Go to content 
South Africa Wine Tour from Cape Town | Our favorite wineries
Located in the Western Cape region, the wine route in South Africa, known as the Winelands, It is one more reason to affirm that South Africa is one of the destinations with the most diversity and tourist offer that exists.
The South African wine route covers almost 300 kilometers and It has more than 500 wineries distributed between the towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl.
In this article we tell you in general terms how to visit the Winelands of South Africa, what the price of the tastings is and Which were our favorite wineries and tastings. I can tell you that they are all beautiful and the prices are very good!
LA WINE ROUTE IN SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa is one of the largest wine producers in the world and magic happens in the Winelands region. This place is very close to Cape Town, where there is a perfect temperate climate for vineyards.
Furthermore, the area is full of history and tradition, with wineries that have been operational since the 17th century and a very curious cultural mix, since the majority of wineries and towns were founded by settlers and maintain their own style.
For example, Stellenbosch known as the “Wine Capital of South Africa” which was founded by dutch in 1679. Or Franschhoek which was founded in 1688 by Frenchmen who fled religious persecution in Europe. Your name means “French corner” in Afrikaans. Both have a colonial-style building with a touch of cozy cafes and art galleries.
HOW TO GET THERE TO THE WINELANDS AND COMMUTE AMONG VINEYARDS
The South Africa Wine Route plan from Cape Town is simple and enjoyable. Go from winery to winery doing wine tastings and enjoying how beautiful and relaxed the entire environment is.
About Us We leave the Winelands for the last stop of our trip through South Africa and it was the perfect ending. We spent two days touring the area and slept near Paarl. If you want to sleep in the wine region you can stay in Franschoek, a town with a lot of charm. If you don't have time you can also visit it with your rental car in one day from Cape Town or hire a tour, if you don't have a car or prefer not to drive. There is also a tourist tram that moves between different towns and wineries.
How to visit the most beautiful vineyards in South Africa from Cape Town
Visiting the wineries with your own car is the best way, but you will have to be more careful with the wine!
It only takes 45 minutes from Cape Town and going by car and on your own You can stop at any winery you like, take a stroll through Stellenbosch or Franschhoek, and even take a detour from the cara trip to get to know the area a little better, which, to be honest, has some beautiful countryside landscapes.
Winlands Tour
Another way to do The South African wine route is a guided tour, The negative part is that the wineries are selected and the times may be somewhat tight. But it is not a bad option if you are in Cape Town without a vehicle or if you prefer not to drive, we leave you the tour with the best score that we have found and at a very good price.
Vineyards by tram, What is the Wine-Tram?
Undoubtedly, the most original way The best way to travel the wine route in South Africa is with the Wine-Tram. Yes Yes the wine tram.
The origins of the Wine-Tram date back to 1904, when roads were built to facilitate the transportation of agricultural products to the market. After decades of operation with steam and diesel locomotives, the railway line fell into disuse in the 1990s. However, in 2012, it was rehabilitated to put the Wine Tram into operation.
We leave you the map so you can get an idea of how it works, since although the fun part is the sections on the tracks most trips are made by bus. With the same entry you will do hop-on, hop-off to go to the wineries you want.
As I said, the wine tram is the most original and fun way to explore the area, but The price of just the routes is the same as that of the tour that includes 15 wines.
WINE TASTING IN SOUTH AFRICA
Doing wine tastings in the South African vineyard area is very simple and cheaper than you could imagine, or at least what we imagined if we compare it with living this experience in Spain or France.
We loved the concept, and it is that you go to any winery and they all have a table area, either on a patio or with views of the vineyards. Then you sit down no reservation required and they bring you the carCheck with the tasting options they have or the bottle list.
Don't worry, it's not all wine. All wineries It has appetizers to share such as charcuterie and cheese boards or spreads. Many of them also have a restaurant section with prices more European than the rest of South Africa, but for the location and in general, the good-looking dishes aren't worth it. carYou can eat well for €10-€20/person, it will depend a lot on the wine cellar and what you order.
How much do wine tastings cost in South Africa?
You can find tastings of various wines, and even wines paired with cheeses for less than € 4. Take note of the name Fairview, because it was a winery that We loved it! and we paid 75 rands (€3,70) for 6 wines and 6 locally produced cheeses, their specialty is goat cheese, a delight.
In general terms, doing the wine route in South Africa You will pay between €3,5 and €8 for a tasting of 4 to 6 wines. There are some more special ones that increase in price or in the Franschhoek area there are sparkling wine tastings, which also have a higher price, around 270 rand, €13 for 6 glasses.
