I often find that the best way to spend a Saturday morning in Somerset West is to lean into the rhythms of the farm, and this past weekend was no exception. After missing out on the Hanepoot Harvest in 2025, our family made sure to be there for the opening session on Saturday, 14 February 2026. We enjoyed the experience so much that when Lourensford Estate announced an additional date for Saturday, 21 February 2026, we decided to head back for a second round.
Standing in the vineyards with the Helderberg mountains providing a jagged, majestic backdrop, you really get a sense of why this event has become a local fixture. The logistics remain as smooth as they were during our first visit in 2024. The estate provides a free tractor ride that shuttles families from the main hub out to the grape rows, which is always a highlight for the kids.
The atmosphere in the vineyards is focused but social. We saw just as many people this weekend as we did during the Valentine’s Day opening, yet there was enough grapes for everyone. There is something deeply grounding about walking through the lush greenery of the rows, feeling the cool morning air and the first warm rays of the sun. The wind off the mountains keeps things comfortable even as the day heats up.
This time, we managed to fill another two 3kg boxes along with my son’s dedicated grape bucket. The quality of the Hanepoot this year too is excellent. The grapes are remarkably sweet and carry that distinct floral flavour that you only really get when they are picked at the peak of the season. According to the estate staff, the sugar levels this February have been ideal for picking.
Once the boxes were full, the smell of the braai usually leads everyone back toward the refreshments. The boerewors rolls are a staple of the harvest morning and they did not disappoint. It is a simple setup—fresh air, good food, and a bucket of grapes—but it works because it feels like a genuine farm experience rather than a polished tourist trap.
The community turnout has been so consistent that it seems there is enough local appetite to keep this going even longer. While this was the final confirmed date for the 2026 season, the sheer number of people out in the rows suggests that the Hanepoot Harvest remains one of the area’s most anticipated summer traditions. We are already looking forward to the 2027 harvest, but for now, we have a kitchen full of the best grapes in the Helderberg to enjoy.
I’m a wife, mother and local publisher who traded Johannesburg and two years abroad for life in Somerset West. Through HelderbergStuff, I share lifestyle stories, local discoveries and noteworthy developments across Somerset West, Strand and Gordon’s Bay. For media and collaboration enquiries: marina@helderbergstuff.co.za
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