How to Explore the Wine Region of South Africa

Forget everything you know about wine country in the US, Italy and France. A South Africa wine country drive provides one of the most adventurous journeys you will ever take. This isn’t your typical wine county. The geography feels different. Not the kind of different where you have to worry at any moment you will see lions or some other wildlife jump out of the brush and surprise you. At least I haven’t heard of this happening. South Africa has a unique vibe that is hard to describe. The vineyards are small. The producers are so kind and the experience is just delightful. No big crowds and no feeling of being rushed so they can take the next person. This was one special wine drive through the country.

The Basics

South Africa is huge. In fact, it is the 24th largest country in the world (twice the size of France) covering some 1.2 million square miles. The seasons are the opposite of the US since it is below the equator. That means, winter time in the US is a great time to take the long haul flight to enjoy the beautiful South African summer.

You will find that most roadways are paved and street signs are pretty easy to follow.

The Harder Stuff

Like most countries that were formally sovereign nations within the British empire, in South Africa, people drive on the left side of the road. That also means when you pick up your rental car that is more than likely a stick shift (unless you pay extra) and that shift will be on the left side. It takes some serious mind tricks to uncomplicate this in your brain to make it work. But once you get the hang of it, it’s like doing the alphabet backwards. Every now and again you will need to slow down and remember where you are before moving forward.

If driving and shifting with your left hand doesn’t scare you then you are ready to experience a wine drive in South Africa in way that you’ve only seen in movies.

The Beauty of the Drive

Once you’ve shaken off the jitters and are comfortably seated behind the wheel. You will soon discover why this wine drive is so magical. There are two main areas where you want to focus your attention: Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Both have amazing wines and some pretty fantastic vineyards. Since you are likely to be flying into and out of Cape Town, you should start by heading out to Stellenbosch. Starting this way will allow you to end your journey with the vineyards closer to Cape Town in Constantia.

CapeTown to Stellenbosch

Start with the fact that your car is going to be filthy by the time you finish this drive. Between the gravel roads and the dirt parking lots it is a lot. But you have a rental so don’t worry about it.

If you drive straight to Stellenbosch from CapeTown, it should take you about 1 hour before you start to see the vines at the westernmost part of the region. In fact, many day tours from CapeTown are available that will leave early, do a few stops in Stellenbosch before dropping you back at your hotel. I’m a bit more independent, not to mention I don’t care for buses or large crowds when I’m touring so I like to go out on my own. Having your own ride, provides you with freedom and flexibility that no big bus tour can offer. You can explore smaller less known estates that are probably excluded from the big tours.

Start with Some Bubbles

Before you make it to the Stellenbosch center, you will start to see a myriad of wineries. It’s never too early for some bubbly so make your first stop Simonsig. This was the first winemaker to make a champagne-method wine. Here you can sample some of the Méthode Cap Classique, or MCC for short which is quite similar to champagne but with a price tag that is much more appealing. You could also try Villiera which is fairly close to Simonsig and also has the bubbles. This estate has a lot to explore including a wildlife sanctuary and a farm. You can sip some Cap Classique then head out on a game drive or bird watching excursion.

There are so many places to sample so I will just tell you to spend time around R44 which is the main motorway going into Stellenbosch and this will give you plenty of options to choose. A winery that I loved visiting was Muratie, one of the oldest wine estates in South Africa. This place dates back to 1685 and they have the cobwebs to prove it. However, they have only been making wine since the early 1900s. Spend some time exploring the rich history while you are there and sample some of the lesser known vintages that you won’t find in the market.

To tackle that hunger while sipping wine

There is no shortage of fabulous hotels in Stellenbosch. However, rather than taking a spot in the city, I recommend you head out to Delaire Graff Estates. This place was created by renowned diamantaire Laurence Graff. That’s right the makers of fine jewelry have a wine estate and luxurious hotel right in Stellenbosch.  The views from this place will stop you in your tracks and the wines were pretty on point.

