7 of the Best Wineries to Visit in Stellenbosch

There are days that I just sit and reminisce about my trip to South Africa. It was easily one of my favorite trips ever. Part of what made it such an unforgettable experience were the Stellenbosch wineries I visited. The Stellenbosch wine region has hands down some of the best wines I’ve ever tasted. Couple that with stunning views, top notch farm to table restaurants, and wonderful vibes all around and it’s truly a magical destination. In this post, I’m going to cover some of my favorite Stellenbosch wineries + some tips to ensure you have the best experience. 

By the way, if you’re looking for a complete guide to South Africa including a done for you 12 day itinerary, check out this post.

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History of South African Wines

Wine in South Africa dates back to 1652 with the first bottle produced near Cape Town. The early grapes were of poor quality, though demand was high. In 1688, French Huguenot refugees arrived and improved the quality of the grapes. By introducing superior viticulture practices and superior grape varieties, winemaking improved in the region. 

With this improvement in technique, South African wines started making waves in the international market in the 18th and 19th centuries. 

The earliest vineyards in South Africa were white-owned. Slaves were brought from all over the world to work on the vineyards until slavery was abolished in 1834. Though slavery was abolished, workers remained in debt as they were paid meager wages and working conditions remained poor. 

Apartheid greatly impacted the agricultural sector, especially viticulture and lead to predominantly white vineyard owners. The regulations greatly stalled the growth of the wine industry as sanctions were put in place by foreign countries in response to the segregation. Wine consumption was also limited to white citizens. 

Post apartheid, in the early 1990s, land reforms were introduced leading to the rise of black-owned vineyards and black-produced wines. Sanctions were also lifted which led to increased wine exports and an increase in popularity of South African wines globally. Despite this, inequalities still persisted.

Today, with the help of the Fair-Trade Certification, South Africa is the eighth-largest wine producing country today. Production is mostly concentrated around Cape Town within the Western Cape province in Constantia, Paarl, Stellenbosch and Worcester.

What wine is produced in the Stellenbosch area?

Stellenbosch is one of the most famous wine-producing regions in South Africa and is known as the birthplace of Pinotage, a grape variety that is a cross between a Pinot Noir and a Cinsaut. If you’ve never had Pinotage, I highly recommend getting a glass in Stellenbosch!

Given its Mediterranean climate, with hot dry summers and cool wet winters, Stellenbosch vineyards are an ideal area for production and quality of red-wine grapes. Stellenbosch is mostly known for its red wines with Cabernet Sauvignon leading the way. 

In addition to Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch is also home to other red wine varietals and white wines such as Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. I personally had some excellent glasses of Chardonnay during my trip here.

What is the culinary scene like in Stellenbosch?

You thought I’d write any blog post without talking about food? Silly you. 

The culinary scene in Stellenbosch is excellent with dozens of wonderful restaurants serving up bold, beautiful flavors to match the breathtaking views. You’ll find no shortage of great food to eat between wine tastings. A lot of the best restaurants in Stellenbosch are located on vineyards which is obviously incredibly convenient and gives you a reason to spend even more time at these beautiful wine estates. 

I didn’t have an issue finding vegan and vegetarian food options at the restaurants I went to which I’ll cover in the below section as all the restaurants I ate at were on wine estates.

Great food and great wine!? Do you see why I love this region so much?

The best Stellenbosch wineries

There are so many fantastic wineries in Stellenbosch (and the surrounding areas) and I’m excited to share some of my favorites with you. A lot of wine estates also have some great dining options (with vegetarian/vegan options!) and I’ll share some of my favorites as well.

Thelema 

Let’s start with one of the best wineries I went to. I am someone who loves a smaller, intimate experience and that is exactly what you get at Thelema. We sat outside at a low table with stunning views over the vineyards. 

While I love wine and visiting different wine regions around the world, I of course have so much to learn until I can consider myself truly a wine connoisseur. The reason why I loved Thelema so much was because our sommelier took the time to answer all of our questions. She went above and beyond simply explaining what each wine we were tasting was and instead helped us understand why we liked it. She challenged us to think more critically about the wines. We broke down the different components until my friend and I both had an understanding of what it was about the wines we enjoyed so much. This was so helpful in my wine education journey! 

And how were the wines themselves you ask? Extraordinary. I of course had my favorites but there wasn’t a single wine I tried that I didn’t appreciate. We sampled a variety of different wines, including Suavingon Blanc, Verdelho, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and more. 

I can’t recommend this winery enough! It was such a great experience. 

Tokara 

Located just up the road from Thelema (you can walk between the two), you’ll find Tokara. 

We went to Tokara Deli first before doing a wine tasting to grab lunch which was delicious. I had an iced coffee and a very flavorful paneer curry. After satisfying our sweet tooth with some creme brulee, we walked up the path to their tasting room.

One thing I love about the wine estates in Stellenbosch is just how beautiful and tastefully done they are. Tokara is no exception. You’ll find beautiful, unique sculptures both outside the building and inside. The wine tasting room itself is absolutely stunning with floor to ceiling windows showcasing the incredible view.

