Prof Dr Dr Peter Löw is a man with great vision, energy and patience. South Africa is fortunate that he is also the owner of the historic wine estate, Vergenoegd Löw, which he acquired in 2015. He heads the European Heritage Project that includes a portfolio of luxury hospitality properties in Germany, Austria, Italy and Malta. Restoring a heritage farm is both a long-term and costly affair, and I was honoured to join a group to celebrate Vergenoegd's 330 years as an established farm in South Africa. The wine and food tourism industry is an ever-evolving landscape, and I was surprised to find that Bertus Basson was no longer the chef at the restaurants. Clara's Barn is currently being reimagined and Geuwels (opened in Dec) is now a heritage-focused restaurant with the talented Chef Michelle Theron at the helm. We lunched on interesting combinations of local and heritage fair and the tasting room has a an Indigenous Food and and Wine pairing experience - which sounds delicious, so I am looking forward to exploring that soon. Expect spekboom, roosterkoek, bokkoms, Dexter biltong, kaiings, amasi and tangy Kei apple. The circular economy has definitely arrived in the winelands, and the intent to be self-sufficient was evident in all the delicous fair we enjoyed at the lunch. Kaaing roosterkoek, Salt from the sea, and as many other products as possible are grown and tended on the farm, reducing the farm's carbon footprint enormously. There is plenty to explore and enjoy on the farm with many new vineyard plantings, mixed crops, livestock, indigenous gardens, rehabilitated wetlands, the award-winning winery, luxury boutique lodgings, a farm-to-table restaurant at Geuwels with another luxury dining venue in the pipeline, walking trails and a tranquillity treatment and wellness spa. Read more HERE about their luxury Wine Tourism focus and HERE about Michelle Theron