If you are spending the night here in one of the super sexy lodges, make sure you dine at the onsite restaurant HŌSEKI and book an appointment to indulge at the spa. You would be doing yourself a disservice if you only spend one night but at some point you will have to leave the well appointed rooms and move on. When you are ready, make your way to Franschhoek.

Stellenbosch to Franschhoek

To get to Franschhoek from Stellenbosch, you will have some breathtaking views of the Groot Drakenstein, Franschhoek and Simonsberg mountains. Try to stay focused on the drive but don’t miss the opportunity to pull over to simply enjoy the scenery. Without stops, you can be in the region in under an hour (depending on where you stay in Stellenbosch) so there is no reason to rush.

Where to Stay

By the time you arrive in Franschhoek, you will be looking for some place nice to to contend with the luxury you just left behind in Stellenbosch. My absolute favorite is Babylonstoren. It has more of a rustic vibe and located in the foothills of the Franschhoek wine region making it the perfect jumping off point for exploring. I made this place my hub for the duration of my time in the region and it did not disappoint.

The hotel is on a farm which means you get farm fresh ingredients that were picked that day for everything. The breakfast spread made you want to sit for the entire day and the dinners were definitely worth a few Michelin stars. Better than this, you get two free bottles of the wine produced onsite in your room and a well stocked open bar. So in essence, you get free booze the entire time you are there.

The property has so much character that it’s hard to think about leaving and visiting other places. But you should. Peel yourself away from the spa, the morning hikes, bike rides and freshly made juices to get out and explore Franschhoek.

Exploring Franschhoek

With so many wines to explore in the region, it would be counter intuitive to provide names. I’ll drop a few that you might want to experience like La Bri and Eikehof. Just make your way down R45 which is dotted with wineries in every direction. Nevertheless, you will want to make reservations for tastings. Unlike some of the more commercial wine regions, most of the vineyards here are small and don’t have hoards of staff to handle walk ins all day. You should however, plan your day so that you land at one of the vineyards with really good food options like La Motte for lunch. The onsite bakery makes this a dangerous location if you are watching your waistline. You can enjoy a nice meal and take a few pastries for the road.

If you couldn’t land that reservation at La Colombe (Top 50 Restaurants in the World), then make your way to La Petite Colombe or EPice both notable restaurants under the La Colombe group. Make no mistake this is a splurge. However, if you love great food, this is the dining splurge you want to make. All the dishes are instagram worthy and will make your tastebuds do the happy dance.

Making your way back to CapeTown

So you are all the way here and it would be criminal not to take the skip over to Hermanus to catch a shark diving or whale watching tour. Call it a part of your adventure back to CapeTown. A short 1 hour drive will have you right in the middle of Hermanus known for its easy viewing of the Southern Right Whale. You can catch a small tour to see whales or if you are feeling more adventurous, step into a cage to get up close and personal with Great White Sharks.

Once you bring your heart rate back down from the eye to eye encounters with Great White Sharks, make a stop in Gordon’s Bay to grab some food at one of the outpost along the ocean and take in the views while enjoying the fresh catch of the day. I opted to spend the night in the area to give me time to recover from the adrenaline rush of the day. When you are ready, head towards Cape Town by way of Constantia for your last stop along your wine tour.

Constantia

The Constantia wine region is not to be overlooked. Sure, in publications about South African wines they are overshadowed by Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. But diversity of Constantia along with its proximity to the ocean helps to create some pretty unique Sauvignon Blancs. Here you will find the very first wine producing farm in South Africa, Groot. Make a stop here and explore a few of the other vineyards in the area before calling it a night in CapeTown.

More than Just Wine

South Africa has some amazing wine to experience and it also has an outstanding food scene. While the focus of this blog has been around wine and food, there is so much more to the this country that I hope you take some time to explore. Learn more about the adversity it has faced in recent history along with some of the triumphs of freedom. You will want to come back to this place, time and time again.