Discover the 5 best located wineries in South Africa

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Wineries in South Africa

Five wineries in the South African wine region


The South Africa wine region is home to 5 of the country's best located wineries. You can find them in the Cape Winelands. This is the name given to the wine region near Cape Town, to which the wine regions of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl belong. Strictly speaking, this also includes the wine regions around Robertson, Constantia, Walker Bay, Tulbagh and Swartland. However, these are not as well known as the three largest wine-growing regions. Four of these wine regions are home to the wine farms in South Africa that we like best.

 

 

Jan van Riebeek, who founded Cape Town as a supply station on the sea route to India, had the first vines planted in 1655. His company garden still exists in Cape Town today. However, his successor Simon van der Stel was more important for viticulture. He founded the first winery in South Africa in Constantia. The Stellenbosch named after him, the city that he had built. In addition, it was he who brought Huguenots into the country from France, who settled around Franschhoek and promoted viticulture. The French were also among the first Europeans to appreciate South African wines. Napoleon even had thirty bottles of Groot Constantia wine delivered to his exile in St. Helena every month.

 

White wines of South Africa

  • Chenin blanc
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Chardonnay
  • Sémillon
  • Viognier

 

Wine-growing regions Austria vacation - excursion tip Austria and Bavaria
Ripe grapes

 

I got to know and appreciate them on my travels through the country. The region north of Cape Town is one of the most scenic areas in the country. Here gentle hills alternate with mountain peaks, sandy beaches and the sea. The South African wine region begins below Table Mountain in Groot Constantia, where one of South Africa's oldest wineries is located. If you drive further north, you come to the Winelands of South Africa, whose vineyards stretch around Stellenbosch, Franschoek and Paarl. Here you will find the best located wine farms in South Africa. (Map)

 

South African red wines

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Shiraz
  • Pinotage
  • Merlot
  • Pinot Noir
  • Cabernet Franc

 

Actually, these geographical areas are too warm for viticulture. In other regions of the world there are no vineyards in these latitudes. South Africa's wine region owes its existence to the cold Benguela Current, a sea current that comes from the Antarctic. This cools the sea on the west coast of the country and at the same time ensures that wine can be grown in these locations. The closer the wineries are to the coast, the easier it is for winemakers to make wine. Temperatures are rising inland. The hours of sun increase. This ultimately ensures that the wine barrels in which the grape juice ripens are cooled.

 

 

Red Shiraz grape wineries in South Africa
Red Shiraz grapes in the wine farms in South Africa

 

South Africa wine region north of Cape Town

Enjoy traveling in the Wine regions of the world are not just an experience for the palate. Beautiful places and locations are also important. These make a visit to wine regions not only a pleasure for the palate, but also for the eyes. It's not difficult in South Africa. On the contrary! The attractiveness and ambience of South Africa's wine region are legendary. However, there are wineries that are particularly beautiful. We present them here.

 

Wineries in the Groot Constantia wine region
Groot Constantia wine region - here are the oldest wine farms in South Africa

 

Constantia wine region - the oldest wine region in South Africa

This is the oldest wine region in the South Africa winelands. Here, the Dutch traders first farmed and cultivated wine.

Groot Constantia

Cape Town is closest to the winery of Groot Constantia. No wonder, as it is the oldest winery in the country. In 1685 Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede tot Drakenstein transferred the lands of Groot Constantia to Simon Van Der Stel, Governor of the Dutch East India Company at the Cape of Good Hope. He built the house and used the grounds to grow wine, fruit and vegetables. He also bred cattle. After his death, the estate was divided into three parts: Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia and Bergvliet.

 

Groot Constantia mansion
Groot Constantia mansion - typical of the South African wine region

 

Today, Groot Constantia is owned by the Groot Constantia Trust. The mansion, which was rebuilt in the Cape Dutch style in 1925 after a devastating fire, now houses part of the South African Cultural History Museum. The exhibitions deal with slavery in the country and the life of slaves in the early colonial period on the Cape.

