What’s on in July?
June 24th, 2025
In vino veritas
Winter on the farm is a time to take stock – to prune the old, plan the new and savour the fruits of past labour. Nowhere is that truer than in the cellar, where months of hard work during and after harvest quietly come to life in the bottle.
We’re proud of every wine we make, but it’s always a joy when independent experts agree. The Syrah du Monde competition in France recently confirmed something we’ve long believed: our Shiraz is world-class. The Babylonstoren Shiraz 2022 was awarded gold and placed in the global top ten – a fitting tribute to the passion and precision of our vineyard and cellar teams.
Not to be outshone, our golden girl – the Sprankel 2019 – also brought home gold at the Global Sparkling Masters 2025, a prestigious blind tasting held in London.
Winter’s wonderful gems
Back on the farm, we’ve had an early harvest of tender waterblommetjies (Cape pondweed), just in time for winter’s first icy snap – and few things are more comforting than a warm waterblommetjie bredie on a cold Cape day. With luck, we’re in for a long season with many more bredies to come, so keep an eye on the Farm Shop shelf.
Over in the cycad block, both male and female trees are “flowering” – pushing out cones that play a vital role in their ancient life cycle. And if you’ve ever thought pineapples grow on trees or bushes, it’s time to visit the Greenhouse. Our pineapple plants are fruiting, and you may be in for a delightful surprise.
There’s more to winter than grey skies and bare branches. In the garden, there’s life everywhere you look. Our range of colourful brassicas, along with radicchio, carrots, fennel, kohlrabi and turnips, prove that winter is anything but dull. If you can’t make it to the farm for citrus picked fresh from the tree, you can still get your daily dose of vitamin C from our online shop. Our abundance boxes are packed with plenty to share – perfect for juicing, or turning into marmalades, preserves and cordials.
School of rocks
The rock exhibition in the Puff Adder reminds us that life often hides in the most unexpected places and forms. Just behind the House of Shadows, to the left of our Welwitschia Garden, you’ll find an ancient rock gong – an early human experiment in rhythm and resonance.
Pick up a stone and coax out a primal melody from the iron-rich volcanic rocks. A smaller version of this instrument travelled with our team to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London this May, where it struck a chord with curious visitors and proved a crowd favourite.
Come out & play
Babylonstoren is hosting a series of hands-on workshops and outdoor experiences in July, designed to get little ones moving, exploring and learning.
Kids aged six to twelve can dig into a gardening workshop at Babylonstoren, where they’ll learn how to grow their own vegetables, or get creative with succulents by propagating their own from scratch. For something a little more mindful, join resident yogi Carel Cloete for a day of sensory fun, stretching, breathing and balancing your way through the garden with your child. Child-friendly workshops are for kids aged six to twelve and adult participation is required.
Steam, soak & scrub the cold away
Winter skin needs a little extra love. Treat yourself to a seasonal revival at the hot spa, where warmth and stillness meet. Soak in the vitality pools beside a crackling hearth, breathe deeply in the steam rooms and let your body unwind.
Scrub away the chill in the traditional Rasul chamber or surrender to the flowing ritual of our signature hammam water treatment. Nourishment for body and soul, just when you need it most.
Seasonal Offers
Winter Spa Break. Book a two-night hotel stay and receive a complimentary 30-minute spa treatment per person. Valid until the end of July.
Winter Stay with Dinner. Book a two-night hotel stay and receive a R500 dinner voucher per person. Valid until the end of August.
While you’re here …
- Step into the Old Bakery for dinner and an evening of food theatre: jolly, abundant and utterly delicious.
- Enjoy a private picnic in the pristine environment of our Bergpoel. Cold plunge if you dare!
- Walk, cycle, stretch, soak, paddle, fish. Or just be in perfect harmony.
Winter times at Babylonstoren
With the sun setting earlier, Babylonstoren’s opening times have shifted to suit the season. For winter, the farm gates open at 09h00 and close 17h00 daily.
TAKE NOTE: Babel Restaurant times are as follows for the month of June:
Mondays – Babel closed; Italian Night in the Old Bakery
Tuesdays – Babel Restaurant open
Wednesdays – Babel closed; Carnivore Night in the Old Bakery
Thursdays – Babel Restaurant open
Fridays – Babel closed; Italian Night in the Old Bakery
Saturdays – Babel Restaurant open
Sundays – Babel closed; Carnivore Night in the Old Bakery
Workshops in July
Babylonstoren
1 July – Craft your own homemade soap
2 July – Family fun: grow your own veggies (kids 6–12)
9 July – Family fun: grow your own succulents from scratch (kids 6–12)
15 July – Family fun: move & breathe in the garden (kids 6–12)
16 July – Build your own garden structures
23 July – The magical world of mushrooms
30 July – Create beautiful tree shapes with espalier
Soetmelksvlei
3 July – Traditional handcraft: colour crocheting
4 July – Everything’s better with butter: butter & buttermilk rusks
11 July – Cape food: preserve seasonal guavas
18 July – Cape food: farm-style loaves with seasonal marmalade
19 July – Learn the art of bookbinding
24 July – Master meat: all about venison & biltong
25 July – Cape food: traditional bobotie & guava chutney
3 June – Break bread with our master baker
4 June – Winter gems: citrus in the garden
10 June – Inside scoop: water buffalo mozzarella and gelato
11 June – Craft your own homemade soap
17 June – Garden with indigenous trees
18 June – Compost 101: Let’s get down and dirty
25 June – Indoor gardening: bringing succulents into your home
26 June – All about eggs: from coop to table
Soetmelksvlei
5 June – Master meat: all about venison & biltong
6 June – Bake your own: butter & buttermilk scones
13 June – Bake with citrus & spice
19 June – Hey Brew! Fruit & flower cordials & bush teas
20 June – Chocolate & cake: bake your own treats
27 June – Hands-on kids: bake & ice farm animal biscuits
