Top 10 wine routes in the Western Cape

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 Governor 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.

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 winemaking, 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! Just rent a car in Cape Town and go!

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