For me, Groot Constantia is one of the 5 best located wineries in South Africa because it is in the middle of its vineyards. Because of its proximity to Cape Town and Table Mountain, it is one of the most visited estates in the South African wine region. Therefore, you shouldn't expect to find a quiet place here. Still, I'll add it to my list of the top five goods. On the one hand, because as the oldest winery in the country, it is full of interesting stories that are worth discovering. On the other hand, because of its location below Table Mountain in the middle of its own vineyards.

Groot Constantia

Old Constantia Main Road
Constantia 7806
Cape Town
South Africa

Telephone: +27 (0)21 794 5128
Fax: +27 (0)21 794 1999
Opening hours: 9 am - 6 pm Mon - Sun.
Cellar tours every hour on the hour between 10 am and 4 pm
Website: www.grootconstantia.co.za
Email: enquiries@grootconstantia.co.za

 

Constantia wineries in the South African wine region

  • Steenberg Winery, Steenberg Rd, Tokai, Cape Town, 7945, South Africa
  • Klein Constantia, End of, Klein Constantia Rd, Constantia, Cape Town, 7806, South Africa
  • Beau Constantia, 1043 Constantia Main Rd, Constantia, Cape Town, 7806, South Africa
  • Eagles' Nest Wines, Constantia Main Rd, Constantia, Cape Town, 7806, South Africa
  • Constantia Glen, Constantia Main Rd, Constantia, Cape Town, 7806, South Africa

 

 

Lake at Stellenbosch
Lake at Stellenbosch - a typical view from the wine farms in South Africa

 

Wineries in South Africa in the South Africa wine region near Stellenbosch

You can reach the South Africa wine region near Stellenbosch in a good half an hour via the N1 motorway. Take your time to visit the pretty university town. This is the only one in the country that trains wine specialists. The surroundings of the place are not to be despised either. There are wineries there that are well worth a visit.

 

Wine tasting Stellenbosch
Wine tasting Stellenbosch

 

Spier Wine Farm

Nobody can get past Spier's Wine Farm. I mean that in the literal sense. Because the winery is on the R310, the road that leads from Cape Town to Stellenbosch in the South African wine region. Of the five wineries in this article, it is the one that I thought long and hard about adding to the list. Because Spier's Wein Farm does not necessarily correspond to the image that we usually have of a winery. It offers everything you could hope for in a winery. There are tastings, a restaurant and overnight accommodation. What I miss is the ambience that I expect from a visit to the winery. Instead, the cellar looks rather barren for tastings. The hustle and bustle around the wine at Spier's is somewhat reminiscent of Disneyland.

The colorful ones Houses where you can spend the night *, contribute. The eagle hoard also. Or the Craft Center. And the ceramics workshop. All of this is a bit too much of a good thing for me that has nothing to do with wine and a winery. Even so, I added the farm to the list of the best located wineries. It can be reached quickly and easily from Cape Town. It is also relatively close to the sea, which gives its wines their own character. You should get to know these in order to be able to judge what role the location of the vineyards has for the wines in the Western Cape.

Spier Wine Farm

Annandale Road
Stellenbosch 7600
South Africa

Tastings and sales:
Mo. - Mi .: 9 am - 5 pm
Thu.-Sa .: 9 am - 6 pm
So: 11 am - 6 pm
Website: www.spier.co.za
E-mail: info@spier.co.za

 

Stellenbosch wineries in the South African wine region

  • Delaire Graff Estate *, Helshoogte Rd, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa
  • Dornier Wine Estate, Dornier Road, Upper Blaauwklippen Rd, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
  • Tokara Wine Estate, Helshoogte Rd, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, 7600, South Africa
  • Lanzerac Wine Estate *, 1 Lanzerac Rd, Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
  • Rust en Vrede Wine Estate, Annandale Rd, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa

The wineries linked with asterisk offer tastings as well as overnight accommodation, which you can book via the links.

