Wine Regions of the Cape

The first wine recorded in South Africa was produced by Jan van Riebeeck, the founder of Cape Town, in 1659. The Cape Province continues to be the hub of wine production in South Africa. In the Wine of Origin classification of South African wines, 97% of the vineyards come under the Western Cape geographical unit, with the remaining 3% in Northern Cape.

Constantia

Constantia was home to the first vineyards in South Africa. Situated on the side of the Constantiaberg mountains and close to the sea, the vineyards are kept cool by the sea breezes. The climatic conditions are ideal for the production of excellent Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon wines. The estates in this region are Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Constantia Uitsig, Buitervenwachting and Steenberg.

Elgin

Elgin is situated in Overberg, and is a major apple-producing area. It is now becoming increasingly known for cool climate wines of high quality. The high altitude, cool climate and sufficient rainfall are all ideal for production of grapes with balanced flavors. 

Franschhoek

Franschhoek valley has forty-two active wineries. It has some of the best restaurants in South Africa and is called the ‘food and wine capital’ of the country. It is a producer of a wide variety of award winning wines.

Paarl

This region has been a producer of white wines traditionally, though it is now shifting to red wines more and more. The region has a warm climate and the cooler higher altitude vineyards produce the best wines from the region.

Robertson

Robertson is situated about 120 km to the east of Cape Town. Robertson wine valley produces the whites Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Methode Cap Classique and the reds Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Irrigation is needed for cultivation as rainfall is not sufficient. In addition to bore wells and stored winter water, the Breede River and Brandvlei Dam provide water.

Stellenbosch

Situated at the foot of the Cape Fold mountain range, Stellenbosch region in Western Cape, with more than 140 vineyards, is the most prominent wine area of South Africa. The diversity in the geological make up of the region helps to make it a producer of fine red and white wines. Stellenbosch University is a major location for viticulture research.

Swartland

A relatively young entrant to the field of wine making, Swartland had its first winery established in 1948. The Swartland region is suitable for bushvine style cultivation of grapes. Combined with wine making using dry soil, the wines produced here are sought after for their unique quality.

Walker Bay 

This region has a cool climate and is a producer of good Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The vineyards are located in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley. The valley lies surrounded by the Glen Varloch range, Babylonstoring and the Galpin Peak.

Worcester 

Worcester is located in the Breede river valley. The KWV (Koöperatieve Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Afrika Bpkt) Brandy Cellar is situated here. It is the largest producer of grapes in the Western Cape considering volume and area under cultivation. Many cooperatives produce affordable red, white and fortified wines. 

The wine regions of the Cape are very scenic and wine routes attract a great number of tourists to the Cape. The Cape has its own variety of grape, the Pinotage. In addition, international varieties are being planted more and more. Ideal condition for the production of grapes and expertise of traditional wineries make wine from the Cape highly sought after internationally.