Allesverloren

Allesverloren Review

Translated from Afrikaans, Allesverloren means "all is lost." The bleak name derives from a story from the early 1700s, when the widow Cloete owned this farm. Legend has it that she left the farm for a few weeks to attend a church gathering in town, and in her absence the resentful indigenous tribespeople set her homestead alight. When she came back to a smoldering ruin, she declared, "Allesverloren," and the name stuck. Today the farm's prospects are a lot brighter. It has been in the Malan family for generations. The infamous D. F. Malan, regarded as one of the architects of apartheid, gave up the farm for politics. Happily, his descendents are doing a better job at wine making than he did at shaping a country's destiny, and their reds are big, bold, and full of flavor. Delicious and packed with rich, pruney, nutty flavors, the port is perfect for cool winter evenings. A restaurant on the premises means you can dine in a beautiful setting.