Oak-lined streets, whitewashed Cape Dutch gables, and valleys of vines running up against blue mountains. The Winelands are only forty minutes from Cape Town, and a private day here is the easiest luxury on the whole trip — because someone else is driving.
Most winelands tours run the same three famous estates in the same order. I'd rather take you somewhere that suits you. Over the years I've built three routes I love, each with its own character. Tell me which sounds like your kind of day, or leave it to me once I know what you enjoy drinking.
Three signature days
Rugby, wild cats and a ghost
A Stellenbosch day with stories attached — the town where South African rugby grew up, an estate with a resident conservation project for wild cats, and a manor house with a ghost story the owners will happily tell you themselves. Classic reds, serious history, and a genuinely funny afternoon.
The Banghoek estates
Up the Helshoogte Pass into the Banghoek valley, the quiet, dramatic corner between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Smaller producers, exceptional whites and elegant reds, and views straight up into the mountains. This is the route for people who already know their wine and want to find something new.
Goats and white pinotage
The most relaxed of the three, and the best for families or a mixed group. Farm animals and cheese-making, a properly good lunch stop, and a chance to taste white pinotage — an unusual Cape speciality most visitors have never heard of, let alone tried.
Good to know
- 🕗Full day — around 8 hours, door to door.
- 🍷Tastings included in the day rate.
- 🍽️Lunch is not included — we stop somewhere good and you choose.
- 🚐Hotel pick-up and drop-off included.
- 🍇Usually three estates, unhurried, rather than six in a rush.
- 📦Bought a case? It travels home in the vehicle with you.
When to come
Summer (Nov–Mar): long warm days, vineyards in full green, outdoor tastings under the oaks. Book further ahead — this is peak season.
Harvest (Feb–Apr): the estates are working. You can smell the fermentation and watch the crush. My personal favourite time to visit.
Autumn (Apr–May): the vines turn gold and red. Quieter, cooler, and arguably the most beautiful the valleys ever look.
Winter (Jun–Aug): fires lit indoors, empty tasting rooms, and the estates at their most welcoming. Deeply underrated.
Questions people ask
Are the tastings included?
Yes — tastings are covered in the winelands day rate. Lunch and any wine you buy to take home aren't.
How many estates will we visit?
Usually three, sometimes four if they're close together. I'd rather you properly enjoy three than tick off six and remember none of them.
What if some of us don't drink?
Completely fine. The estates are worth visiting for the architecture and setting alone, and most offer grape juice, olive oil, cheese or chocolate tastings instead.
Can we ship wine home?
Most established estates arrange international shipping directly. I'll point you to the ones that do it well and help you sort it on the day.
What does a winelands day cost?
R5 000 for the day for up to three guests, tastings included, lunch excluded. Larger groups quoted individually — tell me your dates.
Pick your winelands day
Tell me what you like drinking and who's coming, and I'll suggest the route that fits.
