La Motte winery, nestled in the picturesque Franschhoek Valley in the Cape Winelands of South Africa, offers world-class wines in their tasting room, top notch restaurants serving delicious cuisine, exquisite gardens to stroll, a wonderful farm shop with gifts galore, or simply sit out under the trees and sip and glass of their best. Like I did recently with my mom and sister.
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| Entrance to La Motte, off the main road as it goes into the village of Franschhoek, just a few doors down from where my mom lives. |
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| Mountains and valleys surrounding Franschhoek are said to date back 250 millions years - majestic!!! As always, when I go back, I drive around in awe of how spectacular, how magnificent, how majestic the surrounding mountains are - rugged, soaring and a backdrop like no other. What a better setting in the foreground than vineyards and roses. |
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| At the top of the drive as you approach is an exquisite 13 foot bronze sculpture of a woman bearing an overflowing glass of wine, rising out of the vineyards, against a sheer mountain backdrop. An exquisite sight. |
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| Entrance gardens with indigenous aloes, strelitzia and fever trees. |
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| Relax under the old oaks, looking across to the wine tasting area |
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| La Motte farm shop |
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| My absolute favorite collection of proteas (national flower of South Africa) and pincushions, few bright orange roses |
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| Inside the farm shop, everything from fresh organic farm eggs, wine, proteas and gorgeous gifts |
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| Bakery selection of delicious goodies |
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| Proteas |
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| Walk across the bridge to the wine tasting area |
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| Inside the wine tasting area |
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| Sipping wine with mom |
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| The tables have spectacular hand blown glass vases with a pincushion in each one, and handblown glass olive oil and balsamic vinegar bottles with glass stoppers - love them. |
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| Inside Pierneef a la Motte restaurant, the bar area |
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| More handblown glass - a piece of art with a protea |
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| Pierneef a la Motte restaurant - named after the famous South African landscape painter, Jacob Hendrik Pierneef. |
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| Inside Pierneef a la Motte, incredible pieces of art, porcelain chandeliers |
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| Flower arrangements everywhere using indigenous flowers and fynbos |
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| Inside the restaurant, a photograph of Pierneef, the famous artist after who the restaurant was named. A museum on the grounds holds a collection of his artwork. |
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| An exquisite setting from La Motte, overlooking vineyards, gardens to the majestic mountains |
