Hello, Insiders 😊
Hope everyone’s having a great week! If not, rest assured it’s about to get a whole lot better. We’ve selected everything you need to know (and to plan ahead) - it's a big one, so let's get straight into it.
Stellenbosch Wine Town kicks off this weekend, sixty wineries, and if that's not reason enough to clear your Saturday, Interschools weekend will do the rest. Woordfees tickets also just dropped - go grab yours before the good shows sell out.
We sat down with De Vier this week, and honestly, their whole "four dishes, no compromises" philosophy has us rethinking every overstuffed menu we've ever ordered from. Further down, we've got a French château at the entrance to La Cotte Farm that we can't stop thinking about (the kind of property that ruins house-hunting for you), and a first look at everything happening for Women's Day - because this year the Winelands is throwing the whole first weekend of August at it.
Add in some podcast company for these long winter drives and we think this might be one of our best issues yet.
Here’s what we’ve got for you 👇
Things To Do & Events
A Countdown To Women’s Day
Community Highlights
Little Insiders: Family fun + a school musical
Eye Catching Deals
Weather
Property Of The Week: A French Chateaux of dreams
Mind, Health & Fitness: 6 podcasts for a healthy mind + body
A Little Extra Inspo: Have your say…
TOGETHER WITH DE VIER
De Vier: Four Dishes, Zero Compromises
Most menus overwhelm you with choice. De Vier does the opposite - just four dishes a course (currently beef, lamb, seafood, vegan), each one refined until there's nothing left to take away. It's a philosophy as much as a menu: less deciding, more enjoying. Come for the famous tempura broccolini and hoisin calamari, stay for owners Candice and Werner's warmth and the creamy chicken and lemon risotto everyone asks about. Elegant setting, zero stiffness, no dress code required.
Don’t forget to check out their ‘favourites menu’ - the name says it all.
📍 19 Mark Street, Stellenbosch 🌐 devier.co.za 📞 021 891 0145
LOCAL EVENTS
ARTS + CULTURE
📢 Woordfees 2026 tickets are officially on sale - don't miss out, grab yours before your favourite shows sell out. See the full programme here
Kringloop: Exhibition Opening by Marleen de Villiers
📅 Thu 30 Jul | 17:00-21:00 📍 RELEVANT Art Gallery, Paarl • Textile artist explores renewal through hand-stitched Boro and Wabi Sabi-inspired work, marking the gallery's first anniversary. 🎟 Free entry | More here
Meet Award-Winning Author Patricia Schonstein
📅 Sat 1 Aug | 10:30 📍 Oude Leeskamer, Stellenbosch • In conversation about her latest novel, The Glass Island. 🎟 Info here
Routes of Sound at Spier
📅 Fri 31 Jul & Sat 1 Aug | 19:30 📍 Yellowwoods Lounge, Spier, Stellenbosch • Intimate acoustic sets into a headline concert, ft. Muneyi, Akeeda & more. 🎟 R300 | Book here
Stellenbosch University Chamber Choir Gala Concert
📅 Sun 2 Aug | 16:00-17:30 📍 Goodnow Hall, Wellington • Choral works from Bruckner to African tradition. 🎟 From R100 | More here
Paint & Sip | Mixed Media Florals
📅 Fri 7 Aug | 18:00-20:30 📍 Lourensford Wine Estate, Somerset West • Guided abstract floral painting session with Karen Dennyschene, canvas and materials included, beginner-friendly. 🎟 R350 | Book here
FAMILY + COMMUNITY
🏉 Where to watch Interschools (Gim vs Boishaai) this weekend:
Family-friendly: Dekkersvlei Vineyards - kids eat free, big-screen viewing, mountain views | Book here
Casual & affordable: Laborie Estate - burgers from R100, big screen | Info here
Big atmosphere: Hennie's Paarl - Fan Park + live music (Brandon Miles, Millenium) | 021 110 5849
Biggest party: Die Platteland - dedicated fan zones, live Afrikaans acts all week | Tickets here
Casa Cerveza Beer Run - Pajama Party Edition
