Go Country Chic At Opstal In Slanghoek, Rawsonville

Located on a working wine farm just one hour’s drive from Cape Town, Opstal Stay is your perfect escape inland of the Boland Mountains.

Come explore chic country-style hospitality in a tucked-away corner of the beautiful Cape Winelands… a place you’ll want to tell everyone about (or perhaps a secret you’ll want to keep).

Known for all things Chenin, Opstal Wine Estate, situated in the picturesque Slanghoek Valley close to the quaint town of Rawsonville, has added a luxury accommodation experience to its already enviable suite of deliciously delightful offerings.

Opstal Stay features five contemporary and supremely comfortable freestanding units, tastefully developed by the entire Louw family with help offered by good friend Niel Bosch and many others.

Attie Louw, seventh generation winemaker and operator, together with brother Zak, proudly states, “Opstal Stay came to life in 2019 after years of dreaming, planning and working. We set out to create a smart but homey farm environment with the best view in the Cape! Our accommodation is luxurious, featuring clever design details but ultimately offering comfort and relaxation in a place that’s really special.”

Attie Louw

He explains, tongue-in-cheek, how challenging it was at times to keep track of and try find a mid-way between every family member’s unique opinion and advice. “But it was all worth it,” he says. “Iron grinds iron, as they say – it truly proved to be a rewarding development experience. It was great to have everyone involved in the process, and ultimately it delivered to an end-product we’re all immensely proud of and can’t wait to share.

“Opstal was established in 1847, so we have a tremendous but proud responsibility to retain the legacy of this farm and its important role in the local community in terms of job creation, skills development, and the end of the day, the basic joy we derive from showing visitors what we’re so proud of when it comes to not only our wines, but the experience we offer to encapsulate others in our world although sometimes for only a brief period of time.

“We’ve kept our heritage front and centre, with each of the units named to honour those personalities that make up our rich and colourful history.”

Today, Attie and Zak’s goal remains to offer friends, family and guests an estate experience like no other. With guidance from sixth generation Stanley and Ria Louw, Opstal also features a popular restaurant, a well-proportioned wine tasting as well as a stunning wedding venue.

The Slanghoek Valley abounds with breathtaking views of vineyards, fynbos and mountains. And the Opstal farm features some of the best panoramic perspectives of it all.

Both discerning travellers and families with children will appreciate the peace and quiet of Opstal’s self-catering units throughout the year. In winter, snuggle up next to the slow combustion fireplace inside, or wind down in the hot tub outside. Summertime offers late afternoon sundowners on the deck, a cool splash in the deck tub and the perfect end-of-the-day braai outside overlooking the valley.

Guests can treat themselves to pizza and wine or a hearty meal prepared by chef PJ Lombard in the lovely estate restaurant. With to-die-for views overlooking the valley and a great and hearty menu, it’s rated number one on Tripadvisor in its area.

It’s no wonder, considering the intense attention to detail applied throughout the presentation of Opstal’s hospitality product.

Says Attie: “Stanley and Ria took it upon themselves to find and acquire the best art pieces for our stunning Opstal Stay facility. With inputs and instructions from the younger generation, they personally sourced some exceptional pieces of art, each with a story.”

Stanley Louw, Ria Louw, Attie Louw and Zak Louw

“The go-to-girls were Marlene van Jaarsveld and Tharien Hechter. Among so many other noteworthy artworks we sourced, three pieces from Darren Aiken namely The Handyman, Battery Chicken and Remote Workshop were absolute finds which complement our décor beautifully.”

OPSTAL STAY OPTIONS AND PRICING

Opstal Stay offers two four-sleeper units and three two-sleeper units.

The four sleeper units' weekday price is R1 950 per night and R2 250 per night over the weekend. The two-sleeper units' weekday price is R1 450 per night and R1 750 per night over the weekend.

Breakfast and lunch can be enjoyed at Opstal’s restaurant from Wednesday to Sunday.

Guests are advised to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

CONTACT DETAILS

Telephone:

+27 66 2038889

E-mail:

stay@opstal.co.za

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

Numerous leisure activities and excursions are available in the Slanghoek Valley and greater Breedekloof Valley and there is an activity or attraction to suit everyone's tastes. Here is a summary of activities recommended by Opstal.