 

 

Stellenbosch winery, one of the wine farms in South Africa
Stellenbosch winery - you will find many wine farms in the South Africa wine region

 

Neethlingshof - is beautifully located in the South Africa wine region with a view of the vineyards

Only a few kilometers further, the driveway to the Neethlingshof Wine Estate, lined with stone pines, branches off unmistakably. You shouldn't miss a visit to Neethlingshof because of this avenue alone. The family's former home now serves as a restaurant. Like Groot Constantia, the estate is one of the oldest in the country. In 1692 the house was built in the style of Kapholland. To this day, it gives the winery its ambience. A winery that is part of every visit to the South African wine region.

For me it is one of the best located wineries in South Africa because of its pine avenue that leads through the middle of the vineyards. Combined with a wine tasting and a meal on the Terrace Area of the restaurant, a visit to Neethlingshof is an experience for connoisseurs.

Neethlingshof

Polkadraai Rd,
Stellenbosch, 7600
South Africa

Wine Cellar:

Mo. - Fr.
9 am - 5 pm (last tasting starts at 4.30 pm)

Sat., Sun., holidays
10 am - 4 pm

Closed
1st Christmas holiday & Good Friday

Website: neethlingshof.co.za
Email: info@neethlingshof.co.za

 

This has to be in the suitcase for a trip to the South African wine region

  • You need good shoes, because you will be walking a lot here.
  • The wine region of South Africa is drenched in the sun. It is therefore advisable to have a sun hat .
  • An backpack is practical for everything you need for a day. Maybe you buy a bottle or two of wine?
  • When visiting wineries, it is worth taking a Picnic .

 

Franschoek Wine Region - Wine farms are also located in South Africa
Franschhoek in the wine region of South Africa

 

Wineries in the South Africa wine region near Franschhoek

You shouldn't miss the drive to Franschoek, even if the Boschendal winery recommended here is outside the village. Franschoek is - like Stellenbosch - a place for connoisseurs in the South African wine region. A stroll through the town and a visit to the Huguenot monument should definitely be included. The view from there into the Hottentots Holland Mountains is legendary.

Boschendal

This winery is located east of the Simonsberg nature reserve. This means that it is only a few meters away from the junction to Franschoek. Because of this location alone, Boschendal is one of the best situated wineries in the South African wine region. But there is more to this estate that is well worth a visit. In any case, you should plan some time for your visit to Boschendal. It is of course best to spend several days there or to take a whole day for it. However, several hours should definitely be there in order to be able to enjoy the estate, its wines and its surroundings.

Activities in Boschendal

There are many ways in which you can experience the winery. Wine tasting, vineyard tours or cellar tours are just as much a part of this as hiking or cycling tours through the vineyards. You can drive through the farm in carriages. More sporty ones can explore the winery on horseback. And for those who prefer it quiet, there is wellness enjoyment in the spa. I particularly liked the Boschendal gardens. The rose garden is worth a visit. In Boschendal you can also stay overnight *.

 

Wineries near Franschoek
Wineries in the South African wine region near Franschoek

 

Our tip: the wine picnics in Boschendal with a view of the vineyards in South Africa

Boschendal is known for its picnics. They love the South Africans too. It is therefore essential to reserve at least 24 hours in advance. There are even two picnic spots. These depend on the season. There are picnics in the rose garden. You get a basket filled with specialties straight from the farm. In the shade of old oaks, you can enjoy these delicacies at laid tables or on picnic blankets. At the Werf Farm Picnic it's more relaxed. There, guests bring their own blankets, tables and chairs. The food is in picnic baskets with products from the farm. You can hardly experience the South Africa wine region more beautifully.

