Right on the doorstep of Cape Town, lies a hidden gem that every wine lover should visit, the Durbanville Wine Valley. Its unique terroir enables wine farms to produce high-quality wines, which are renowned worldwide. Here, you will find a variety of different wine estates, offering breathtaking views and award winning wines. So when you’re planning your next wine tasting tour in Cape Town, don’t forget to include these 8 fantastic wine estates.
Meerendal
Meerendal’s unique location and terroir is ideal for a variety of noble cultivars. The quality of their grapes, as well as their modern cellar techniques, enables Meerendal to produce excellent, high-quality wines. Guests are welcome to taste their wines in their stylish cellar or enjoy their wine on their outside veranda. When arranged in advanced, Meerendal also offers cellar tours as well as informative tasting, hosted by their Cellar Master and Wine Maker, Liza Goodwin, or renowned Cape Wine Master, Bennie Howard. Meerendal also boasts a small bistro serving light platters and a restaurant, catering for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Signal Gun
Signal Gun started producing wine in 2006 on the Hooggelegen Wine Farm. Their tasting room is located next to their restaurant in an old cattle barn. Here guests can choose to either sit on their stylish porch or outside on their lawn and enjoy the majestic view of the surrounding Winelands. Signal Gun allows tasting of their Signal Gun boutique range and their lighter styled Tin Hill wines as well as a range of pairing options. For a small fee, guests are also welcome to take home their tasting glass and when buying a bottle, your tasting is free of charge. The signal gun also offers cheese platters that are big enough to be shared among two.
Diemersdal
Diemersdal wine estate is a family run business and has been in the Louw family for six generations. Their wines are the perfect example for the unique terroir of the Durbanville Wine Valley. With the perfect combination of diverse soils and slopes as well as the dry lands and cooling sea breeze, Diemersdal is able to produce premium quality wine with concentrated flavours that is renowned across the world. Their tasting room is conventionally styled, with high ceilings, terracotta tiled floors, a wine counter and a big tasting table. They offer guest to taste a selection of their red and white wines in their conventionally styles tasting room as well as outside on the grass or terrace. Diemersdal is a definite must for sauvignon lovers.
Altydgedacht
Altydegedacht is a family run wine farm. Using a combination of traditional and modern methods, they produce wines of character and quality. Their rustic tasting room adds to the small farm charm of the wine estate. Here you can taste their selection of wines ranging from old to new cultivars. Altydegedacht also boasts a restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. It produces quality wine using a combination of modern and traditional methods.
Bloemendal
Bloemendal wine estate is a 239 ha farm and is located on Kanonberg (Canon Mountain). This hilltop offers an amazing panoramic view over Table Bay, False Bay and Table Mountain. The wine farm only uses selective vineyards, sacrifices quantity in favour of quality. Their main focus, however, is on the French cultivars, with emphasis on Sauvignon Blanc. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that their Suider-Terras Sauvignon Blanc is world renowned for its superior quality. Bloemendal offers two wine ranges, the Waterlily and the Bloemendal estate wine, which are both available for tasting.
Nitida
Nitida is a family run wine estate and is the smallest wine farm in the Durbanville Wine Valley. Following a traditional, yet personalized approach to wine making, Nitida offers a range of award-winning wines that are loved nationwide. They are also renowned for their Sauvignon Blanc, warm service, their 2 restaurants and tasting cellar. Guests are welcome to taste their range of wines in their cellar or any of their 2 restaurants, between 11:00 and 15:00. In summer, Nitida opens their dam for a lazy paddling session or to have some fun splashing in the water.
Hillcrest
The Hillcrest Estate is a boutique winery that offers a wide range of wines to suit every palate and pocket. Their 2 wine ranges, the Hillcrest and their flagship range, are made only of grapes produced on their vineyards. Their white wines usually have a lime/citrus flavour with zesty natural acidity. Their red wines, on the other hand, are medium-bodied and elegant with a powerful fruit expression and memorable persistence. Their inside cellar offers a cosy and relaxed atmosphere and an option of different wine and olive tastings. They also boast a beautiful restaurant with breathtaking views over the surrounding Winelands as well as an abundance of different activities, such as cycling, fishing and picnicking.
Durbanville Hills
Durbanville Hills Wine Estate offers 3 award winning wine ranges popular amongst wine lovers. For them, their success lies in their unique location. Not only do they have breathtaking views and a peaceful scenery, but their extraordinary terroir is ideal for making a range of classic white and red wines. Their chic cellar has an indoor and outdoor area and is the ideal place to unwind. Here guests are welcome to taste their range of wines as well as enjoy their chocolate or biltong pairing. Durbanville Hills also offers cellar tours, however, these have to be booked in advance.