Wine Estates

This time of the year we get lots of visitors and we would be out wine routing all the time if it wasn’t for the growing bundle of joy in my belly. This is a list I drew up for our house guests. The Platter guide of 600+ wine estates is a bit daunting for a first timer and guidebooks tend to mention the more commercial spots. Most of the places listed here are small or smallish. We tried to keep it as short as possible. It doesn’t pretend to be a comprehensive list or account for all the most amazing wines in this spectacular wine region. It is mostly focused on places where you receive a warm personal welcome with a few view-or just wine-focused places in between. I will save this as a page and edit as we visit new ones.

Stellenbosch - highest concentration of wine farms.

Raats Family – amazing chenin blanc & cab franc. One of our favorites out this way. need to call first.

Stark-Conde – Excellent shiraz and cab sav. Stunning spot, off the beaten track, tasting room on an island in a dam surrounded by mountains.

De Trafford – Excellent shiraz and straw wine. At the end of a really windy stunning road. great wines, very friendly small cellar.

Thelema – beautiful whites stunning views.

Camberley -small off the beaten track. Good reds, friendly service and beautiful spot.

Dombeya/ Haskell – beautiful red blends. Beautiful spot.

Grangehurst – Great pinotage. Small off the beaten track spot. Warm welcome.

Muratie – Port tasting. Old wine farm.

Hidden Valley- Overture- top restaurant. need to book. Amazing view.

Babylonstoren- Babel restaurant is one of our favorites at the moment. Great/interesting vegetarian food all grown on the farm (organic meat and fish options too). Booked up months in advance but no bookings for outside tables so arrive at noon and you will usually get one.

 

Franschhoek – Most picturesque area in the winelands. A must visit for everyone.

My wijn – Passionate garagiste with excellent wines. Friendly welcome in the most beautiful setting high up on the mountain. Need to book.

Colmant – Exceptional South African sparkling wine and good value Champagne (imported). Small beautiful farm with enthusiastic Belgian owners..

Boekenhoutskloof – Excellent reds in one of the most picturesque spots. More commercial (Platters wine farm of the year) but well worth the visit.

Café Bon Bon – Lovely food in a garden setting. Favored by locals slightly out of the way.

Swartland- Very interesting new wine region with quirky producers. off the beaten track. Excellent wines. Known for interesting blends of Rhone varietals. All Swartland ones need to be booked in advance. It is also fun to go to Riebeek Kasteel for lunch at barbarblacksheep and do a tasting in town.

Badenhorst family – Excellent wines for excellent value. Fun owner.

Mullineux – Family wine farm. Top producers of the moment.

Sadie family – Eben Sadie throws cartwheels at wine events. Literally. His blends are the most expensive ones in SA but they sure are magical. One for the fundies.

Hemel en Aarde, Elgin & Bot River cooler climate on way to Hermanus (for whale watching). Closest to burgundy style, which is my favorite. Stuninng chardonnays and pinot noir. Lots of small wine farms to choose from.

Bouchard Finlayson – Best pinot noir and chardonnay. Well known.

Ataraxia – Great wines. Incredible views and friendly service.

Paul Cluver – excellent whites (esp. minerally riesling). More commercial as a farm. Cool little low key restaurant called Fresh. So by on the way to Hemel en Aarde.

Luddite – amazing shiraz

Kolkol -not a wine farm but a great out of the way local place to eat with a killer view and a winelist with all the tiny local wines.

Constantia – Closest to Cape Town. Known for its whites but has come out with some great reds lately.

Eagle’s Nest – Killer Shiraz. Off the beaten track.

Constantia Glen- Nice red blends. Beautiful setting.