This experience was not as personal and intimate as Thelema but still very enjoyable and one I’d highly recommend. You grab a seat in their tasting room, choose your tasting option, and sit back and relax. The wines are remarkable and it’s a great place to take your time enjoying your wine and the view, of course. Remember, you’re not in a rush!

Rainbow’s End 

I loved this little spot so much. This was recommended to us by our hotel as a more hidden gem winery (aka my favorite type of winery). We spent hours here on our last day in Stellenbosch. I highly recommend grabbing a cheese plate to go with your wine. We sat outside here (another gorgeous view) and it was such a beautiful experience. Of course, their wine is also top notch. I would say it’s right up there with Thelema for me.

Stark Condé 

Another wine estate with a great restaurant. We grabbed lunch at Postcard cafe (their onsite restaurant) before heading to their tasting room. I had a red lentil dahl which was pretty tasty. I was extremely impressed with the culinary scene in Stellenbosch in general.

The tasting room itself is very unique and is right over a pond so you get beautiful views while sipping on your wine. For me, their wine was a bit of a hit or a miss. I’m including them in this list because I think their restaurant is great and the wine I did enjoy was wonderful but unlike some of the other wineries, I didn’t love every wine I tasted. 

Delaire Graff Estate

This is a popular wine estate and with good reason. It’s massive and has breathtaking views at every turn. It exudes opulence and it’s clear that no detail was spared. We had plans to eat in one of their restaurants for dinner so we grabbed a glass of wine before our reservation. We sat outside on the terrace and I had a wonderful glass of MCC which is South African sparkling wine. 

We then headed to Indochine, one of their onsite restaurants specializing in afro-asian cuisine. You can choose to do a tasting menu or order a la carte. This is definitely a more fine dining experience. While I love a good tasting menu, we decided to order a la carte because we weren’t that hungry. I got a cauliflower steak that was delicious and would be curious to try their tasting menu next time I’m in the area. 

Babylonstoren

We ate at Babel, located at Babylonstoren, for dinner and I seriously can not recommend it enough. Housed in an old cow shed, the restaurant is a beautiful mix of Cape Dutch architecture and contemporary glass walls. Everything is farm to table and is sinfully delicious.

Their wine is also fantastic and paired so well with the dishes we got. Easily some of my favorite wines on the trip. 

We had 2 starters, 3 mains, 2 desserts, and 3 glasses of wine all for 58 USD. You definitely have to eat dinner at this spot!

Quick tip: Be sure you know how you’re getting back to your hotel after dinner or pre arrange transportation. Our dinner was pretty late and, by the time we left the restaurant, the whole estate was fairly empty. We tried calling an Uber and couldn’t get one. Luckily we called our hotel and they came and picked us up. 

Wineries I didn’t get to try but were on my list

We stayed at De Zeven Guest Lodge (more on how awesome they are later on in this post) and they were sooo freaking helpful in providing recommendations on which wineries to visit. The below wineries are a mix of their recommendations and a couple from a friend who also visited the area. All of these wineries were on my list to visit, I just didn’t have the time for this trip.

Bartinney 

This winery was on my list not just for its wines but also because they make their own gin so you can do both a wine tasting and a gin tasting here. The views from their tasting room also look incredible. 

Kanonkop

This winery is known for its Pinotage so if you’re looking for the best winery in Stellenbosch to taste Pinotage, this is a great option for you. 

Boschendal 

This was a winery recommended by both the hotel and a friend of mine. The hotel said they have a fantastic breakfast at this winery. My friend raved about how picturesque it was as well as their wines. 

Jordan Wine Estate

This is definitely one of the more popular wineries in Stellenbosch with award-winning wines. I had it on my list because it has an option to do a vineyard tour in an open-safari style Land Rover. The tour has stops to take in the views of False and Table Bays. It also gives you a chance to experience the terroir and geology of the estate. While on the tour you taste a selection of wines in their vineyards. You then do a cellar tour and taste additional wines in the cellar or on the terrace. 

Sounds pretty neat, right? It’s about a 2 hour long tour and the cost is R645 a person (about 34 USD).

Oldenberg

De Zeven Guest Lodge gave us two recommendations for hidden gem wineries. One was Rainbows End, which we visited (and loved), and the other was Oldenberg. If you’re someone who loves more intimate wineries, this would be a great option to add to your list. 

Best time to visit Stellenbosch wineries

I don’t think you can really go wrong with whenever you choose to visit Stellenbosch. A lot of blogs will claim summer is the best time to visit (December to February) but I disagree. I think summer is a good time to visit but I really think you can visit Stellenbosch year round. 

Summer means more crowds and hotter temperatures which wouldn’t be my personal preference. I’m a huge advocate of traveling in the off season or the shoulder season which means September/October is a great time to go. It’s before the crowds of the summer season and you’ll have pleasant temperatures during the day.

I also think March – May would be a wonderful time to visit as it is autumn and likely more quiet during these months and is also shoulder/off season. 

Of course, you could also go in the winter (July – August) and warm yourself up with roaring log fires and local wines. 