Boschendal Estate

Pniel Road
Groot Drakenstein
Franschoek, 7690
South Africa

Website: www.boschendal.com
E-Mail: enquiries@boschendal.co.za
Wine tastings & pairings daily
Mo. - Sun. 10 am - 5 pm
Wed. - Sun. 11 am - 3 pm (Food pairings)

 

Franschhoek wineries in the South African wine region

  • Haute Cabrière, Lambrechts Rd, Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa
  • Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines *, Leeu Estates Dassenberg Road Franschhoek, Cape Town, 7690, South Africa
  • Chamonix Wine Farm *, 40 Uitkyk St, Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa
  • Dieu Donné Vineyards, Uitkyk Street, Franschhoek Valley, Winelands, South Africa, 7690, South Africa
  • La Motte *, R45, Franschhoek, 7691, South Africa

The wineries linked with asterisk offer tastings as well as overnight accommodation, which you can book via the links.

 

 

Panorama at Paarl
Panorama at Paarl. Wine farms in South Africa to the horizon

 

Paarl wine region

The fourth wine region that I recommend is northwest of Franschoek. Even from afar you can see the round rock domes that gave the place its name. They reminded the first white settlers in the region of pearls. When Abraham Gabbema came to this area on October 22nd, 1657, it had rained shortly before. The rock dome gleamed in the morning sun, reminding him of a pearl. That's how the place got its name. You should not miss the drive up to this rock, because up there is the Afrikaanse Taal monument , a monument dedicated to the languages spoken in South Africa. From the top you have a beautiful view of the wine region in the south and to Cape Town.

Nederburg Wines

The Nederburg winery in Paarl follows Boschendal in my ranking of the 5 best located wineries in South Africa. It is not that old, but with the year it was founded in 1791, it can also look back on a long winemaking tradition. Philippus Wolvaart and his wife Margaretha laid the foundation stone for the Nederburg winery. This is one of the wineries where cold fermentation has been introduced because the grapes have too much residual sweetness. This method was developed by Johann Graue, a brewer from Germany who bought the estate in 1937.

 

Wine field in autumn
Wine field in autumn

 

If you visit Nederburg, you will see the manor house that Wolvaart completed in 1800. It is surrounded by the estate's vineyards and is used for events. There are wine tastings and a cellar tour. Because of its view of the "pearl" of Paarl, for me it is also one of the 5 best located wineries in South Africa.

Nederburg Wines

Sonstraal Road
Daljosafat
Paarl

South Africa

Visitor Center & Old Cellar Museum

Mon - Fri: 9 am - 5 pm (May - Sept.)
Mon - Fri: 9 am - 6 pm (Oct. - Apr.)
Sa. & Su .: 10 am - 4 pm

cellar tours
Mon - Fri: 10.30 am & 3 pm
Sa. & Su .: 11 am

Nederburg is closed on the 1st Christmas Day, New Year and Good Friday.

 

Paarl wineries in the South African wine region

  • Landskroon Wines *, Suid-Agter-Paarl Rd, Suider, Paarl, 7624, South Africa
  • Spice Route, Suid-Agter-Paarl Rd, Southern Paarl, Paarl, 7646, South Africa
  • Ridgeback Wine, Off R44, Windmeul ,, North Agter Paarl, Paarl, 7630, South Africa
  • Rhebokskloof Wine Estate, Noord Agter - Paarl Rd, Windmeul, 7623, South Africa
  • Avondale Wine, Klein Drakenstein Road, Lustigan Rd, 7646, South Africa

The wineries linked with asterisk offer tastings as well as overnight accommodation, which you can book via the links.

 

This is my list of the 5 best located wineries in South Africa. There are numerous other wineries in the region that are worth exploring.

 

 

More travel tips for the area:

Lynn Benda introduces her Weekend in Cape Town .

 


Travel Arrangements

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

How to get there

Arrival by plane, bus or train*. Various airlines fly to Cape Town. From there, it's best to take a car, because that's the only way you'll be flexible enough to get to know the towns and cities in the region better.

Rental car

Cheap rental cars - book quickly and easily here

Accomodation

Book your accommodation here *

Camping

There are a number of campsites in the Stellenbosch area. A beautifully located campsite in Franschoek in the middle of the wine region is Franschoek Camping at La Motte Wine Farm & Restaurant, La Motte Station Rd, Heuwelsig Farm, Franschhoek, 7690. What you need for motorhome trips, you can find here. You can rent mobile homes here *. With our packing list for campers You never forget anything again.

