede-en-Lust wines pailed slightly by comparison.
Not bad, but nothing memorable. Decent enough. We tend to forget how spoiled we are here in terms of high standards and general wine quality. We where gonna hit up Thelema and Tokara later in the day though, so this was not quite in the league that we were gearing up for.
Still, well presented by said pretty hostess, so that made it better all round( funny that!)

Reviewed by Amanda Edmunds - 31 March 2010 at 20:38

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 2 reviewed.

Stayed at the Farm Marguerite Cottage on the weekend of the 26th March, Stunning and such a beautiful setting, Had a great wine tasting and so interesting to Hear about Marguerite and taste the Wine that was named after Her,
The Lady that was serving the wines was so bubbly and informative that we joined the Wine Club and are eagerly waiting for our First Shipment, Will be back for another Visit

Reviewed by Diana Procter - 21 February 2010 at 18:55

Super Winefly - 257 farms visited and 165 reviewed.

Thanks to Dana Buys and wine maker Susan Erasmus for a fantastic vertical tasting of Sauv B from 2006 to 2009, plus Barrique and shiraz and Boet Erasmus, as well as tank and barrel samples of 2010 wines. Total turnaround after not so great first experience. We’re now huge fans!

Reviewed by Jan Langenhoven - 21 February 2010 at 17:46

Super Winefly - 245 farms visited and 190 reviewed.

What a wonderfull tasting 2010 tank samples and a wonderfull time with the owner and winemaker. Total new lookout of them. Do understand their wines now and will always support them from now.

Reviewed by Mark Pryce - 8 February 2010 at 10:14

Discoverer Winefly - 71 farms visited and 68 reviewed.

The setting at Vrede en Lust is fantastic and I enjoyed the atmosphere. We found the hostess to be very friendly and informative if a bit slow between the wines. We were slightly dissapointed with the quality of the first wines. I likes the Sav Blanc but think that there are similar quality wines that are slightly cheaper. The higher quality Boet Erasums and Reserves were very nice.

Reviewed by Diana Procter - 27 January 2010 at 21:09

Super Winefly - 257 farms visited and 165 reviewed.

Thanks for taking the time to reply Dana, and thanks also for the offer of a tasting with you and Susan. I’d like to take you up on that. How do we set something up? About those 30ml tots…. more like 20ml on what was obviously generally not a good day in the tasting room.

Responds by Dana Buys - 21 January 2010 at 18:57

Vrede en Lust representative.

Dear Diana
I am very sorry to hear about the poor experience you had at Vrede en Lust on the 5th of January. We normally get excellent feedback and I take input like yours very seriously. We did battle somewhat on the 5th as one of our tasting team called in sick as well as one of the tasting room cleaning staff. It had been very busy over the Christmas/New Year period and I think it showed on the day. For this I apologize!

I have asked the tasting team to stop referring to the WineX awards as it can be misleading if not fully explained. For the record, the tasting room policy is 30ml-tasting tots, which is normally measured to a printed line in the large format tasting glasses we use. We believe in the value of our free tasting policy and offer wine by the glass for those who want to drink rather than taste the wine.

As for the Mocholate Malbec you refer to, it is an interesting and certainly very popular style of wine. While some of our wines, like the Boet Erasmus or the Barrique, are aimed at serious wine lovers, we also make other wines for the broader consumer market. We do not expect to have the wines appeal equally to everyone, but the mix seems to work well judging by very strong sales growth overall.

I would like to invite you back for a tasting with Susan and myself where we can look at some of the more serious wines and the evolution of the Sauvignon Blancs over the last few vintages.

Reviewed by Diana Procter - 5 January 2010 at 22:09

Super Winefly - 257 farms visited and 165 reviewed.

The good, the bad and the downright dodgy. Also known as Lies, damn lies and statistics.
Okay, here’s the good: wonderful gardens, lovely restaurant, beautiful tasting room, and stunning, panoramic amphitheatrical views. Nice Chardonnay (had a bottle with lunch at Cotage Fromage) and great Bordeaux blend Boet Eramus 2007. Too young now but all the components to age beautifully.
The bad: there’s efficient and effective; and then there’s frenetic, edgy and wired. Which left us on edge and tense too. Not the atmosphere one wants for a relaxed holiday tasting. The tasting is free but heck, with the mean little thimblefuls poured (not enough for a proper taste let alone a back taste) I’d rather pay Rx for a limited selection. And what’s with the hostess grabbing the glass with the 2ml wine it and swirling it? For flip’s sake! Don’t assume the guests know nothing about tasting wine. Ask. Explain. Once. Oh, and what the hell have they done to their Malbec? There’s perfectly good coffee being sold at the restaurant…
The downright dodgy: Says Blondie as she’s pouring (no, dripping 2ml) Sauv B into the glass (3,5 stars in Platter for those of us who still regard it as a useful guide): ‘One of the 10 best white wines in South Africa.’ By whose standards? I ask. ‘The members of the public who attended WineX in Cape Town and Joburg,’ quoth she. Well, there you go then. The same punters who consider coffee pinotage to be SA’s best red wine. And even it’s not really accurate. The Sauv B only appeared on the top 10 list for WineX CT. You can fool some of the people some of the time.

