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The Western Cape Winelands are a must-visit destination for anyone venturing to beautiful Cape Town. Whether you're a wine lover, nature enthusiast, or just someone looking to experience something unique, these picturesque vineyards offer more than just a glass of wine. Let's dive into five incredible wine farms you absolutely cannot miss and why they should be at the top of your travel list!

There are three dimensions or pillars to the concept of sustainability: environment, society and economy. Draw up a Venn diagram and at the point where all three circles overlap you’d have the perfect little patch of sustainability, because all three elements are inextricably linked and mutually dependent.

Ensconced between the Langeberg and Riviersonderend mountain ranges, Robertson happens to be the longest wine route in South Africa, which includes the towns of Robertson, Bonnievale, McGregor and Ashton following Route 62.

September is here, bringing spring with it! After the cold, wet and snowy July and August, spring sunshine is more than welcome, as are spring flowers. After last month’s visit to Worcester, this month’s drive between Worcester and Robertson is on the famous wine Route 62, where spring flowers and scented indigenous bushes line the roadside.

Tucked away in South Africa's Western Cape lies the picturesque Robertson wine region, a hidden gem known for its breathtaking landscapes, vibrant wine culture, and warm hospitality. Whether you’re a wine enthusiast or simply in search of a relaxing getaway, Robertson offers an array of activities and accommodations that will leave you wanting more. Here’s your guide to discovering the best of this charming region, featuring five must-visit wine farms.

It’s a question often asked: “Can you really taste the difference between a range of wines?”. When you’re sat at a table, tasked with assessing 60, 80 or 100 wines in a competition setting, it is fairly easy to distinguish between wines. The reason is simple: tasters generally assess different flights of between eight, 12 and 15 wines at a time. It doesn’t often happen that you have 50 or 60 wines of the same type lined up in front of you.

“Worcester is a very dry and extreme region,” shares Callie Coetzee, viticultural advisor for Vinpro. The Breede he says is its lifeblood and feeds the majority of the irrigation schemes. As the river carves through the interior; vines, olive trees, and homesteads spring up in its wake. Without this historic, life-giving river and its tributaries, there would be no agriculture in Worcester.

The Worcester area is wonderful to visit during winter. Why? Anyone who drove from Cape Town during July, would have enjoyed the remarkable experience of the effect of winter storms on the mountains en route and around the eponymous town. Driving through Du Toitskloof on the N1, the sheer cliffs towering close to and above the road are brought alive with roaring waterfalls cascading to the river below. As the pass emerges into the Breede River valley, the river demonstrates why it’s called Breede or wide river, the rains having broadened it; driving across the bridge, with the raging river so close is another excitement. But it’s the mountains in front that provide the real drama; snow covers the tops and a lot further down than usual; the storms brought beauty as well as damage.

Nestled in the picturesque and sheltered Breede River Valley, the Worcester wine district is a hidden gem waiting to be explored. Known for its stunning landscapes, historic vineyards, and warm hospitality, Worcester offers a delightful escape for wine enthusiasts and travellers alike. This guide will take you through five must-visit wine farms and the diverse tourist activities and accommodation options that make this region so special.

The middle of the year marks competition season. International shows and awards garner the most attention but there are significant local ones which deserve mention too. Among them, the Investec Trophy Wine Show (TWS) is prime – and one result or award in particular had eyebrows raised and tongues wagging… for all the right reasons. The result in question was the performance of Nederburg at the 2024 staging of the Trophy Show. One wine, Nederburg’s Winemasters Shiraz 2022 walked off with no fewer than three trophies!

“The main feature in Paarl is the mountain,” says Charles Back of Fairview and Spice Route fame. “It’s the second largest block of granite in the world.” The historic town is named for this monolith, ‘Paarl’ meaning ‘Pearl’ for the way Paarl Rock glistens after the rains.

“The main feature in Paarl is the mountain,” says Charles Back of Fairview and Spice Route fame. “It’s the second largest block of granite in the world.” The historic town is named for this monolith, ‘Paarl’ meaning ‘Pearl’ for the way Paarl Rock glistens after the rains.

