Did We Survive an Entire Wine Estate Trip on a Segway?
The clouds are heavy with rain and soon after, the sun is peeking through. It is as if the two are trying to outdo each other. One minute there are bitterly cold winds and then it is hot and humid. I do not know what is the thing with the Western Cape weather. It is like it cannot decide what it wants to do. I remember a friend explaining that it is because we were in a mountainous region and the ocean currents also affect the weather. You can easily have the four seasons in one day in Cape Town. Variety is the spice of life and it is great to have a taste of the four seasons in one day, but dressing for such weather is a tall order.
The bus that was ferrying us to the estate was hooting incessantly. I could see people rushing haphazardly. I quickly grabbed a jacket and made it to the bus. We were about 20 wine lovers and people in the wine trade. We had met from all corners of the globe thanks to WOSA (Wines of South Africa). We had been told to carry flat or comfortable shoes because we would be going on a wine estate tour on a Segway.
We made it to Spier Wine Estate, a picturesque wine Estate in the Western Cape of South Africa. They are producers of the famous Spier Wines and Creative Block wines. Excitement is when you get to open a bottle of wine on one chilled out day in your house and then get to go to the actual winery a few months later. This happened to me. I bought a bottle of Spier Signature wines in early 2017 and thought to myself how great it would be to visit the winery not knowing that a few months later, the universe would conspire to see me achieve that which I had wanted to do. Back to the Segway ride...
The Segway Ride
A Segway is a two-wheeled device that transports you from place to place and it uses a sensor to move you forward or back. I had never been on one of these transporters before and I was scared that a small mishap would make me fall flat on my face. Am I the only one who gets this unrealistic fear when I am doing something for the first time? However, this transporter looked easy. Maurice from Spier wines gave us a crash course and in about 30 minutes, we were all pretty much cruising. We left the reception area and headed to the vineyards.
This is one of the biggest wine estates I have been to. I can see thousands of vines sprawling on the horizon. The perfectly planted vines in rows are so satisfying to look at. Nothing is amiss. Little drip irrigation systems hum in the background as little water droplets fall on the vines. Bees are at work on the beautiful flowers.
The Segway ride was easy on flat ground but the farm was very hilly. However, after some time, we all learned how to travel effortlessly. We stayed in a single file line within 2 meters of each other to prevent accidents or the gigantic segway wheels from interlocking. There were no accidents and by the time the trip was over, we did not want to stop.
Giving Back
Our first stop is their non-profit organization called Trees for Books where the disadvantaged local communities come to plant different trees, succulents, and flowers in exchange for books. This ensures that there is more plant cover and the children benefit by getting education material. It is a great barter system. Through this project, they have been able to plant thousands of trees and educate many children.
Never in my life have I ever seen so many succulents in one area. The strange thing is that because they planted so many trees and shrubs, animals started coming. There was even a small owl that had made a nest in the bushes. This is a great way to give back to the community as well as to the earth.
Organic Farming & Viticulture
Organic viticulture and winemaking have been all the rage in the wine world. However, it is not a fad and it is always refreshing to see wine estates that are taking care of the environment. It is also great to see wine estates that are not using heavy mechanization, machinery, and chemicals. In this estate, they have different types of livestock including cows, pigs, and chicken. The animals all give manure that helps the vines grow well.
One thing that struck me was how they reared their chicken. They used the rotation system to rear them. They had mobile chicken runs and they would release the hens on a piece of land. The chicken would eat the plant cover and their droppings would be manure for the pastures. The next few days, they would move the runs to a new area. By the end of a few months, so much land would be fertilized. The same pastures would feed the cows which would produce milk and more manure for the vines.
Other Things to do
There are other things to do when you visit the Spier Wine Farm. You can view their wines and buy some at a great price. Some of the wines to try are the Creative Block and the Spier Signature range. You can choose to carry it, have it delivered or sign up for their wine club. They also have meeting rooms and a great restaurant with great food paired with the wines. The produce is sourced locally and perfectly paired with their iconic wine range. They have a spa and gift shop. You can also choose to have picnics at the farm. You can never run out of things to do in this estate.
Travel Tips
For you to enjoy this experience to the fullest. Carry comfortable closed clothes, shoes and a small bag with your phone and camera. Layer your clothes because the weather is unpredictable. You will be going up the hills and it gets windy up there. Also, carry sunglasses to prevent you from dust particles and the suns rays. I actually had a small, stubborn insect enter my eye mid-journey. One of the guides had to help me get rid of it after many tears. If you have an option between a small camera and a big one, get the small one. However, there are many guides who can help you take photos.
I hope you get to experience this.
Authored by 
Photos by and Johan Coetzee Photography
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