Responds by Dana Buys - 4 January 2010 at 12:36

Vrede en Lust representative.

Hi Eddie and Malcolm. Thanks for your reviews and input. We put a great deal of effort into our cellar-door experience and it is gratifying to see it being appreciated.

Re the availability of our wines in Gauteng (or the rest of the country) a few points:
1. We have no plans to focus on the supermarkets – the costs of the whole supply chain is too heavy and either we make no money or the wine prices have to go up too much.
2. We are moving LeRoux Geldenhuys up to Gauteng in Feb ’10 in order to better serve the wine shops, restaurants and the like in Gauteng. He is from the estate, knows the products and our direction really well and did a similar job really well in the Cape.
3. We have a very popular Vrede en Lust WineClub where members sign up for 2 or 4 shipments a year, based on their wine preferences and these shipments go out with special discounts and with free delivery. http://www.vnl.co.za/our_wines/vnl_wine_club/
4. We have the full product range available via our eStore at http://www.vnlshop.co.za. Our WineClub members get their 15% or 20% discount via the eStore plus free delivery to your doorstep!
Other clients get discounts based on volume purchased and delivery to most of the country is only R50 per case of 12 wines.

So we have tried to ensure that our customers get a decent level of access to our wines via the warehouse & logistics system employed. Hopefully you don’t run dry!

We also have a fan page on Facebook that may be useful
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Groot-Drakenstein-South-Africa/Vrede-en-Lust-Wine-Estate/82313629648?ref=ts

All of the best for 2010 from Vrede en Lust!

Reviewed by Eddie Maluleke - 1 January 2010 at 19:43

Novice Winefly - 3 farms visited and 3 reviewed.

Stunning wines, beautiful scenery but really needs to improve their availability in Gauteng.

Reviewed by Malcolm Applewhite - 30 December 2009 at 12:17

Discoverer Winefly - 86 farms visited and 24 reviewed.

Amazing service and even better wines! Just a real pity that they are not for sale in the retail stores we are used to. Although I will admit that it does give me a really good excuse to go back for another visit!

Reviewed by Jonathan Andrews - 9 September 2009 at 17:45

Casual Winefly - 30 farms visited and 12 reviewed.

We were at Vrede en Lust for a birthday on Sunday – restaurant is lovely and the cheese boards are excellent value. The Sav Blanc didn’t go down too badly either!

Reviewed by Carla Fourie - 13 July 2009 at 10:15

Novice Winefly - 1 farms visited and 2 reviewed.

We visited Vrede and Lust yesterday afternoon for a late lunch and spent the whole afternoon on the couch drinking their fabulous Shiraz, snacking on a cheese platter or two and chilling. The restaurant is a great venue but unfortunately we didn’t get to see much of the view as it was raining. We’ll definitely be back in the summer!

Responds by Dana Buys - 18 June 2009 at 19:47

Vrede en Lust representative.

Thanks Cobus. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) our Sauv Blanc, Karien (Chenin Blanc) & Viognier are sold out at present. The 09 vintage is ready for bottling on 20 July. We hope to have them out by the 2nd week of August and they are exciting wines.
We give them a bit of extra time on the lees and do not rush them into the bottle. We are ramping up production a bit with our Elgin vineyards coming into proper production, so hopefully we last better next year!
The 08 Malbec is the first of the Vrede en Lust red wines released 100% made by Susan and I am glad you enjoyed it! We will release more of her red wines at the end of August and they should point where we are headed.
Sorry re the number of staff on the 16th. We had a very busy day against expectation with the rain and poor weather. It is very difficult to predict staffing needs this time of year. Our goal is to have quality vs quantity in terms of staff though, so I am pleased Elzanne managed to give you brilliant service during the busy period!
Look forward to your next visit when we have the new wines out. If you join our facebook fan-page you will get a heads up re new releases etc

Reviewed by Cobus Coetzee - 17 June 2009 at 13:17

Explorer Winefly - 128 farms visited and 90 reviewed.