 

South Africa wine region
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Here you will find more Travel tips for the wines and drinks of the world.

Source wine farms South Africa: research on site.

Text wine farms South Africa: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos wine farms South Africa: © Copyright Tourvital

Discover the 5 best located wineries in South Africa

Monika Fuchs

Monika Fuchs and Petar Fuchs are the authors and publishers of the Food and Slow Travel blog  TravelWorldOnline. They have been publishing this blog since 2005. TravelWorldOnline has been online since 2001. Their topics are trips to Savor, wine tourism worldwide and slow travel. During her studies Monika Fuchs spent some time in North America, where she - partly together with Petar Fuchs - traveled to the USA and Canada and spent a research year in British Columbia. This intensified her thirst for knowledge, which she satisfied for 6 years as an adventure guide for Rotel Tours and then for 11 years as a tour guide for Studiosus Reisen around the world. She was constantly expanding her travel regions, but curiosity still gnawed at her: "What's beyond the horizon? What else is there to discover in this city? Which people are interesting here? What do they eat in this region?" As a freelance travel journalist (her articles have appeared in DIE ZEIT, 360° Canada, 360° USA, etc.), she is now looking for answers to these questions as a travel writer and travel blogger in many countries around the world. Petar Fuchs produces the videos on this blog as well as on YouTube. Monika Fuchs from TravelWorldOnline is among Germany's top 50 bloggers in 2021. Find more Information about Monika and Petar Fuchs here.

12 thoughts too "Discover the 5 best located wineries in South Africa"

  1. Interesting, but sometimes about wines that you drink to learn something more. Since you have the different wineries very nicely portrayed. In South Africa we would look at them too.
    Regards
    Bruno

    1. Hello Bruno,

      It is exciting to study the wines, because their production often varies from place to place. I have visited the wineries myself and can recommend them from personal experience.

      Best regards,
      Monika

  2. Hi monika,

    We had not made it to the wine region around Cape Town on our first visit to South Africa, there were other excursions on the program. Of course we do not want to miss that next time ...

    LG Mario

    1. Hello Mario,

      South Africa, and especially the Cape Town region, offers an incredible number of possibilities for excursions. You can spend weeks there and have not seen everything yet.

      Best regards,
      Monika

  3. Dear Monika,
    Wow, that sounds like a fantastic tour. I would like to do that too. Even if I only drink wine from time to time, it really sounds like a bombastic tour. Thank you for the great impressions.

    Many greetings
    Kathi

    1. Dear Kathi,

      that's it. We love wine regions not only because of the wines, but also because they always have a special atmosphere and are often in beautiful landscapes. The South African wine region north of Cape Town is no exception.

      Best regards,
      Monika

  4. The tour would be just right for Patrick. From one winery to the next ... that makes South Africa even more interesting. Although I'm more of the beer fan, but if the wine is sweet, I also like to be seduced. The tip is saved.
    Thank you, Susanne

    1. Hi Susan,

      the wines of South Africa are excellent. Many of them win prizes at the wine fairs year after year. There is certainly something for every taste. Glad if you like our tip.

      Best regards,
      Monika

  5. Dear Monika,
    your report awakens so much yearning for South Africa in me again. Land and people are just adorable and beautiful. Back then we also visited Stellenbosch, Franschoek and Paarl from Cape Town. In couple we were on the Spice Route, which I really liked. But we did not visit a winery or a wine cellar. When I read your report like that, I realize that I have to make up for it. Thanks for the great tips!
    LG Anita

    1. Dear Anita,

      you have really missed something. The wineries in the region are so beautiful that only the views are a pleasure. Add to that the good wines and delicious food. For me, South Africa Winelands are a paradise for connoisseurs.

      Best regards,
      Monika

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