Robertson Wine Valley Festival goes to Gauteng

During this family lifestyle weekend, more than two dozen leading wine farms and winemakers from the Robertson Wine Valley will be exhibiting their wares for Highveld wine lovers to sample, savour and purchase.

To complement the fruits of the vine on offer, the festival will include an extensive on-site artisanal market featuring high-quality organic produce and handmade crafts sourced from the Robertson Valley, as well as from local Gauteng traders.

Visitors will be spoilt for choice, browsing a selection of cheeses, olives and fresh produce, appreciating freshly brewed coffee at the roastery, indulging in pastries and cakes at the patisserie, and shopping for handmade leather goods, organic candles and more.

A leisurely picnic

You can pick up some goodies and wine and bring a blanket to enjoy a leisurely picnic on the grounds of the beautiful venue, or pre-purchase a picnic basket when you buy your tickets to the wine festival. There are three pre-packed basket options: a basic picnic for two, a gourmet picnic for two, and a family picnic for four or more.

There will also be vendors offering high-end fare, ranging from gourmet pizza to spit-roast baguettes, or treat yourself to a buffet lunch at Kieviets Kroon's award-winning restaurant.

The Kievits Kroon estate is aptly regarded as "the Winelands of Gauteng" because of its Cape Dutch architecture, tranquillity, exquisite gardens and gourmet dining - making it the perfect setting for this two-day extravaganza of wine, fine cuisine, live music and magical children's entertainment including sand art and beading.

Tickets cost R180 per person per day or R320 for the weekend, with entrance free for children under 18 (a nominal fee will be requested for entrance to the secure children's area). Go to www.webtickets.co.za to purchase your early-bird tickets (R150 per day and R280 for the weekend, if bought before 27 July) and look out for the great packages on offer. Check out www.kievitskroon.co.za for more details.

Patrons who would prefer not to drive to Kievits Kroon can take the Gautrain to Hatfield station. At Hatfield, there will be a dedicated shuttle service that will run from 9am on the hour, every hour, until 4pm. The return transfer will be from Kievits Kroon starting at 9.30am, with the last departure at 5.30pm. Tickets for this service are available from www.webtickets.co.za.

Special biker and accommodation packages

The Robertson Wine Valley Festival has put together a package for all bikers who fancy setting out on a bracing and beautiful breakfast run to Kievits Kroon over the weekend of 2 and 3 August, 2014.

Go to www.webtickets.co.za to book your special package, which includes breakfast or lunch at Kievits Kroon as well as entrance to the festival at a reduced fee.

Kievits Kroon is also offering an accommodation package over the weekend of the Robertson Wine Festival.

On 2 and 3 August, the hotel is offering dinner, bed and breakfast at the rate of R950 per person sharing per night, or R1350 single. This is a 40% discount on the normal weekend rates. Please note: no children under 14 are eligible for this accommodation package deal.