Cape Winelands - fruits of the vine

TThe Groot Constantia Wine Estate is South Africa's oldest wine estate and dates back to 1865. It is also the closest wine region to the Mother City and only a 20-minute drive from Cape Town.

Spier Wine Estate has one of the Cape's oldest wine cellars, dating back to 1767. The estate continues to produce world-class wines to this day.

The oldest wine route is the Stellenbosch Wine Route, founded in 1971. JC Le Roux, a well known sparkling wine, is produced here and is a must visit.  Other wine farms you shouldn’t miss in Stellenbosch are Jordan, Tokara, Warwick and Thelema Mountain Vineyards. Friendly service and great wines are the order of the day at any of these well-known estates.

The internationally renowned Nederburg Wine Estate, as well as numerous other premier brands, can be found in the country’s third oldest town, Paarl.

IIt is not only the wine and food that is great, the scenic drive will leave you breathless. Most Cape wine estates are characterised by classic Cape Dutch-style buildings. There is also a distinct European influence in a number of regions, thanks to the arrival of French Huguenots, Dutch and German settlers during the 18th century.

The town of Robertson, a two-hour drive east of Cape Town, is home to the acclaimed Robertson Winery, winner of numerous international awards for its Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay varietals. In addition to its wine, the Wellington region is famous for its brandy.

South Africa’s winelands stretch from the Cape Overberg in the south-western Cape, through the Little Karoo and the West Coast into the adjacent province of the Northern Cape, with wine farms in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and even Gauteng.