Our Top Five / Wine-Tasting Vineyards >>

Our criterion for wine-tasting in South Africa isn’t only about the quality of the wine, but it also includes the beauty of the setting and buildings as well as the service. The memory of a good wine-tasting experience should, after all, linger long after the tannins have left. Although all the below produce excellent wines, our personal favourite tipples (as oppose to wine-tasting venues) are Springfield Estate (Sauvingnon Blanc), Ken Forrester (the best Chenin Blanc in the world - the famous FMC), Iona (Sauvignon Blanc), Diemersfontein (Pinotage) and Rupert and Rothschild (Vignerons Red Blend). However some of these are located away from the main wine routes or are only open to tasting upon appointment, so we've chosen a nice 'blend' of accessible venues with great views, architecture and wines.

The local specialities, Pinotage and Chenin Blanc, are making a come-back and South African wines are increasingly finding themselves in the prize-winning sections of western wine shops, rather than on the ‘cheap plonk’ shelves they used to inhabit. However the quality is still highly varied and if you want to combine great wines with cracking locations, we recommend the five vineyards below.

If you are staying in a village like Franschhoek you have so many beautiful vineyards on your doorstep you may want to just drop in on the places you like the look of and take your chances with quality. There are so many excellent vineyards you'll probably want to chose one that's closest to your route. We've chosen our favourites in the Stellenbosch area. There are other excellent options around Hermanus, Paarl, Constantia (nearer to Cape Town) and all along Route 62.

If you want to have a cellar or vineyard tour, you may need to phone in advance.

So, in no particular order…

Waterford Estate (A couple of kilometres south of Stellenbosch Town)

The approach to Waterford Estate is enough to get you salivating. After climbing up a dirt road above Stellenbosch you enter along a driveway of vineyards lined by well-manicured lavendar. The main building itself is an attractive Tuscan-style affair surrounding a peaceful courtyard. The tasting experience is the best we've had (and they have won international awards for the cellar-door experience) with very knowledgeable staff, an excellent cellar tour and plenty of wines to chose from (allow at least an hour for the tasting) creating the perfect ambience. We really enjoyed their Blanc de Noir 'Rose-Mary' for sumertime easy drinking, but they are better-known for their Kevin Arnold Shiraz's and cheaper Pecan Stream white and red blends. Finish it off with a chocolate and dessert wine pairings.

Rustenburg (A few kilometres north-east of Stellenbosch Town)

In one of the most attractive settings in the winelands Rustenburg is approached up a long narrow tree-lined road through working farms and orchards. The original Schoongezich Manor House is your picture-postcard Cape-Dutch farmhouse complete with immaculate lawns. The vineyards are nestled at the foot of the Simonsberg range, permitting superb views over the Stellenbosch Valley. This historic charm, however, belies the very modern and stylish cellar-style tasting facility that is well-managed. The majority of the 'Brampton' range of wines are not particularly notable for anything more than everyday sipping but the more limited Rusternburg brand includes some worthy prize-winners including the Cab Sauv Peter Barlow 2005 and the Bordeaux blend John X Merriman 2006.

Vergelegen (Somerset West)

Just off the N2, this is a convenient stop-over for you if you are on your way to the Garden Route from Cape Town. The classic Cape Dutch building is nestled amongst the Camphor Forest, which also makes a great setting for their wonderful picnics. Vergelegen makes some of the best reds (especially the Cab Sauv, Merlot and varietals) in South Africa, as witnessed by their ever-expanding trophy cabinet of local and international awards.

Thelema (On road between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek)

If you are a wine connoisseur, serious about trying the best South Africa has to compete with other New World regions, this should be your pick of the winelands. Consistently winning recognition for its reds (including one of the ‘Wine Producers of the Year’ by in the prestigious US Wine and Spirit Magazine Awards), you know from the tasting notes and expertise of the staff that you are amongst kindred spirits at Thelema. The situation isn’t too shabby either, with a view to the Drakenstein Mountains.

Ernie Els (Just outside Stellenbosch off the road to Somerset West)

We really didn’t want like this apparently cynical attempt to cash in on an internationally-acclaimed South African name. Better known for his woods than his corks, Ernie Els has produced, in partnership with lifelong friend Jean Engelbrecht, something quite special here. Truly world-class red blends that are exported international including the top-of-the-range signature Bordeaux Varietals ‘Ernie Els’ (with prices to match) and the more affordable 'Engelbrecht Els', this is more about the passion for good wine rather than the man. Combined with cracking views across the Stellenbosch Valley, this can't help but impress.