Vergelegen is one of the most beautiful estates in the country and it is wonderful to see it glowing! I was fortunate enough to be invited to a recent media day and we were shown the delightful new Rose Terrace (a very pretty new tea/lunch spot with pastry chef Tarquin Wagemaker showing off her considerable talents with the beautiful pastries), right next to the estate's Rose Garden. We oldies remember the old Rose Garden Tea Room, and so we really welcome this addition to the culinary spots on the farm. Trees are synonymous with Vergelegen and with the recent major storms we had in the Helderberg, Vergelegen lost 150 really big trees and as a result there are plans afoot to reforest the farm and also look outside the property to see where they can assist. It was very sad to see massive trees felled in the storm, but fascinating to watch some young carpenters cut the trees in situ - making massive single planks from one tree. Vergelegen has become known for its pop-ups and we were treated to lunch at their latest, Cabernet & Carne (mainly meat, of course, but they cater for veggies, too). The restaurant is an old shepherd's cottage and sensibly provides work for their staff during the months when things are usually quiet thing to open up for the winter months only. Running hospitality businesses is challenging and I take my hat off to the team for making things work for all as much as possible, both providing continuous employment as well as ensuring the service they offer is top notch, with excellent staff. Their cumulative service memory must be substantial! Cabernet & Carne serves a set menu, booking essential. We had their boontjie (bean) soup, followed by simple steak and chips accompanied by a fresh green salad. The veggie option was a delicious-looking aubergine steak. Look out for further developments on the farm, but as per their usual way, they will not be intrusive or detract from the essence of Vergelegen, which is being lovingly guided by their MD Wayne Coetzer.