It’s the season of abundance on Babylonstoren Farm as the vines and orchards hang thick with fruit. Apt for the month of love, visitors at Babylonstoren can relish a fleeting summer romance with fresh figs, red-ripe heirloom tomatoes and a horde of heirloom cucumber varieties.  

The gardeners’ baskets are overflowing with other summer staples such as string beans, basil, peppers, and aubergine varieties including Rosa Bianca, Florence Violet and Listada de Gandia.

On the farm, we’ve kicked off the 2024 almond harvest alongside supersweet Afri-Blush apples, figs and a few early-variety prickly pears. These will be in full flush in early March. And in the vineyards, sun-ripened grape bunches are harvested to create the 2024 vintages.  

TASTE, SEE, SIP & SMELL in the garden this February 

  • February is notoriously known as the hottest month in the Boland. Luckily, Babylonstoren is a haven of secret spots to help keep it cool. Take the kids to splash in the water fountains by the Old Bullfrog next to Babel, and pop into the Gelato Room for a lick of something frosty before you go.  
  • As the hazy days of late summer unfold at Babylonstoren, the air becomes infused with the irresistible scent of ripe and jammy figs. Our varieties include Black Mission, Adam, Eve and Cape Black. You’ll know it’s ready to enjoy when you give the fruit a gentle pull and it easily peels away at the stem.  
  • With the wine harvest in full swing, it’s the perfect time for a cellar tour to see the winemaking process up close. The tour culminates in a tasting in our underground tasting room, which offers cool respite from the February sun. 
  • Book a stay at the Farm Hotel during the month of love and fall head over heels for the beauty of the Boland. You can have your head in the clouds quite literally … We’ll whisk you up the mountain on a sunset drive up the slopes of Simonsberg Mountain for an afternoon at In the Clouds, our special lookout deck with glorious views of the valley and beautiful Table Mountain in the distance.  

Cheers to the 2024 wine harvest season  

Our 2024 harvest had an early start this year thanks to a hot summer, with an abundance of bunches sustained by good rain throughout the season. “We like to say that a good year is determined by the previous years’ rainfall, and judging by the 2022 and 2023 seasons, we’re in for one of the best winemaking years at Babylonstoren yet,” says winemaker Klaas Stoffberg.  

Most of the chardonnay bunches have been picked to create Babylonstoren’s iconic Cap Classique, Sprankel. (The 2018 Sprankel was named the best bubbles in South Africa for 2024 at Platter’s Wine Guide Awards.) Next, we’ll move on to pick the early chenin blanc blocks as well as mourvèdre for making Babylonstoren’s beloved rosé.  

Share the love

We’re making it easy to share the love this Valentine’s Day with bunches of our grandiose flower bouquets and an impressive selection of handcrafted chocolate and nougat delivered with love to your front door.  

Drift away on notes of summer  

Get carried away on the last notes of summer with a matinee hosted by Babylonstoren early in March. The piano recital by Cape Classic is held for the benefit of underprivileged South African children. Come and enjoy the music with a glass of wine in hand and take a stroll through the garden afterwards. Pre-bookings only via [email protected].

Tomato? Tomato!  

Names like Tigerella, Black Beauty, Vintage Wine and Atomic Fusion hint at the vivid colour and taste of this year’s heirloom tomato harvest. Speciality grower Elzé Bresler and her team planted new varieties in various shapes, sizes and colours. You can enjoy a taste of these jewels in Babel Restaurant, or find them in the Farm Shop and online for home delivery.

Workshops in February  

6 Feb – Discover the secret life of insects 

7 Feb – Waterwise gardening 101 

14 Feb – Rosé days: Make Mourvèdre rosé 

20 Feb – Join us for healing herbal tea 

21 Feb – Discover the secret life of bees 

28 Feb – Grow your own seasonal vegetables 

29 Feb – Taste of summer: Fabulous figs & gelato 

Also remember to book for the Pumpkin Fun weekend happening in the first week of March. 

Book now https://babylonstoren.com/workshops