fijnbosch farm - capensis tasting room
Capensis wines gets its unique character from the terroir, the topography, the altitude and the micro climate of the farm ‘Fijnbosch’ where the grapes are cultivated.
In order not to impinge on any arable farm land, we decided to place the new structure on an existing terrace where previously stood a farm cottage.
The design consists of a free standing farm office, open plan with a kitchenette and bathroom facilities. Across a sheltered courtyard is the tasting area.
The existing terrace walls were extended to develop into the stone walls of the farm office and tasting area, now known as the ‘Kliphuis”. The stone was harvested on the farm and built in the same informal ‘hand crafted’ manner of the existing terrace.
Low slung, dark corrugated roofs float on the stone walls, creating the office space and the tasting area, cantilevering out to form a large tasting ‘stoep’ overlooking the Banhoek valley.
All the timber used in the structure came from alien deforestation on the farm, and all the logs were cut, sawn and dried on the farm. Timber was extensively used for the roof structure, ceilings, floors , wall cladding and furniture.
The natural palette and texture of the timber is complimented with robust clay ‘klompies’ on the outside floor areas. Aluminium glazed doors disappear into cavities in the stone walls, allowing the tasting area to flow over onto the stoep, the ‘fijnbos’ garden and the view beyond.
The interior soft furnishings and the minimal application of artworks intentionally reflect the gentle hues and quiet character of the surrounding landscape.
The tasting room consists of a comfortable lounge area with a fire place, a small wine room, a tasting dining table to seat 18 guests and a serving counter that doubles up as a chefs’ demonstration kitchen and on the side: a small, fully equipped, industrial kitchen. The counter, the table, the side board, the cupboards are all built from wood cut on the farm.
An evaporative cooling system was installed so that the spaces could be cooled down in summer, without closing the doors opening out onto the magnificent views. During the wet Cape winters, a double combustion woodfire place heats up the space, ensuring a cozy, comfortable tasting room where guests can be entertained.
The tasting experience is taken outside onto the generous stoep which houses a large ‘cape’ hearth which could be used for outside cooking. On the side of the stoep is a pizza oven and in the fijnbos landscape garden, a fire pit for open air entertaining.
Under an old revived vine pergola on the far end of the terrace stands a long, large tasting table, inviting guest out into the garden on windless days.
2023: CIFA Commendation
