Andries Burger is very much at home in the Elgin Valley for another reason: it is excellent mountain-biking terroir! De Rust, with some 60 percent of the property set aside for conservation in perpetuity, is part of the Kogelberg Biosphere, a UNESCO world heritage site.
Within that is the Green Mountain Eco Route, opening the area to responsible use for tourism. This includes events such as the Wines2Whales three-day mountain bike race across the mountains to the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and False Bay (which he has done), as well as the world-renowned Cape Epic ultra-marathon mountain bike tour (which he has NOT done...yet!)
Fitness has become a lifestyle for the whole family, with Andries and his young son Andries Junior enjoying local father-and-son triathlons together: cycling, running, swimming a dam.
He keeps up his cycling even while on overseas trips. 'On one trip I rented a road bike for six weeks, just to keep fit.
The Payment was a case of wine! In Alsace I borrow a bike from Julien and we cycle whenever we have some free time.'
Part of Andries and Inge's healthy eating plan is a concerted effort to replace red meat with low-fat venison. Although he grew up in Paarl, Andries spent most winter holidays on the family farm in Namibia and hunting is another father-and-son hobby.
Seafood is also a favourite. Gordon's Bay Fisheries, the supplier to many of the top restaurants in Franschhoek and Somerset West, is a regular shopping stop.
Just across the Hottentots Holland mountain range, the fishery is on the way to Somerset College where Andries Junior attends school. His younger sister Aninke currently attends the local Applewood Preparatory School.
As for fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, there's the farm's extensive 'kitchen' garden of exotic plants, from tree tomatoes to umpteen species of fig, established in conjunction with Norwegian chef Andreas Viestad.
It supplies local cook Joan Lancefield at Fresh, the new Cluver country restaurant opposite the tasting room. And it goes some way to maintaining the bounce in the Burger household.
Grilled kudu fillet with red wine sauce, mashed potatoes and roasted vegetable recipe by Andries Burger paired with Paul Cluver Pinot Noir....
Moules Marinière with home-baked sourdough bread recipe by Andries Burger paired with Paul Cluver Chardonnay....