R320 Hermanus Wine Route

Growing up in the Western Cape, I spent countless holidays in Hermanus where the primary attraction of this old fishing town was the beautiful white beaches stretching around Walker Bay, home to the Southern Right whale.

Maybe I was to young to be aware of the growth of the wine industry, but suddenly we went from two prominent vineyards, Hamilton Russell and Bouchard Finlayson, which specialise in the Burgundy varietals of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, to a multitude of exciting vinyards of around 15 wine cellars.

Today, the Hemel-en-Aarde valley is home to some world-class wines. The R320 Hermanus Wine Route was launched as recently as December 2011 and this humble stretch of gravel and tar has become one of the key wine roads in South Africa. Not only are the wines worthy of a detour when visiting the Cape, but so too are the panoramic vistas across the most beautiful valley stretching southwest to the coast. I've visited over 20 wine regions around the world and this is arguably one of the finest regions to visit - it has aptly been named by the locals, who always know best, as "Heaven on Earth".

For further information visit: http://hermanuswineroute.com/

What was once a dirt road for access to fruit and wine farms, the R320 is sowly being tarred to link the towns of Hermanus and Caledon and open up access between the N2 and coastal towns and in doing so, open up this route to wine and food enthusiasts like me.

Even more unusual, or should I say wonderful, is that these producers have collaborated and launched a 'route wine' under the label R320, where all proceeds will go towards supporting local social upliftment, specifically in education. I can't wait to get my hands on a bottle and see what they have created...

Check out their site for more information on the R320 wine and all vineyards: http://hermanuswineroute.com/