We all love drinking good wine……

My road trip along the Garden Route was not just about the destination, it was about the little moments and surprises we found along the way. The Garden Route is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, pristine beaches with seamlessly endless ocean views and exquisite luxurious hotels. Our journey led us to the area around Plettenberg Bay, and I was surprised to learn that this little-known area is the smallest wine-growing region and is South Africa’s smallest “Wine of Origin” production area.

Visitors to South Africa usually associate the Winelands with the Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl and Cape Town areas. Beyond Plettenberg Bay’s natural beauty, this region is also gaining recognition for its burgeoning wine industry. The climate resembles that of the Mediterranean, offering an ideal terroir for grape cultivation and winemaking.

Luscious Location

Situated in The Crags, a small South African town, located near Plettenberg Bay at the end of one of those easy-to-miss turnoffs that head into this gorgeous pocket of hidden-away Garden Route countryside. It has become one of the must-see areas with hiking trails that wind through the dense, verdant forests and rugged peaks.

It was interesting to hear that so many of the new wine farms are also polo estates. Polo started in the area to capitalise on Plettenberg Bay, fondly known as Plett, being the leading luxury travel destination in South Africa, where people could play polo in the morning, have lunch on a wine farm and be at the beach in the afternoon. It has become the mink and manure region of the area.

Off the Grid: Boutique Wineries and Tasting Rooms

The Plettenberg Wine Route features small, family-run estates offering personalised tastings and stunning views for an intimate wine experience. These hidden gems, often overlooked by guidebooks, provide a glimpse into the soul of South African winemaking.

Although this wine route is the “new kid on the block”, with most farms not being older than 17 years, the quality of the wines and the experiences at each farm do not disappoint. In recent years, a new breed of winemakers has emerged in the area, these small-scale producers are pushing the boundaries of traditional winemaking. Their limited-production wines offer a taste of innovation and passion that is hard to find in larger estates. Stretching from Harkerville to The Crags, the Plett Wine Route is one of the most significant up-and-coming wine regions in the country. Certain vintages are limited in availability and can only be obtained locally, making it necessary to explore the wine route directly.

Where passion meets terroir in every bottle

This area has a naturally cooler climate than most other wine regions in South Africa and is perfect for varietals used in the production of the winning Méthode Cap Classique. The cooler climate is also responsible for the lower pH. and the higher acidity found in Plett wines. This then gives these wines a greater longevity and a slower release of secondary flavours on the nose and palate, creating a more rounded and balanced wine. This also restricts the need for sulphur use for preservatives.

Despite the small area of this wine route, each farm has its microclimate and produces varying flavour profiles from farm to farm. The soil is sandy to loamy and on slight slopes with good drainage. Good wines from the area are known to retain quality and age beautifully.

Kay & Monty Vineyards: Relaxed Country Luxury

Located between the Tsitsikamma Mountains and the Indian Ocean, Kay & Monty Vineyards is a small wine estate known for its small-batch winemaking and rural setting. The award-winning wines are crafted from cooler climate varietals that flourish in the mountain’s shadow.

The quiet countryside and rolling hills unfolded before us as we followed a short gravel road that led us to Kay and Monty Vineyard. The property, originally a protea farm and dairy, was bought by Chick Legh and has been developed into vineyards and a wine tasting room. The farm is a staggering 220 hectares, but with only eight hectares under vine and has panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, which is rich in historic fauna and flora.

The small family-owned vineyard is deeply rooted in the rhythms of the land, the farm produces a thoughtful collection of cool-climate wines – all best enjoyed with long, shared lunches under wide skies.

It was the second farm in the area to plant vines, with their first vines planted in 2009, which produced their first vintage in 2012 under the name of Rare Earth Vineyards. Shortly thereafter, Chick decided to name the vineyard in loving memory of his parents, Kay and Monty.

The current wines and vineyards

The vineyard now produces four crowd-pleasing boutique wines. Each of the four boutique wines is remarkably easy drinking as well as having been extremely well-received by the industry. This acknowledges the vision, efforts, and determination of their team. The vineyard’s youth is evident in its young wines.

It was fascinating to learn that up until 2021, the farm was only producing from the established Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir grapes. They harvest 6 to 7 tonnes per hectare and aim for small production to deliver quality, hand-crafted wine with unique flavours.

The vineyard expanded, and in 2021, they harvested a new 3-hectare red block, producing a popular Spanish-style blend of Shiraz, Mourvèdre, and Grenache.

Vineyard Range

The 2018 “Champu” is an unwooded Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc made in the traditional French Méthode Cap Classique. It spent 60 months on the lees before its release in December 2024. It has a fresh, floral lime nose with notes of apple.

