Wine Tasting In Stellenbosch

POSTED ON JULY 28, 2017

We could not leave South Africa without visiting the scenic winelands of Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch is the most popular wine-producing region in South Africa. It is located in the Western Cape province, about 30 miles away from Cape Town. Renting a car was so convenient as we were able to explore this amazing area. The roads to get to Stellenbosch are in great condition and clearly marked. We honestly just had one map that we got from the Sightseeing Red Tour Bus that covered the main roads and it was sufficient for us to figure our way around.

As we got closer to Stellenbosch, we could already admire the stunning vineyards and the lively colors of the mountains surrounding the town. Stellenbosch is also known as the City of Oaks or “Eikestad” due to the many oak trees that are planted throughout the area.

 

We decided to visit the town before heading over to the wineries. Parking is easy to find although you have to pay a few rands to park. The town is so pretty and clean. We walked around the town and found historical buildings that gave the town a great magical feel. There are many street cafes in the downtown area for people to stop for breaks and take in all the beauty of the town. We found a cool arts and crafts bazaar with friendly people ready to negotiate with tourists. We also visited the University of Stellenbosch. If you have time, you should check it out. It is so relaxing to walk around the campus and see the different birds and trees that beautify this place. Definitely gets you in the mood for wine tasting!

We first decided to head over to Neil Ellis winery. The winery is absolutely gorgeous. There was a big group event going on in one of their event rooms. Nonetheless, we were able to get quality service when doing our wine tastings. The tasting room was situated by a warm fireplace which enhanced our wine tasting experience. It was here where we first tried the amazing Pinotage. We learnt that Pinotage is a mix of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. We had never tried this and were fascinated by the flavors. We loved it so much that we decided to take a few bottles of this variety.

Stark-Conde has amazing views that will take your breath away. For just R40 per person, you can sample about 5 different wines, sometimes even more depending on the host. The tasting room is located over a pond surrounded by picturesque and surreal views. It doesn’t get any better than this. You can spend all day daydreaming and observing the mountains. The wine was great. There’s a restaurant there too where you can dine. Unfortunately, it was closing when we arrived but we heard the food is amazing.

Since we took a day trip, we were only able to visit these two wineries. However, we were very happy with our selections and the wine we took back home with us. We highly recommend a trip to Stellenbosch!