Explore South Africa's oldest wine route

Only about 45-minutes’ drive from Cape Town, you’ll find the wine-making epicentre of South Africa: the Stellenbosch Wine Route. Comprising over 140 wineries, this is not only the Cape Winelands’ most prolific wine-producing region, but also the country’s oldest wine route. And that’s not even counting the berry, cheese, and olive farms interspersed along the route.

Because of its vast size, the Stellenbosch Wine Route has been divided into five sub-routes. The Stellenbosch Valley and Stellenbosch Berg route are known for cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, and Spier and Lanzerac are the must-visit estates here. Moving north toward Paarl, you’ll find the Greater Simonsberg route (nicknamed ‘Cabernet Country’), while the Bottelary Hills route in the direction of Cape Town is known for South Africa’s signature cultivar: Pinotage. Both whites and reds are well-represented on the southern-laying Helderberg route. 

Stellenbosch’s Mediterranean-like climate (sizzling-hot summers and soggy-wet winters) and diverse soil (ranging from gravel to clay) have made the region well-suited for wine production. The French Huguenots who settled here in the 1690s spotted this quality very early on and - thanks to their knowledge of viticulture – put into motion a wine-making history which has lasted well over 300 years.

Highlights

  • Only about 45-minutes’ drive from Cape Town, making it an ideal destination for a day trip or escape from the city 
  • The Stellenbosch Wine Route is South Africa’s oldest and most established wine route, with a history spanning over 300 years
  • Over 140 wineries can be found along the entire Stellenbosch Wine Route
  • The Stellenbosch Wine Route is divided into five sub-routes: Stellenbosch Valley, Stellenbosch Berg, Greater Simonsberg, Bottelary Hills, and Helderberg
  • Best time to go:
  • Best
  • Mixed

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