The Stellenbosch wine route was launched in April 1971 by the vintners of three prominent estates: Spier, Simonsig and Delheim. Today, the route comprises a great number of estates, and tastings and cellar tours are offered throughout the week at most of the vineyards.
t The lush green vines of the picturesque Stellenbosch Winelands
EXPERIENCE The Cape Winelands and West Coast
n Double-tap image to read the labels
Located up on the Helshoogte Pass, the Tokara estate has sweeping views across False Bay to Table Mountain. As well as excellent wines, the estate produces brandy and olive oil. The restaurant is housed in a striking elevated glass-and-steel cube with wonderful mountain views and tapestries by William Kentridge. The delicatessen has a child-friendly, sunny deck for breakfast and light meals, and sells Tokara’s own olive oil and kalamata olives, as well as handmade Belgian chocolates and South African cheeses. The public buildings are also a showcase for the work of local artists.
Bounded by the Eerste River, the Spier Wine Estate made its first wine in 1712. Spier grows all the major South African red grape varietals – Merlot, Cabernet, Shiraz and Pinotage – and produces a good range of everyday reds and whites, along with some award-winning winemaker’s specials aimed at connoisseurs. There is plenty to do at this family-friendly estate besides wine tasting. Gourmet dining is on offer at Eight Restaurant, while at the Farm Kitchen deli you can assemble (or prebook) a picnic to enjoy on the lawns beside the lake. You can walk around the Protea Garden, visit Eagle Encounters (a bird of prey rehabilitation centre) and explore the farm on horseback. The well-stocked crafts market offers locally produced items. The estate is also home to a luxury hotel with a spa open to day visitors.
t Enjoying some of Spier’s wines in the estate’s airy tasting room
The vines and the five old camphor trees in front of this estate’s magnificent manor house were planted in 1700, when the property belonged to Cape Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel. Today the manor house is filled with period furniture and fine paintings, a tasting room, a shop, displays on the history of the estate, and two restaurants: Camphors at Vergelegen is the formal à la carte option and Stables at Vergelegen is a café/bistro open for breakfast, lunch and teas. From November to April, picnics complete with white tablecloths can be arranged under the shade of van der Stel’s camphor trees.
Set in a pretty green valley, the Boschendal Estate ranks among the oldest and most enjoyable of Wineland destinations. It was founded in 1685, when Simon van der Stel granted a farm named “Bossendaal” to Jean le Long, a French Huguenot who planted the first vines there. The property was transferred to Abraham de Villiers in 1715, after which it remained in his family for a century. Paul de Villiers built the present Boschendal Manor House – a magnificent example of Cape Dutch architecture – in 1812.
Reached via a beautiful long drive lined with tall trees, the H-shaped manor is now a museum featuring vintage furniture. Boschendal also features a wine-tasting facility, a wine shop, and a classy restaurant serving farm-to-table food and irresistible French-style picnics on the lawn.
EXPERIENCE The Cape Winelands and West Coast
BEST OF THE REST
Saxenburg
∑ saxenburg.co.za
The terroir at award-winning Saxenburg is ideally suited to Shiraz.
Neethlingshof
∑ neethlingshof.co.za
A famous avenue of pines leads to this iconic gabled homestead.
Thelema
∑ thelema.co.za
A family-run estate in a scenic location atop the Helshoogte Pass.
Morgenhof
∑ morgenhof.com
Owned by the famous Cointreau family of Cognac, in France.
Delheim
∑ delheim.com
Delheim’s brick wine cellar is particularly atmospheric.