We visited there yesterday afternoon at about 14:00. When we arrived the restaurant were full, but not to capacity, The whole farm looks great, brilliant setting. Amazing view of the valley. Upon entering the tasting room, there were no one to greed us. Around the corner there was a group from america, doing tasting. Our hostess, Elzanne, then come promptly to help us, and since we were the only other group, along with the americans, we got a seat on the comfy lounge chairs, overlooking the vineyard and mountains.

We were there ten minutes, when the whole tastingroom filled with people. There were a new lady, didn’t get her name, also helping. But two tasting room staff for about 40 people, are bit hectic, service were slow. Would have liked a nother person or two.

When Elzanne come round to us, she sat down and gave us a lecture on every wine we tasted. Brilliant service, even though she was so busy, running around. We tasted the Jess 2008 dry rose first(r30). After that it was the Marguerite 07 chardonay(r80), not my taste. After that it was the Barrique 08 reserve sauvignon blanc(r150), wooded, also not my taste. 3 of the 5 white wines were sold out.

After the so so white wines, we switched over to the red wines. First in the list was the shiraz 2006(r75), very nice smell, but fruity. Next the classic 2003(r50) and 2004(r60), very nice. 2004 have a nice aroma to it, but the 2003 tastes better. After that it was the Cara 2003, a cab/shiraz/merlot blend, r40 a bottle, very nice wine for its price. Next on list was the Malbec 2008 (r69). Personnaly my favourite wine. Very fruity wine. Last we tasted the simond 2005(r30), a shiraz cab blend. Very nice wine and good price.

So my overall experience was that the wines were not “amazing” but rather nice though. The only 1 that stood out was the malbec. Very nice, and the service was great, even though she was running around like a beheaded chicken. Definetly worth another visit. Really looking forward to taste the unwoded white wine!

Reviewed by Andrew Chigorimbo - 17 May 2009 at 15:04

Secret Winefly - 380 farms visited and 305 reviewed.

great setting and their 2nd label is off the hook Chocolate and wine tasting im afraid is over rated and i think should be abolished

Reviewed by Stefan Paust - 4 May 2009 at 18:06

Novice Winefly - 2 farms visited and 2 reviewed.

2008 I had one night stay in these beautyful rooms, had one of the best breakfirst ever .-) BUT at least I loved the Chenin Blanc. So green, extrem south african, and quite unique.

Reviewed by Jan Laubscher - 28 April 2009 at 09:08

Master Winefly - 332 farms visited and 48 reviewed.

To all the staff, thanks for making us feel right at home after a crazy visited to the cheese and wine festival down the road.

Reviewed by Madame de Wyn - 25 April 2009 at 15:08

Secret Winefly - 360 farms visited and 454 reviewed.

Location, location, location! Vrede en Lust means peace and eagerness and it is definitely living up to it’s name. It’s a modern and super cool wine estate in the heart of the Cape Winelands.

We were welcomed by Anneke. She obviously has a great passion for wine and people. She made us feel very special and we tasted some amazing wines on the outside deck. The view was fantastic and we could not ask for a better setting. Definitely one to visit again and again!

Reviewed by Thandy - 19 March 2009 at 12:03

Casual Winefly - 0 farms visited and 287 reviewed.

vrede en lust is a great winery,they got awesom accommodation as well as great and friendly staff.keep up the good performans guys in the tasting room

Reviewed by Passion - 19 March 2009 at 12:00

Casual Winefly - 0 farms visited and 287 reviewed.

vrede en lust wine farm is the best winery in the winelands they are a great team ,friendly, on arrival you feels home

Reviewed by Anel - 12 March 2009 at 21:37

Casual Winefly - 0 farms visited and 287 reviewed.

Had a great time there today. Thanks 2 Le Roux. You were awesome dude. Best view in the valley so far.

Reviewed by Lisa Harlow - 11 March 2009 at 13:55

Casual Winefly - 0 farms visited and 287 reviewed.

Wow what a beautiful setting. Had lunch with Sunday jazz music, followed by an excellent tasting and a game of petanaque. Definitely one to add to your list to visit

Reviewed by Madame De Wyn - 4 January 2009 at 16:19

Secret Winefly - 360 farms visited and 454 reviewed.

As I said: Location, location, location!

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