If there is one thing you must add to your bucket list, it is to experience the Stellenbosch American Express Wine Route. One of the most popular attractions in Cape Town, Stellenbosch has a long, rich history in producing wine with the first vineyards having been planted over 300 years ago in 1679 – trust us, they know their stuff! Divided into five sub-routes, there are more than 200 wine producers within the area so you are bound to find a few bottles to whet all appetites, and even if you aren’t quite the connoisseur, we can guarantee that you will soon become interested in the tastes on offer and the grapes in which they come from.
There are tasting rooms available in over 150 of the vineyards so that visitors can sample some award-winning wines among others. Learn how to taste the wine properly using sight, smell, taste and touch, and you may be surprised just how much your palette changes. Take a relaxing walk through the vineyards before learning how wine is made – it becomes even more impressive once you have seen the hundreds of grape vines. There may even be the opportunity to create your own personalised label which can be very fun! Should you come across a blend that you simply can’t live without once you head home, many of the cellars will actually ship to your address, so it is always worth asking if this would be an option. Of course, there are also gift shops in many vineyards where you can buy some unusual and useful gifts to take back to your loved ones – a wine glass holder being one of them.Various wineries also incorporate art into their experience. There really is nothing better than enjoying a crisp glass of wine while taking in a beautiful piece of art.
If all of the wine tasting leaves you feeling a little lightheaded, there are plenty of restaurants on the Stellenbosch American Express Wine Route serving a variety of flavoursome dishes which will help you keep your energy up. A wine safari is also well worth experiencing should you get the chance. Explore the beautiful Cape scenery as your driver takes you between wineries while you get a taste for the different types on offer. Regardless of what you do, you are bound to make many memories that you will never forget during your visit to the wineries close to Cape Town.
