Among the backdrop of majestic mountains and lush vineyards, the spectacular site of lavender fields in full bloom make a summertime drive towards Franschhoek a thing of beauty. A charming old cottage and ancient oak tree in the midst of the purple add to the picture and make it something to behold. This scene, fit for...

Summer is here and one of these days the holidays will start in all earnest. All Capetonians are suddenly turned into tour guides and concierge services entertaining visiting family or friends or recommending places to shop, to eat, to play. While Cape Town’s tourist attractions are undeniable and the beautiful beaches very popular, visiting the...

This weekend sees the very popular annual Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival taking place at the Huguenot Monument in Franschhoek. We will be showcasing our 2010 La Motte Méthode Cap Classique Brut at this event. A blend of 68% Pinot Noir and 32% Chardonnay, the grapes for this MCC were harvested between 18 and...

It is just about a month to the most celebrated meal of the year – the Christmas meal! As we do not have snow in South Africa, this traditional and elegant Snow pudding might be the closest we come to a white Christmas, but being cool and light, it is the ideal end to a...

Only a month and a few days left until Christmas – how quickly have we gone through 2013! But we still have had our 365 days filled with all kinds of news and excitement, trends and inspirations. Due to our line of work, we are of course always interested in what is happening in the...

As part of our Art in Clay exhibition called Tables of the Cape – the traditions of blue and white porcelain, last night we had a talk by ceramic artist and lecturer on ceramics, Samantha Read. She focused on the works on display in the La Motte Museum – 18th and early 19th century blue...

The 2014 Great Wine Capitals of the World’s Best of Wine Tourism results for South Africa were released on Friday, 8 November and La Motte Wine Estate in Franschhoek, is proud to announce that they are for the second year running, the winner in the category for Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices. La Motte, the overall...

Pierneef à La Motte has last night been acknowledged by the 2013 Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards as one of South Africa’s top ten restaurants. While Chef Chris Erasmus and his team were also responsible for the main course served at the gala evening held at The Lookout, V&A Waterfront, the event was...

Last week we discussed the food trends and inspirations for 2013. Chef Chris Erasmus believes that “nose-to-tail” – one of the biggest trends of the past year – should extend to vegetables and that we should also follow the “root-to-tip” approach. For 2014 he foresees the use of healthier, vegetarian dishes, with ingredients sourced fresh...

Earlier this year the Franschhoek Valley launched South Africa’s first Cap Classique Route. With 18 wineries in the Franschhoek area producing Méthode Cap Classique wines and the Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival a highlight on the annual wine calendar, it seemed like a natural step. It is at this event, on 1 and 2...