Paarl is not only a town and a wine region but also boasts an outstanding landmark, Paarl Rock, a huge, rounded, smooth granite outcrop rising 542 metres above the town and visible from miles away. The Afrikaans name, Paarl, reflects the rock’s pearl-like appearance when it rains. It forms part of the larger Paarl Mountain and its Nature Reserve with many hiking trails.

Nestled in the heart of South Africa’s Western Cape, the Paarl wine region is a treasure trove of lush vineyards, historic wine estates, and breathtaking scenery. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or simply seeking a charming getaway, Paarl offers an array of activities and getaways that promise an unforgettable experience. Here’s a helpful guide to exploring this enchanting region, featuring five must-visit wine farms.

One of the aspects of being human means the Average Joe and Jane are attracted to bright shiny things, big things which are tangible and can make them go “Ooh!” and “Aah!”. It’s why our ancestors wanted to harness fire and be able to mould metal into weapons. It’s also why big national parks with their thousands of hectares filled with the Big Five are awe inspiring and what every tourist wants to brag about. After all, rhino, elephant, lion, buffalo and leopard are hugely impressive when seen in their natural habitat. But so are dung beetles and frogs – and their impact on the environment is no less profound than the landscape engineering effected by elephants downing trees.

At 34° south, Cape Agulhas is at the southern-most tip of Africa; from there, a vast expanse of wild ocean separates it from Antarctica. If rounding the Cape was a voyage for explorers, the Agulhas Wine Triangle is a vineyard for explorers.

Nestled in the southernmost tip of Africa, the Agulhas Wine Triangle in the Western Cape is not only home to some of the most breathtaking landscapes and unique terroirs but also to a community of wine farms dedicated to fostering the next generation of winemakers. These wine farms understand that the future of their craft lies in the hands of today’s youth and have taken proactive steps to support and nurture young talent. Here, we delve into five exceptional Cape Agulhas wine farms that are paving the way for the winemakers of tomorrow.

You really think you know a place… until you’re confronted with a new set of facts that forces you to look at it through an entirely new lens. That’s exactly what happened on a recent visit to Meerlust, a name which is arguably one of South African wine’s most recognisable, locally and abroad. For years, before the floodgates to international markets opened post-1994, Meerlust Rubicon was probably the one wine most often associated with South Africa in the export market. The Stellenbosch powerhouse set the benchmark for SA Bordeaux-style blends for everyone else to follow.

Nature’s abundance is a fitting description of Elgin, a high-lying valley, around an hour’s drive south-east of Cape Town. Many years known for its apple and pear orchards, Elgin’s cool climate is also suited to wine growing. Although vines were planted there in the 19th century, it was only in 1986 the Elgin vineyards we know today were planted on the Cluver family’s De Rust farm. Early vintages of Paul Cluver Wines were made at Nederburg; the new home-farm cellar and current winemaker, Andries Burger, being inaugurated in 1997. Their ongoing commitment to expressing the character of Elgin is recognised, in particular in Paul Cluver chardonnay and pinot noir.

Nestled amidst the breathtaking landscapes of the Western Cape lies Elgin, a region renowned for its crisp apples, serene orchards, and, of course, its exquisite vineyards. Beyond the allure of its world-class wines, Elgin's wine farms serve as vital hubs for community cohesion and upliftment. Here, amidst the rolling hills and verdant valleys, a sense of camaraderie blossoms like the vines, as wine farms play a pivotal role in bringing people together, fostering connections, and uplifting local communities.

Elgin used to be known as South Africa’s apple orchard. It still is – but the focus is not solely on the tempting fruit. Thirty years ago Nederburg’s viticulturist Ernst Le Roux took a punt on planting grapes in the area, believing that the cool valley was suited to Burgundian grapes, chardonnay and pinot noir. The valley’s destiny was altered with that decision.

This is extreme viticulture. Vines grow in Agulhas on the edge of the African continent, facing howling sea gales and rooted precariously in marginal soils. The primordial soils are said to date back over 300-million years, remnants from the ancient formation of the Cape Fold mountains. These include layers of undisturbed laterite, sandstone, shale, with pockets of quartz and limestone. These most southerly vines find themselves located between the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans, where the two giant masses meet. The ominously named Black Southeaster is a constant presence, the harbinger of storms.

Just a short drive from bustling Paarl, Wellington has the aura of a country town, mainly due to its primary industry of farming; wine and table grapes form the main crops with deciduous fruit. As an adjunct to wine, there’s a major brandy distiller on the edge of town.