Enjoy breakfast and lunch at Opstal’s restaurant from Wednesday to Sunday. Opstal Restaurant
Learn about pairing wine with cheese while enjoying a wine tasting and/or cheese and wine pairing at Opstal. Opstal Wine Tasting and Cheese and Wine pairing
Get in touch with nature and get a bit of exercise as you explore the Opstal or Jason’s Hill Hiking Trail in the Slanghoek Valley. Opstal Hiking trail. Jason’s Hill.
Try a gin pairing at Ou Stokery on the R101, also referred to as the Old N1. Ou Stokery
Navigate beautiful landscapes while mountain biking in the Slanghoek Valley at Slanghoek Cellar. Slanghoek Cellar
Explore the hidden Louwshoek while fly-fishing at Dwarsberg Trout Hideaway. Dwarsberg Trout Hideaway.
Learn about birds found in the Breedekloof Wine Valley while bird-watching at Bergsig Estate. Bergsig Estate.
Join a unique and interactive Italian cooking class at Picardi Place. Picardi Place

OPSTAL STAY: NAMING OF UNITS

Carl Everson

Carl Everson was the visionary who embraced the wine industry and saw a future in it for himself and his offspring. In his lifetime, he experienced the changeover from horse driven to machine driven winemaking, and from wine leaving the farm in barrels on a horse cart to the time of 34 ton trucks.

Carl Everson used to make sherry in his day. He married one of Lang Jan’s daughters, Margaretha. He was seldom seen without his hat and trademark bunch of keys that he always had in his hand. He loved drinking very hot, strong coffee from his saucer. He was known as a jovial, cheerful person who loved to joke around but stood firm on his values. He had a passion for Namibia and owned a farm in Outjo.

The Barber

Attie Louw was born in the Calvinia district. His family moved to Worcester during the Great Depression (1933). At the age of 20, Attie fought in the Second World War in the Natal Carbaniers regiment. He later joined the infantry. After the North African offensive, he fought in Italy and there he started cutting his fellow soldiers’ hair. After the war, he opened a barber shop in Worcester with his friend, Alphie Taylor. He later married Ansie Everson of Opstal farm and was basically the instrument that expanded Opstal along with his father-in-law, Carl. The first wine under the Opstal label was bottled in 1978 through Attie’s initiative.

Lang Jan

Lang Jan Rossouw is seen as the pioneer of the Slanghoek Valley, the first owner of the greater part of Slanghoek since 1847. He made his home at Opstal de Fonteine where he initially farmed with livestock, of which the stone dipping kraal still remains as evidence. He divided the large farm, De Hoek, into nine farms for each of his children. He must have had a very natural aptitude for farm design because each of those nine farms had access to water from the Slanghoeksrivier and every farm stretched from east to west and consequently had clay, loam and sandy soil.

Nellie’s Needle

Nellie van der Merwe of Wellington was the second youngest daughter from a family of 13 children. Oupa Carl used to tell how he crossed the Slanghoek Mountains on foot to visit his sweetheart Nellie on weekends. The cottage carrying the Nellie’s Needle name is the only one with a view of the hole in the Slanghoek Mountains. It reminds of the eye of a needle and of Ouma Nellie’s love for needlework, knitting and especially the finest crochet work.

Lady Ansie

Ansie Louw, born Everson, is the grandmother of the now seventh generation of Louws on Opstal. She had a passion for numbers and ran the finances of Opstal with a firm hand until her dying day. She was a sophisticated woman with a great affinity for beautiful jewellery and Italian shoes but at the same time a skilled farm woman of many talents, including baking, cooking and meat processing. She had a passion for people with physical disabilities and among her other endeavours in the community, she played a great role in establishing a centre for people with physical disabilities in Worcester. Her hospitality was indirectly the beginning of Opstal Restaurant.

Stanley Louw, Attie Louw and Zak Louw

WINEMAKING AT OPSTAL

Stretching from the Badsberg mountains on the east of the valley to the Slanghoek mountains in the west, Opstal boasts great diversity in terroir. The farm has been family owned and run since 1847 and the current operational duo of Zak and Attie Louw are the seventh generation descendants of JC ‘Lang Jan’ Rossouw, the first owner of “De Opstal bij de Fonteine”.

The Opstal team is on a ‘journey towards ever purer site expression’. The winery is well regarded for its Chenin blanc. Opstal’s Carl Everson Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc has won multiple awards over the years, and have gained a reputation as one of South Africa’s best expressions of this special grape variety. Almost completely surrounded by mountains, Opstal has typical hot Cape Winelands summer temperatures, but very cold and wet winters with average annual rainfall over the last 5 years of 1 350mm. In 2014 alone Opstal recorded 2 054mm.