La Motte brings life to a standstill. Here, travelling back in time awards you with glimpses of the future, with creativity and innovation at the forefront of everything they put their minds to.
With the day ahead of us, we strolled along the pathways, often halting to appreciate the sculptures that are scattered around the gardens. Father-son duo, Theo and Toby Megaw, created many of the sculptures often maternal in nature. One of the most iconic sculptures is probably the ‘Wine Bearer’ at the entrance. It welcomes guests into the magical world that is La Motte.
Our first stop was the Tasting Room, located above a beautiful, lily-strewn pond, overlooking the recently reimagined La Motte yard. While we chose a table outside as the weather was perfect, the indoor seating seemed just as inviting with numerous intimate tables. There was also a beautiful private tasting area with a collection of Pierneef lino prints on the wall.
The wine tasting had us swirling and sipping, identifying special characteristics in each wine. We were under the helpful guidance of Laurence, our informed wine steward. In addition, miniature ‘mosbolletjies’ – baked at La Motte’s bakery – served as palate cleanser and a welcome mid-morning snack.
La Motte has a wine range dubbed the Pierneef Collection with bottles on which you’ll find some of the famous artist’s works.
Following the wine tasting, we found ourselves browsing the Farm Shop. It is designed in such a way that it allows natural light to accentuate the unique products that speak to impeccable craftsmanship. Here, you can find beautiful leather wine holders and Pierneef-printed tea towels. Further to this, the shop also features Pedersen + Lennard’s lightweight furniture and stunning, handwoven acorn-shaped baskets. Essentially, this is where you’ll most certainly find the perfect souvenir to take home with you.
Lunch was served at L’Ami Bistro. As we were guided to our table, we could not help but stand in awe of the magnificence of the oak trees under which the bistro is based. A little squirrel came scurrying past as two women sat sipping wine at a long picnic table that has been custom-made to fit around an old oak. Soon, the bread course was served with a deliciously fresh parsley butter. It was followed by oysters and later rainbow trout, ethically sourced from a trout farm in Franschhoek. L’Ami’s claim to fame is that they serve farm food rather than fancy food and we could taste the essence of farm cuisine in every bite.
Eventually, we ended off a day well spent at La Motte’s ever-evolving Ateljee, sipping on a glass of white wine while tapping into our inner artist and painting our own canvases.
A day at La Motte is never enough. Next time, we’ll arrive early and start at The Bakery. Then, we’ll head into the mountains in search of the re-introduced Blushing Brides on the La Motte Hiking Trail.
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