It's difficult to believe that Laurence Graff started his career as a jewellery apprentice in London in 1950. He opened his first two stores in London in 1962 and his expansion today stretches to 37 stores world-wide. But, for the moment, let's get back to the Delaire Graff Estate in Stellenbosch!
This estate, set high upon the mountainside, was founded by Simon van der Stel in 1679! Laurence Graff acquired the estate in 2003 with the intention of 'transforming it into South Africa's most desirable art, hospitality and wine destination' and after visiting this incredible estate, I really believe that he might have achieved his intention! 'The personally curated collection has been a lifelong passion of Laurence Graff who continues to discover promising South African artists. Have a look here for more information on the art collections, the restaurants, state-or-the-art winery, Lodges, Spa and boutiques.
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| The avenue leading up to Delaire |
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| The views from Delaire are incredible - here two cheetahs by Dylan Lewis sit gazing over the valley |
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| and another |
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| The dramatic entrance |
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| William Kentridge-inspired curved tangerine leather banquette |
We were lucky arriving on a perfect autumn day and sitting in the soft, dappled light on the deck, looking out at the magnificent mountains I was sure that this could be one of the most unique settings in the world. The food was exquisite - both in taste and presentation.
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| buffalo mozzarella, caramelised cauliflower florets, basil, parmesan broth |
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| poached trout, lemon preserve, toasted almond, spaetzle |
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| fish of the day, fondant potato, beets, taramasalata, smoked tuna, broth |
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| free range beef, braised shin, shimeji mushroom, marrow crumbs, watercress |
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| tastes of vanilla: creme brulee, vanilla yogurt, toffee, blancmange |
Apologies for all the food photos but I really want to emphasise how exceptional it was! Each mouthful was a delicate discovery of flavours, fusing together into utter deliciousness! When the lovely waitress saw me photographing the menu, she arrived minutes later with a fresh set of pages, signed by the chef! The service was excellent.
We took a long stroll after lunch exploring the Lodge and Spa, the pool, and more exceptional views. The photos tell you the rest of the story!
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| Seating area in the reception area of the Lodge |
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| One of the many water-features |
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| The infinity pool with Table Mountain in the far distance. |
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| More of Dylan Lewis' cheetahs - must be tricky mowing the lawn here! |
The complete sensory experience and
to the many people out there who might be hesitant in planning a trip to Cape Town and South Africa - I hope this post and a couple more coming, will encourage you!
