| Excelsior Manor Guesthouse, a restored “feather palace” farmhouse, set amongst the vines of the Breede River Valley. The enormous farmhouse on Excelsior Wine Estate with the characteristic elegance of the Victorian era, embellished with impressive chimneys and Cape Dutch gables, reflects the essence of the haute couture and affluence of the Ostrich Feather boom of the early1900s. Nine spacious en-suite bedrooms are named after horses that were bred at Excelsior and offer luxury accommodation. The large garden offers many old trees and a refuge of hedged in tranquillity with fragrant old roses and a rose labyrinth to restore one’s soul. The southern face of the house opens onto a wooden deck, surrounding a deep blue swimming pool. This elevated, but secluded deck offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the vineyards, the Langeberg, splendid sunsets and generally the ‘kingdom’ of this fertile valley. Excelsior Wine Estate has been in the De Wet family for five generations since 1870. The primary focus of the estate is the production of a range of high-quality red and white wines. Of these Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are the most important varieties.
At Excelsior, grapes are harvested by hand only. Part of the reason for this is the social responsibility we have towards our longstanding labour force. With a high national unemployment rate, it seems unfair to import expensive machinery to do the work that our versatile manual labour has performed for generations. We also believe that hand picking ensures far better control on quality and also less wastage. | 