Delaire Graff Estate
Delaire Graff Estate sits at the summit of the Helshoogte Pass, the road connecting Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. The name itself, derived from the French for “from the sky,” is a fairly accurate description of the position. From the estate’s highest point, Leopard’s Landing, reserved for lodge guests, the view runs across the Banghoek Valley. On a clear day, it reaches as far as Table Mountain. Jeweller Laurence Graff owns the estate. As a result, that ownership shows up clearly in its character. This is a wine farm with genuine credentials, paired with a level of polish, art and retail more commonly associated with a luxury hospitality brand than a Cape vineyard.
Accommodation and the Owner’s Villa
Accommodation runs to sixteen lodges. Fourteen have one bedroom, and two have two, each with double-volume ceilings, custom furniture and, distinctively, its own private heated plunge pool on a private deck. Views extend across vineyards and gardens toward the Stellenbosch Valley. Some lodges, in fact, reach as far as Cape Point on a clear day. The estate’s Owner’s Villa extends the offering further still. It sleeps up to twelve guests across four rooms with private housekeeping, chef and butler service. This is a genuinely separate tier from the main lodges, suited to a larger family or group wanting full privacy.
Art and Gardens
Art is not a peripheral amenity here. It’s one of the estate’s defining features. More than 400 works from Laurence Graff’s personal collection are distributed across the property, indoors and out, including pieces by William Kentridge, Cecil Skotnes, Dylan Lewis and Vladimir Tretchikoff. Tretchikoff’s painting Chinese Girl, one of the most widely reproduced images of the twentieth century, hangs at the entrance to the main building. The estate’s gardens, designed by horticulturist Keith Kirsten across more than 350 indigenous and non-invasive plant species, are built specifically to showcase sculpture alongside the planting. Water features and reflective pools serve as settings for individual pieces, rather than simply landscaping.
Dining and Wine
Dining covers genuine range. The Delaire Graff Restaurant serves contemporary cuisine with Banghoek Valley views from its terrace. Hōseki offers a Japanese-inspired menu against a Table Mountain backdrop. Lorenzo’s, an Italian restaurant, serves antipasti, wood-fired pizza and handmade pasta. The setting weaves through the estate’s planting. The estate has been awarded two Michelin Keys, in addition, a relatively new Michelin recognition for distinctive hospitality experiences. Its wine programme, led by winemaker Morné Vrey, has in fact built a strong reputation independently of the estate’s other attractions, particularly for the Laurence Graff Reserve.
The estate’s Wine Lounge, redesigned by David Collins Studio, pairs tutored tastings with the surrounding art collection in a single space. The only Graff diamonds boutique on the African continent, in addition, sits within the estate. This signals fairly clearly what kind of luxury this is: considered, branded, and unapologetically polished rather than rustic. Some visitors describe the overall effect as more akin to a luxury resort than a traditional Cape wine farm, however, a fair characterisation rather than a criticism. It depends entirely on what a traveller is looking for.
Why Stay Here
- Sixteen lodges, each with its own private heated plunge pool and double-volume ceilings
- More than 400 works from Laurence Graff’s personal art collection, distributed through the estate’s buildings and gardens
- Two Michelin Keys and three distinct restaurants, including a Japanese-inspired menu and an Italian dining room
- An award-winning wine programme, including the highly regarded Laurence Graff Reserve
- A genuinely panoramic position atop the Helshoogte Pass, between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek
Accommodation
Sixteen lodges, fourteen one-bedroom and two two-bedroom, each include a private heated plunge pool, double-volume ceilings and custom-designed furniture, with views across vineyards and gardens toward the Stellenbosch Valley. The Owner’s Villa extends the property further, sleeping up to twelve guests across four rooms with private housekeeping, a chef and a butler.
Dining
Delaire Graff Restaurant serves contemporary cuisine with views over the Banghoek Valley, while Hōseki offers a Japanese-inspired menu against a Table Mountain backdrop. Lorenzo’s serves Italian dishes, including wood-fired pizza and handmade pasta, in a setting interwoven with the estate’s planting. The estate has been awarded two Michelin Keys.
Experiences
The estate’s art collection, more than 400 pieces from Laurence Graff’s private holdings, runs through both the gardens and indoor spaces, alongside sculpture by artists including Dylan Lewis and Anton Smit. Tutored tasting experiences at the Wine Lounge, in addition, pair with the art collection, and a spa provides treatments with garden views. Africa’s only Graff diamonds boutique, finally, sits within the estate.
Best For
Couples and travellers seeking the most polished, art-focused version of Winelands luxury, wine enthusiasts wanting an award-winning estate programme, and anyone wanting genuine dining range across three distinct restaurants.