A bakery where excellence rises daily
The poetry of fermentation at La Motte Wine Estate
There’s a quiet kind of alchemy that happens at La Motte Artisanal Bakery & Garden Café, where the scent of freshly baked bread fills the historic Jonkershuis, built in 1752. Under the guidance of master baker Markus Färbinger and head baker Ricardo Slawers, time and transformation take centre stage, similar to the work of the estate’s esteemed winemakers.
Much like a fine wine, the bakery’s goods are shaped not by haste, but by time, temperature and a deep respect for the living cultures that bring it to life. Each morning the scent of freshly baked loaves drifts from the wood-fired oven, crafted in France by Four Grand-mère, where Markus and his team turn humble ingredients into golden works of art. Expect an ever-changing variety of breads, from La Motte’s popular mosbolletjies to the crustique, the Cederberger (a dark, malty rye sourdough spiced to perfection), each loaf is available to take home, or to savour as part of the café’s daily menu. At the heart of the bakery is the signature La Motte M Loaf, a masterpiece born from patience and natural fermentation. Each loaf begins humbly with flour, water and salt but through the careful nurturing of wild yeasts, it develops its own personality with a crisp crust and a tender crumb.
If a bakery and a wine farm seem like an odd pairing, the two have much more in common that one might think. Wine and bread share more than a table, they share a philosophy. Both rely on fermentation that transforms simple ingredients into something layered, complex and deeply satisfying. Whether in a cellar or in a kitchen, fermentation is an act of faith: a surrender to nature’s rhythm and a celebration of the power of transformation.
And when the two come together with a still-warm slice of crusty sourdough paired with a glass of La Motte wine, something magical happens. The yeasty depth of bread enhances wine’s fruit and spice flavours, while the acidity of the wine cuts through the richness of the crumb, creating a harmony that feels like a perfect pairing.
At La Motte, this meeting of grain and grape becomes a reflection of philosophy: craftsmanship rooted in heritage, guided by nature and perfected through patience. Whether savoured in the Garden Café under dappled oaks or taken home to share at your own table, the breads of La Motte Artisanal Bakery & Garden Café invite you to taste the story of fermentation, a story written in flavour, texture and time.