📅 Thu 30 Jul | 17:30 📍 Casa Cerveza, Dorp Street, Stellenbosch • Tonight! A fun social run followed by live music and prize-giving. 🎟 Free | More here
Stellenbosch Wine Festival 2026
📅 Fri 31 Jul & Sat 1 Aug 📍 Stellenbosch Town Hall • 60 wineries, 20 tasting tokens, live music - one of the biggest dates on the Winelands calendar. 🎟 R600 online | Book here
Babylonstoren Blood Orange Day
📅 Sun 2 Aug | 09:00-17:00 📍 Babylonstoren, Simondium • Juice, gelato, preserves and family activities built around winter's favourite citrus. 🎟 R150 (garden entry) | Info here
Diemersfontein Country Market
📅 Sun 2 Aug | 10:00-14:00 📍 Diemersfontein, Wellington • Artisan stalls, live music, breakfast at SMUL. 🎟 Free entry
HEALTH + WELLBEING
Fynbos Plant Identification Workshop
📅 Sat 1 Aug | 08:00-15:00 📍 Helderberg Nature Reserve, Somerset West • Guided walk and hands-on ID of the Cape Floral Kingdom's finest. 🎟 R450 | Contact to book
Silent Saturday
📅 Sat 1 Aug | 10:00-13:30 📍 Yogadore, Somerset West • A guided half-day retreat in silence - yoga nidra, walking meditation, journalling. 🎟 R480 | More here
Sunday Hike at Plaisir Wine Estate
📅 Sun 2 Aug 📍 Plaisir Wine Estate, Simondium • Guided morning hike ending in a picnic over the vineyards. 🎟 See listing | Book here
FOODIE EVENTS
Public Coffee Cupping with UpperRoom Coffee Roaster
📅 Sat 1 Aug | 10:00-12:00 📍 République Café, Stellenbosch • Sample specialty coffees side by side, no experience needed. 🎟 Free | Book here
Stellenzicht Long Table Varietal Wine Evening
📅 Thu 6 Aug | 18:00-21:00 📍 The Wine Pod, Stellenzicht, Stellenbosch • Three courses paired with Stellenzicht's signature wines, back by popular demand. 🎟 R450 | Info here
Piano Quartet at Vergenoegd Löw
📅 Sun 2 Aug | 18:00 arrival | 18:45 concert 📍 Historic Chapel, Vergenoegd Löw, Stellenbosch • Brahms & Schumann performed live in one of the Cape's oldest chapels. 🎟 See listing | Book here
Worth the drive… 🚗
Fireside Chats with Chris Alheit
📅 Fri 7 Aug | 12:30-15:00 📍 The Kitchen Door, Elgin • Intimate long-table lunch with one of SA's most celebrated winemakers. Just 20 seats. 🎟 R400 | Enquire on Instagram
A COUNTDOWN TO WOMEN'S DAY
Women's Day is still over a week away, but this year the Winelands isn't waiting until the 9th to celebrate - the whole first weekend of August is dedicated to it. So call your mother, your sister, your best friend or the woman who's been getting you through your week, and start planning. Here's a first look at what's on:
Sip, Savour & Sisterhood
📅 Sat 8 Aug | 12:00-16:00 📍 Krystal Beach Hotel, Gordon's Bay • An elegant wine tasting overlooking the marina. 🎟 R250 | Book here
Winelands Women's Day High Tea
📅 Sun 9 Aug | 11:00-15:00 📍 Bloom at Erinvale, Somerset West • Bubbles, live violin, hand massages and a gin pairing. 🎟 R550 all-inclusive | More here
Women's Day Pinotage Tasting
📅 Sun 9 Aug 📍 Dekkersvlei Vineyards, Paarl • MCC, White Pinotage, Rosé, Classic Red - and a cupcake to match. 🎟 R170 | Here
She Rises Ladies Event
📅 Sat 8 Aug | 11:00 📍 Leo Sky Farm, Paarl • A morning of connection and personal growth, with a charity auction supporting AHOS. 🎟 R300 | Info
Galpalooza Fest
📅 Sun 9 Aug | 11:00-23:00 📍 The Daisy Jones, Summerhill Wines, Stellenbosch • A full day of female-fronted SA bands, DJs and artists. 🎟 From R200 | Details here
Ayama Artichoke Picking & Lunch
📅 Sun 9 Aug 📍 Ayama Farm, Paarl • Pick your own artichokes, then a four-course harvest lunch. 🎟 R395pp lunch | WhatsApp to book
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
Final Chance to Register to Vote The IEC's final voter registration weekend runs Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 August, ahead of the upcoming local government elections. Register online in minutes or find your voting station here.
