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As Driehoek produces a relatively small quantity of wine, the wine is not readily available countrywide. We are therefore requested from clients on occasion to procure wine directly from the farm. In order to make this process easier we have established a call centre.

If you want to make use of this facility please call 021 424 4498 (ask for Joanne Balie) or send an e-mail [email protected].You will be required to pay by credit card or EFT. The wine should (in most cases) be delivered to your home anywhere in South Africa within one to three days from placing your order. You will be required to order a minimum of one box (six bottles). Mixed cases are allowed.

The wines available at the moment are the Driehoek2014 Sauvignon Blanc, 2013 Shiraz and 2013 Pinot Noir. Once the older vintages are sold out we will move to the new ones. A delivery charge will be levied but because the selling prices are equal to those on the farm your total cost should still be slightly less than if you would buy from a wine shop.

To learn more about the quality of Driehoek Wines please go to www.cederberg-accommodation.co.za/wines/ Happy drinking!

Driehoek wines now also available at Makro stores

For those of you preferring to buy your wines off the shelf the good news is that the Driehoek wines are now also available at the following Makro stores:

• Montague Gardens
• Germiston
• Centurion
• Woodmead
• Silver Lakes
• Nelspruit

We are pleased to announce that the Mini Spa will re-open on the 16th of September 2016 after the winter closure. The health and beauty salon is well-known for high quality treatments delivered by an exceptionally skilled therapist, a service not provided by any of the surrounding tourist farms.

In response to popular demand, we will be extending spa hours. A new air-conditioning system will further enhance the well being experience. Updated information will be available on our website shortly. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Many of you probably have no idea what “bouldering” is all about. Let us give you some clues – have you noticed cars on the highways with what looks like a lot of mattresses on the roof and wondered where these people booked accommodation that does not supply mattresses? Well, the answer is that the mattresses are not to sleep on but to fall on. This is all about a fairly new and fast growing sport called “bouldering”.

Wikipedia describes “bouldering” as a form of rock climbing that is performed without the use of ropes or harnesses. While it can be done without any equipment whatsoever, most climbers use climbing shoes to help secure footholds, chalk to keep their hands dry, and bouldering mats to prevent injuries from falls. Unlike free solo climbing, which is also performed without ropes, bouldering problems (the path that a climber takes in order to complete the climb) are usually less than 6 meters (20 ft.) tall.

Some exciting bouldering spots have been identified and mapped in the area around Driehoek, which makes Driehoek an ideal place for accommodation (no need to bring your own mattresses!) for lovers of this sport. For more information. As is the case with all other visitors to the Cederberg, the boulderers will be encouraged (and monitored) to respect and protect the wonderful nature that they are exploring. And, looking at the photo below, it speaks for itself that the boulderers perform their sport at their own risk and that Driehoek takes no responsibility for any accident or injury.

Happy bouldering to the brave-hearted!

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For a number of years now Driehoek has been supporting the work of the Cape Leopard Trust and acted as a base for monitoring the leopards. Amongst other conservation efforts, Driehoek has committed to protecting the leopards and has “employed” an Anatolian shepherd dog to guard its farm animals in a leopard friendly manner. The Cape Leopard Trust has just finalised another month long project of catching and collaring leopards. To learn more about this project, go to www.capeleopard.org.za

In collaboration with the Cape Leopard Trust and the Animal Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town, Megan Murgatroyd has just launched a project which will assess the stability of the Black eagle populations in the Cederberg Mountains and the adjacent Sandveld. The unique project will use GPS technology, motion sensing cameras and extensive surveys to look at their diet, habitat use and hunting habitats in the contrasting areas to reveal the effects of land use and to help direct conservation efforts. You can assist by 1) report any sightings or nest locations (date & time, location, behaviour, your name & contact), 2) act as a volunteer or 3) by sponsoring an eagle. For more information contact Megan at [email protected]

Indigenous fish

The old “mud” dam between the Groothuis and Kothuis has been cleaned. The idea is to populate it with indigenous fish and to add a fishing experience to the activities of visitors to Driehoek.

Vines were first planted on Driehoek in 2006. The first wines, a 2009 Shiraz and 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, were released in 2010 and did quite well.

