The Crazy Life of a Cape Town Mother and Wife: High days and Springfield wines...

'Tis no secret that ol' Suzy Q loves wine, so it's time to let you in on one of my all time favourite wine estates. Come high days and holidays, we celebrate with Springfield wines in order to savour some of the most delicious, delectable and intense flavours of the Cape grape.

Springfield Estate is situated just outside Robertson on the R62 in the Valley of Wine and Roses. I mean, it just doesn't get more romantic than that. Having had the pleasure of enjoying their stellar wines on more than a few occasions, Mr SQ and I made a pilgrimage out there to see and taste the wines at their source. My dears, it was like coming home, a thoroughly enjoyable experience with yet another proudly South African/Cape feel to it.

Despite producing wines which are not only snapped up and enjoyed greedily by locals, but also exported to Europe, Canada and the East, Springfield is about as unpretentious as it gets. This in an industry where snobbery and image are often held in higher esteem than the wine in the glass. A few Franschhoek big name estates come rapidly to mind. The unprepossessing entrance to the farm, up a tree lined dirt track, is a refreshing change from some of the boutique wineries which seem to trade on their fancy gateposts and are more image than wine conscious. The view over the little dam toward the McGregor and Langeberg Mountains is magnificent. It's worth taking a minute or two to shake off the dust, breathe deep of the fresh air and drink in the peace and beauty of the farm before heading into the tasting room for a world class experience. I'm not sure why I say world class, when I actually think that the South African wine industry is a world leader when it comes to it's tasting rooms, hospitality and well trained personnel. I can't think of a single degustation experience I've ever had in Europe which comes even a teeny bit close to the standards we almost take for granted on the home front. I've had it on good authority that the Californian winelands might meet or match us, but hey, that doesn't stop me giving our wine industry, of which I am so very proud, a good punt.

The tasting room is welcoming and anything but intimidating as the staff are very pleasant and professional and offer a complimentary tasting. Think clean, white modern architectural lines thanks to the recent update of the old building. I'm a Sauvignon Blanc girl, and it doesn't come much better than this, trust me. You can practically taste the soil, sun and sky as you try the Life from Stone and Special Cuvee which are both perfect examples of wines of their terroir. Breathtaking, steely, flinty and simply wonderful are words which come to mind, and pushed to choose one over the other, I'd opt for the Special Cuvee. The Methode Ancienne Chardonnay is a massive wine, not to be taken lightly or drunk with less than six friends, ambrosial, but perhaps a little too concentrated and intoxicating for me.

Moving on to the reds, the quality continues. Some estates can get it right with the whites, MCC's or reds, but Abie Bruwer has as deft a touch with his Cabernet grapes as he does with his whites. The Springfield Whole Berry Cabernet is a celebration in itself - superlatives don't do it justice. Suffice to say that for Mr SQ's recent birthday, he received a little war chest of Springfield wines to mark the passing of years and to enjoy in years to come, as they are bound, like him, to continue to improve.

I love the ambience and the humble philosophy of the farm, suggesting that they are blessed with the lime rich terroir which they inherited, the farm having been in the Bruwer family for many generations (no blow in businessmen having a hobby wine farm here, this is the Real McCoy) Abrie will further modestly add that "the wines make themselves" as the farm's policy is minimal intervention, and their motto is, "from the grape to the bottle with care and passion."

Springfield is all about the wine, and it works. No tea garden, restaurant, gift shop, craft market, or cheesery, just a pure focus on the wine. However, they are generous enough to offer visitors the opportunity to share the beauty of the farm if you bring your own picnic basket. So pack a little hamper, and sit back and relax on the deck overlooking the dam, and if you're lucky, as we seem to have been, Brenda will pour you a decent glass of your chosen wine to accompany your lunch. Aaah, life is bliss!