I was fortunate to be invited to La Motte to experience the destination as it has been reimagined by the Rupert family. Hosted by Hanneli Rupert Koegelenberg and CEO Kobie Lochner, we were divided into 4 groups; Art, Wine, Baking and the farm. Being in the wine group, I joined Cellarmaster Edmund Terblanche on a journey through their rather large cellar, tasting various just pressed wines direct from the tank. My favourite was their Straw wine - delicious - like drinking liquid raisins. I was surprised to learn that La Motte is in fact one of the biggest producers of Sauvignon Blanc, reportedly half a million bottles! Their glass-fronted barrel cellar next to the renovated tasting room has been augmented by a number of alternate vessels, from a large old-fashioned foudre to various ceramic amphorae. With the price of a single barrel hitting R24k - buying them in annually adds a considerable cost to winemaking. With the life of the ceramic amphorae being endless limitless, it seems worth exploring, but at R120k for them and R350k for the large foudre, they are not to be sneezed at. Good winemaking certainly requires deep and thoughtful pockets. I am always amazed when destinations like this are renovated without a drop of messy concrete in sight! The gardens are already lush and welcoming. Art has always been a focus at La Motte, and their reception area is simply stunning with the larger than life rose petals suspended across the ceiling. Artist Heike Taschner Jeske's expansive installation and her practice investigates roses in all forms. It is no surprise that this is the source of her inspiration, as she is the daughter of the famed Ludwig from Ludwig's Roses who cultivated the Hanneli Rupert rose many years ago.After our informative tasting of their various Semillons and Shirazes, we enjoyed a stunning lunch prepared by chef Stephan Moolman and braai-master Cornel Abrahams.And the incredibly beautiful dessert table was so inviting... take a look at the pics and salivate! I highly recommend visiting the farm - there is so much to spend time admiring, tasting, shopping, nibbling on, and feasting in fact on the many delights of the L'Ami Family Brasserie too.