The third release was the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc and the awards and reaction by the market were quite amazing. It started with a gold medal at the Veritas competition and four stars in the 2012 Platters Wine Guide. Next it was selected to be served on SAA first class international flights in 2012. At the function where all the SAA winners were honoured it then won the White wine of the year award. The next award was inclusion in the 2011 Bartho Eksteen Top 10 Sauvignon Blancs. The top 10 wines from South Africa then competed with Sauvignon Blancs from five other countries. The Driehoek 2011 Sauvignon Blanc was judged Top Sauvignon Blanc amongst the South African competitors. In the international competition it came second only to Te Mata from New Zealand (it is those All Blacks again – next time we will beat them 6 – 0!).

All credit to the team on Driehoek and winemaker David Nieuwoudt from neighbouring Cederberg Cellars.

The 2010 Shiraz will (DV) be released in 2012 and the first Pinot Noir will also be harvested in 2012.

See below for wine boutiques where Driehoek wines are stocked.

DRIEHOEK WYNE: Verskillende kompetisies, verskillende beoordeelaars, selfde wenner!

Wingerd is die eerste maal op Driehoek geplant in 2006. Die eerste wyne, ‘n 2009 Shiraz en 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, is in 2010 vrygestel en het baie goed gevaar.

Die derde vrystelling was die 2011 Sauvignon Blanc en die reaksie van die mark en die resultate sover was fantasties. Dit het ‘n goue medalje by die Veritas kompetisie gewen en vier sterre in die 2012 Platters Wine Guide. Daarna is dit gekies om op SAL eerste klas buitelandse vlugte in 2012 bedien te word. By die funksie waar al die SAL wenners vereer is, het dit toe die Wit wyn van die jaar toekenning gekry. Die volgende toekenning was insluiting in die Bartho Eksteen 2011 Top 10 Sauvignon Blancs. Die top 10 wyne van Suid Afrika het daarna kompeteer met Sauvignon Blancs van vyf ander lande. Die Driehoek 2011 Sauvignon Blanc is as Top Sauvignon Blanc onder die Suid Afrikaanse deelnemers aangewys. In die internasionale kompetsie het dit tweede gekom na Te Mata van New Zealand (dis weer daai All Blacks – volgende keer gee ons hulle 6 – 0 pak!).

Alle krediet aan die span op Driehoek en David Nieuwoudt van Cederberg Kelders op die buurplaas.

Die 2010 Shiraz sal (DV) in 2012 vrygestel word en die eerste Pinot Noir word ook in 2012 geoes.

Driehoek wines can be bought at Driehoek and are also stocked by the following wine boutiques:
– Norman Goodfellows in Johannesburg
– Carolines Fine Wines stores in Strand Street and the V&A Waterfront
– Vaughan Johnson Wine Shop V&A Waterfront
– Manuka Cafe & Wine Boutique in Somerset West
– Vinolentia in Welgemoed
– Wine & Company Hermanus
– Wine Village Hermanus
– SPAR Clanwilliam
– Citrusdal Wijnhuis
– Langebaan Wijnhuis

Two weeks ago Steven Bekker arrived in South Africa to join me with field work for the Black Eagle Project and to work towards his own MSc. All the way from the very flat Netherlands, I am sure he has had many new experiences, but somewhere amongst the eagles and the mountains, this was a real welcome to the special secrets of the Cederberg. In his own words, here’s Stevens first blog “Eye to eye with a Cape Leopard“.
–Megan

Steven at work!

On a cold Tuesday evening at Driehoek, I am sitting with Dawie, Lizette, Karli and Megan in their living room on Driehoek. We’re watching TV after a lovely night out at Oasis for their legendary ribs. Around half past nine Megan and Lizette go to bed and Dawie and I stay to watch National Geographic. In the next break I feel sleepy and tell Dawie that I am going to bed. The previous nights I went to my hut without light and I had only the light of the moon to guide me home. From their house it is easy to find my way to the corner of the garden and reach the gate, but after the gate the dark path to the campsite through dense undergrowth and trees is hard to find. But every night I managed to find my way home. Tonight Dawie offers me a flashlight. I gratefully accept the offer to have some light on my way home. I leave the house and disappear into the night. On my way to the gate only about five meters from the house I stop. Two eyes light up in the light of my flashlight. I wait and see that there is something lying on the ground approximately 15 meters from me. It gets up and turns to walk off calmly through the gate and walks part of my path through the woods. I realize that I’ve just seen something special but I don’t quite know on what level. I turn around and walk back to the house. I get in and ask Dawie: How can I tell the difference between a Caracal and a Cape Leopard because I just saw a cat. Dawie jumps up and walks with me to the place where I saw it and we follow the path that the for me unfamiliar feline has followed. At that moment I think we are not going to find it. Dawie asks what the size was. I show him the height of the animal and he replies: “That’s a leopard!”. Together we walk down the path and walk around the piece of forest to arrive at the other side on a more open space. Dawie sees on the other side of a small river approximately 50 meters away two eyes light up.

