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Staying in Cape Town and wondering where wine farms near me? Chances are that’s what you came for and you don’t have to search for long! You can either head to the wine farms in the Winelands or stay in town – you don’t even need to venture far because some of the country’s best wine come from wine farms in Constantia, a leafy southern suburb in town.
If you don’t have time to visit Stellenbosch, Paarl or Elgin, the Constantia wine route is the perfect solution for you especially if you are a fan of crisp Sauvignon Blanc which the area is known for. You can book yourself an organized tour that will take you around. Alternatively, wine tasting in Constantia is easily done via Uber if you don’t have a designated driver but want to have the flexibility to go where you please.
Read more about Wine Tasting in South Africa:
Constantia itself was once one farm which later split up into various different vineyards. With that, quite a few hold the claim to the oldest wine farm in Constantia but honestly, I don’t care about family feuds and who is right and who is righter. Each of the wine farms in the Constantia Valley has its very own charm, its champion wines, and are so easy to reach from Cape Town that you should just try them all.
Check out Constantia wine Farms tours here:
Favorite wine farms in Constantia
Klein Constantia
Klein Constantia dates back to 1685 which makes it one of the oldest wine farms in Constantia. Maybe even the oldest but it is a bit hard to tell as over the centuries property lines have moved thanks to business deals and family feuds as I mentioned before.
The vineyard is impressive, to say the least, and offers 146 hectares of mainly white varietals – Klein Constantia is known for its Sauvignon Blanc! The drive up to the tasting area leads you through some of the lower vineyards, tree-lined alleys, and lots of greenery – to call it pretty would be an understatement.
Their tasting room with only 25 seats is quite small so if you are coming in high season a reservation is recommended. You can choose from various tastings which start at ZAR 100 for the Klein Constantia Classic Tasting with 5 signature wines. If you are a lover of crisp white wine, they got you covered thanks to their special Sauvignon Blanc tasting.
I recommend the Premium Tasting which not only includes their MCC and a lovely red blend from their sister farm in Stellenbosch, Anwilka, but also their Chardonnay – my favorite white I tried.
If you wanted to do something special you can book your tasting in the privacy of Duggies Dungeon, do a cellar tour or a vineyard tour with their very own Klein Constantia safari vehicle.
Fun fact: Klein Constantia is one of the wine farms, Cape Town that has many literary fans! Charles Baudelaire and Charles Dickens made references to their divine dessert wine, Vin de Constance, and Jane Austen recommended it for “…its healing powers on a disappointed heart” in Sense and Sensibility. And it hasn’t lost its appeal – recently it was mentioned in a tame scene at a masquerade ball in 50 Shades of Grey.
- Signature Tasting is R 300
Groot Constantia
Groot Constantia also prides itself as the oldest wine farm in South Africa but again that is a bit complicated thanks to those family issues. The Dutch started the winemaking tradition in the area thanks to Simon van der Stel who even gave the area its name: Constantia. After his death, his huge property was divided amongst his sons – one inheriting Klein Constantia and one that is now known as Groot Constantia.
The farm is probably the most well-known vineyard of the Constantia wine route and part of the popular tourist circuit – even the Hop-on Hop-off busses have a stop here. You can visit the original manor house, they have a museum and restaurant, and of course, you can do a cellar tour and Constantia wine tasting in the main part of the farm.
- Groot Constantia wine tasting is R 170
Beau Constantia
Beau Constantia is a boutique wine farm in Constantia which is probably best known for its restaurant Chefs Warehouse, at least for the non-wine fiends. The restaurant has won accolades all over the country and is well worth a trip of its own, just make sure to reserve far in advance.
Mind you, the wine is lovely too and since last year spearheaded by Megan van der Merwe, one of the premier female winemakers in the country. Their tasting room similar to the one at Babylonstoren is a glass cube and thus gives you the best of two worlds: uninterrupted views over the Constantia Valley and a cool setting to enjoy your wine tasting in.
Should it get too crowded, you can always just buy a bottle, grab a couple of glasses and sit on the lawn in front of the tasting room. Whatever you do, do visit the toilets – the view invites you to linger. Beau Constantia it is one of the best wineries in Constantia for all the reasons!
- Tastings start at R 130
Eagles’ Nest
While originally also part of Groot Constantia Eagles’ Nest now very much has its own claim to fame. The farm is quite small compared to some others in the region but it still packs a punch and holds the title of steepest commercially farmed vineyard in the region.
Its unique terroir makes it perfectly suited for reds namely Merlot and Shiraz. Mind you, it is also known for one of my personal favorites: Viognier. All three have won numerous awards and once you take a sip it is easy to understand why.
They offer regular wine tasting in their tasting room where you can enjoy various nibbles as well. I, however, recommend you splurge and book their VIP tasting which takes place in the vineyard. Because honestly, the views here over the Constantia Valley are some of the best I have seen and the wine seems to taste a little bit better with this backdrop.
In case you were wondering, the estate is named after a survey beacon indicating that the area was once breeding ground for Verreaux’s Eagles. While there is only one pair in the Table Mountain National Park left, Eagles’ Nest does help with their research and conservation.
Buitenverwachting
If you are looking for a wine farm in Constantia for the whole family, Buitenverwachting is the place for you! Here you can drink, eat, and frolic on their beautiful lawns making it a great place for young and old.
I recently went there with my friend Claire who brought her 2-year old. We weren’t quite sure if kids are generally allowed in tasting areas but that wasn’t an issue at Buitenverwachting. Their tasting area was already quite full when we arrived on a glorious Thursday afternoon and since they don’t offer wine tasting on the lawn we decided to simply grab a bottle of rose, a cooler, and two glasses. A steal at ZAR 65 for the bottle and you even get some cute wine-holder stakes so your glasses are secure in the grass. Perfect solution if mommy wants to drink wine and a very inquisitive little boy wants to roll around in the grass.
While the rose we drank wasn’t my favorite – a bit too bubblegummy for my liking – I am keen to return to try their Sauvignon Blancs that they are known for.
Buitenverwachting is also a great choice if you prefer coffee over wine as they have an awesome cafe called Coffee BloC with artisanal roasts as well as an in-house brand of gin.
If you are looking for a chic restaurant in Constantia, head to their Peter Tempelhoff restaurant beyond. The food is delicious and the views are even better!
- Tasting costs R 100
This post is still in progress and I will add more wine farms in the future. In the meanwhile, if you want to check out more vineyards in Constantia have a look at Steenberg, Constantia Glen, Silvermist, and Constantia Uitsig.
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