Delaire Graff Estate

Situated in a prime position atop the breath-taking Helshoogte that winds its way up a steep incline Pass (‘hell’ to ascend by ox-wagon, but a delight to drive today), Delaire Graff Estate, perched at the very summit, looks out over some of the most spectacular scenery that the Western Cape winelands has to offer. Here vineyards and manicured lawns plunge down mountain slopes below soaring peaks that are snow-dusted in winter, while in the centre of this dramatic setting stands a collection of dignified thatched buildings that at first glance look as if they’ve graced the site for centuries.

But this prime location has only existed for about a decade in its current form. Bought as Delaire by world-renowned diamond jeweller and art collector Laurence Graff in 2003, the estate reopened to the public as the reimagined Delaire Graff in 2009, which in the succeeding 10 years has been buffed and polished into a world-class destination that wears its ‘Africanness’ with pride.

Accessed via an avenue of oaks and strelitzias, bordered by stretching sculptural figures that add a human element – the estate boasts one of the most scenic carparks in the country. Looking out onto the towering Banhoek and Simonsberg mountain ranges, it literally compels visitors, magnet-like, to stand and appreciate the scene before entering the reception area. Mr Graff’s love for art and wildlife is immediately evident even from here: the parking area is overlooked by Dylan Lewis sculptures, including a cheetah, one of many that grace the estate. You have now arrived in an enchanting world that blends old-world elegance with up-to-the-minute, creative opulence.

The buildings here (from the reception, winery and restaurant areas, to the guest lodges and Owner’s Villa) were all carefully constructed and furnished with a loving nod to the area’s Cape Dutch heritage, in a successful combined effort between David Collins Studio (DCS) and DHK Architects (as well as garden guru Keith Kirsten), who all worked hard to achieve Mr Graff’s vision of creating a unique winelands destination. Here, thatched rooflines echo the vernacular architecture of the past, though the interiors are anything but dark, gloomy and musty, unlike some of their historic forebears.

The reception area (a feast of textures and shimmering surfaces) beckons, flanked on either side by more sculptures and two miniature canals/water features that flow down into the winery area. This idea of bringing the outdoors in, recurs throughout Delaire Graff. The reception desk, accessed by vast double doors (studded in a radiating sun-ray pattern), is watched over by a giant Lionel Smit painting (aptly titled The Sentinel), while adjacent to the desk, Vladimir Tretchikoff fanatics will instantly recognise one of his most famous pieces, Chinese Girl, brought back to South Africa from London in 2013. It was this painting that kick-started Mr Graff’s impressive art collection at the estate, which now comprises hugely collectable local names such as Irma Stern, Gerard Sekoto and William Kentridge to name a few, not to mention Mr Graff’s son Stephane’s striking photographic studies of African figures.

Further sculptural elements are provided by gigantic vases containing orchids that reach up, beanstalk-style, to almost touch the ceiling above them. The DCS team’s eye for detail is evident everywhere. Below your feet you’ll notice the textured peach-pip floor (traditionally, pips were inserted into animal dung that dries into a hard surface; though here resin is used). There are other carefully chosen references to the area’s past that are found not only in the architecture but also the furniture. Sourced from DCS, and custom-made especially for the site, the chairs made for the wine and restaurant terraces are a case in point. They have riempie backs (traditionally made of criss-crossed narrow leather strips; though here the strips are threaded vertically in a minimalist take on the old design). Nearby, another Cape vernacular feature is a loft ladder above the tasting desk. These ladders were once a common sight in the winelands, leading to many a gabled loft. Elsewhere, there are authentic period pieces: antique riempie chairs flank the gorgeous Recorded History III painting by Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi, while a Cape seat, the type that once graced many stoeps (verandas) and voorkamers (entrance halls) sits opposite.