Welcome, wine lovers and do-gooders alike! Today, we're raising our glasses to a cause that's close to our hearts: wine for good in South Africa's vibrant wine industry. Get ready to uncork the magic of giving back while enjoying the finest wines that Wellington in the Western Cape, has to offer!

If your inner voice didn’t automatically respond “Awethu!” to that headline, then you’ve not been around South African struggle politics or political demonstrations much.

70 kilometres east of Cape Town, the landscape changes dramatically over the boundary of Sir Lowry’s Pass. Into the heart of ancient sandstone Hottentots Holland mountains, the hills start to shade in greener. The abundant nature and veritable forests of fynbos are thanks to the surrounding Kogelberg Biosphere, a UNESCO World Heritage site. At the centre of this 3000-hectare nature reserve Elgin’s vineyards correspondingly adhere to sustainable practices; such as the Biodiversity Wine Initiative (BWI) scheme as well as the Integrated Production of Wine system (IPW). The 20 estates all have an overarching commitment to eco-friendly viticulture.

‘Where is the Karoo?’ One might ask this question, as there is no exact definition; generally, this arid to semi-arid region covers part of the Eastern, Western and Northern Cape Provinces.

SIPPING WITH PURPOSE | Fairtrade Wines and the Top 4 Karoo Delights in the Western Cape to enjoy them at!

Perspective is, according to the Oxford Dictionary, “a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something; a point of view”. Recently, accompanying a group of 15 American wine enthusiasts, all members of the Napa Valley Wine School, provided an interesting view of something that we, as South African wine lovers and consumers, almost overlook every time a bottle is opened. And that’s the sustainability seal, that little green protea graphic with a bunch of numbers which is affixed to every bottle of South African wine and what it means.

Carve up from Cape Town along the storied Route 62 and watch as the landscape stacks ever skyward, the mountains scaling up as the road whips through. These ancient monoliths are some of the highest in the Western Cape and inform the viticulture here. The soils crumble down, Table Mountain sandstone, granite, Bokkeveld shale. They command the weather too, casting rain shadows, directing cloud formation. The rocky curves twist and fold along the river creating pockets, valleys and kloofs, little oases for vineyards in this otherwise dry, desert region.

Many of the Cape’s vineyards claim to be ‘within sight of the sea’; few lie as close to the sea’s edge as those of Fryer’s Cove, a mere 500 metres from the Atlantic Ocean in the West Coast’s Doring Bay.

Hey wine enthusiasts, gather around because it's time to celebrate a special occasion - South Africa's Wine Birthday! That's right, this vibrant nation has been producing delicious wines for centuries, and what better way to honour this tradition than by raising a glass (or two) in celebration? If you're looking to indulge in some exceptional wine experiences, the picturesque West Coast of Cape Town is where you need to be!

Look right, look left – and look right again. That was always the advice drilled into children before crossing the road.

“Terroir exists in the skins and the stalks,” asserts Dan Colombo when asked about terroir versus technique when it comes to skin-contact, oxidative wines. This is the first time the young winemaker (just over the edge of 30), is showing his full line-up of wines in one sitting. The eponymous range are all minimalist, texture-driven, skin-contact wines. Colombo says he keeps the sense of site intact by extracting whole bunches ‘very lightly’.

The beauty of the winelands delights all who visit the Cape; it’s a beauty distinctive to each area, making it unnecessarily difficult to pick a favourite.

The Western Cape of South Africa is known for its beautiful scenery, warm weather, and of course, delicious wine. The wine industry in the Western Cape dates back to the 17th century when the Dutch East India Company established a refreshment station at the Cape. They quickly realized the potential for wine production due to the Mediterranean-like climate and rich soils.

The festive season for South African sparkling wine producers is usually shorter than some of their still wine making compatriots. While some winemakers are still standing ankle-deep in beach sand with a fishing rod in hand, enjoying well-deserved time off, others have to pack up the bikes and boogie boards to get back to the winery. That’s because the grapes destined for Cap Classique need to be picked earlier than Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay or Merlot. The first week in January is when the first bunches are snipped from the vines – and already social media has reflected photos of the first truck loads of grapes making it to the winery.