Wine tastings with chocolate y other sweets in south africa
Chocolate tastings in South Africa are common, their wines They pair with dark chocolates and spicy touches. Some of the wineries on the wine route that offer Cchocolate & wine tasting They are the following;
- Waterford Estate, 3 wines and 3 chocolates for 150 rand.
- Lanzerac, 5 wines and 5 chocolates for R195.
There are other wineries that offer more special sweet tastings, such as Eikendal with its tasting of 3 wines and 3 cheesecakes for R170.
Wine tastings with cheese or billtong
Another common feature in any wine-growing area are wine and cheese tastings, of course, South Africa is no exception. Many wineries They offer different cheeses of their own production to accompany their wines, and they are even for sale in small shops inside the wineries. You will also find it in some wineries with Billtong which is carne seca (Ultra popular in South Africa!).
These are some of the sites that you can sign up to make a Cheese & Wine Tasting;
- Fairview, our favorite. The goat cheeses were delicious. Offers 6 wines and 6 cheeses for R75. There is also the option of mixing cheeses with Billtong or tasting with sausages.
- High, 4 cheeses and 4 wines for 150 rand.
BEST WINERY South Africa Wine Route from Cape Town
Walking the wine route we realized that it is impossible to make a ranking of the best wineries because They are all pretty and have their own style, So we recommend that you at least stop at one at random and see what it offers.
But we know that it can be a bit overwhelming to decide…Remember there are more than 500! So to try to help you We have selected the ones that we liked the most or that other travelers have recommended to us.
Alto Wine State, one of the most beautiful wineries in the Winelands
Possibly what we liked most about it was the surroundings, From the charming terrace they have views of the vineyards and the Helderberg mountain. According to what they told us, because of their location, they have a large production of red wine. And we decided to try them in a tasting of 4 wines + 4 cheeses for 150 rands and they also have the option of 4 wines without food for 50 rands.
It is a very good place to have an aperitif, the cheese and cold cuts boards look very good, and they also have bottles of wine from 100 rand.
Babylonstoren Wine Estate
It is one of the oldest Dutch estates. What differentiates it from many others is its garden and orchard, which are the basis for creating its menus.
Without a doubt, eating there has to be an experience and everything must be delicious. And not only eat, but They also offer tours of their garden and even olive oil and balsamic vinegar tastings.. For this type of experiences you must reserve in your website.
Fairview, our favorite winery in South Africa
I maintain that the best cannot be selected, but Fairview Wine and Cheese we fell in love. All the wines and cheeses (cow and goat) were delicious and It has a different concept where you do the tasting standing around some giant barrels and they present the wines to you one by one, an informal and very social style where to comment even with other people at the table.
There are tastings from R75 and even options for children with cheese tasting plus a sweet drink or just cheeses.
Furthermore, it is a place carSteeped in history, it is one of the oldest wineries in the area. Its first wine was produced in 1699.
Boschendal Wine Estate, a mythical wine route in South Africa
It is one of the wineries from 1685, which has become one of the largest on the wine route with many options on its menu for both drinking and eating.
Everything happens around a beautiful courtyard, where you can eat casually, order something to eat, or take a snack.car or do a wine tasting from 150 rand. Although most tastings are around 200. It's one of the few places where you can do a tasting of 4 wines and 4 oysters for 240 rand (€11), and cheese and charcuterie have the same price.
It is the most carWe visited, but the prices still don't seem right to us. caror for the type of premium experience that it is.
Waterford Estate
It is not one of the wineries with the most history, but it is undeniably It is in a beautiful environment and both the patio where the tasting takes place and all the interiors and exteriors of the winery are cared for in detail. It offers tastings of 6 wines from R150 and also wine & chocolate tastings.
Lanzerac Estate
With a history dating back to 1692, Lanzerac Wine Estate is a historic landmark and icon of Stellenbosch. The property, located in the idyllic Jonkershoek Valley, has stunning views of its vineyards and acres of gardens shaded by giant oak trees.
Inside it is also beautiful, in fact, the property is listed as a Provincial Heritage Site.
They have a gourmet restaurant if you want to treat yourself and they offer wine tastings from R95 or wine and chocolate tastings for R195.
What else to do near the Winelands
In a few kilometers there are many interesting places, such as the 1-day route through the Cape Peninsula, the road trip through the Garden Route and of course visit Cape.
We hope we have been of help, to learn more about the South African Wine Route and the different options to enjoy its charming wineries. If you have any other recommendations, don't hesitate to leave them in the comments!
To find out more about our trip you can check the highlights of Instagram and for more information about travel to south africa Here you have all our articles.
Thanks for reading us!
Did you know….
By purchasing through our links you are supporting us at no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping us grow ♥
