The bulk of South Africa's wine comes from the area we classically call the Cape Winelands which includes the towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Wellington and Paarl.
Once just a collection of independent wineries, each doing their own thing, the Winelands have become more user-friendly, with the formation of wine routes. It makes good marketing sense for the wine producers and it's also easier for you because the various cellars are well sign-posted.
The following wineries and sights can be seen in this video:
But the Cape Winelands is not only about wine any more! Many of the wine estates have begun adding olives and cheeses and offering guided tours, gift shops, play parks, museums and restaurants.
At some of the small estates however, you may still end up sitting in a cellar, sipping wines with the wine maker himself!
The fertile Constantia Valley is the birthplace of the wine farming industry in South Africa. Discover the delights on offer on each of the five vineyards.
The Durbanville Wine Valley consists of nine wineries, each offering the finest in wines, and complemented with great restaurants and intimate country kitchens.
Franschhoek wine estates are situated in an incredibly beautiful valley and they produce some of the world’s finest wines. More than 40 wineries make up this wine route.
Estates forming the Paarl Wine Route are in an area surrounding the town of Paarl. The town lies on the bank of the Berg River and is surrounded by the Paarl and Drakenstein Mountains.