Dates can be truly terrifying; planning what to wear, what to talk about, who should pay (unless you're Jeannie D and believe men should foot the bill for the first 4 dates...) - these are all valid reasons to worry a little but let's not add the venue to that list. Here's my pick of 5 lovely places fit for wooing. Woooooooo
Villiera
Winning hearts is made so much easier with the presence of really good MCC.
If you're a person of few words, simply treat your date to a tasting at
Villiera and let the bubbles do the talking. They'll say things like, 'He's a
real catch/he treats you to the best because he is the best" - yeah,
that's right, those bubbles are on your side.
Go the extra mile and buy a bottle of Monro Brut and the world, my friend, is yours for the taking.
Oak Valley
Take a trip to Elgin because a) it allows you to see if you and your
date are musically compatible (who doesn't play music whilst driving?) and b)
Elgin does killer wines. Simple.
The Pool Room Restaurant is Oak Valley's tourism delight - yes, there is a
pool and yes, you could be in the Hamptons. Drink wine, eat lekker food, chill
in the sunshine, it doesn't get better than this.
This is also a great choice if you're an active person as Oak Valley has
some serious mountain bike trails - The trails consist of 90% well-maintained single-track, with bridges
over farm fences and streams, making it a highly enjoyable ride.
Waterkloof
"I can show you the world..." and by world, I mean the Strand,
Somerset West, Table Mountain etc.
Instil a little magic into your love life with a killer view, food from an amazing chef and great wines; start with a wine tasting, move onto lunch, then stay for dinner and watch the sunset. If that doesn't score points then you're dating a snowman.
Waterford
Looking like a building taken straight out of Florence (Room With a View
anyone?), Waterford estate holds an enchanting romantic air about it. I really
dig the whole courtyard design with the fountain, oak trees and crushed almond
shells. Sitting in the shade and feeling like I'm in Europe totally does it for
me *hint hint*.
The chocolate and wine pairing has rave reviews and if your date goes
horribly wrong, the tasting room staff are so lovely, you'll forget your woes
in minutes.
Grande Provence
With 5 different tastings to choose from, you could spend your entire date
in the tasting room but then you would miss eating at the restaurant or slowly
taking a turn around the gardens.
Up until April, they will be serving summer picnics for R225pp which comes with wine.
The Owner's Cottage is something fabulous and you'd win extra brownie points
if you booked a stay there.