So you finally managed to get a bunch of friends together and do that wine tasting tour you’ve been meaning to do for so long. The problem is, you only have one day to discover the best wines of a particular region, so where do you go? A list of the top10 wine routes in the Western Cape should make the task of having to choose a bit easier, so here we go:
1. The Stellenbosch wine route
Known as the Stellenbosch American Express® Wine Routes, this route is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the Western Cape. The routes represent more than 200 wine and grape producers within the boundaries of the Stellenbosch Wine of Origin classification. The Wine Route is divided into five sub-routes.
2. The Wellington wine route
Wellington is on the R62 and within a 30 minutes radius of other Boland towns. The Wellington wine route is small and compact and the cellars are within easy driving distance of each other. Meet the winemakers and learn more about their wines.
3. The Franschhoek wine route
The picturesque Franschhoek Wine Valley offers breathtaking scenery, warm hospitality, South Africa’s Gourmet Capital, fine wines, distinctive artists, and a small village atmosphere.
4. The Helderberg wine route
The Helderberg region has its own wine route which incorporates more than 20 wine estates. As a sub-route of the Stellenbosch Wine routes, it includes Vergelegen, Ken Forrester Wines at Scholtzenhof Vineyards, Morgenster Estate, Post House Cellar and many others.
5. The Breedekloof wine route
The Breedekloof region consists of 27 wineries from the Rawsonville, Slanghoek, Goudini and Breede River areas, and they range from small boutique wineries to estates and large cellars.
6. The Durbanville wine route
In the Tygerberg Hills, only 20 minutes drive from Cape Town, lies the Durbanville Wine Valley. The Durbanville Wine Valley consists of twelve wineries, each offering the finest in wines, and complemented with some of the best fine dining restaurants and country kitchens in the region.
7. The Constantia wine route
The renowned Constantia Valley with its moderate climate and rich soil, is home to the oldest wine estates in South Africa. This is the area that Simon van der Stel, first Govenor of the Cape, chose to cultivate and develop in 1685. The Constantia wine route is within 5-10 minutes of the many exclusive guest houses and hotels located in Constantia and surrounds.
Above: Constantia Valley, in the heart of Cape Town's Southern Suburbs, is the oldest wine-making region in the southern hemisphere, dating back to 1685. Photo: ifijay
8. The Elgin Wine Route
The Elgin Valley Wine Route has 18 wine producing members. Some of the wine estates, are Mofam, Panorama, and Somersfontein.
9. The Little Karoo wine route
The Klein Karoo Wine Route stretches along part of Route 62. Wines are fruity, highly drinkable and rank with the best in the country. Pick up a wine route map and there are no fewer than 21 wine cellars and brandy producers to choose from, providing days worth of wine tasting and scenic driving.
10. The Tulbagh wine route
Tulbagh is innovative to their approach to wine making, with Tween Jongen Gezellen being the first estate to introduce night harvesting in South Africa.
Take a trip to one of these exciting wine routes!
Sources:
http://blog.sa-venues.com/provinces/western-cape/klein-karoo-wine-route/
http://www.tulbaghwineroute.com/
http://www.wineroute.co.za/welcome.aspx
Born and bred in Bloemfontein, this Free state gal is an obsessive reader and hiker and loves discovering... all the time.
As an e-marketing assistant and copywriter she believes social media is the future and plans to conquer Africa one word at a time.
View all posts by Cheréne Pienaar
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Peter Rayner 
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