02/09/2026
WHAT IS A PLACEMAT-TASTING? 🍷
A placemat-tasting is much more than simply putting w**es on a printed sheet.
For NLR-WINES, it has become a very special way of bringing the w**elands to you.
It is an intimate, focused w**e experience built around one w**e estate at a time.
Each w**e is poured in its designated position on a specially prepared placemat, allowing guests to taste through the range in a clear sequence and compare the w**es alongside one another.
The w**emaker, owner or estate representative guides us through the w**es — sharing the vineyards, vintages, cultivars and w**emaking, but most importantly, the stories behind the w**es.
Carefully paired small plates accompany the tasting, allowing us to explore another important part of the experience: the relationship between food and w**e.
WHY DO WE DO IT?
Because w**e is about so much more than what is inside the bottle.
We wanted to create a stronger connection between the w**e estate, the w**e trade and the people who ultimately present, recommend and sell these w**es.
Rather than expecting our Garden Route clients to travel constantly to the Cape W**elands, we bring the w**elands to them — the people, the w**es, the stories and the experience.
The gatherings are intentionally intimate. There is time to taste, ask questions, learn, exchange ideas and build genuine relationships around the table.
HOW DID IT START?
The concept grew naturally from the way NLR-WINES works.
Instead of presenting numerous estates and countless w**es at once, we wanted to slow the tasting down and give one producer the stage.
The placemat became our framework: every glass has its place, every w**e has its moment, and together the w**es tell the story of the estate.
Over time, it became one of our signature NLR-WINES experiences — bringing together w**e, food, education, storytelling and relationships around one table.
Follow us on our latest placemat-tastings throughout the Garden Route as we continue bringing the w**elands to you —
one estate, one story and one glass at a time. 🍷
NLR-WINES
We bring the w**elands to you.
