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    We arrived at Klein Zalze Lodge near Stellenbosch just in time for lunch at the Lodge Terrace.

    As we headed off to find our unit, we were pleasantly surprised to find that each one was named after a wine, and ours was fittingly called Shiraz - my favourite.

    We were impressed by how spacious our four-star unit was. A lounge with two balconies, a wonderful king-size bed, a fireplace, a roomy en suite bathroom and, to top it off, heated flooring - perfect for the rainy weather!

    I was ready for my winter winelands experience.

    The Klein Zalze Lodge is on the Kleine Zalze wine estate and is set alongside the first fairway of De Zalze Golf Course.

    The views are breathtaking, with a beautiful 17m rim-flow swimming pool and panaramic views of Stellenbosch mountains.

    At lunch, we were greeted by Klein Zalze Lodge chef, Nic van Wyk who ran us through the menu. We were served a wonderful tomato based soup as a starter, and guests called out the chef to ask him for the recipe! Lunch had various options from seafood to steak and pasta. I tried a delectable spicy seafood paella.

    I drank my first glass of Klein Zalze Pinotage which was extremely smooth on the palate. Couldn't wait for the wine tasting later on! I found the food to be amazing and the staff members extremely warm and friendly.

    We headed back to our unit to relax before joining a group for wine tasting. Our host Bertho van der Westhuizen gave us an informative lesson on the different wines at Kleine Zalze, ranging from Family Reserve (top of the range wines), Vineyard and Cellar Selection. We tasted sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc and that favourite shiraz and experienced the taste of non-wooded, rich and ripe, fruit-driven and dark chocolate types of wines.

    Additional facilities include a gym, sauna, mountain biking and vineyard walks.

    For dinner, we had roasted karoo lamb with glazed vegetables, followed by cheesecake.

    We had a good night in our room - our two balconies had views of the golf course and the vineyards. The kitchen was perfect for self catering and had a microwave, stove and fridge.

    For breakfast the next morning, we went for the buffet breakfast, with sausage, bacon, eggs, fruit, breads and yoghurt.

    All in all an unforgettable experience... I'd definitely recommend it.

  • Kleine Zalze Loddge has launched a 2009 winter package. For R1 555.00 per person sharing, the two-night package includes:

  • Accommodation in a stylishly decorated en-suite room

  • Full English or Continental breakfast

  • A three-course dinner in the Kleine Zalze Lodge Restaurant prepared by Chef Nic van Wyk

  • A three-course dinner at the Provencal-style Terroir Restaurant prepared by Chef Michael Broughton

  • A tasting of Kleine Zalze’s award-winning wines at the Kleine Zalze Cellar Door

  • A choice of either a round of golf at the De Zalze Golf Course or six bottles of Kleine Zalze Wines per person

    Additional nights at the Lodge can be booked from R345 per person per night sharing. Kleine Zalze Lodge is three kilometres outside Stellenbosch on the family-owned Kleine Zalze Wine Estate, established in 1695. For booking enquiries call the Kleine Zalze Lodge at (27) (21) 880 0740; email accommodation@kleinezalze.co.za or visit www.kleinezalze.co.za.

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