Weekend at Agulhas: The people

This church with its beautiful angel weathervane is the heart of Elim, a little village on the Agulhas Plain which is still owned and run by the Moravian church. In 1824 the Moravians founded the mission station on a farm, largely to offer a safe haven to freed slaves. We were fortunate to chance upon a wedding this hot and sultry Sunday, where the groom and the bride both arrived in a horse and cart with a beautiful arch of palm fronds and protea flowers. The name Elim comes from the reference to an oasis of palm trees in the Bible and palms are very much a feature of the village.

Weekend at Agulhas: The wine

Just outside the enchanting village of Elim, near the southern tip of Africa, the vineyards produce surprisingly good wine. Apparently the cool breezes that blow off the nearby ocean allow the grapes to remain on the vines just that little bit longer to develop their flavour. We called in at The Berrio, to taste some of this wine. The Berrio has a stylish tasting centre with views over the beautiful Agulhas Plain. Children and dogs are there to welcome you, and Franchen Pratt came out to guide us through the Estate's gorgeous wines - each one more tasty than the next. She and her husband Francis are the owners of this magical estate and Francis is the winemaker. My favourite wine was the figgy flavoured Weathergirl 2009 (33% semillion and 67% sauvignon blanc blend).