2021 “Sav” an aged Sauvignon Blanc bottled for 3 years to soften acidity with a nose of white pear and apricot with savoury undertones.

2023 “Pretty Polly,” a Rosé, which is a limited release of their second vintage, with a nose of Turkish delight and strawberries with nuances of rose petals.

2021” The Chick”, the first red blend produced from the farm’s maiden harvest of Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Grenache, with a nose of white pepper, all spice and nutmeg with dark red plums and cherries.

It is worth mentioning that the region’s focus is on Méthode Cap Classique. The Plettenberg wine farmers have long been intent on making this region South Africa’s sparkling wine hub.

Every March, the town traditionally hosts an annual Wine and Bubbly Festival

Winemaker: Anton Small

Anton, with 20 years of winemaking in Franschhoek, moved back to the Garden Route where he became the first localised winemaker for the Plettenberg region. He has been making wines for Kay and Monty since its inception as well as other farms and individual cellars. He has built up and set the bar for the high calibre of wines produced and consults as viticulturist to the wineries in the young Plettenberg Region.

Cellar visit

It was a privilege to be privately invited to tour their small, modern cellar and learn about their winemaking process, as public tours are not yet available. So enthusiastically were the processes explained that we felt the passion of the adventurous journey the wine farm has experienced. We learned about the process from harvesting, crushing, fermentation, ageing, and bottling.

What was most astounding was that being a small winery, it is not cost-effective to have their own bottling and labelling section. An innovative small company that has seen the need for its services has a mobile truck with all the bottling and sealing equipment and goes around all the small farms in the region doing their bottling and corking when needed. A small company manages bottle labelling for all the small farms, using a trailer to perform the service.

In 2022, the farm converted the old barn into a cellar, enabling onsite wine production for the first time.

Tasting Room and Restaurant

And where there are wine farms, there is wine tasting, wine pairing, tasty food, and events, fit for the most discerning of travellers.

We arrived on a chilly autumn afternoon to a warm wood fire in the tasting room. The old orchid greenhouse is now a modern, sophisticated tasting room. This space features a comfortable lounge area complete with plush armchairs, two fireplaces, and a well-appointed bar. The restaurant has large glass walls and includes long barn-style tables with wooden benches, accommodating many. Overlooking a large pond with sweeping views over the lush fields, it lends itself to unhurried, long, leisurely lunches with friends and family. The area is more of a restaurant than just a wine tasting room, and it was the server who explained the various wines and offered us generous tastings of the four wines produced on the farm.

Given the size of the public areas, it is with obvious ambition that Kay and Monty hope to expand. Farm-style tables, both indoors and outdoors, add a Provençal touch to the airy barn-like space. We had an excellent platter of homemade breads, delicately soft cheeses, pickles, and chutneys. Charcuterie boards and various flatbreads are popular choices, too.

While it is a great spot for an afternoon, it also transforms into a spectacular wedding venue or for celebrations, large or small.

Linger Longer

For guests wanting to linger a little longer, the Country House makes for a perfect stay. Once the original farmhouse, this beautifully restored five-bedroom homestead is now an exclusive-use retreat complete with a swimming pool, indoor fireplaces, spacious lounge and dining areas, and a large kitchen designed for cooking and connection. Tucked between vineyards and mountains, it is ideal for relaxed getaways, small celebrations, or memorable family holidays.

Rare Earth Collection

Kay & Monty Vineyards and Country House are proudly part of the Rare Earth Retreats portfolio– a privately-owned collection of exclusive South African escapes. Each Rare Earth property is selected for its unique location, guest experience, and relationship to the land and community. From bush to beach, Rare Earth blends heartfelt hospitality with a commitment to preserving the stories and natural beauty of its surroundings.

“Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant and every day more civilised.”

The Garden Route is lucky to add these amazing Wineland experiences to its already extensive list of activities and adventures as a destination.

The initial development of a modest vineyard covering only a few hectares has significantly contributed to agricultural progress in the Garden Route. It is young, exciting, and thriving, and it is going to be interesting to see what the future holds for this beautiful part of the country.

“The vineyard is a sanctuary where nature and human ingenuity intertwine.”

Rare Earth Retreats

W: Rare Earth

Kay & Monty’s relevant links and information

W:Kay and Monty
T: Online or call +27 079 965 9779

Social media

Instagram: @kayandmonty
Facebook: Kay and Monty Vineyards

Country House relevant links and information:

W: Kay and Monty
E: Reservations
T:  +27 079 965 9779

Written by Diane McLeish for Luxuria Lifestyle International