To celebrate the end of the summer… we went camping one last time. Our third camping trip of the summer season. And, unfortunately, our last because I’m unashamedly a fair-weather camper!
Our chosen spot was just the other side of Bain’s Kloof, a few minutes drive from both Ceres and Tulbagh as well as one of my favourite valleys in the world… The Slanghoek Valley (seriously, it’s a beautiful hidden gem!)
Camping days are usually spent trying to follow the shade, repositioning our camping chairs and blankets every few hours… it turns out relaxing all day is pretty hard work!
The kids in our party were kept busy all day as our private camp site was located right on the river’s edge and there was lots for them to explore and enjoy including muddy river banks and various nests and bulrushes plus it meant they found their creativity and started creating their own “ochre” from various coloured sands and rocks… inspired by art classes perhaps?
A paddle boat also meant hours of entertainment and meant us parents didn’t have to rush around finding things to keep them entertained but could watch their goings on from the comfort of our camping chairs all afternoon long!
Camping with Kids? Check out this list of the best sleeping bags for kids
As luck would have it I received a box of wines to review from Tangled Tree a few days prior to our weekend away and the convenience of the PET wine bottles meant they were perfect for taking with us on our travels over mountain passes and down dusty roads….
Apparently Tangled Tree loves travelling just as much as me and I was thrilled to have a ready-to-go wine selection to enjoy on our camping trip.
If you’ve ever visited the tranquil, lush gardens at Van Loveren you may have already heard the love story of their famous “tangled tree”, but if not here is the The Story of Tangled Tree…
A unique South African heritage, there is a special Karee Tree planted on the Van Loveren Estate. Back in the 1940’s, Jean Retief ordered a hardy Rhus lancea sapling from a nursery in far-off Natal. When it finally arrived by train at the tiny Klaasvoogds railway station, some local farmers recognised the tiny specimen as a Karee, a fairly common tree. Jean however, disagreed and insisted the newcomer was what she’d ordered. To settle the dispute, her husband Hennie fetched a branch from a Karee growing by the river and planted it beside Jean’s Rhus lancea. The two turned out to be identical and over the years the pair of trees have grown entwined and, ultimately, become a symbol of enduring love – reflecting the life Jean and Hennie spent side by side on the farm.
These trees and their symbolism provided the inspiration for the Tangled Tree range of wines. The wines represent the commitment of the farmers and winemakers of Van Loveren to conservation, and the Retief family’s deep respect for nature. In keeping with this philosophy, the wine packaging of the Tangled Tree range has been created to be as environmentally friendly as possible and the new PET bottles are fully recyclable, unbreakable and generate 50% less greenhouse emissions during the manufacturing process.
Obviously these PET bottles also enable wine lovers, like myself, to enjoy a glass of wine where glass bottles are perhaps not allowed and as the bottle is super light and slimline they are also great for taking on trips – near or far!
On our camping trip I enjoyed sampling all 5 of these easy drinking wines (I did share!!)
Tangled Tree Tropical Sauvignon Blanc has abundant aromas of tropical fruit such as guava, melon and gooseberry with a crisp, fresh finish.
Tangled Tree Butterscotch Chardonnay has expressive aromas of Butterscotch, Crème Brulee and delicate Citrus.
Tangled Tree Moscato Rosé has upfront Muscat and Rose Petal flavours and an aromatic nose.
Tangled Tree Chocolate Cabernet Sauvignon has delicious coffee and Mocha flavours, layered with Cassis and Blackberry notes.
Tangled Tree Spicy Shiraz boasts a spicy nuance with rich and powerful Red Berry essence.
Keep a look out for a Tangled Tree Loves Travelling competition which will be happening here soon! You can stand a chance of winning a mixed case of wine!
After 2 wonderful days, relaxing, eating, drinking, chilling. It was time to head home, but never one to waste an opportunity to explore somewhere new I instigated a quick trip into Tulbagh for a quick look see… What I found was that there was far too much to see and photograph in just one hour so I’ve decided I definitely need to head back to this pretty town for a longer visit…
Images: Kathryn Rossiter
Disclosure: 0 & 1 – The wine was supplied to me free of charge but this article is not sponsored.
