Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch has the most wine producers of all the wine producing regions in Southern Africa and is probably the most famous. She is steeped in history and home to some of the country’s best known wine estates. All this yumminess lies just 40km east of Cape Town – a quick  45 minutes’ drive.

The town of Stellenbosch, which lies at the heart of this winemaking area, is a gorgeous, historical university town with some of the best-preserved Victorian and Georgian buildings along Dorp Street, itself a national monument. Its oak-lined streets are home to a number of excellent restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques and galleries. The university is the only one in South Africa with a viticultural and oenological department and Stellenbosch is home to one of the most modern experimental wineries in the world.

Mesoclimates suitable for the cultivation of all types of grape varieties can be found among the exposed hills and sheltered valleys, due to the almost incalculable variety of terrior, Stellenbosch is divided into many different wine-producing areas The wards of Banghoek, Bottelary, Papegaaiberg, Polkadraai Hills, Devon Valley, Jonkershoek  Valley and Simonsberg-Stellenbosch are all recognized by the Wine of Origin scheme. The unofficial areas of Helderberg and Stellenboschkloof also have their own distinctive wine styles.

Bottelary Hills lies on the slopes of the Bottelary Mountain range with most of the vineyards facing north thus producing excellent red wines.

Devon Valley Vintners lies to the west of Stellenbosch. Most of the wineries are small and focus on red wines although they have also produced some enviable, premium white and sparkling wines.

Simonsberg-Stellenbosch is known as ‘Cabernet country’.

The Helderberg Region is part of the wine producing hub of the Cape Winelands. It comprises the Strand, Somerset West and Gordon’s Bay, along with a few of the other small surrounding towns – combine the influences of both a mountain and maritime climate, producing some very unique wines.

Very hot, dry summers are tempered by the maritime influence that sweeps in from False Bay in the south. Cooling southeasterly breezes wash through the vineyards in the afternoons, refreshing the grapes after the morning’s hot sun while the high clay content in the granite and sandstone soils means that while they are free draining they have excellent water-retention properties. The combination of these factors further enhance the potential for the production of premium red-wine grapes all around the Stellenbosch Wards. Cabernet Sauvignon, in particular, thrives in this region and can be found on wine lists the world over, it is the most widely planted grape variety here, and is often combined with Merlot to create top end Bordeaux Blends, while Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Pinotage and Chenin Blanc are planted here with very favourable, award-winning, results.