Winelands

Winelands

Back in the days when the Dutch East India Company was sailing ships around the Cape of Good Hope, many of the fruit and vegetables grown to restock the vessels came from the fertile hills and valleys just east of Cape Town. Nowadays, much of that farmland is dominated by vines and there are literally hundreds of wine farms across a region, just larger than Wales, that has become known as “the Winelands”.

The landscapes here are superb: row upon row of well-tended vines dip and weave through the valleys, wrapping around grand old farm houses that are watched over by towering trees, centuries old. In some places, exquisite contemporary buildings stand as monuments to winemaking traditions and always, as a backdrop, there are the craggy mountain peaks that loom with a drama that is utterly captivating.

Stellenbosch is the historic heart of the region. The elegant university town’s delightful Dorp Street is lined with gnarly old oak trees and the grand Cape Dutch architecture that defines this part of the world. Just over the mountains, via a dramatic pass, is pretty Franschhoek. The French roots of this quaint town date back to the late 1600s when Huguenot families brought with them invaluable knowledge and winemaking skills. Franschhoek (which translates as “French Corner”) still lives up to its name and there are many French-style cafes, galleries and charming streets to be found here.

From Stellenbosch across to Franschhoek and museum-rich Paarl, the Winelands is now an area packed with so many attractions that a fleeting visit could never do it justice. Heritage sites, historically significant farms, artisan food markets, collections of award-winning restaurants, gorgeous gardens, galleries, craft stores, dramatic mountain passes and, of course, the wine farms and cellars themselves… the Winelands has so much to offer.