In December 2015 Babylonstoren opened the doors and welcomed visitors into its brand new tasting room. The room is set in amongst the vineyards, and the floor to ceiling glass enclosure affords a view over the vineyards and out over the mountains of the valley. Inside is planned around a central food and wine prep area that has been tiled in a stunning emerald green and emulates the vineyards all around. Dotted with stunning tables and some artistic pieces by local designers, the space is chic and comfortable at the same time. Philippe van der Merwe from interior design agency Tonic explains, “We wanted to complement the very light and transparent feeling of the space with an interior that played up the visual links to the vineyard”. This has certainly been achieved and it is really the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the wines that the farm has to offer. 
With wine tasting often comes chatter and time spent with friends and this calls for snacks of course. The wine tasting area has recently added beautiful platters to its offering, to be enjoyed as you make your way through the wine selection. There are three platters to choose from, which include charcuterie, cheeses, pâté and fresh fruits and vegetables from the estate. All ingredients (bar the cheeses) are sourced on the farm, from the charcuterie made at the farm store, freshly baked breads and vegetables from the incredible gardens. The platters range from R150-R200 and this includes two glasses of Chenin Blanc or Babel red blend, or a tasting of the Babylonstoren range of wines. You can decide how to enjoy.

If you have time on your hands, we recommend joining one of the guided tours. You can start with a look inside the olive processing plant, which gives a glimpse as to how the estate’s award-winning olive oil is produced. This then leads on to the wine making process and a tour through the state-of-the art cellars.
Once you’ve tasted the wines be sure to stop by the retail space, which is beautifully curated, and stocks products such as the olive oil, as well as ceramics, home décor pieces and more. At Babylonstoren, you will be spoilt for choice, from the gardens, to the restaurants, historical tours and retail therapy, your hardest decision will probably be what to do first.

The Babylonstoren wine-tasting centre is open daily from 10h00 until 18h00 (17h00 in winter). The hour-long cellar tours are R50 per person, including tasting and take place on the hour between 11h00 and 15h00 daily. With only 10 guests accommodated on each tour, reservations are highly recommended.

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