Selections from Vergelegen’s standard picnic menu.
Selections from Vergelegen’s tantalizing standard picnic menu.

In addition to the issue of their superb Vergelegen Florence Rosé 2023, Vergelegen Wine Estate has unveiled new menu options for its famous white table cloth summer picnics. Notably, the Somerset West setting for this epicurean adventure is as remarkable as the food itself.

Guests can stroll through a magnificent rose garden, filled with colourful blooms and exquisite scents, to a picnic setting in an atmospheric camphor tree forest. Dappled sunlight filters through the tree canopy to create a tranquil, magical atmosphere.

Drawing inspiration from the natural beauty, picnic menus encompass a range of flavours, textures and visual delights. Standard, vegetarian, vegan and children’s options are available, ordered in advance.

Guests receive their picnics in traditional wicker baskets, and enjoy the feast seated at elegantly decorated tables.

Standard and vegetarian picnics at Vergelegen.
Standard and vegetarian options.

Menu options

Standard picnics (R420/person) include Franschhoek smoked salmon trout mousse, farm pork pie, and Scotch egg served with piccalilli and farm chutney, plus mini French butternut and blue cheese quiche with red wine onion marmalade.

This order also includes a selection of cheeses and home-cured charcuterie, coronation chicken with toasted almonds, coleslaw with pomegranates in a pineapple and coriander dressing, and new potato salad with capers, dill, sweet pickles and homemade mayonnaise.

Vegetarian menu (R420/person) offerings include wild mushroom and herb mousse, butternut and blue cheese quiche, cheeses, chickpea and lentil salad with basil vinaigrette, coleslaw, new potato salad, and spanakopita with tzatziki.

Standard and vegetarian menus include tiramisu dessert and filter coffee.

Vegan menu (R495/person) items are similar to the vegetarian menu, but with vegan cheese and vegan spanakopita. Dessert is a vegan chocolate brownie with chocolate ganache and berries.

Children’s picnics (R180/child, aged 3-10 years old) include pizza pasta salad, a parmesan crusted chicken breast wrap with lettuce and cheddar cheese, carrot sticks with cream and herb cheese dip, watermelon spears, and a dessert of soft serve ice cream with toppings, plus jelly sweets and cheesy popcorn.

Vergelegen wines are served, plus mineral water and soft drinks.

Booking information:

Picnics are served daily until April 2024. Baskets collected 12.15pm to 1.30pm, closes 4.30pm. Reservations 24 hours in advance, specifying dietary preferences. Email picnic@vergelegen.co.za or phone 021 847 2111.

See the menus and beverage list here.

Vergelegen Florence Rose 2023

Florence Rosé tasting notes

The vintners wanted to create the perfect summer wine – a wine suitable for all their outside lunches, braais and picnics. The Vergelegen Florence Rosé 2023 is just that. Apt tasting notes highlight fresh red berries in a rose gold liquid with a long dew fresh aftertaste. Serve well chilled at 8-10 °C with all your favourite summer food.

It’s an 80% Shiraz and 20% Grenache blend, harvested from low yielding Stellenbosch vineyards. From different soil types – predominantly Glenrosa and Clovelly soils.

Vinification: Grapes were hand-picked and whole bunch pressed to limit colour and phenolic extraction. The grapes were carefully pressed until a recovery of circa 500 l / ton. Made in a fresh and aromatic style. Alcohol: 13.5% RS – 1.5 g/l PH – 3.22 TA – 6.3.

Pair the Florence Rose with sushi, fresh oysters or a fragrant Cape Malay curry. And be sure to drink now, or over the next five years.

What: Vergelegen summer picnic bookings
Where: Vergelegen Wine Estate, Lourensford Road, Somerset West Estate
Entrance fee: R20 for adults, R10 for pensioners/scholars
WS