Proe Paarl 2026 📅 1-31 Aug 📍 Nine restaurants along the Paarl Wine Route • A month of exclusive seasonal menus, from slow-cooked Karoo lamb to fireside dining. More here
LITTLE INSIDERS (FOR THE KIDS)
Family Fun at Hazendal All August, Hazendal's pairing a Wonderdal Play session with a parents' breakfast platter, plus weekend paint-and-play and a food truck slinging waffles and Biscoff brownies. 🎟 From R320 per child | Book here
The Sound of Music - Rhenish Girls' High School Musical 📅 6-8 Aug 📍 Rhenish Girls' High School, Stellenbosch • One of Stellenbosch's most anticipated school productions returns. 🎟 From R180 pp | Here
EYE CATCHING DEALS
🥩 T-Bone Tuesdays at 96 Winery Road Celebrating 30 years with 30% off the signature T-Bone every Tuesday until the end of August. 📍 96 Winery Road, Stellenbosch
🍷 Arum Winter Special at Boschendal A three-course Farm-to-Fire winter menu, cooked over open flame. R595pp. Insider take: not a once-off - one of the best winter dining specials in the Winelands. 📍 Boschendal Estate, Franschhoek
WEATHER THIS WEEK: 30 JULY - 5 AUG
Sunshine is the theme this week, building nicely as we head into the weekend - partly cloudy today and tomorrow, then clear skies and warm afternoons for Saturday and Sunday, perfect timing for Wine Town and the Interschools weekend. Monday still holds onto the sun before cloud starts creeping in, and by Tuesday and Wednesday showers move through, so keep a jacket handy for the back half of next week. For now though - sunglasses on, it's a good one. ☀️
PROPERTY OF THE WEEK
A French Château at Franschhoek's Front Gate
Some homes you look at. This one you daydream in. Set right at the entrance to La Cotte Farm - the gateway to one of Franschhoek's most-loved wine addresses - this French château-style home gives you the feel of your own private gatehouse, minutes from the village's best shops, galleries and tables.
Inside: soaring steel-framed windows, oak floors, a wood burner in nearly every room. Outside: a dark-grey pool, a wood-fired pizza oven and a garden built for lingering. Upstairs, the main suite has two balconies - one for sunrise coffee, one for golden-hour views over the valley. Three bedrooms, a wine cellar, and solar power that takes the home largely off-grid.
Insider take: this one just came back on the market through no fault of its own - a rare second chance at a home most people only get once.
Take a peek here, you won't regret it.
MIND, HEALTH + FITNESS
Perfect company for the drive to your meeting, a brisk walk before the fog lifts, or just staying under the duvet a little longer than you should.
Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee - a UK GP's whole-person take on sleep, nutrition, movement and emotional health.
The Mel Robbins Podcast - science-backed, no-nonsense tools for confidence and breaking unhelpful thought patterns.
The Happiness Lab with Dr Laurie Santos - a Yale professor unpacks the actual science of wellbeing.
Huberman Lab with Dr Andrew Huberman - practical, evidence-based tools for how your brain and body actually work.
The Wellness Scoop with Ella Mills and Rhiannon Lambert - a UK favourite covering everything from gut health to relationships.
Daily Meditation Podcast with Andy Puddicombe (Headspace co-founder) - short, guided calm for busy mornings.
A LITTLE EXTRA INSPO
Real talk - how can we make your Thursdays even better? 👀
Please drop us a mail and share the one thing you’d love to see in the Winelands Insider that isn’t there already?
👉 Community: The Winelands Insider is read more than 14,000 times a month by people from Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and Somerset West.
👉 Loved today’s read? Spread this email + follow @winelandsinsider so you’re always in the know.
That’s it, you’re brilliantly up to date with everything that’s worth knowing about in the Winelands.
Thanks for being here - have a great start to August.
❤️ If you found something useful, please share it with others
👉🏼 Got a story or feedback to share? Email Us
👀 Want to see if your company is a good fit? Join our Partner Waitlist here.
NOTE: If anything is inaccurate, please contact us and we will rectify. Never want to hear from us again? Break our hearts and unsubscribe.