Photo: Brian Berkman
Asara Wine Estate & Hotel’s rooms are tranquil and spacious, decorated in a natural palette and featuring outstanding, high-quality materials such as hardwood timber millwork for the fittings and furnishings, as well as plush carpeting with underfloor heating.
The gardens, now adorned with mature willow trees and exuberant pink and red bougainvillea cascading from the main restaurant building towards the scenic dam below, have flourished. The oak and plane trees planted along the neatly paved driveway leading to the estate’s elevated position are now large enough to provide a shaded and verdant route that’s as comfortable to drive along as it is to walk.
For residential guests, Asara offers 38 beautiful rooms, three lavishly appointed suites, and three spacious self-catering apartments. They’re located in a number of double-storey wings arranged in a gentle crescent to take full advantage of the far-reaching views.
The swimming pool is positioned to the far left of the property, adjacent to one of the accommodation blocks named Shiraz, which overlooks the pool. At the centre lies the Asara hub, housing the elegant hotel reception, the large plane tree-shaded courtyard café, the restaurant, and bars on two levels. The wine bar and ballroom are either connected or adjacent.
Two additional accommodation wings continue the crescent. All the elegantly appointed rooms are larger than most standard hotel rooms and include covered balconies with outdoor furniture. The equally spacious open-plan bathrooms feature a stand-alone shower, a corner or free-standing bath (some with spa jets), and double vanities. The toilet is separate.
Rooms are fitted with air-conditioning and underfloor heating, ensuring guest comfort in every season. I was struck by the impressive sculptures and drawn to the other captivating art. According to management, this collection of works was curated to provoke conversation, adding an additional dimension to the Asara experience.
A commitment to sustainability
While Asara is renowned for its exceptional wines, crafted from carefully cultivated grapes, its commitment to excellence and sustainability extends across the entire estate. Intense focus and care are placed on sourcing the best possible ingredients for the menus, including partnerships with local farmers.
The owner personally selects cattle from private herds pasture-reared on farms dotted across the Western Cape, while organic lamb, pigs, and chickens are sourced with equal care.
In a nod to sustainability and the pursuit of zero waste, the Asara team diligently considers how to utilise every part of the animal, from nose to tail, transforming lesser-known cuts and presenting them in contemporary fashion while paying homage to the animal that gave its life.
The well-trained service team at Asara is always warm, friendly, and proactive. Sitting in the courtyard with your four-legged companion, a water bowl is seamlessly provided along with a cushion for her to lie on. And if you’re sunning yourself by the pool, it won’t be long before a platter of chilled fruit kebabs is brought over and drink orders are taken.
All this, combined with the breathtakingly beautiful views and surroundings, makes for a wonderfully relaxing yet pampered stay. Local and international guests spend their days basking in the sun and their evenings enjoying fine food and wine.
Asara, in the heart of the Cape Winelands, is the perfect base from which to explore with curiosity or, as the writer did, to stay awhile, treating the estate as a resort and spending most of the time there.
Getting there is easy: arrive by car, touch down at Cape Town International Airport a mere 30km away, or land your helicopter on the ballroom lawn.
A culinary haven
A vast breakfast selection is included for all guests, with hot items featuring several interesting dishes such as Turkish-style eggs served with yoghurt, and a Scandinavian-style offering of a mound of delicious smoked salmon with softly scrambled eggs. Estate bubbles are available at breakfast, too.
Pastries and breads, all home-baked, are particularly outstanding, as are freshly squeezed juices and healthy homemade mueslis and granolas. There are even sugar-free preserve options.
While the lunch menu in Sansibar is concise, the cheese and charcuterie platter and the crispy, tempura-battered fish are highly recommended. Enjoy hand-cut fries with dipping sauces, including a heady truffle-infused mayonnaise.
The dinner menu at Raphael’s, which changes seasonally and is based on availability, offers the chefs an opportunity to showcase their skills and culinary depth. Classic jus, as found in Larousse Gastronomique, is testament to this. It is an exceptional sauce that elevates even the simplest elements of a dish.
Polenta (yellow maize), for example, is formed into thick rectangles and fried so that the edges are crispy but the insides remain yielding. Their take on potato fondant is a perfectly neat square of thinly sliced potatoes, slow-cooked in rich stock and then burnished to perfection.
Techniques like spherification and deconstruction are also used here to excellent effect without being gimmicky. The matcha tiramisu is a prime example: instead of coffee, matcha tea is used, and ladyfingers are replaced with homemade sponge.
While not recognisable as the classic Italian pick-me-up of espresso-soaked biscuits and creamy mascarpone, Asara’s version is a delight to eat and a sight to behold.
Spheres of flavour-boosting opalescence enhance dishes, such as the briny additions to their oyster-on-the-half-shell service. The addition of salmon roe further intensifies the flavour. As a vegan canapé, meaty shiitake mushrooms are cut and scored to resemble scallops in size and shape, pan-fried, and served atop a sweet, fresh pea purée.
A South African take on carpaccio features paper-thin slices of springbok with Parmesan shavings. A skewered, fire-grilled prawn is suspended above a goat’s cheese round, which sits atop an equally sized and shaped compressed watermelon round. All are delicious.
Book your stay at Asara Wine Estate & Hotel by visiting asara.co.za, or emailing [email protected], or phoning 021 888 8000.
