Spring in the Tasting Room
As the first hints of summer settle into the Helderberg, the days grow warmer, the light lingers a little longer, and thoughts begin to turn towards summer holidays and afternoons spent somewhere beautiful.
At Waterford Estate, this change of season brings a renewed sense of energy to the tasting room. Set within the heart of the estate, overlooking the tranquil courtyard and working cellar. Here, the story of our wines can be experienced firsthand, in the place where they are made.
A Place to Discover
The tasting room offers a natural introduction to Waterford Estate. The courtyard, the gentle sound of the fountain and the view into the working cellar create a setting that invites visitors to settle in and take their time. From a considered tasting at the table to a relaxed glass enjoyed in the courtyard, the experience is designed to be welcoming and unhurried.
As the weather warms, the tasting room becomes a natural gathering place. Set alongside the working cellar, the tasting room offers a chance to experience Waterford firsthand, where the story behind every bottle comes to life. As the day unfolds, you might catch a glimpse of the cellar team at work or see the winemaker and cellarmaster moving between the cellar and tasting room. These everyday moments offer a reminder that each wine is shaped by the people, land and craft. Whether you arrive with a favourite in mind or simply to discover something new, our tasting experiences invite you to settle in, explore and enjoy Waterford at your own pace.
Find Your Tasting Experience
Every visitor arrives with a different curiosity, and our tasting experiences offer several ways to explore the Waterford portfolio. Whether you are interested in the influence of time, discovering the breadth of our wines or enjoying a thoughtful pairing, there is an experience to suit the occasion.
The Cellar Collection
Discover how wine evolves over time through a tasting of six wines from past and current vintages, including our flagship. Explorethe depth, character and complexity that only time can reveal.
Portfolio Experience
Experience the full expression of our estate through a tasting of five exceptional wines, offering an introduction to the diversity and distinctive character of Waterford.
Wine & Chocolate Experience
Explore the meeting of two crafts with a pairing of three distinctive wines and signature von Geusau chocolates. A considered combination of flavours, textures and aromas, offering a different perspective on both wine and chocolate.
The Jem Experience
Discover the depth and elegance of our flagshipeight-varietal blend. This tasting offers a closer look at the philosophy, vineyard diversity and craftsmanship that shape The Jem.
New Releases, New Stories
This season also brings a few exciting additions to the wines available in the tasting room.
The Waterford Antigo 2022 arrives with a new label, marking an important step in the wine's story as it joins the Waterford Estate range. Crafted entirely from estate-grown fruit, Antigo expresses a different side of the estate's Cabernet Sauvignon, shaped by the deeper red clay soils of its vineyard. Its more approachable character offers a fascinating contrast to the structured, mineral expression traditionally associated with our Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Waterford Rose-Mary also has a fresh look, with new packaging that brings it more in line with the distinctive appearance of the Rose-Mary Magnum. Light, elegant and well suited to the warmer months, it is a natural choice as spring gives way to summer.
At the heart of the latest releases is The Jem 2020. As our flagship wine enters a new decade, this vintage represents another chapter in our ongoing pursuit of fine wine. Shaped by the diversity of our estate vineyards and guided by a philosophy of balance, structure and a sense of place, The Jem remains an expression of Waterford's long-term vision for South African wine.
Together, these releases offer new reasons to return to the tasting room, whether you are discovering Waterford for the first time or revisiting familiar favourites.
A Season for Slowing Down
As the season unfolds, there are more ways to experience Waterford beyond a traditional seated tasting.
From 1 November, the tasting room moves into its summer operating hours, remaining open until 19:00 from Monday to Saturday and until 17:00 on Sundays. Tastings are available until 17:00 from Monday to Saturday and until 16:00 on Sundays, creating more opportunity to enjoy the estate during the longer summer days.
For those drawn to the landscape as much as the wine, the Wine-Down Drive offers a different perspective. Running from 1 November to31 March, this late-afternoon experience explores the estate as the heat of the day softens and the light shifts across the Helderberg slopes.
Four Waterford Estate wines, including The Jem, accompany the journey, bringing together the character of the vineyards, the surrounding natural environment and the craft behind every bottle. It is an invitation to take a little more time, notice the details of the landscape and experience the estate at its most relaxed.
Come and Experience Waterford
Every bottle of Waterford Estate wine begins with a place, but it also carries the work, knowledge and care of the people who bring it to life.
A visit to the tasting room offers a chance to experience that connection firsthand. Join us for a tasting that suits your interests and enjoy the distinctive setting of our courtyard and cellar. Whether you arrive for a focused tasting, a leisurely afternoon or a longer summer experience, the aim remains the same: to create a genuine connection between the wine, the land and the moment.
As spring gives way to summer and the anticipation of the holidays grows, we welcome you to make Waterford Estate part of your plans.
Come for a tasting, stay for the setting, and discover Waterford, where it all begins.