As you can see there really is no bad time to visit the Stellenbosch wine route. 

How many days do you need for Stellenbosch wineries?

When I was doing my research for my trip to South Africa, I saw a lot of blogs recommending a day trip to Stellenbosch. A day trip!? I was so confused as to why anyone would recommend this. It would be an extremely full day and it just wouldn’t do justice to Stellenbosch.

I mean sure if you only have one day then getting a taste of this special region is better than nothing but if you have the days to spare, please don’t only do a day trip here. 

The minimum I would spend here is 2 nights. I personally would love to go back and spend a full week (if not longer). This truly is one of the most incredible wine regions I’ve been to. With wine tastings, delicious farm to table restaurants, and unique experiences such as a wine safari or a wine tram, there is plenty to do here. Plus, you don’t want to rush from winery to winery and you’ll want to pencil in some down time to just sip your wine and take in the views.

If there’s any place to reap the benefits of slow travel it’s Stellenbosch. 

How to get to Stellenbosch

The easiest way to get to Stellenbosch from Cape Town is via Uber. You’ll find affordable prices and the trip is only about an hour. It cost us $22 USD (ZAR 418).

You could also arrange for transportation through other companies or ask either your Cape Town hotel or your Stellenbosch hotel to arrange a transfer for you.

The other option would be to drive yourself but if you’re going to be doing a lot of wine tastings, I would personally not recommend this. You’re going to need to figure out transportation around Stellenbosch to the different wineries which means you’ll be paying for your rental car to just sit parked at your hotel and whatever other transportation option you choose to get from winery to winery. 

Planning your visit to Stellenbosch wineries

There are a few things to consider when planning your visit to Stellenbosch wineries which I’ll outline below.

Don’t jam pack your day with wineries

While you could do multiple wine tastings a day and hop from place to place, I really don’t recommend it. The wineries are all so beautiful and there’s no need to rush the experience. I personally think 2 wine tasting sessions and then a dinner with a wine pairing or a glass of wine is ideal. This allows you to really enjoy the wine at each estate and not feel rushed. Plus, I don’t know about you, but any more than that and I’m prettttyyy tipsy. 

Make reservations for dinner in advance

We made reservations for both of our dinners in advance. I would highly recommend doing this as soon as you know where you want to dine. Reservations can book out in advance, especially during busy seasons. 

Getting from winery to winery

You can use Uber to get between wineries but it isn’t always the most reliable. We had to be patient and a couple of times we couldn’t get a car at all. You’ll usually have better luck with wineries that are further away from each other as that is more worth the driver’s time. Any wineries that are super close together and the ride will likely not be accepted. 

I think your best option is to arrange a private driver (your hotel can help you with this). While this is going to be pricier than just taking Ubers, I think it’s the best way to have a worry free day and a reliable source of transportation. 

You could also drive yourself but I don’t recommend that since who wants to do a wine tasting while worrying about staying sober enough to drive? Not me. 

Where to stay in Stellenbosch

I stayed at De Zeven Guest Lodge and I seriously can not recommend it enough! Prior to my trip, I emailed with them quite a bit to get winery recommendations and restaurant recommendations and they were SO helpful. They helped me plan out each day and provided hidden gem recommendations and then created a PDF itinerary for me!!

The hotel itself is simply stunning. It may be one of my favorite boutique hotels I’ve ever stayed at. There’s a gorgeous pool with beautiful views that would be perfect for a hot day. Breakfast is also included and is simply wonderful! 

Additionally, It is in an ideal location and makes it really easy to explore both Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. In between wine tastings or if you just want to sit and relax a bit, it’s the perfect place to do so with lots of seating options both indoor and outdoor. 

One last thing and then I’ll stop gushing about this hotel (even though I could go on and on). Both nights we had trouble getting home from dinner at wine estates and we couldn’t get an Uber to come get us. Thankfully we called the hotel and the manager on duty came and grabbed us right away.

Other things on my list for next time in Stellenbosch

Of course, it’s impossible to see everything in one go and I would love to come back. In addition to the wineries, here are other things I’d love to do next time I’m in Stellenbosch (and trust me, I plan on coming back as soon as I possibly can!)

Stellenbosch Town

I never actually go to see the town during my trip to Stellenbosch. I know the main draw is, of course, the wineries in the region but next time I’d love to take a look at the town.

Franschhoek Wine Tram

This is technically in Franschhoek and not Stellenbosch but it’s close enough. This hop on and hop off wine tram has different winery routes that you can choose from. It looks like a fun way to explore the Franschhoek wineries

Go on a hike

There are numerous trails in the Cape Winelands where you can bike or hike. The scenery in this area is so breathtaking that I imagine there are plenty of amazing hikes. I would definitely look into this for my next trip.  

Bottom Line

If you can’t tell by now I am really obsessed with Stellenbosch and think the region deserves much more than just a day trip. It is a wine region every wine lover should have on their list. There are so many incredible wineries to choose from but I hope this list gives you a good idea of some of the best wineries to visit in Stellenbosch. 

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