Our Hiking Trail is reopening on the 30th of September and after the winter’s rain, the mountain offers a splendour of indigenous flora and breathtaking vistas of the Franschhoek Valley. A further expression of La Motte’s commitment to the highest conservation and biodiversity standards and the protection of precious indigenous flora and fauna in the...

Legend has it that Roman soldiers brought stinging nettles to Britain as they used the plants for “urtification”. That is, they beat themselves with the herb to encourage surface blood circulation in an effort to keep warm in England’s cold and damp climate. It is really cold in the Winelands this week, but luckily we...

If you are short on time, grill a fillet but if you would like to spend some time in the kitchen, try this traditional Cape recipe for King’s Bread Soup. It is rich and hearty, but makes for an elegant combination with most red wines. Pick your favourite here. KING’S BREAD SOUP Ingredients 700 g beef shin...

Currently pursuing a concert and teaching career in the United States of America, Sarita Uranovsky, a native of Cape Town, began playing the violin at age 7. Since her debut at the age of 15, she has appeared as soloist with various orchestras across the globe and in recital on stages worldwide. Ms Uranovsky has...

What better way to warm up a wintery day in the Winelands, than a traditional Cape Brandy Tart? This recipe is part of the collection of well-researched recipes in our Cape Winelands Cuisine Cookbook, sharing the history of food and the traditional ways of cooking with beautiful photography and recipes adjusted for the modern day...

One of the works that forms part of the exhibition of Cape Town Triennials in the La Motte Museum, is Rampart Violet by Karel Nel. Rampart Violet by Karel Nel Karel Anthony Nel was born in 1955 in Pietermaritzburg. He studied at the University of the Witwatersrand and in London.He is a graphic artist and...

Jacob Hendrik Pierneef was born in Pretoria on this day (13 August) in 1886. Honoured as one of South Africa’s greatest and most famous landscape artists, he is recognised as the master interpreter of the South African landscape and it was in this field that he gained the most fame. At La Motte we have...

The traditional home of the Shiraz (or Syrah as it is known in France) and Viognier blend is in the northern region of the Rhône Valley, called Côte-Rôtie. This blend can however also be found in other areas and in new world wine countries, such as Australia, the USA and South Africa. The birth of...

At our Vintage Wine and Venison evening, Chef Chris showed that Venison is so much more than only biltong. The menu for the evening included braised Kudu shank consommé with root vegetables, Cape Winelands Impala curry with pomme puree and a berry roasted Wildebeest loin with pomegranate glazed red cabbage, honey roasted sweet potato and...

With a focus on sourcing local and sustainable ingredients, foraging or “hunting” for ingredients has become increasingly popular under chefs and their culinary following. With winter in the Cape Winelands, it is now the time to collect wild mushrooms. Today, harvesting wild mushrooms is not a well-known concept in South Africa. We have all seen...