The wine lounge sports an oversized marble fireplace for icy winters (many traditional Cape hearths could accommodate a whole sheep or ox on a spit, so the size is historically appropriate). This cosy space opens out to a terrace where an unbeatable view of the Banhoek Mountains unfolds; the ideal place to savour the estate’s bubbly – the exquisite Sunrise Brut MCC – when winter lessens its grip.

Summer is for al-fresco dining on the Delaire Graff Restaurant terrace. Here, another thoughtful touch by DCS, the custom-made chair-backs echo Victorian veranda railings like those still to be seen in Stellenbosch’s Dorp Street. Lunch is best begun with the freshest, most succulent oysters, followed by your choice of their ‘bistro-chic cuisine’ from the menu (washed down by the sommelier’s choice of the estate’s premium wines) and one of the most exquisite panna cottas you’ll ever taste this side of the equator.

Delaire’s other eating establishment, Indochine restaurant (think Afro-fusion fare), was designed by DCS around a shimmering roof sculpture consisting of a reflective swarm of swallows (birds which migrate from Europe in summer and are seen darting about in their hundreds in the African sky). Other notable design elements include the Pierre Cronje orange leather banquettes that snake through the space like giant songololo centipedes.

A recent jewel in Mr Graff’s crown has been the addition of the six Superior Lodges and four-bedroom Owner’s Villa. Luxuriously appointed, the opulence is amped up to maximum here. DHK’s designs featured natural, raw materials such as stone-clad walls, aged oak trusses and thatched roofs. It was then DCS’ turn to add splashes of magic to the interiors: subtle African touches abound, from the tribal drum footstools to the dark leather and wood surfaces (think ebony and stinkwood), which evoke the continent’s beating heart while bringing a feeling of calmness to the space. These earthy hues are offset by white linens (600-thread Egyptian cotton on the beds) and oversized wool and silk rugs, for example. Guests are treated to maximum texture and swathed in luxuriousness that permeates every corner, with high-end finishes and premium fabrics. Each lodge has its own inspired art theme to delight the eyes; that is, when you can tear yourself away from your private pool deck overlooking the valley below. Here, the bedrooms have all the bright simplicity of safari camping, but with oodles of comfort.

The showstopper – the dual-level Owner’s Villa – creates the illusion that you’re hovering above the ground as it looks out over its private rim-flow pool and Jacuzzi to the panorama that unfolds below. The Villa is part art gallery, part presidential homestead, combining into an impressive but welcoming whole. Curating the art for the 660m² Owner’s Villa has been “a very personal project”, says Mr Graff, who carefully chose each item himself when he embarked on a cross-cultural, continental shopping trip. “Among the remarkable displays of international talent are works by new and established African artists, demonstrating the immense wealth of creativity discovered across Africa and showcased and celebrated throughout Delaire,” he explains.

Here at the Villa, organic textures and wood finishes take their cue from the natural surroundings, and the furnishings are artworks in their own right. Rough-hewn forest wood doubles as Pierre Cronje console tables; Fuse Lighting wall lamps subtly resemble tribal shields, while the master bedroom has an upholstered custom bed and Vladimir Kagan barrel chair from which to admire the space. Marble, imported from Italy, adds classical European elegance to the bathrooms. Concertina doors fold back to reveal the mountainous landscape, while natural light floods in and adds its own creative touches to the space as the day progresses. Those shadows and shades are employed to best effect here. And the burnished copper and dark wood theme that is first encountered in Indochine Restaurant is followed through to the Villa’s decor, creating a pleasing sense of continuity.

“Looking out from the deck, an extraordinary orange hue envelops the entire vista, and we endeavoured to capture this exact shade in the interior design. A prelude to the natural spectacle each evening,” says Mr Graff.

As the African sun sets on another sublime day at Delaire Graff, guests retire to their suites, after a pampering massage at the adjacent spa or a soak in their private pool, satisfied with another day of world-class African luxury.

It’s sundowner time; the moment to savour that magnificent view just once more – until the next holiday that is.