He whispers: “it’s an owl”. But he is in doubt and we wait. The eyes move and when Dawie imitates the sound of an orphaned lamb, the “owl” starts moving. “It’s not an owl. It’s a leopard” whispers Dawie and he attracts/lures the leopard towards us with his lamb cry. After a while the leopard seats itself on a rock less than 30 meters away from us. He seems chilled and Dawie says: “I will fetch my camera”. Thrilled from the adrenalin I stay behind with the light from the flashlight with a leopard, for me, a very short distance away. When Dawie is gone I hear something in the bushes next to me. It’s nothing. The leopard starts moving again. This time away from us and disappears into the night. My lamb imitation is unfortunately not as good as Dawie’s. When Dawie returns I point him where I saw the leopard for the last time. We walk around some bushes to get another angle onto the place where I have seen him for the last time. When Dawie starts imitating the lamb again, after a while we see a pair of eyes again. “There he is!” we whisper enthusiastically. And we walk back to the first spot to get a better view. He reacts strongly on the luring sounds and comes closer. Dawie takes pictures but because of the limited available light it is very hard to get a good picture.

When he is on the edge of the river and seems to make a jump towards our side. He doesn’t, but instead he walks off on a path towards a fallen tree to cross the river. At that moment Megan joins us after searching for us in the dark when Dawie told her that I had seen my first leopard. The leopard has crossed the river and is now less than 20 meters away from us in the bushes. There we are waiting for a leopard to come out of the bushes. I realize that I have no clue what Dawie’s plans are when he appears from the bushes, but he keeps imitating the lamb. I am holding the flashlight and on the moment of truth the light is gone. It does not fade it goes dead in less than a second. Total darkness. I think we lost our advantage. Dawie whispers: “Back off, slowly.”. After a while Megan can make a little bit of light with her camera. We walk back to the house to charge the light and get other lights. We take a breath from our adventure and I think it’s over. We won’t find it again. With smaller lights we’re off to search for it again. After searching in a couple of places, Dawie climbs a rock to get a better view and with his light he searches for the two eyes. He whispers and points: “There it is again.”. He is back on the other side of the river. We go to the other side of the river to search for it and cross the river in the dark via another tree. Dawie is in no time on the other side of the river. For me it’s harder to get to the other side and Megan behind me is also relieved when she reaches the other side dry. From there we slide onto a path and climb a couple of boulders. On approximately 30 meters the leopard sits calmly on a rock. As soon as he notices us he slides off the rock and hides behind one. Megan tries to make pictures and although there is almost no light Dawie still knows where he is.

It is hard to follow its movements. When Dawie makes calls again it creeps towards us. He whispers: “it is curious of what we are.”. Only somewhat like 20 meters away it stops and watches us.  After approximately 10 minutes it turns and walks away. He does turn its head when Dawie makes his calls but the leopard walks off gently. Dawie steps of the rock and continues onto the path to find him again on the other side. Megan and I follow. We stop on approximately 30 meters off where we’ve seen it for the last time and Dawie starts making its calls. We have no clue where the leopard is and Dawie wants to attract it. It could be hidden right behind a rock less than five meters away from us but Dawie wants to lure him towards us. Megan and I whisper that it’s perhaps not the best idea to attract him when we have no idea where it is. Dawie: “Yes, lets get back” and we walk back to the house. Back in the house we take the time to take a breath. Dawie gets his rifle to deter the leopard from the livestock with a loud warning into the night sky. Their Anatolian Sheep dog recently passed away, who would usually protect the livestock, and now there are lambs on the farm. Therefore, a loud bang was needed to send him back into the veld. Because I spotted the leopard I get the honour of shooting the rifle. This way my first shot ever!! After talking for a while I go back to my hut on the same path through the trees. I walk on this path with a different feeling. In bed I relived the overwhelming experience of what I’ve seen tonight. My first Cape Leopard. Not bad for my first week in the Cederberg Mountains!!

-Steven Karel Bekker

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